< Salamo 137 >
1 Tañ’olon-tsaka e Bavele eo, ty nitoboha’ay naho nirovetse, t’ie nahatiahy i Tsiône.
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 Amo sohihy añivo’eo ty nandradoradoa’ay o marovani’aio,
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 Teo ty nihalalia’ o mpanese anaio sabo, naho nipaia’ o mpampisoañ’ anaio rebeke, ami’ty hoe: Isabò o sabo’ i Tsiôneo.
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 Aa vaho akore ty hisaboentika ty sabo’ Iehovà an-tanen’ ambahiny atoy?
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 Naho haliñoko irehe ry Ierosalaime, le angao ho kombimba ty sirako havana.
If I forget about Jerusalem [APO], Iet my right hand wither [with the result that I will be unable to play my harp]
6 Adono hipitek’ ami’ty lañilañiko ty lelako, naho tsy mahatiahy azo iraho, lehe tsy aonjoko ambone’ ze mahafale ahiko iaby t’Ierosalaime.
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 Tiahio ry Iehovà ty kabò’o amo nte Edomeo tañ’andro’ Ierosalaime: Rotsaho! hoe iereo, akoromaho pak’amo mananta’eo!
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 Ry anak-ampela’ i Bavele, harotsake irehe, haha ty hañavak’azo amy nañondroha’o ama’aio.
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 Fale ty handrambe o anak’ajaja’oo, handretsake iareo an-damilamy eo.
they will take your babies and completely smash them on the rocks.