Tjililo tje Baiziraela bali kutapiwa
1 Pa njizi dze Bhabhiloni,
takagala pasi ngono tikalila
ha tikumbula Ziyoni.
2 Mu miti inoyi wilo
tikatilika matende edu.
3 Ngobe batapi bedu
bakati tibambile njimbo,
ne balisi bedu beti tibambile tibashathise,
bakatidwa bakati,
“Mutimbile gumwe gwe njimbo dze Ziyoni!”
4 Apa tingamba lumbo gwa Yahwe tjini
mu shango ye butaya kene?
5 Ha ndingakukangang'wa, iwe Jerusalema,
luboko gwangu gwe luji ngagushweshwane!
6 Lulimi gwangu ngagunamatile bgwasha gwangu,
ha ndisinga mukumbulukigwe,
ha ndisinga tole Jerusalema
ili shatho yangu wulu.
7 Kumbulani, imwi Yahwe,
ngekwe tjakathamwa ne Baedomu
mu zhuba lakawa Jerusalema
sekwa bakalebeleka beti, “Muwulige! Muwulige!
Kudwa pezhugwi kunoti ku thiwa dzawo!”
8 Iwe nkololokadzi we Bhabhiloni, iwe mpaladzi!
Bakakombolegwa ibabo banowokubgwilizila
itjetji tjawakatithama!
9 Bakakombolegwa ibabo banotola ngawana dzidzo
bebe bedzipkhwanyila pa shongwe!
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!