Nnwom 137

1 Babilonia nsubɔnten ho, ɛhɔ na yɛtena suu bere a yɛkaee Sion no.

By the waters of Babylon there we sat, and we wept at the thought of Zion.

2 Ɛhɔ konkɔn so nnua mu na yɛde yɛn asanku sensɛnee,

There on the poplars we hung our harps.

3 ɛhɔ na yɛn nnommumfafo kaa se yɛnto nnwom, yɛn ahohiafo hwehwɛɛ anigye nnwom fii yɛn nkyɛn; wɔkae se, “Monto Sion nnwom baako nkyerɛ yɛn!”

For there our captors called for a song: our tormentors, rejoicing, saying: ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion.’

4 Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na yɛatumi ato Awurade nnwom, bere a yɛwɔ ananafo asase so?

How can we sing the Lord’s song in the foreigner’s land?

5 Yerusalem, sɛ me werɛ fi wo a ma me nsa nifa werɛ mfi sankubɔ.

If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand wither.

6 Sɛ mankae wo a, ma me tɛkrɛma nka ntare mʼanom sɛ mamfa Yerusalem sɛ mʼanigyede kɛse pa ara a.

May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I am unmindful of you, or don’t set Jerusalem above my chief joy.

7 Kae, Awurade, nea Edomfo yɛɛ da a Yerusalem hwee ase no. Wɔteɛɛ mu se, “Munnwiriw, munnwiriw ngu fam nkɔka ne fapem!”

Remember the Edomites, Lord, the day of Jerusalem’s fall, when they said, ‘Lay her bare, lay her bare, right down to her very foundation.’

8 Ɔbabea Babilonia, wɔadome wo akɔ ɔsɛe mu, nea otua wo ka bio ani gye wɔ nea wode ayɛ yɛn no ho.

Babylon, despoiler, happy are those who pay you back for all you have done to us.

9 Nea ɔkyere wo nkokoaa de wɔn dwiradwira abotan no ani gye.

Happy are they who seize and dash your children against the rocks.