Psalms 137

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

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

2 We hung our harps upon the willows in its midst.

There on the poplars we hung our harps.

3 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.

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

4 How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a foreign land?

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

5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her skill.

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

6 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.

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.

7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to its foundation

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.’

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

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

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

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