Psalms 137

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

By the rivers of Babylon, there, we sat down, yea we wept—when we remembered Zion:

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

Upon the willows—in the midst thereof, hanged we our lyres:

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 of us words of song, and our plunderers—gladness, —Sing us of the songs of Zion!

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

How shall we sing the song of Yahweh, on a foreign soil?

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

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, Let my right-hand forget:

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

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember thee! if I do not lift up Jerusalem above the head of mine own gladness.

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, O Yahweh, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem, —how they continued to say—Overthrow! Overthrow! unto the foundation within it.

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 ruined daughter of Babylon, —how happy the man who shall repay thee thy dealing, wherewith thou didst deal with us!

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

How happy the man who shall snatch away and dash thy children against the crag.