Psalms 137

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

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

2 We hung our harps on willows in its midst.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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