O Zion!
Donald P. Goodman III
Version 1.0,By the waters of Babylon, we lay down and wept for thee, O Zion.
O Zion! have we all to Babylon returned
to weep for thee upon the shore these bitter tears
while foes rejoice in all that they have slashed and burned,
from our own homes their mocking reaching to our ears?
O Zion! Canst thou bring us tidings of the lord?
Does he still look with longing at thy bitter foes,
betray thee so to make them friends, and turn his sword
against thee, speaking fair but saying only woes?
O Zion! Home and motherland! Thy troth we keep!
The lord demands we sing as once we did of old;
but how can we still sing while sorrow-filled we weep,
and tales of our fair Zion are no longer told?
O Zion! Bless'd be those who take revenge for thee!
Yet still thy little ones are dashed against the rock
by those whose troth demands that they thy servants be,
and yet join with thy foes to kill and beat and mock.
O Zion! All our hearts are sick to see thee so!
Our souls despair as e'en thy friends thy laws deride!
Yet standing ever with thee, 'tween thee and the foe,
a man, a lion, a calf, an eagle at thy side.
O Zion! Beaten, mocked, and put to shameful scorn,
yet following these creatures, still thou standest tall!
And with thee, in thee, to thee we our troth have sworn;
however bruised or broken, thou shalt never fall!