137
1 By the rivers of Babylon,
there we sat down, yes, we wept,
when we remembered Tziyon.
2 We hung up our kinnorot (lyres)
upon the willows in the midst thereof.
3 For there they that carried us away captive
required of us a shir (song);
and they that tormented us required of us simchah,
saying, Sing us one of the Shir Tziyon.
4 How shall we sing Shir Hashem
in an admat nekhar (foreign land).
5 If I forget thee, O Yerushalayim,
let my yamin (right hand) forget.*
6 If I do not remember thee,
let my leshon cleave to the roof of my mouth;
if I prefer not Yerushalayim
above my rosh simchah (chief joy).
7 Remember, Hashem, the Bnei Edom
in the Yom Yerushalayim;
who said, Raze it, raze it,
even to the yesod (foundation) thereof.
8 O Bat Bavel, who art to be destroyed,
ashrei shall he be, that repayeth thee
the gemul thou hast done to us.
9 Ashrei shall he be,
that taketh and dasheth thy olalim against the sela.
* 137:5 i.e., have paralysis