Psalms 137

1 By the riuers of Babel we sate, and there wee wept, when we remembred Zion.

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

2 Wee hanged our harpes vpon the willowes in the middes thereof.

Upon the willows—in the midst thereof, hanged we our lyres:

3 Then they that ledde vs captiues, required of vs songs and mirth, when wee had hanged vp our harpes, saying, Sing vs one of the songs of Zion.

For, there, our captors asked of us words of song, and our plunderers—gladness, —Sing us of the songs of Zion!

4 Howe shall we sing, said we, a song of the Lord in a strange land?

How shall we sing the song of Yahweh, on a foreign soil?

5 If I forget thee, O Ierusalem, let my right hand forget to play.

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, Let my right-hand forget:

6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth: yea, if I preferre not Ierusalem to my chiefe ioy.

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember thee! if I do not lift up Jerusalem above the head of mine own gladness.

7 Remember the children of Edom, O Lord, in the day of Ierusalem, which saide, Rase it, rase it to the foundation thereof.

Remember, O Yahweh, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem, —how they continued to say—Overthrow! Overthrow! unto the foundation within it.

8 O daughter of Babel, worthy to be destroyed, blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast serued vs.

O ruined daughter of Babylon, —how happy the man who shall repay thee thy dealing, wherewith thou didst deal with us!

9 Blessed shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones.

How happy the man who shall snatch away and dash thy children against the crag.