| King James Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. | 1By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. |
| 2We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. | 2On the willows there we hung up our lyres. |
| 3For 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. | 3For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” |
| 4How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land? | 4How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land? |
| 5If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. | 5If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! |
| 6If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. | 6Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! |
| 7Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof. | 7Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!” |
| 8O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. | 8O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us! |
| 9Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. | 9Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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