Nnwom 137

1 Babilonia nsubɔntene ho, ɛhɔ na yɛtena suiɛ ɛberɛ a yɛkaee Sion no.

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.

2 Ɛhɔ nsukakye nnua so na yɛde yɛn asankuo sensɛneeɛ,

There on the willows we hung our harps,

3 ɛhɔ na yɛn nnommumfafoɔ bisaa yɛn nnwom, yɛn ahohiahiafoɔ pɛɛ yɛn hɔ ahurisie nnwom; wɔkaa sɛ, “Monto Sion nnwom baako mma yɛn!”

for there our captors requested a song; our tormentors demanded songs of joy: “Sing us a song of Zion.”

4 Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na yɛatumi ato Awurade nnwom ɛberɛ a yɛwɔ ananafoɔ asase so?

How can we sing a song of the LORD in a foreign land?

5 Ao Yerusalem, sɛ mewerɛ firi wo a ma me nsa nifa werɛ mfiri sankubɔ.

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function.

6 Sɛ mankae wo sɛ mʼanigyedeɛ kɛseɛ pa ara a, ma me tɛkrɛma nka mfam mʼanomu.

May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy!

7 Ao Awurade, kae deɛ Edomfoɔ yɛeɛ wɔ ɛda a Yerusalem hwee ase no. Wɔteam sɛ, “Monnwiri, monnwiri ngu fam nkɔka nʼafapem!”

Remember, O LORD, the sons of Edom on the day Jerusalem fell: “Destroy it,” they said, “tear it down to its foundations!”

8 Ao Babilonia babaa a wɔahyɛ sɛ wɔbɛsɛe wo, nhyira nka deɛ ɔtua wo ka wɔ deɛ wode ayɛ yɛn so.

O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, blessed is he who repays you as you have done to us.

9 Nhyira nka deɛ ɔkyekyee wo nkokoaa de wɔn bobɔɔ abotan so.

Blessed is he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.