Psalms 137

1 When we sat down by the rivers of Babylon we wept as we remembered Zion.

Psalmus David, propter Hieremiam. Super flumina Babylonis, illic sedimus et flevimus: cum recordaremur Sion:

2 We hung up our harps on the willow trees.

In salicibus in medio eius, suspendimus organa nostra.

3 For those who had taken us captive asked us for a song—our tormentors wanted us to sing a happy song from Jerusalem.

Quia illic interrogaverunt nos, qui captivos duxerunt nos, verba cantionum: Et qui abduxerunt nos: Hymnum cantate nobis de canticis Sion.

4 But how could we sing a song dedicated to the Lord in a pagan land?

Quomodo cantabimus canticum Domini in terra aliena?

5 If I forget Jerusalem, may my right hand forget how to play;

Si oblitus fuero tui Ierusalem, oblivioni detur dextera mea.

6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you—if I don't consider Jerusalem my greatest joy.

Adhaereat lingua mea faucibus meis, si non meminero tui: Si non proposuero Ierusalem, in principio laetitiae meae.

7 Lord, please remember what the people of Edom did on the day Jerusalem fell, the ones who said “Tear it down! Destroy it down to its foundations!”

Memor esto Domine filiorum Edom, in die Ierusalem: Qui dicunt: Exinanite, exinanite usque ad fundamentum in ea.

8 Daughter of Babylon, you will be destroyed! Happy is the one who pays you back, who does to you what you did to us!

Filia Babylonis misera: beatus, qui retribuet tibi retributionem tuam, quam retribuisti nobis.

9 Happy is the one who grabs your children and smashes them against the rocks!

Beatus, qui tenebit, et allidet parvulos suos ad petram.