Psalms 137

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

By rivers of Babylon—There we sat, Indeed, we wept when we remembered Zion.

2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

We hung our harps on willows in its midst.

3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that made us wail [required] mirth, [saying, ] Sing us [one] of the songs of Zion.

For there our captors asked us the words of a song, And our spoilers—joy: “Sing to us of a song of Zion.”

4 How should we sing a song of Jehovah's upon a foreign soil?

How do we sing the song of YHWH, On the land of a stranger?

5 If I forget thee, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [its skill];

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, my right hand forgets!

6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to my palate: if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

My tongue cleaves to my palate, If I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy.

7 Remember, O Jehovah, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem; who said, Lay [it] bare, Lay [it] bare, down to its foundation!

Remember, YHWH, for the sons of Edom, The day of Jerusalem, Those saying, “Raze, raze to its foundation!”

8 Daughter of Babylon, who art to be laid waste, happy he that rendereth unto thee that which thou hast meted out to us.

O daughter of Babylon, O destroyed one, O the blessedness of him who repays to you your deed, That you have done to us.

9 Happy he that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock.

O the blessedness of him who seizes, and has dashed your sucklings on the rock!