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 wasted us [required of us] 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 shall we sing the LORD’s song in a strange land?

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

5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [her cunning].

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

6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; 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 LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase [it], rase [it, even] to the foundation thereof.

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 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy [shall he be], that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

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

9 Happy [shall he be], that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

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