1 By die riviere van Babel, daar het ons gesit, ook geween as ons aan Sion dink.
2 Aan die wilgerbome wat daarin is, het ons ons siters opgehang.
3 Want daar het hulle wat ons as gevangenes weggevoer het, van ons die woorde van 'n lied gevra en hulle wat ons verdruk het, vreugde, deur te sê: Sing vir ons 'n Sionslied.
4 Hoe sou ons die lied van die HERE kan sing in 'n vreemde land?
5 As ek jou vergeet, o Jerusalem, laat my regterhand dan homself vergeet!
6 Laat my tong kleef aan my verhemelte as ek aan jou nie dink nie, as ek Jerusalem nie verhef bo my hoogste vreugde nie.
7 HERE, bring in herinnering vir die kinders van Edom die dag van Jerusalem, hulle wat gesê het: Breek weg, breek weg, tot op die grond met hom!
8 o Dogter van Babel, jy verwoeste, gelukkig is hy wat jou sal vergeld wat jy ons aangedoen het!
9 Gelukkig is hy wat jou kinders gryp en verpletter teen die rots!
1 By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down, yea, we wept,
When we remembered Zion.
2 Upon the willows in the midst thereof
We hanged up our harps.
3 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 How shall we sing Jehovah’s song
In a foreign land?
5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,
Let my right hand forget her skill.
6 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 Remember, O Jehovah, against the children of Edom
The day of Jerusalem;
Who said, Rase it, rase it,
Even to the foundation thereof.
8 O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed,
Happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee
As thou hast served us.
9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones
Against the rock.