Edinburgh's motto
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Emma Gillon replies: Nisi means "unless, if not or without", Dominus means "lord" or "master" and frustra means "in vain" or "useless."
It can be variuosly translated as:
Without the Lord, everything is in vain
Except the Lord in Vain
He that acts without the Lord Acts in vain
if not the master, in vain
Without God, we labor in vain
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Hide AdExcept the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it
It is a heraldic contraction of a verse from the 127th Psalm:-
'Except the Lord build the house
They labour in vain that build it:
Except the Lord keep the city
The watchman waketh but in vain.'
It has been the motto of Edinburgh since 1647. It is also one of the mottoes of the King's Own scottish Borderers regiment.
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