Judges 5
1 In that day Debbora and Barac son of Abinoem sung, and said:
Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
2 O you of Israel, that have willingly offered your lives to danger, bless the Lord.
“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh!
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.
“Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to Yahweh. I will sing praise to Yahweh, 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.
“Yahweh, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped 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 quaked at Yahweh’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, 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 unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways.
7 The valiant men ceased, and rested in Israel: until Debbora arose, a mother arose in Israel.
The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose 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 chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear 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.
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh!
10 Speak, you that ride upon fair asses, and you that sit in judgment, and walk in the way.
“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.
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.
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse Yahweh’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then Yahweh’s people went down to the gates.
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, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’
13 The remnants of the people are saved, the Lord hath fought among the valiant ones.
“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. Yahweh came down for me against the mighty.
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.
Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.
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.
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves 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 sit among the sheepfolds? To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart.
17 Galaad rested beyond the Jordan, and Dan applied himself to ships: Aser dwelt on the sea shore, and abode in the havens.
Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks.
18 But Zabulon and Nephtali offered their lives to death in the region of Merome.
Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, 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 and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
20 War from heaven was made against them, the stars remaining in their order and courses fought against Sisara.
From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought 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 swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
22 The hoofs of the horses were broken whilst the stoutest of the enemies fled amain, and fell headlong down.
Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.
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.
‘Curse Meroz,’ said Yahweh’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help Yahweh, to help Yahweh against the mighty.’
24 Blessed among women be Jahel the wife of Haber the Cinite, and blessed be she in her tent.
“Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25 He asked her water and she gave him milk, and offered him butter in a dish fit for princes.
He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
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 her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.
27 At her feet he fell: he fainted, and he died: he rolled before her feet, and he lay lifeless and wretched.
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
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?
“Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’
29 One that was wiser than the rest of his wives, returned this answer to her mother in law:
Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer 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.
‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’
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 let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.
