Nnwom 137

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

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

2 Ɛhɔ nsukakye nnua so na yɛde yɛn asankuo sensɛneeɛ,

There on the poplars 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 called for a song: our tormentors, rejoicing, saying: “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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