Psalms 137

1 By the waters of Babylon there we sat, and we wept at the thought of Zion.

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

2 There on the poplars we hung our harps.

Upon the willows in the midst of it we hung up our harps.

3 For there our captors called for a song: our tormentors, rejoicing, saying: “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

For there those who led us captive required of us songs, and those who wasted us, mirth, saying, Sing for us one of the songs of Zion.

4 How can we sing the Lord’s song in the foreigner’s land?

How shall we sing Jehovah's song in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand wither.

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget.

6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I am unmindful of you, or don’t set Jerusalem above my chief joy.

Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember thee, if I do not prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.

7 Remember the Edomites, Lord, the day of Jerusalem’s fall, when they said, “Lay her bare, lay her bare, right down to her very foundation.”

Remember, O Jehovah, the day of Jerusalem against the sons of Edom, who said, Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation thereof.

8 Babylon, despoiler, happy are those who pay you back for all you have done to us.

O daughter of Babylon, who is to be destroyed, happy shall he be who rewards thee as thou have served us.

9 Happy are they who seize and dash your children against the rocks.

Happy shall he be who takes and dashes thy little ones against the rock.