Amahubo 137

1 Ngasemifuleni yaseBhabhiloni sahlala phansi sakhala lapho sasikhumbula iZiyoni.

By the rivers of Babylon, there, we sat down, yea we wept—when we remembered Zion:

2 Khona lapho ezihlahleni zemidubu saphanyeka amachacho ethu,

Upon the willows—in the midst thereof, hanged we our lyres:

3 ngoba khonapho abathumbi bethu bacela izingoma kithi, labahlukuluzi bethu bafuna izingoma zentokozo; bathi, “Sihlabeleleni enye yezingoma zaseZiyoni!”

For, there, our captors asked of us words of song, and our plunderers—gladness, —Sing us of the songs of Zion!

4 Singazihlabela kanjani izingoma zikaThixo siselizweni lemzini na?

How shall we sing the song of Yahweh, on a foreign soil?

5 Aluba ngikukhohlwa, Oh Jerusalema, isandla sami sokunene kasilahlekelwe yibungcitshi baso.

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, Let my right-hand forget:

6 Sengathi ulimi lwami lunganamathela elwangeni lomlomo wami uba ngingakukhumbuli wena, uba ngingathathi iJerusalema njengentokozo yami ephezu konke.

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember thee! if I do not lift up Jerusalem above the head of mine own gladness.

7 Khumbula, Oh Thixo, ama-Edomi akwenzayo mhla iJerusalema ithunjwa. “Lidilizeni,” baklabalala, “lidilizeni kanye lezisekelo zalo!”

Remember, O Yahweh, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem, —how they continued to say—Overthrow! Overthrow! unto the foundation within it.

8 Wena Ndodakazi yaseBhabhiloni, oqunyelwe ukubhubha, ubusisiwe lowo okuphindiselayo ngalokho okwenzileyo kithi.

O ruined daughter of Babylon, —how happy the man who shall repay thee thy dealing, wherewith thou didst deal with us!

9 Ubusisiwe lowo othatha insane zakho, azisakazele ematsheni.

How happy the man who shall snatch away and dash thy children against the crag.