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 did sit, Yea, we wept when we remembered Zion.

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

On willows in its midst we hung our harps.

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 ye 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 Jehovah, On the land of a stranger?

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

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

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 doth cleave to my palate, If I do not remember thee, 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, Jehovah, for the sons of Edom, The day of Jerusalem, Those saying, 'Rase, rase 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 happiness of him who repayeth to thee thy deed, That thou hast done to us.

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

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