By the Rivers of Babylon
(Ezekiel 1:1–3)

עַ֥ל (By) נַהֲר֨וֹת׀ (the rivers) בָּבֶ֗ל (of Babylon), שָׁ֣ם (there) יָ֭שַׁבְנוּ (we sat down),

גַּם־ (and) בָּכִ֑ינוּ (we wept), בְּ֝זָכְרֵ֗נוּ (in our remembering) אֶת־ (-) צִיּֽוֹן׃ (Zion).

2  עַֽל־ (Upon) עֲרָבִ֥ים (the willows) בְּתוֹכָ֑הּ (in her midst)

תָּ֝לִ֗ינוּ (we hung) כִּנֹּרוֹתֵֽינוּ׃ (our harps).

3  כִּ֤י (For) שָׁ֨ם (there) שְֽׁאֵל֪וּנוּ (required of us) שׁוֹבֵ֡ינוּ (our captors) דִּבְרֵי־ (the words) שִׁ֭יר (of a song),

וְתוֹלָלֵ֣ינוּ (and our tormentors) שִׂמְחָ֑ה (notes of gladness):

שִׁ֥ירוּ (Sing) לָ֝֗נוּ (to us) מִשִּׁ֥יר (a song) צִיּֽוֹן׃ (of Zion).

4  אֵ֗יךְ (How) נָשִׁ֥יר (can we sing) אֶת־ (-) שִׁיר־ (a song) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH)

עַ֝֗ל (in) אַדְמַ֥ת (a land) נֵכָֽר׃ (foreign)?

5  אִֽם־ (If) אֶשְׁכָּחֵ֥ךְ (I should forget you), יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗ם (O Jerusalem),

תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח (let forget) יְמִינִֽי׃ (my right hand).

6  תִּדְבַּ֥ק־ (Let cling) לְשׁוֹנִ֨י׀ (my tongue) לְחִכִּי֮ (to my palate)

אִם־ (if) לֹ֪א (not) אֶ֫זְכְּרֵ֥כִי (I do remember you),

אִם־ (if) לֹ֣א (not) אַ֭עֲלֶה (I do exalt) אֶת־ (-) יְרוּשָׁלִַ֑ם (Jerusalem)

עַ֝֗ל (above) רֹ֣אשׁ (my chief) שִׂמְחָתִֽי׃ (joy).

7  זְכֹ֤ר (Remember), יְהוָ֨ה׀ (O YHWH),

לִבְנֵ֬י (about the sons) אֱד֗וֹם (of Edom) אֵת֮ (-) י֤וֹם (the day) יְֽרוּשָׁ֫לִָ֥ם (of Jerusalem),

הָ֭אֹ֣מְרִים (those saying), עָ֤רוּ׀ (Lay her bare)!

עָ֑רוּ (Lay her bare) עַ֝֗ד (to) הַיְס֥וֹד (the foundation) בָּֽהּ׃ (of her)!

8  בַּת־ (O Daughter) בָּבֶ֗ל (of Babylon),

הַשְּׁד֫וּדָ֥ה (O destroyed one),

אַשְׁרֵ֥י (blessed) שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם־ (is he who repays) לָ֑ךְ (to you) אֶת־ (-)

גְּ֝מוּלֵ֗ךְ (dealing with you) שֶׁגָּמַ֥לְתְּ (as you have dealt) לָֽנוּ׃ (with us).

9  אַשְׁרֵ֤י׀ (Blessed) שֶׁיֹּאחֵ֓ז (is he who seizes) וְנִפֵּ֬ץ (and dashes) אֶֽת־ (-)

עֹ֝לָלַ֗יִךְ (your infants) אֶל־ (against) הַסָּֽלַע׃ (the rock).