1-3. Alongside Babylon’s riverswe sat on the banks; we cried and cried,remembering the good old days in Zion.Alongside the quaking aspenswe stacked our unplayed harps;That’s where our captors demanded songs,sarcastic and mocking:“Sing us a happy Zion song!”
4-6. Oh, how could we ever sing God’s songin this wasteland?If I ever forget you, Jerusalem,let my fingers wither and fall off like leaves.Let my tongue swell and turn blackif I fail to remember you,If I fail, O dear Jerusalem,to honor you as my greatest.