Waiata 137

1 I te taha o nga wai o Papurona, noho ana tatou i reira, ae, tangi ana tatou, ia tatou i mahara ai ki Hiona.

By the rivers of Babylon we were seated, weeping at the memory of Zion,

2 Whakairia ake e tatou a tatou hapa ki runga ki nga wirou i waenganui o reira.

Hanging our instruments of music on the trees by the waterside.

3 No te mea i tono i reira te hunga nana tatou i herehere ki etahi waiata i a tatou, me te hunga nana tatou i tukino i tono mai he hari i a tatou, i mea mai, Waiatatia mai ki a matou tetahi o nga waiate o Hiona.

For there those who had taken us prisoners made request for a song; and those who had taken away all we had gave us orders to be glad, saying, Give us one of the songs of Zion.

4 Me pehea matou ka waiata ai i te waiata a Ihowa i te whenua tauhou?

How may we give the Lord's song in a strange land?

5 Ki te wareware ahau ki a koe, e Hiruharama, kia wareware toku ringa matau ki tana mahi.

If I keep not your memory, O Jerusalem, let not my right hand keep the memory of its art.

6 Ki te kore ahau e mahara ki a koe, kia piri toku arero ki toku ngao; ki te kore ahau e whakanui i Hiruharama ki runga ake i taku mea i tino hari ai.

If I let you go out of my thoughts, and if I do not put Jerusalem before my greatest joy, let my tongue be fixed to the roof of my mouth.

7 E Ihowa, maharatia nga tama a Eroma i te ra o Hiruharama; ta ratou meatanga, Whakahoroa, whakahoroa, a taea rawatia ano tona turanga.

O Lord, keep in mind against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem; how they said, Let it be uncovered, uncovered even to its base.

8 E te tamahine o Papurona, meake nei whakangaromia, ka hari te tangata e utua ai koe mo tau i mea ai ki a matou.

O daughter of Babylon, whose fate is destruction; happy is the man who does to you what you have done to us.

9 Ka hari te tangata e hopu ana, e ta ana i au mea nohinohi ki runga ki te kohatu.

Happy is the man who takes your little ones, crushing them against the rocks.