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

Upon the willows in the midst thereof we hanged up our harps.

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

For there they that led us captive required of us songs, and they that wasted us [required of us] mirth, [saying], Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

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

How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?

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

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

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.

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I remember thee not; if I prefer not 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, O LORD, against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.

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, that art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

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

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