| New King James Version (NKJV) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion.
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1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
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2 We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it.
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2 There on the poplars we hung our harps,
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3 For 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!"
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3 for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
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4 How shall we sing the Lord's song In a foreign land?
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4 How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land?
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5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill!
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5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget [its skill].
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6 If 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.
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6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.
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7 Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom The day of Jerusalem, Who said, "Raze it, raze it, To its very foundation!"
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7 Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. "Tear it down," they cried, "tear it down to its foundations!"
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8 O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, Happy the one who repays you as you have served us!
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8 O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us--
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9 Happy the one who takes and dashes Your little ones against the rock!
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9 he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.
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| Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (New King James Version) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
