Psalm chapter 137
English Standard Version
1By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. 2On the willows there we hung up our lyres. 3For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!" 4 How shall we sing the Lord 's song in a foreign land? 5If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! 6Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, "Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!" 8O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us! 9Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!
New International Version
1By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. 2There on the poplars we hung our harps,
3for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!" 4How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land? 5If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.
6May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy. 7Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. "Tear it down," they cried, "tear it down to its foundations!" 8Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is the one who repays you according to what you have done to us. 9Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.
New American Standard Bible
1By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, When we remembered Zion. 2Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps. 3For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors, jubilation, saying, 'Sing for us one of the songs of Zion!' 4How can we sing the Lord’S song In a foreign land? 5If I forget you, Jerusalem, May my right hand forget its skill. 6May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth If I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy. 7Remember, Lord, against the sons of Edom The day of Jerusalem, Those who said, 'Lay it bare, lay it bare To its foundation!' 8Daughter of Babylon, you devastated one, Blessed will be one who repays you With the retribution with which you have repaid us. 9Blessed will be one who seizes and dashes your children Against the rock.
Christian Standard Bible
1By the rivers of Babylon— there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion. 2There we hung up our lyres on the poplar trees,
3for our captors there asked us for songs, and our tormentors, for rejoicing: "Sing us one of the songs of Zion." 4How can we sing the Lord’s song on foreign soil? 5If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.
6May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy! 7Remember, Lord, what the Edomites said that day at Jerusalem: "Destroy it! Destroy it down to its foundations!" 8Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is the one who pays you back what you have done to us. 9Happy is he who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rocks.
New Living Translation
1Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem. 2We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of poplar trees. 3For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn: 'Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!' 4But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a pagan land?
5If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget how to play the harp. 6May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you, if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy.
7O Lord, remember what the Edomites did on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem. 'Destroy it!' they yelled. 'Level it to the ground!' 8O Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us. 9Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks!
King James Version
New King James Version
1By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion. 2We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it. 3For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4How shall we sing the Lord’s song In a foreign land? 5If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill! 6If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth— If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy. 7Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom The day of Jerusalem, Who said, “Raze it, raze it, To its very foundation!” 8O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, Happy the one who repays you as you have served us! 9Happy the one who takes and dashes Your little ones against the rock!