Judges 5
1 And Debbora and Barac son of Abineem sang in that day, saying,
Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
2 A revelation was made in Israel when the people were made willing: Praise you the Lord.
“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh!
3 Hear, you kings, and listen, rulers: I will sing, it is I [who will sing] to the Lord, it is I, I will sing a psalm 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, in your going forth on Seir, when you went forth out of the land of Edom, the earth quaked and the heaven dropped dews, and the clouds 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 were shaken before the face of the Lord Eloi, this Sina before the face of the Lord 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 Samegar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, they deserted the ways, and went in by-ways; they went in crooked paths.
“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 mighty men in Israel failed, they failed until Debbora arose, until she arose a mother in Israel.
The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.
8 They chose new gods; then the cities of rulers fought; there was not a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in 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 [inclines] to the orders given in Israel; you that are willing among the people, bless the Lord.
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh!
10 You that mount a she-ass at noon-day, you that sit on the judgment-seat, and walk by the roads of them that sit in judgment by the way; declare
“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.
11 [you that are delivered] from the noise of disturbers among the drawers of water; there shall they relate righteous acts: O Lord, increase righteous acts in Israel: then the people of the Lord went down to the cities.
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 Awake, awake, Debbora; awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barac, and lead your captivity captive, son of Abineem.
‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’
13 Then went down the remnant to the strong, the people of the Lord went down for him among the mighty ones from me.
“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. Yahweh came down for me against the mighty.
14 Ephraim rooted them out in Amalec, behind you was Benjamin among your people: the inhabitants of Machir came down with me searching out the enemy, and from Zabulon came they that draw with the scribe's pen of record.
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 And princess in Issachar were with Debbora and Barac, thus she sent Barac on his feet in the valleys into the portions of Ruben; great [pangs] reached to the heart.
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 did they sit between the sheepfolds to hear the bleating of flocks for the divisions of Ruben? [there were] great searchings of heart.
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 [is] on the other side of Jordan where he pitched his tents; and why does Dan remain in ships? Aser sat down on the sea-coasts, and he will tabernacle at his ports.
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 The people Zabulon exposed their soul to death, and Nephthali came to the high places of their land.
Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
19 Kings set themselves in array, then the kings of Chanaan fought in Thanaach at the water of Mageddo; they took no gift of money.
“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 The stars from heaven set themselves in array, they set themselves [to fight] with Sisara out of their paths.
From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
21 The brook of Kison swept them away, the ancient brook, the brook Kison: my mighty soul will trample him down.
The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
22 When the hoofs of the horse were entangled, his mighty ones earnestly hasted
Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.
23 to curse Meroz: Curse you [it], said the angel of the Lord; cursed [is] every one that dwells in it, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to his help among the mighty.
‘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 Jael wife of Chaber the Kenite; let her be blessed above women in tents.
“Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25 He asked for water, she gave him milk in a dish; she brought butter of princes.
He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
26 She stretched forth her left hand to the nail, and her right to the hand workman's hammer, and she struck Sisara with it, she nailed through his head and struck him; she nailed 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 He rolled down between her feet; he fell and lay between her feet; he bowed and fell: where he bowed, there he fell dead.
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 The mother of Sisara looked down through the window out of the loophole, [saying], Why was his chariot ashamed? why did the wheels of his chariots wait?
“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 Her wise ladies answered her, and she returned answers to herself, [saying],
Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself,
30 Will they not find him dividing the spoil? he will surely be gracious to every man: [there are] spoils of dyed garments for Sisara, spoils of various dyed garments, dyed embroidered garments, they [are] the spoils for his neck.
‘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 Thus let all your enemies perish, O Lord: and they that love him shall be as the going forth of the sun in his strength. And the land had rest 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.
