A Lament of Israelites in Exile
1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat down;
there we wept when we remembered Zion.
2 On the willows near by
we hung up our harps.
3 Those who captured us told us to sing;
they told us to entertain them:
“Sing us a song about Zion.”
4 How can we sing a song to the Lord
in a foreign land?
5 May I never be able to play the harp again
if I forget you, Jerusalem!
6 May I never be able to sing again
if I do not remember you,
if I do not think of you as my greatest joy!
7 Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did
the day Jerusalem was captured.
Remember how they kept saying,
“Tear it down to the ground!”
8 Babylon, you will be destroyed.
Happy are those who pay you back
for what you have done to us—
9 who take your babies
and smash them against a rock.
Ondjuriro yOvaisrael mouhuura
1 Pozonḓonḓu za Babilon opu twa kara pehi;
imbo opu twa ririra tjiyatu zemburuka Sion.
2 Komipanda mbya ri meṋe yazo,
okutwa turika ko oviharpe vyetu.
3 Imba mbe tu huurire va tjere
ngatu ve imburire eimburiro;
imba mbaa ve tu tatumisa va vanga
kutja tu ve yorokise, nave tja:
“Tu imburireye eimburiro ra Sion!”
4 Matu sora vi okuimbura eimburiro
ra Muhona mehi rozonganda?
5 Indu tji mbe ku zembi, Jerusalem,
eke randje rokunene ngari remane!
6 Eraka randje ngari kakatere koruramwe,
tji mbi he ku zemburukire,
na tji mbi he ripurire na ove, Jerusalem,
ngu u ri enyando randje enene tjinene.
7 Muhona, zemburuka imbi
Ovaedom mbi va tjita meyuva
ndi Jerusalem ndi tja huurwa,
tji va kara pokuravaera amave tja:
“Haṋeye, haṋeye otjihuro nga
komazikameno watjo!”
8 Babilon, ove, tjiri, mo haṋewa!
Omuṋingandu omundu ngu me ku
sutisire imbi ove mbi wa tjita ku eṱe.
9 Omuṋingandu ingwi ngu ma
hakana ounatje woye ne u tete koruuwa.
