New Living Translation NLT
The Message Bible MSG
1 Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem.
1
Alongside Babylon's rivers we sat on the banks; we cried and cried, remembering the good old days in Zion.
2 We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of poplar trees.
2
Alongside the quaking aspens we stacked our unplayed harps;
3 For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn: “Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!”
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That's where our captors demanded songs, sarcastic and mocking: "Sing us a happy Zion song!"
4 But how can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a pagan land?
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Oh, how could we ever sing God's song in this wasteland?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget how to play the harp.
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If I ever forget you, Jerusalem, let my fingers wither and fall off like leaves.
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you, if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy.
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Let my tongue swell and turn black if I fail to remember you, If I fail, O dear Jerusalem, to honor you as my greatest.
7 O LORD, remember what the Edomites did on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem. “Destroy it!” they yelled. “Level it to the ground!”
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God, remember those Edomites, and remember the ruin of Jerusalem, That day they yelled out, "Wreck it, smash it to bits!"
8 O Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us.
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And you, Babylonians - ravagers! A reward to whoever gets back at you for all you've done to us;
9 Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks!
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Yes, a reward to the one who grabs your babies and smashes their heads on the rocks!