Nnwom 137

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

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

2 Ɛhɔ nsukakye nnua so na yɛde yɛn asankuo sensɛneeɛ,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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