1
ܥܠ ܢܗܪ̈ܘܬܐ ܕܒܒܠ ܬܡܢ ܝܬܒܢ ܘܒܟܝܢ ܟܕ ܐܬܕܟܪܢܗ̇ ܠܨܗܝܘܢ
el nhrwth' dbbl thmn ythbn wbkyn kd 'thdkrnh ltshywn
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2
ܥܠ ܥܪ̈ܒܐ ܕܒܓܘܗ̇ ܬܠܝܢ ܟܢܪ̈ܝܢ
el erb' dbgwh thlyn knryn
On the willows in that land, we hung up our harps.
3
ܡܛܠ ܕܬܡܢ ܫܐܠܘܢ ܫ̈ܒܝܢ ܡ̈ܠܐ ܕܬܫ̈ܒܚܬܐ ܘܕܒܘܪ̈ܝܢ ܐܡܪܘ ܠܢ ܫܒܚܘ ܠܢ ܡܢ ܬܫܒܚ̈ܬܗ̇ ܕܨܗܝܘܢ
mTl dthmn sh'lwn shbyn ml' dthshbkhth' wdbwryn 'mrw ln shbkhw ln mn thshbkhthh dtshywn
For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
4
ܐܝܟܢ ܢܫܒܚ ܠܟܘܢ ܬܫ̈ܒܚܬܗ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܒܐܪܥܐ ܢܘܟܪܝܬܐ
'ykn nshbkh lkwn thshbkhthh dmry' b're' nwkryth'
How can we sing Yahweh’s song in a foreign land?
5
ܐܢ ܐܛܥܝܟܝ ܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܬܛܥܝܢܝ ܝܡܝܢܝ
'n 'Teyky 'wrshlm thTeyny ymyny
If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill.
6
ܘܢܕܒܩ ܠܫܢܝ ܠܫܡ̈ܝ ܚܟܝ ܐܠܐ ܐܬܕܟܪܟܝ ܐܠܐ ܐܣܩܝܗ̇ ܠܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܒܪܝܫ ܚ̈ܕܘܬܝ
wndbq lshny lshmy khky 'l' 'thdkrky 'l' 'sqyh l'wrshlm brysh khdwthy
Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you, if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.
7
ܐܬܕܟܪ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܒܢ̈ܝ ܐܕܘܡ ܒܝܘܡܗ̇ ܕܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܕܐܡܪܝܢ ܓܠܘ ܓܠܘ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܫܬܐ̈ܣܝܗ̇
'thdkr mry' lbny 'dwm bywmh d'wrshlm d'mryn glw glw edm' lshth'syh
Remember, Yahweh, against the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem, who said, “Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!”
8
ܒܪܬ ܒܒܠ ܒܙܘܙܬܐ ܛܘܒܘܗܝ ܠܡܢ ܕܢܦܪܥܟܝ ܦܘܪܥܢܐ ܕܦܪܥܬܝܘܗܝ
brth bbl bzwzth' Twbwhy lmn dnpreky pwren' dprethywhy
Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who repays you, as you have done to us.
9
ܛܘܒܘܗܝ ܠܡܢ ܕܢܐܚܘܕ ܝ̈ܠܘܕܝܟܝ ܘܢܫܩܦ ܠܟܐܦܐ
Twbwhy lmn dn'khwd ylwdyky wnshqp lk'p'
Happy shall he be, who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.