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.'

For 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.

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

How shall we sing the Lord 's song in a strange land?

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

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

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, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above 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 children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase 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 rewardeth 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 taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.