Judges 5
1 In that day Debbora and Barac son of Abinoem sung, and said:
At that time Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, made this song, saying:
2 O you of Israel, that have willingly offered your lives to danger, bless the Lord.
Because of the flowing hair of the fighters in Israel, because the people gave themselves freely, give praise to the Lord.
3 Hear, O ye kings, give ear, ye princes: It is I, it is I, that will sing to the Lord, I will sing to the Lord the God of Israel.
Give attention, O kings; give ear, O rulers; I, even I, will make a song to the Lord; I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel.
4 O Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir, and passedst by the regions of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped water.
Lord, when you went out from Seir, moving like an army from the field of Edom, the earth was shaking and the heavens were troubled, and the clouds were dropping water.
5 The mountains melted before the face of the Lord, and Sinai before the face of the Lord the God of Israel.
The mountains were shaking before the Lord, before the Lord, the God of Israel.
6 In the days of Samgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jahel the paths rested: and they that went by them, walked through by-ways.
In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were not used, and travellers went by side roads.
7 The valiant men ceased, and rested in Israel: until Debbora arose, a mother arose in Israel.
Country towns were no more in Israel, were no more, till you, Deborah, came up, till you came up as a mother in Israel.
8 The Lord chose new wars, and he himself overthrew the gates of the enemies: a shield and spear was not seen among forty thousand of Israel.
They had no one to make arms, there were no more armed men in the towns; was there a body-cover or a spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9 My heart loveth the princes of Israel: O you that of your own good will offered yourselves to danger, bless the Lord.
Come, you rulers of Israel, you who gave yourselves freely among the people: give praise to the Lord.
10 Speak, you that ride upon fair asses, and you that sit in judgment, and walk in the way.
Let them give thought to it, who go on white asses, and those who are walking on the road.
11 Where the chariots were dashed together, and the army of the enemies was choked, there let the justices of the Lord be rehearsed, and his clemency towards the brave men of Israel: then the people of the Lord went down to the gates, and obtained the sovereignty.
Give ear to the women laughing by the water-springs; there they will give again the story of the upright acts of the Lord, all the upright acts of his arm in Israel.
12 Arise, arise, O Debbora, arise, arise, and utter a canticle. Arise, Barac, and take hold of thy captives, O son of Abinoem.
Awake! awake! Deborah: awake! awake! give a song: Up! Barak, and take prisoner those who took you prisoner, O son of Abinoam.
13 The remnants of the people are saved, the Lord hath fought among the valiant ones.
Then the chiefs went down to the doors; the Lord's people went down among the strong ones.
14 Out of Ephraim he destroyed them into Amalec, and after him out of Benjamin into thy people, O Amalec: Out of Machir there came down princes, and out of Zabulon they that led the army to fight.
Out of Ephraim they came down into the valley; after you, Benjamin, among your tribesmen; from Machir came down the captains, and from Zebulun those in whose hand is the ruler's rod.
15 The captains of Issachar were with Debbora, and followed the steps of Barac, who exposed himself to danger, as one going headlong, and into a pit. Ruben being divided against himself, there was found a strife of courageous men.
Your chiefs, Issachar, were with Deborah; and Naphtali was true to Barak; into the valley they went rushing out at his feet. In Reuben there were divisions, and great searchings of heart.
16 Why dwellest thou between two borders, that thou mayest hear the bleatings of the flocks? Ruben being divided against himself, there was found a strife of courageous men.
Why did you keep quiet among the sheep, hearing nothing but the watchers piping to the flocks?
17 Galaad rested beyond the Jordan, and Dan applied himself to ships: Aser dwelt on the sea shore, and abode in the havens.
Gilead was living over Jordan; and Dan was waiting in his ships; Asher kept in his place by the sea's edge, living by his inlets.
18 But Zabulon and Nephtali offered their lives to death in the region of Merome.
It was the people of Zebulun who put their lives in danger, even to death, with Naphtali on the high places of the field.
19 The kings came and fought, the kings of Chanaan fought in Thanach by the waters of Mageddo, and yet they took no spoils.
The kings came on to the fight, the kings of Canaan were warring; in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo: they took no profit in money.
20 War from heaven was made against them, the stars remaining in their order and courses fought against Sisara.
The stars from heaven were fighting; from their highways they were fighting against Sisera.
21 The torrent of Cison dragged their carcasses, the torrent of Cadumim, the torrent of Cisoii: tread thou, my soul, upon the strong ones.
The river Kishon took them violently away, stopping their flight, the river Kishon. Give praise, O my soul, to the strength of the Lord!
22 The hoofs of the horses were broken whilst the stoutest of the enemies fled amain, and fell headlong down.
Then loudly the feet of the horses were sounding with the stamping, the stamping of their war-horses.
23 Curse ye the land of Meroz, said the angel of the Lord: curse the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to help his most valiant men.
A curse, a curse on Meroz! said the angel of the Lord. A bitter curse on her townspeople! Because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord among the strong ones.
24 Blessed among women be Jahel the wife of Haber the Cinite, and blessed be she in her tent.
Blessings be on Jael, more than on all women! Blessings greater than on any in the tents!
25 He asked her water and she gave him milk, and offered him butter in a dish fit for princes.
His request was for water, she gave him milk; she put butter before him on a fair plate.
26 She put her left hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workman’s hammer, and she struck Sisara, seeking in his head a place for the wound, and strongly piercing through his temples.
She put out her hand to the tent-pin, and her right hand to the workman's hammer; and she gave Sisera a blow, crushing his head, wounding and driving through his brow.
27 At her feet he fell: he fainted, and he died: he rolled before her feet, and he lay lifeless and wretched.
Bent at her feet he went down, he was stretched out; bent at her feet he went down; where he was bent down, there he went down in death.
28 His mother looked out at a window, and howled: and she spoke from the dining room: Why is his chariot so long in coming back? Why are the feet of his horses so slow?
Looking out from the window she gave a cry, the mother of Sisera was crying out through the window, Why is his carriage so long in coming? When will the noise of his wheels be sounding?
29 One that was wiser than the rest of his wives, returned this answer to her mother in law:
Her wise women gave answer to her, yes, she made answer again to herself,
30 Perhaps he is now dividing the spoils, and the fairest of the women is chosen out for him: garments of divers colours are given to Sisara for his prey, and furniture of different kinds is heaped together to adorn the necks.
Are they not getting, are they not parting the goods among them: a young girl or two to every man; and to Sisera robes of coloured needlework, worked in fair colours on this side and on that, for the neck of the queen?
31 So let all thy enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love thee shine, as the sun shineth in his rising. And the land rested for forty years.
So may destruction come on all your haters, O Lord; but let your lovers be like the sun going out in his strength. And for forty years the land had peace.
