1 B y rivers of Babylon -- There we did sit, Yea, we wept when we remembered Zion.

¶ By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

2 O n willows in its midst we hung our harps.

We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof;

3 F or there our captors asked us the words of a song, And our spoilers -- joy: `Sing ye to us of a song of Zion.'

when there, those that carried us away captive asked us for the words of the song; with our harps of joy hung upon the willows saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

4 H ow do we sing the song of Jehovah, On the land of a stranger?

How shall we sing the song of the LORD in the land of strangers?

5 I f I forget thee, O Jerusalem, my right hand forgetteth!

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, my right hand shall be forgotten.

6 M y tongue doth cleave to my palate, If I do not remember thee, If I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy.

If I do not remember thee, my tongue shall cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I do not prefer to lift up Jerusalem as my chief joy.

7 R emember, Jehovah, for the sons of Edom, The day of Jerusalem, Those saying, `Rase, rase to its foundation!'

¶ Remember, O LORD, the sons of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation thereof.

8 O daughter of Babylon, O destroyed one, O the happiness of him who repayeth to thee thy deed, That thou hast done to us.

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

9 O the happiness of him who doth seize, And hath dashed thy sucklings on the rock!

Happy shall he be, that takes and dashes thy offspring against the stones.