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, and we also wept when we remembered Zion.

2 We hung our harps on willows in its midst.

Upon the willows in her midst had we hung up our harps.

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 our captors demanded of us the words of song; and those that mocked us, joy, [saying, ] Sing for 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 the song of the Lord on the soil of the stranger?

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

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget—.

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

May my tongue cleave to my palate if I do not remember thee: if I recall not Jerusalem at the head of my joy.

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

Remember, O Lord, unto the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem; who said, Raze it, raze it, even to her very 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.

O daughter of Babylon, who art wasted: happy he, that repayeth thee thy recompense for what thou hast done to us.

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

Happy he, that seizeth and dasheth thy babes against the rock.