< Tingtoeng 137 >
1 Babylon tuiva ah te ka ngol uh tih Zion ka poek uh vaengah ka rhap uh.
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].
2 A khui kah tuirhi dongah ka rhotoeng te ka bang uh.
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].
3 Kaimih aka sol rhoek kaimih te laa ol hnap n'dawt uh. Kaimih aka parhaengkung long khaw, “Zion laa te kaimih ham kohoenah neh hlai uh lah,” a ti uh.
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!”
4 Balae tih BOEIPA laa he kholong kho ah ka hlai uh eh?
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!”
5 Jerusalem nang te kan hnilh atah ka bantang kut he hnilh uh saeh.
If I forget about Jerusalem [APO], Iet my right hand wither [with the result that I will be unable to play my harp]
6 Nang te kan thoelh pawt tih, Jerusalem te ka kohoenah somtung la ka pacuet pawt atah ka lai he ka dang la kap uh saeh.
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.
7 BOEIPA aw Jerusalem tue vaengkah Edom koca rhoek loh, “A khoengim duela kingling uh kingling uh,” a ti uh te poek pah.
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!”
8 Hlang aka rhoelrhak Babylon nu aw, kaimih taengah na saii bangla na thaphu te namah taengah aka thuung tah a yoethen.
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;
9 Na camoe rhoek te a tuuk tih, thaelpang dongah aka phop tah a yoethen.
they will take your babies and completely smash them on the rocks.