By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.On the willows there we hung up our lyres.For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying,“ Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?
The wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh.The mirth of the tambourines is stilled, the noise of the jubilant has ceased, the mirth of the lyre is stilled.No more do they drink wine with singing; strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.