1 I te taha o nga wai o Papurona, noho ana tatou i reira, ae, tangi ana tatou, ia tatou i mahara ai ki Hiona.

By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept, When we remembered Zion.

2 W hakairia ake e tatou a tatou hapa ki runga ki nga wirou i waenganui o reira.

Upon the willows in the midst thereof We hanged up our harps.

3 N o te mea i tono i reira te hunga nana tatou i herehere ki etahi waiata i a tatou, me te hunga nana tatou i tukino i tono mai he hari i a tatou, i mea mai, Waiatatia mai ki a matou tetahi o nga waiate o Hiona.

For there they that led us captive required of us songs, And they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

4 M e pehea matou ka waiata ai i te waiata a Ihowa i te whenua tauhou?

How shall we sing Jehovah's song In a foreign land?

5 K i te wareware ahau ki a koe, e Hiruharama, kia wareware toku ringa matau ki tana mahi.

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget her skill.

6 K i te kore ahau e mahara ki a koe, kia piri toku arero ki toku ngao; ki te kore ahau e whakanui i Hiruharama ki runga ake i taku mea i tino hari ai.

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, If I remember thee not; If I prefer not Jerusalem Above my chief joy.

7 E Ihowa, maharatia nga tama a Eroma i te ra o Hiruharama; ta ratou meatanga, Whakahoroa, whakahoroa, a taea rawatia ano tona turanga.

Remember, O Jehovah, against the children of Edom The day of Jerusalem; Who said, Rase it, rase it, Even to the foundation thereof.

8 E te tamahine o Papurona, meake nei whakangaromia, ka hari te tangata e utua ai koe mo tau i mea ai ki a matou.

O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed, Happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee As thou hast served us.

9 K a hari te tangata e hopu ana, e ta ana i au mea nohinohi ki runga ki te kohatu.

Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones Against the rock.