Psalms 137

1 By the rivers of Babylon, there, we sat down, yea we wept—when we remembered Zion:

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

2 Upon the willows—in the midst thereof, hanged we our lyres:

We hung our harps on willows in its midst.

3 For, there, our captors asked of us words of song, and our plunderers—gladness, —Sing us of the songs of Zion!

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

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

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

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

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

6 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.

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

7 Remember, O Yahweh, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem, —how they continued to say—Overthrow! Overthrow! unto the foundation within it.

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

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

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

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

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