A Prayer for Revenge
1 Beside the rivers of Babylon
we thought about Jerusalem,
and we sat down and cried.
2 We hung our small harps
on the willow trees.
3 Our enemies had brought us here
as their prisoners;
now they wanted us to sing
and entertain them.
They insulted us and shouted,
“Sing about Zion!”
4 Here in a foreign land,
how can we sing
about the Lord?
5 Jerusalem, if I forget you,
let my right hand go limp.
6 Let my tongue stick
to the roof of my mouth,
if I don't think about you
above all else.
7 Our Lord, punish the Edomites!
On the day Jerusalem fell,
they shouted,
“Completely destroy the city!
Tear down every building!”
8 Babylon, you are doomed!
I pray the Lord's blessings
on anyone who punishes you
for what you did to us.
9 May the Lord bless everyone
who beats your children
against the rocks!
Pomilonga domuBabilon
1 Komilonga daBabilon,
oko twa li omutumba hatu lili,
eshi hatu dimbulukwa Sion.
2 Ouxumbafeta vetu otwe va tulikile komidime daako,
3 osheshi ovapiki vetu okwa li va hala tu va imbile po,
novahepeki vetu ove tu findila, tu nyakukwe tava ti:
“Tu imbileni po eimbilo limwe lomomaimbilo aSion!”
4 Ohatu dulu ngahelipi mbela okwiimba
eimbilo lOmwene medu lounailongo?
5 Ngeno ove, ndi ku dimbwe, Jerusalem,
eke lange lokolulyo ngeno nali fipatele!
6 Elaka lange ngeno nali kanyatele kondakona,
ngeenge ihandi ku dimbulukwa,
ngeenge itandi ku tetekelifa, Jerusalem,
komesho yoihafifi yange aishe.
7 Omwene, efiku lomupya waJerusalem,
kala we li xweenenena ovana vaEdom,
eshi va ingidile tava ti:
“Shi ngumauneni po, shi ngumauneni po,
nashi xulifwe po sheke!”
8 Omona okakadona kaBabilon, omuhanauni ove!
Omunelao oyou, te ku alulile ashishe,
eshi wa nyona kufye.
9 Omunelao oyou, ta kwata ouhanana voye,
ndele te va shataula po komamanya.
