Psalms 137

1 By rivers of Babylon — There we did sit, 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 On willows in its midst we hung our harps.

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

3 For there our captors asked us the words of a song, And our spoilers — joy: 'Sing ye to us of a song 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 do we sing the song of Jehovah, On the land of a stranger?

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

5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, my right hand forgetteth!

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

6 My tongue doth cleave to my palate, If I do not remember thee, If I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy.

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, Jehovah, for the sons of Edom, The day of Jerusalem, Those saying, 'Rase, rase to its foundation!'

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 daughter of Babylon, O destroyed one, O the happiness of him who repayeth to thee thy deed, That thou hast done to us.

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

9 O the happiness of him who doth seize, And hath dashed thy sucklings on the rock!

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