Psalms 137
1 When we [had been taken to] Babylonia, [far from Jerusalem], we sat down by the rivers there, and we cried when we thought about [the temple on] Zion [Hill in Jerusalem].
An den Flüssen Babels, daß saßen wir und weinten, / Wenn wir an Zion gedachten.
2 On the willow trees [alongside the rivers] we hung our harps [because we did not want to play them any more because we were very sad].
An den Weiden, die dort standen, / Hingen wir unsre Zithern auf.
3 The [soldiers] who had captured us [and taken us to Babylonia] told us to sing [for them]; they told us to (entertain them/make them happy), saying, “Sing for us one of the songs [that you previously sang in] Jerusalem!”
Denn da wollten unsre Sieger von uns Lieder hören / Und unsre Quäler Freudengesang. / "Singt uns", so riefen sie (höhnisch), / "eins von den Zionsliedern!"
4 But [we thought], “We [are sad because we have been punished by Yahweh and brought to this] foreign land, so we cannot [RHQ] sing songs about Yahweh while we are here!”
Wie sollten wir Jahwes Lieder singen / In einem fremden Lande?
5 If I forget about Jerusalem [APO], Iet my right hand wither [with the result that I will be unable to play my harp]
Vergeß ich dein Jerusalem, / So sterbe mir ab meine rechte Hand!
6 Do not allow me to sing again [MTY], if I forget about Jerusalem, if I do not consider that Jerusalem causes me to be more joyful than anything else does.
Meine Zunge klebe an meinem Gaumen, / Wenn ich nicht dein gedenke, / Wenn mir nicht Jerusalem / Meine höchste Freude ist.
7 Yahweh, [punish] the people of the Edom people-group for what they did on the day that the army of Babylon captured Jerusalem. Do not forget that they said, “Tear down all the buildings! Destroy them completely! Leave only the foundations!”
Gedenke, o Jahwe, Edoms Söhnen / Den Tag Jerusalems, / Die da riefen: "Nieder, nieder mit ihr / Bis auf den Grund!"
8 And you people of Babylon, you will certainly be destroyed! Those who punish you in return for what you did to us will be happy;
O Tochter Babels, du Zwingherrin, wohl dem, der dir vergelten wird / All das, was du an uns verübt!
9 they will take your babies and completely smash them on the rocks.
Wohl dem, der deine jungen Kinder ergreift / Und sie am Felsen zerschmettert!
