Psalms 137

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

A Psalm of David: to Jeremiah. Above the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept, while we remembered Zion.

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

By the willow trees, in their midst, we hung up our instruments.

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

For, in that place, those who led us into captivity questioned us about the words of the songs. And those who carried us away said: “Sing us a hymn from the songs of Zion.”

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

How can we sing a song of the Lord in a foreign land?

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

If I ever forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten.

6 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.

May my tongue adhere to my jaws, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem first, as the beginning of my joy.

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

O Lord, call to mind the sons of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem, who say: “Despoil it, despoil it, even to its foundation.”

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

O daughter of Babylon, have pity. Blessed is he who will repay you with your payment, which you have paid to us.

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

Blessed is he who will take hold of your little ones and dash them against the rock.