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137:1  By the rivers in Babylon we sat and ·cried [wept; C during the Babylonian exile] when we remembered ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple].
137:2  On the ·poplar [or willow] trees nearby we hung our harps.
137:3  ·Those who captured us [Our captors] asked us to sing; our ·enemies [oppressors] wanted happy songs. They said, “Sing us a song about ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]!”
137:4  But we cannot sing songs about the Lord while we are in this foreign ·country [land]!
137:5  Jerusalem, if I forget you, let my right hand ·lose its skill [L forget; C its skill of playing a musical instrument].
137:6  Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not ·think about Jerusalem as my greatest joy [or go up to Jerusalem with joy on my head].
137:7  Lord, remember ·what the Edomites did [L the sons of Edom] on the day ·Jerusalem fell [L of Jerusalem; Lam. 4:21; Ezek. 25:12–14; 35:5–15; Obad. 11–14]. They said, “Tear it down! Tear it down to its foundations!”
137:8  ·People [L Daughter] of Babylon, you will be destroyed. The people who pay you back for what you did to us will be ·happy [blessed].
137:9  They will grab your ·babies [little ones] and throw them against the rocks.