Psalms 137
1 When we [had been taken to] Babylonia, [far from Jerusalem], we sat down by the rivers there, and we cried when we thought about [the temple on] Zion [Hill in Jerusalem].
Babilonia tɔsisiwo toe míenɔ, hɛnɔ avi fam, esi míeɖo ŋku Zion dzi.
2 On the willow trees [alongside the rivers] we hung our harps [because we did not want to play them any more because we were very sad].
Míetsɔ míaƒe kasaŋkuwo ku amuti siwo le afi ma,
3 The [soldiers] who had captured us [and taken us to Babylonia] told us to sing [for them]; they told us to (entertain them/make them happy), saying, “Sing for us one of the songs [that you previously sang in] Jerusalem!”
elabena afi mae ame siwo ɖe aboyo mí la bia ha tso mía si le; ame siwo wɔ fu mí la bia dzidzɔhawo tso mía si hegblɔ be, “Midzi Zion hawo dometɔ ɖeka na mí!”
4 But [we thought], “We [are sad because we have been punished by Yahweh and brought to this] foreign land, so we cannot [RHQ] sing songs about Yahweh while we are here!”
Aleke miadzi Yehowa ƒe hawo le dzronyigba dzi?
5 If I forget about Jerusalem [APO], Iet my right hand wither [with the result that I will be unable to play my harp]
O! Yerusalem, ne meŋlɔ wò be la, nye nuɖusibɔ nèŋlɔ eƒe ŋusẽ be,
6 Do not allow me to sing again [MTY], if I forget about Jerusalem, if I do not consider that Jerusalem causes me to be more joyful than anything else does.
eye nye aɖe nelé ɖe nye nu me, ne nyemeɖo ŋku dziwò o, ne nyemebu Yerusalem, nye dzidzɔ kɔkɔtɔ kekeake o.
7 Yahweh, [punish] the people of the Edom people-group for what they did on the day that the army of Babylon captured Jerusalem. Do not forget that they said, “Tear down all the buildings! Destroy them completely! Leave only the foundations!”
O! Yehowa, ɖo ŋku nu si Edomtɔwo wɔ la dzi, gbe si gbe wogbã Yerusalem. Wodo ɣli be, “Mimui ƒu anyi, migbãe, va se ɖe eƒe gɔmeɖokpewo dzi ke!”
8 And you people of Babylon, you will certainly be destroyed! Those who punish you in return for what you did to us will be happy;
O! Babilonia vinyɔnu, woɖo wò ɖi na tsɔtsrɔ̃, woayra ame si aɖo nu si nèwɔ mí la teƒe na wò,
9 they will take your babies and completely smash them on the rocks.
ame si alé wò vidzĩwo axlã ɖe agakpewo.
