Psaumes 137
1 Sur les bords des fleuves de Babylone, Nous étions assis et nous pleurions, En nous souvenant de Sion.
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].
2 Aux saules de la contrée Nous avions suspendu nos harpes.
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].
3 Là, nos vainqueurs nous demandaient des chants, Et nos oppresseurs de la joie: Chantez-nous quelques-uns des cantiques de Sion!
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!”
4 Comment chanterions-nous les cantiques de l’Éternel Sur une terre étrangère?
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!”
5 Si je t’oublie, Jérusalem, Que ma droite m’oublie!
If I forget about Jerusalem [APO], Iet my right hand wither [with the result that I will be unable to play my harp]
6 Que ma langue s’attache à mon palais, Si je ne me souviens de toi, Si je ne fais de Jérusalem Le principal sujet de ma joie!
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.
7 Éternel, souviens-toi des enfants d’Édom, Qui, dans la journée de Jérusalem, Disaient: Rasez, rasez Jusqu’à ses fondements!
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!”
8 Fille de Babylone, la dévastée, Heureux qui te rend la pareille, Le mal que tu nous as fait!
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;
9 Heureux qui saisit tes enfants, Et les écrase sur le roc!
they will take your babies and completely smash them on the rocks.
