(Sung in Swahili – A Psalm)

Kando ya mito, ya Babeli (By the rivers of Babylon)
Ndipo tulipoketi ( There ee sat)
Tukalia, tulipokumbuka, kumbuka Sayuni (And there we wept)

Katika miti iliyo, katikati yake (There among the trees)
Tulivitundika, vinubi, vinubi vyetu (We hung our harps)
Maana huko, waliotuchukua, mateka, walitaka (For there our captors demanded)
Tuwaimbie, na walituonea, walitaka furaha (Us to sing songs of joy)
“Tuimbieni baadhi ya nyimbo, Nyimbo za Sayuni” (“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”)

Refrain:
Tuimbeje wimbo wa Bwana, katika nchi ugeni? (How can we sing the songs of the Lord, while in a foreign land?)
Tuimbeje wimbo wa Bwana, katika nchi ugeni? (How can we sing the songs of the Lord, while in a foreign land?)
Tuimbeje wimbo wa Bwana, katika nchi ugeni? (How can we sing the songs of the Lord, while in a foreign land?) (Repeat)

Eh Yerusalem nikikusahau, Kusahau wewe (O Jerusalem, If I forget you)
Mkono wangu wa kuume, na usahau (May my right hand forget its skill)
Ulimi wangu na ugangamane, na kaakaa la kinywa changu (May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth)
Nisipokumbuka, nisipoikuza Yerusalemu (If I do not remember and consider Jerusalem)

(Refrain)

Nchi ya ugeni, mateka nchi ya ugeni (Foreign land, captors in foreign land)
Tuimbeje nchi ya ugeni (How can we sing while in foreign land?)

(Refrain)