1 B y the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

We sat down and cried by the rivers of Babylon when we remembered Zion.

2 W e hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

There upon the trees we put our harps.

3 F or there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

For those who held us there made us sing. And those who made it hard for us asked for joy. They said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

4 H ow shall we sing the Lord 's song in a strange land?

How can we sing the song of the Lord in a strange land?

5 I f I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget what it is able to do.

6 I f I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

May my tongue hold to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not honor Jerusalem above my highest joy.

7 R emember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.

O Lord, remember what the sons of Edom did on the day Jerusalem fell. “Knock it down,” they said, “Knock it down to the ground.”

8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

O daughter of Babylon, you who will be destroyed, how honored will be the one who pays you back for what you have done to us!

9 H appy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

How honored will be the one who catches your children and throws them against the rock!