< Judges 5 >

1 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
Then sang Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, on that day, saying,
2 "Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, YHWH.
For that leaders led in Israel, For that the people willingly offered themselves, Bless Jehovah!
3 "Hear, you kings. Give ear, you princes. I, even I, will sing to YHWH. I will sing praise to YHWH, the God of Israel.
Hear, ye kings; give ear, ye princes, I, [even] I, will sing to Jehovah; I will hymn to Jehovah the God of Israel.
4 "YHWH, when you went forth out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water.
Jehovah, when thou wentest forth from Seir, When thou marchedst out of the fields of Edom, The earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, Yea, the clouds dropped water.
5 The mountains quaked at the presence of YHWH, even Sinai, at the presence of YHWH, the God of Israel.
The mountains quaked before the face of Jehovah, That Sinai, from before Jehovah the God of Israel.
6 "In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways.
In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, The roads were unused, and the travellers on highways went by crooked paths.
7 The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.
The villages ceased in Israel, Ceased until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel.
8 They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9 My heart is toward the leaders of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless YHWH.
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Jehovah!
10 "Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on saddle blankets, and you who walk by the way.
Ye that ride on white she-asses, ye that sit on carpets, and ye that walk by the way, consider.
11 Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse the righteous acts of YHWH, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. "Then the people of YHWH went down to the gates.
Because of the voice of those who divide [the spoil] in the midst of the places of drawing water; There they rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah, His righteous acts toward his villages in Israel. Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates.
12 'Awake, awake, Deborah. Awaken the multitudes of a nation. Awake, awake, sing a song. Be strong. Arise, Barak. And Deborah, strengthen Barak. And lead away your captives, son of Abinoam.'
Awake, awake, Deborah! awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead captive thy captives, thou son of Abinoam!
13 "Then a remnant of the nobles came down. The people of YHWH marched down to me against the mighty.
Then come down, thou, the remnant of nobles, [as his] people; Jehovah! come down with me in the midst of the mighty ones.
14 From Ephraim those who uprooted Amalek came out, following you, Benjamin, among your peoples; out of Makir leaders came down, and out of Zebulun those that handle the staff of office.
Out of Ephraim [came] those whose root was in Amalek; After thee was Benjamin among thy peoples. Out of Machir came down governors, And out of Zebulun they that handled the staff of the ruler.
15 And 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.
And the princes in Issachar were with Deborah; And Issachar, like Barak; They were sent into the valley at his feet. In the divisions of Reuben there were great resolves of heart!
16 Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, to hear the piping for the flocks? At the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, To hear the bleating of the flocks? In the divisions of Reuben there were great deliberations of heart!
17 Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his harbors.
Gilead abode beyond Jordan; And Dan, why did he remain in ships? Asher sat on the sea-shore, And abode in his creeks.
18 Zebulun was a people that risked their lives even to death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
Zebulun is a people [that] jeoparded their lives unto death, Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
19 The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
Kings came, — they fought; Then fought the kings of Canaan; At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; They took no spoil of silver.
20 From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
From heaven was the fight; The stars from their courses fought with Sisera.
21 The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
The torrent of Kishon swept them away, That ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. My soul, thou hast trodden down strength!
22 Then the horse hoofs pounded because of the galloping, the galloping of their steeds.
Then did the horse-hoofs clatter with the coursings, The coursings of their steeds.
23 Curse Meroz, said the angel of YHWH. Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they did not come to help YHWH, to help YHWH against the mighty.
Curse Meroz, saith the Angel of Jehovah; Curse, curse the inhabitants thereof; For they came not to the help of Jehovah, To the help of Jehovah among the mighty.
24 Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, Blessed above women in the tent!
25 He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him curds in a princely bowl.
He asked water, she gave milk; In the nobles' bowl she brought forth cream.
26 She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer. She struck Sisera, she pierced his head; she shattered and struck through his temple.
She put her hand to the tent-pin, And her right hand to the workmen's hammer; And she smote Sisera, she struck through his head, Shattered and pierced through his temples.
27 At her feet he collapsed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he collapsed, he fell. Where he collapsed, there he fell down, destroyed.
Between her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: Between her feet he bowed, he fell; Where he bowed, there he fell, overcome.
28 Through the window she looked out. Sisera's mother cried out through the lattice, 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why are the hoofbeats of his chariots delayed?'
Them other of Sisera looketh out at the window, And crieth through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the trampings of his chariots?
29 Her wise princesses answered her; indeed, she answers herself,
The wise amongst her ladies answer [her], Yea, she returneth answer to herself,
30 'Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A womb or two for every man; to Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, for the neck of the plunderer?'
Have they not found, divided the booty, A damsel, two damsels, to each? A booty of dyed stuffs for Sisera, A booty of dyed stuffs of embroidery, Dyed stuff of double embroidery for the neck of a spoiler?
31 So let all your enemies perish, YHWH, but let those who love you be as the sun when it rises forth in its strength." And the land had rest forty years.
So let all thine enemies perish, Jehovah! But let them that love him be as the rising of the sun in its might. And the land had rest forty years.

< Judges 5 >