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!”

4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord

while in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, Jerusalem,

may my right hand forget its skill.

3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song;

And they that wasted us required of us mirth,

Saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song

In a strange land?

5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,

Let my right hand forget her cunning.

3 For our captors demanded a song from us.

Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn:

“Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!”

4 But how can we sing the songs of the Lord

while in a pagan land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand forget how to play the harp.

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!”

4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song

In a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

Let my right hand forget its skill!

3 Those who captured us asked us to sing;

our enemies wanted happy songs.

They said, “Sing us a song about Jerusalem!”

4 But we cannot sing songs about the Lord

while we are in this foreign country!

5 Jerusalem, if I forget you,

let my right hand lose its skill.

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.

3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that made us wail required mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. 4 How should we sing a song of Jehovah’s upon a foreign soil? 5 If I forget thee, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill;

3 It was there that those who had captured us demanded that we sing. 

Those who guarded us wanted us to entertain them. 

⸤They said,⸥ “Sing a song from Zion for us!” 

4 How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? 

5 If I forget you, Jerusalem, 

let my right hand forget ⸤how to play the lyre⸥. 

3 for our captors there asked us for songs,

and our tormentors, for rejoicing:

“Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

4 How can we sing the Lord’s song

on foreign soil?

5 If I forget you, Jerusalem,

may my right hand forget its skill.

3 For there our captors

asked us for songs,

and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying,

“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 How could we sing the Lord’s song

in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand wither!

3 For there our captors asked of us

words of a song,

and our tormentors asked of us jubilation,

“Sing for us from a song of Zion.”

4 How could we sing the song of Yahweh

in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand forget.

3 Those who held us as prisoners asked us to sing.

Those who enjoyed hurting us ordered us to sing joyful songs.

They said, “Sing one of the songs of Zion to us!”

4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord

while we are in another land?

5 Jerusalem, if I forget you,

may my right hand never be able to play the harp again.

3 For there our captors demanded of us songs,

And our tormentors mirth, saying,

“Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

4 How can we sing the Lord’s song

In a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

May my right hand forget her skill.