< Psalms 137 >

1 By rivers of Babylon — There we did sit, Yea, we wept when we remembered Zion.
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat, and we also wept when we remembered Zion.
2 On willows in its midst we hung our harps.
Upon the willows in her midst had we hung up our harps.
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 there our captors demanded of us the words of song; and those that mocked us, joy, [saying, ] Sing for us one of the songs of Zion.
4 How do we sing the song of Jehovah, On the land of a stranger?
How should we sing the song of the Lord on the soil of the stranger?
5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, my right hand forgetteth!
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget—.
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 cleave to my palate if I do not remember thee: if I recall not Jerusalem at the head of my joy.
7 Remember, Jehovah, for the sons of Edom, The day of Jerusalem, Those saying, 'Rase, rase to its foundation!'
Remember, O Lord, unto the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem; who said, Raze it, raze it, even to her very 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, who art wasted: happy he, that repayeth thee thy recompense for what thou hast done to us.
9 O the happiness of him who doth seize, And hath dashed thy sucklings on the rock!
Happy he, that seizeth and dasheth thy babes against the rock.

< Psalms 137 >