Beside the rivers of Babylon,
remembering Jerusalem, we sat down to weep.
On the willows we hung up our guitars,
remembering Jerusalem, we sat down to weep.
"Sing" – our enemies told us;
"sing" – our oppressors told us;
they wanted us to sing songs of joy.
How could we sing
the Lord’s song in a foreign land?
If I forget you Jerusalem,
may my right hand wither;
may my tongue cleave to my mouth
if I don’t remember you, Jerusalem,
above all my joys.
Lord, ask account of our enemies,
Lord, ask account of our oppressors,
when they say to each other:
"Raze it to its foundations."
Capital
of criminal Babylon!
Who could repay you the evil
you have done to us?
Who could crush your little ones against the rock?
Beside the rivers of Babylon,
remembering Jerusalem, we sat down to weep.
On the willows we hung up our guitars,
remembering Jerusalem, we sat down to weep.

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
My offences truly I know them;
my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done.
That you may be justified when you give sentence
and be without reproach when you judge.
O see, in guilt I was born,
a sinner was I conceived.
Indeed you love truth in the heart;
then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.
O purify me, then I shall be clean;
O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,
that the bones you have crushed may revive.
From my sins turn away your face
and blot out all my guilt.
A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.
Give me again the joy of your help,
with a spirit of fervour sustain me
that I may teach transgressors your ways
and sinners may return to you.
Rescue me, O God, my helper,
and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
For in sacrifice you take no delight,
burnt offering from me you would refuse;
my sacrifice, a contrite spirit
a humbled contrite heart you will not spurn.
In your goodness show favour to Zion:
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice,
holocausts offered on your altar.

Have mercy on me, have mercy on me.
Have mercy on me, have mercy on me.
Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
Have mercy on me, have mercy on me.
My offences truly I know them;
my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done. *
That you may be justified when you give sentence
and be without reproach when you judge.
O see, in guilt I was born,
a sinner was I conceived.
Indeed you love truth in the heart;
then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.
O purify me, then I shall be clean;
O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,
that the bones you have crushed may revive.
From my sins turn away your face
and blot out all my guilt.
A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.
Give me again the joy of your help,
with a spirit of fervour sustain me
that I may teach transgressors your ways
and sinners may return to you.
Rescue me, O God, my helper,
and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
For in sacrifice you take no delight,
burnt offering from me you would refuse;
my sacrifice, a contrite spirit,
a humbled contrite heart you will not spurn.
In your goodness show favour to Zion:
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice,
holocausts offered on your altar.
Have mercy on me…

Mary, little Mary,
you are the gentle breeze of Elijah,
the breath of the Spirit of God.
You are the burning bush of Moses
which bears the Lord without being consumed.
You are 'That place near me,'
which the Lord showed to Moses.
You are the cleft in the rock
which God covers with his hand
while his glory passes by.
Let the Lord come with us
if we have found favour in his eyes.
It’s true that we are sinners,
but pray for us,
and we shall be his heritage forever.
Mary, little Mary,
daughter of Jerusalem.
Mother of all nations,
Virgin of Nazareth.
You are the cloud which protects Israel,
the tent of meeting,
the Ark of the Covenant,
the place where the Lord dwells,
the sanctuary of his Shekinah.
Let the Lord come with us…
You are 'That place near me'…

For love of my brothers and friends,
for love of my brothers and friends,
I will say, I will sing:
peace be with you.
How I rejoiced when they said to me:
"Let us go to the house of the Lord."
And now our feet are standing
at your gateways Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
rebuilt again!
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
rebuilt again!
For love of my brothers and friends…
There the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.
They come to praise the Lord
according to the law of Israel.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem…
For love of my brothers and friends…
Ask for peace, ask for peace
for Jerusalem.
May peace, may peace
be on those who love you!
Jerusalem, Jerusalem…

Bless the Lord, my soul,
bless the Lord, the great King,
because she will be rebuilt,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
Jerusalem rebuilt again,
Jerusalem forever!
Your gates will be rebuilt
with sapphires and emeralds;
your walls with precious stones,
your towers with pure gold.
Your squares inlaid with rubies,
your streets with gold of Ophir.
Within your doors will be exultation,
in your houses there will be singing!
Jerusalem…
Your light will arise to the ends of the earth,
to you numerous peoples will come,
the inhabitants of the nations
will come towards the abode of your Name.
Generations will exult,
people will sing,
and in her the Name of your Chosen One
will be forever, will be forever.
Jerusalem…
Cursed are those who insult you,
cursed are those who destroy you,
cursed are those who demolish your walls,
who tear down your towers.
But blessed, blessed forever,
are those who rebuild you,
those who build you again.
Blessed are those who love you,
those who rejoice because of your peace.
Within your doors they will exult,
in your houses they will sing!
Within your doors they will exult,
in your houses they will sing!
Jerusalem…
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Console my people
and speak to the heart of Jerusalem,
and shout that her slavery
is ended.
Console my people,
and speak to the heart of Jerusalem,
and shout that her slavery
is ended.
"Oh-ay," a voice in the desert
shouts:
"Prepare the way,
the path to the Lord."
Because the Lord is coming with power,
he brings with him the reward;
like a shepherd gathers the flock,
carrying the lambs on his breast.
Like a shepherd he leads slowly, slowly
the mother ewes.
Like a shepherd, carries on his shoulders
the lost sheep.
Console my people
and speak to the heart of Jerusalem,
and shout that her slavery
is ended.

To you, O Lord, praise is due in Zion,
to you the vow is fulfilled in Jerusalem.
To you who hear our prayer
every mortal comes,
every mortal comes.
To you who hear our prayer
every mortal comes,
every mortal comes.
Our faults burden us,
but you forgive our sins.
Blessed is the one you’ve chosen and called near;
he will dwell in your courts.
To you who hear our prayer
every mortal comes,
every mortal comes.
To you who hear our prayer
every mortal comes,
every mortal comes.
We shall be filled with the good things of your house,
with the holiness of your temple.
You speak to us through the wonders of your love,
you answer us through the wonders of your justice.
To you who hear our prayer…

Daughters of Jerusalem,
do not weep, do not weep for me.
For if they do this with the green wood,
with the dry what will happen?
With the dry what will happen? Ay!
Daughters of Jerusalem…
Father, forgive them,
for they know not what they do.
Forgive them, forgive them. Ay!
Daughters of Jerusalem…
I assure you,
today you will be with me in Paradise.
Daughters of Jerusalem…
Father, Father, into your hands
I commit my spirit.
Ay, ay, ay!
Daughters of Jerusalem…

Happiness for the man who fears the Lord.
Happiness for the man who walks in his way.
He shall live by the work of his hands,
he shall be happy and enjoy every blessing:
his bride like a fruitful vine,
at the heart of his house;
his children like shoots of the olive,
around his table.
Happiness for the man…
Thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord
may the Lord bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem!
May you see your children’s children!
Happiness for the man…

Mary, mother of the burning way,
you free us from the fire of the passions
with the dew of your intercession.
You free us from the fire of the passions
with the dew of your intercession.
Meek Mary, all immaculate,
guardian angel of the third millennium,
place of all graces,
image of every virtue,
the heavenly Jerusalem sings your beauty.
You have shown us the way,
under the cross you have received us,
Mother of the burning way.
Under the cross you have received us,
how could you refuse your dying Son?
Meek Mary...

I want to go, mother,
to Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
to eat, to eat the herbs,
to, to fill myself with them,
to fill myself with them.
In the path I find myself,
in the path I’m walking.
in the path of all the world,
of all the world.
Let me eat of them,
so I can fulfil my longings –
that are longings for friendship,
that are longings for meekness,
that are longings, that are longings for obedience.
In the path I find myself,
in the path I’m walking.
in the path of all the world,
of all the world.

My beloved is for me
a rose of Sharon,
a lily of the valleys.
My beloved is for me
the perfume of myrrh,
as he rests on my breast.
My beloved is for me
as a lily among the thistles,
so is my beloved among the maidens.
My beloved is for me
a cluster of henna flowers
among the vines of En-gedi.
How beautiful are you, my love,
how beautiful, how beautiful!
Your eyes are doves,
your eyes are doves.
How beautiful are you, my beloved,
how delightful, how delightful!
Even our bed is verdant.
Even our bed is verdant.
As an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
so is my beloved,
my beloved among the young men.
In his shade, for which I longed, I am seated
and sweet is his fruit,
how sweet it is to my taste!
Into the wine cellar he has taken me
and his banner over me is love:
Into the banqueting hall he has led me
and his banner over me is love.
His left arm is under my head
and his right arm embraces me.
I implore you, daughters of Jerusalem,
do not rouse nor wake my beloved,
do not rouse nor wake my beloved.

While I was asleep, my heart was awake,
the voice of my beloved I heard:
"Open to me, my sister,
open to me, my dove,
for my head is wet with dew,
my locks with the drops of the night."
He put his hand through the latch of the door,
my heart stirred within me.
I arose, running,
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
the purest myrrh from my fingers
onto the bolt of the door.
I implore you, daughters of Jerusalem,
if you find my beloved,
tell him I’m dying of love.
I opened to my beloved
but he was not there, he had already gone.
My soul fainted at his flight.
I sought him, but I did not find him,
I called him, I called him, but he did not answer.
The watchmen met me
going the rounds of the city,
they undressed me, they beat me,
the watchmen of the walls.
I implore you, daughters of Jerusalem …
Ay! If you were my brother,
I could kiss you,
without anyone being scandalised.
I implore you daughters of Jerusalem…

You are beautiful, my beloved, like Tirzah,
as beautiful as Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem.
How beautiful are your feet in their sandals,
daughter of princes!
The curve of your hips,
the work of the hands of an artist;
your navel is like a rounded bowl;
your neck, like a tower of ivory;
your eyes, like the pools of Heshbon;
your head crowns you like Mount Carmel;
your hair is as dark as purple;
a king is held captive in your tresses.
You are beautiful, my beloved, like Tirzah,
as beautiful as Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem.
Who is she who rises like the dawn,
as beautiful as the moon, resplendent like the sun?
How beautiful you are, O my love,
how beautiful, my delight,
as beautiful as Jerusalem, as beautiful as Jerusalem.
You are beautiful, my beloved, like Tirzah,
as beautiful as Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem.
Ay! Jerusalem, Jerusalem.