Psaumes 137
1 Sur les fleuves de Babylone, là nous nous sommes assis, et nous avons pleuré, comme nous nous souvenions 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, au milieu d’elle, nous avons suspendu nos instruments.
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 Parce que là ceux qui nous avaient emmenés captifs, nous demandèrent les paroles de nos chants;
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 chanterons-nous un cantique du Seigneur dans 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 main droite soit livrée à l’oubli.
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 gosier, si je ne me souviens pas de toi,
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 Souvenez-vous, Seigneur, des fils d’Edom au jour de Jérusalem,
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 malheureuse de Babylone, bienheureux celui qui te rendra la rétribution de ce que tu nous a 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 Bienheureux celui qui saisira et brisera tes petits enfants contre la pierre!
they will take your babies and completely smash them on the rocks.
