Psalms 137

1 By the waters of Babylon there we sat, and we wept at the thought of Zion.

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

2 There on the poplars we hung our harps.

We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

3 For there our captors called for a song: our tormentors, rejoicing, saying: ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion.’

For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us [required of us] mirth, [saying], Sing us [one] of the songs of Zion.

4 How can we sing the Lord’s song in the foreigner’s land?

How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a strange land?

5 If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand wither.

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [her cunning].

6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I am unmindful of you, or don’t set Jerusalem above my chief joy.

If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

7 Remember the Edomites, Lord, the day of Jerusalem’s fall, when they said, ‘Lay her bare, lay her bare, right down to her very foundation.’

Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase [it], rase [it, even] to the foundation thereof.

8 Babylon, despoiler, happy are those who pay you back for all you have done to us.

O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy [shall he be], that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

9 Happy are they who seize and dash your children against the rocks.

Happy [shall he be], that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.