< Salmenes 137 >

1 Ved Babels elvar, der sat me og gret, når me kom Sion i hug.
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 På vier-runnarne der i landet hengde me harporne våre.
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 For der kravde dei som heldt oss fanga song av oss, og våre plågarar kravde gleda: «Syng åt oss av Sions songar!»
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 Korleis kann me syngja Herrens song på framand jord?
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 Um eg gløymer deg, Jerusalem, so gjev mi høgre hand må gløyma seg burt!
If I forget about Jerusalem [APO], Iet my right hand wither [with the result that I will be unable to play my harp]
6 Gjev tunga må hanga fast ved gomen min, dersom eg ikkje kjem deg i hug, dersom eg ikkje set Jerusalem yver mi høgste gleda.
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 Herre, hugsa Edoms søner Jerusalems dag! dei som sagde: «Riv ned, riv ned, radt ned til grunnen!»
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 Babels dotter, du øydelagde! sæl er den som gjev deg løn for den gjerning du gjorde imot oss!
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 Sæl er den som tek og krasar dine småborn imot berget!
they will take your babies and completely smash them on the rocks.

< Salmenes 137 >