King James Version

Psalms 137:6

If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

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Hebrew

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תִּדְבַּ֥קtidbaqabide fastדָּבַקverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “abide fast”, an unfinished actionH1692properly, to impinge, i.e. cling or adhere; figuratively, to catch by pursuitabide fast, cleave (fast together), follow close (hard after), be joined (together), keep (fast), overtake, pursue hard, stick, take.לְשׁוֹנִ֨יleshonitongueלָשׁוֹןnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “tongue”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3956the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water)[phrase] babbler, bay, [phrase] evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge.לְחִכִּי֮lechikito mouthחֵךְpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to mouth”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2441properly, the palate or inside of the mouth; hence, the mouth itself (as the organ of speech, taste and kissing)(roof of the) mouth, taste.אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…לֹ֪אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…אֶ֫זְכְּרֵ֥כִיezkerekhibe maleזָכַרverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “be male”, an unfinished actionH2142properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; to be male[idiom] burn (incense), [idiom] earnestly, be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount, record(-er), remember, make to be remembered, bring (call, come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, [idiom] still, think on, [idiom] well.אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…אַ֭עֲלֶהaalehascend upעָלָהverb, hiphil, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “ascend up”, an unfinished actionH5927to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurativearise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make t…אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).יְרוּשָׁלִַ֑םyerushalimJerusalemיְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִםnoun, proper name — “Jerusalem”H3389Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of PalestineJerusalem.עַ֝֗לalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…רֹ֣אשׁroshheadרֹאשׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “head”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7218the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.שִׂמְחָתִֽיsimchatigladnessשִׂמְחָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “gladness”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8057blithesomeness or glee, (religious or festival)[idiom] exceeding(-ly), gladness, joy(-fulness), mirth, pleasure, rejoice(-ing).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I remember thee not; if I set not Jerusalem above my chiefest joy.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, If I remember thee not; If I prefer not Jerusalem Above my chief joy.

Young’s Literal Translation

My tongue doth cleave to my palate, If I do not remember thee, If I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy.

World English Bible

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.

Darby Translation

If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to my palate: if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

Douay-Rheims

For the Lord is high, and looketh on the low: and the high he knoweth afar off.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I remember thee not; if I set not Jerusalem above my chiefest joy.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

May my tongue cleave to my throat, if I do not remember thee; if I do not prefer Jerusalem as the chief of my joy.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Κολληθείη ἡ γλῶσσά μου τῷ λάρυγγί μου, ἐὰν μή σου μνησθῷ· ἐὰν μὴ προανατάξωμαι τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς εὐφροσύνης μου.