Amahubo 137

1 Emifuleni yeBhabhiloni sahlala phansi khona, yebo sakhala inyembezi, lapho sikhumbula iZiyoni.

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

2 Amachacho ethu sawaphanyeka eminyezaneni phakathi kwayo.

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

3 Ngoba khonapho abasithumbayo basicela amazwi engoma, labasimotshayo bacela injabulo besithi: Sihlabeleleni enye yezingoma zeZiyoni.

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

4 Singahlabela njani ingoma yeNkosi elizweni lemzini?

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

5 Uba ngikukhohlwa, Jerusalema, isandla sami sokunene kasikhohlwe ubungcitshi.

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

6 Ulimi lwami kalunamathele elwangeni lwami, uba ngingakukhumbuli, uba ngingaphakamisi iJerusalema phezu kwentokozo yami enkulu.

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, Nkosi, ngabantwana bakoEdoma, ngosuku lweJerusalema, abathi: Dilizani, dilizani, kuze kube sesisekelweni sayo.

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 Ndodakazi yeBhabhiloni, ozabhujiswa, ubusisiwe ozaphindisela kuwe isenzo osenze kithi.

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

9 Ubusisiwe ozabamba asakaze abantwana bakho edwaleni.

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