By the Rivers of Babylon
Psalms 136
Exiles sitting by the rivers of Babylon weep as they remember Sion and refuse to sing the Lord's song for their captors, vowing never to forget Jerusalem, and the psalm ends by calling for judgment on Edom and Babylon for their cruelty.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonBY the rivers of Babylon there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Sion.
BrentonFor David, a Psalm of Jeremias. By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat; and wept when we remembered Sion.
GreekΤῷ Δαυὶδ, Ἱερεμίου. Ἐπὶ τῶν ποταμῶν Βαβυλῶνος ἐκεῖ ἐκαθίσαμεν, καὶ ἐκλαύσαμεν ἐν τῷ μνησθῆναι ἡμᾶς τῆς Σιών.
KJVBy the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
JPSBy the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept, When we remembered Zion.
2
ThomsonUpon the willows in the midst of it we hung up our harps;
BrentonWe hung our harps on the willows in the midst of it.
GreekἘπὶ ταῖς ἰτέαις ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς ἐκρεμάσαμεν τὰ ὄργανα ἡμῶν.
KJVWe hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
JPSUpon the willows in the midst thereof We hanged up our harps.
3
Thomsonfor there they who had captivated us, asked of us the words of a song: and they who had led us away, asked for a hymn, saying, Sing for us some of the odes of Sion.
BrentonFor there they that had taken us captive asked of us the words of a song; and they that had carried us away asked a hymn, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Sion.
GreekὍτι ἐκεῖ ἐπηρώτησαν ἡμᾶς οἱ αἰχμαλωτεύσαντες ἡμᾶς, λόγους ᾠδῶν, καὶ οἱ ἀπαγαγόντες ἡμᾶς, ὕμνον· ᾄσατε ἡμῖν ἐκ τῶν ᾠδῶν Σιών.
KJVFor 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.
JPSFor there they that led us captive asked of us words of song, And our tormentors asked of us mirth: ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion.'
4
ThomsonHow can we sing the song of the Lord in a strange country?
BrentonHow should we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
GreekΠῶς ᾄσωμεν τὴν ᾠδὴν Κυρίου ἐπὶ γῆς ἀλλοτρίας;
KJVHow shall we sing the LORD’s song in a strange land?
JPSHow shall we sing the LORD’S song In a foreign land?
5
ThomsonO Jerusalem, if I forget thee, let my right hand be forgotten.
BrentonIf I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill.
GreekἘὰν ἐπιλάθωμαί σου Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἐπιλησθείη ἡ δεξιά μου.
KJVIf I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
JPSIf I forget thee, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget her cunning.
6
ThomsonLet my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember thee—if I set not Jerusalem foremost, as the chief object of my joy.
BrentonMay my tongue cleave to my throat, if I do not remember thee; if I do not prefer Jerusalem as the chief of my joy.
GreekΚολληθείη ἡ γλῶσσά μου τῷ λάρυγγί μου, ἐὰν μή σου μνησθῷ· ἐὰν μὴ προανατάξωμαι τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς εὐφροσύνης μου.
KJVIf I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
JPSLet my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, If I remember thee not; If I set not Jerusalem Above my chiefest joy.
7
ThomsonRemember, O Lord, the children of Edom; who in the day of Jerusalem said, Rase! Rase! down to its foundations!
BrentonRemember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to its foundations.
GreekΜνήσθητι, Κύριε, τῶν υἱῶν Ἐδὼμ τὴν ἡμέραν Ἱερουσαλήμ· τῶν λεγόντων, ἐκκενοῦτε ἐκκενοῦτε, ἕως τῶν θεμελίων αὐτῇς.
KJVRemember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
JPSRemember, O LORD, against the children of Edom The day of Jerusalem; Who said: 'Rase it, rase it, Even to the foundation thereof.'
8
ThomsonO daughter of Babylon the miserable!
BrentonWretched daughter of Babylon! blessed shall he be who shall reward thee as thou hast rewarded us.
GreekΘυγάτηρ Βαβυλῶνος ἡ ταλαίπωρος, μακάριος ὃς ἀνταποδώσει σοι τὸ ἀνταπόδομά σου, ὃ ἀνταπέδωκας ἡμῖν.
KJVO daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
JPSO daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed; Happy shall he be, that repayeth thee As thou hast served us.
9
ThomsonHappy he who shall render thee thy recompense; for what thou hast done to us! Happy he who shall seize and dash thy infants against stones!
BrentonBlessed shall he be who shall seize and dash thine infants against the rock.
GreekΜακάριος ὃς κρατήσει καὶ ἐδαφιεῖ τὰ νήπιά σου πρὸς τὴν πέτραν.
KJV—
JPS—