< Judges 5 >

1 On that day, Deborah sang this song, along with Barak:
Mũthenya ũcio Debora na Baraka mũrũ wa Abinoamu makĩina rwĩmbo rũrũ:
2 “When the leaders of the Israeli people really lead them, and the people follow them, [it is time to] praise Yahweh!
“Rĩrĩa anene a Isiraeli maatongoria, rĩrĩa andũ meheana meyendeire-rĩ, goocai Jehova!
3 Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you leaders! I will sing to Yahweh. With this song I will praise Yahweh, the God we Israelis worship.
“Iguai ũhoro ũyũ, inyuĩ athamaki! Thikĩrĩriai, inyuĩ aathani! Nĩngũinĩra Jehova, nĩngũina; nĩngũtungĩra Jehova rwĩmbo, o we Ngai wa Isiraeli.
4 O Yahweh, when you came from Seir, when you marched from that land [better known as] Edom, the earth shook, and rain poured down from the skies.
“Rĩrĩa Wee Jehova woimire Seiru, rĩrĩa woimire bũrũri wa Edomu, thĩ nĩyainainire, igũrũ rĩkiura, namo matu magĩita maaĩ.
5 The mountains shook when you came, just like Sinai Mountain shook when you appeared there, because you are Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis worship.
Irĩma nĩciathingithire mbere ya Jehova, o we Ngai wa Sinai, ikĩinaina mbere ya Jehova, Ngai wa Isiraeli.
6 “When Shamgar was our leader and when Jael ruled us, [we were afraid to walk on] the main roads; instead, caravans of travelers walked on winding [less traveled] roads [to avoid being molested].
“Matukũ-inĩ ma Shamigari mũrũ wa Anathu, o na matukũ-inĩ ma Jaeli, njĩra nĩciagĩte andũ a kũgerera; agendi maageraga tũcĩra twa mĩkĩra.
7 People left their small villages, [and moved into the walled cities] until I, Deborah, became their leader. [I became like] a mother to the Israeli people.
Tũtũũra tũkĩaga andũ kũu Isiraeli, tũkĩaga andũ, o nginya rĩrĩa niĩ, Debora, ndaarahũkire, ngĩarahũka ngĩtuĩka ta nyina wa Isiraeli.
8 When the Israeli people [abandoned Yahweh and] chose new gods, enemies attacked the gates of the cities, and then [they took away] the shields and spears from 40,000 Israeli soldiers. Not one shield or spear was left.
Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa maathuurire ngai ngʼeni, mbaara nĩyokire o ihingo-inĩ cia itũũra inene, na gũtionekire ngo kana itimũ harĩ andũ 40,000 kũu Isiraeli.
9 I am thankful for the leaders and soldiers who volunteered [to fight]. Praise Yahweh [for them!]
Ngoro yakwa ĩrĩ hamwe na anene a Isiraeli, o hamwe na andũ arĩa merutĩire na kwĩyendera gatagatĩ-inĩ ka andũ. Goocai Jehova.
10 “You wealthy people who ride on donkeys, sitting on nice padded saddles, and you people who just walk on the road, you all listen!
“Inyuĩ mũhaicaga ndigiri njerũ, mũikarĩire matandĩko manyu, na inyuĩ mũthiiaga na njĩra, cũraniai,
11 Listen to the voices of the singers who gather at the places where [the animals drink] water. They tell about how Yahweh acted righteously when he enabled the Israeli warriors to conquer [their enemies]. “Yahweh’s people marched down to the gates of our city.
kũrĩ na mĩgambo ya aini itahĩro-inĩ rĩa maaĩ. Mainaga ciĩko cia ũthingu cia Jehova, ciĩko cia ũthingu cia njamba ciake kũu Isiraeli. “Ningĩ andũ a Jehova magĩikũrũka nginya ihingo-inĩ cia itũũra inene.
12 The people came to my house and shouted, ‘Deborah, wake up! Wake up and start singing!’ They also shouted, ‘Barak, son of Abinoam, get up, and capture our enemies!’
‘Wee Debora, ũkĩra! Ĩ ndũgĩũkĩre! Ũkĩra, ũkĩra, ũkũye rwĩmbo! Arahũka wee Baraka! Wee mũrũ wa Abinoamu-rĩ, wĩnyiitĩre mĩgwate yaku.’
13 Later, some of the Israeli people came down [from Tabor Mountain] with us, their leaders. These men who belonged to Yahweh came with me to fight their strong enemies.
“Ningĩ andũ arĩa maatigaire, magĩikũrũka kũrĩ andũ arĩa maarĩ igweta; andũ a Jehova magĩũka kũrĩ niĩ hamwe na andũ arĩa maarĩ hinya.
14 Some came from the tribe descended from Ephraim. They came from land that once belonged to the descendants of Amalek. And men from the tribe descended from Benjamin followed them. Troops from the group descended from Makir also came down, and officers from the tribe descended from Zebulun came down, carrying staffs.
Amwe mookire kuuma Efiraimu, arĩa iruka ciao ciarĩ kũu Amaleki; Benjamini aarĩ hamwe na andũ arĩa maakũrũmĩrĩire. Anene a ita cia mbaara nĩmaikũrũkire kuuma Makiru, nakuo Zebuluni gũkiuma arĩa maanyiitaga rũthanju rwa mũnene wa mbũtũ cia ita.
15 Leaders from the tribes descended from Issachar joined Barak and me. They followed Barak, rushing down into the valley. But men from the tribe descended from Reuben could not decide whether or not to join us.
Anene a Isakaru maarĩ hamwe na Debora; Ĩĩ-ni, Isakaru maarĩ na Baraka, mamumĩte thuutha na ihenya o nginya kĩanda-inĩ. Ngʼongo-inĩ cia Rubeni nĩ kwarĩ na ũhoro mũnene wa gwĩcookera.
16 Why did you men stay at your sheep pens, waiting to hear the shepherds whistle for their flocks of sheep to come to the pens? Men in the tribe descended from Reuben could not decide whether they would join us to fight our enemies, or not.
Nĩ kĩĩ gĩatũmire mũikare mĩaki-inĩ mũiguage mahiũ makĩhuhĩrwo mĩrũri? Ngʼongo-inĩ cia Rubeni nĩ kwarĩ ũhoro mũnene wa gwĩcookera.
17 Similarly, the men living in the Gilead area stayed at home, east of the Jordan River. And the men from the tribe descended from Dan, why did they stay home? The tribe descended from Asher sat by the seashore. They stayed in their coves.
Gileadi aikarire o kũu mũrĩmo wa Rũũĩ rwa Jorodani. Nake Dani-rĩ, nĩ kĩĩ gĩagĩtũmire atiindage marikabu-inĩ? Asheri aikarire o kũu ndwere-inĩ cia iria, agĩikara icukĩro-inĩ ciake cia marikabu.
18 But men from the tribe descended from Zebulun risked (their lives/were ready to die fighting) on the battlefield, and men descended from Naphtali were ready to do that, also.
Andũ a Zebuluni nĩmetwarĩrĩire ũgwati-inĩ wa gĩkuũ; o nake Nafitali agĩĩka o ũguo kũu gũtũũgĩru werũ-inĩ.
19 “The kings of Canaan fought us at Taanach, near the springs in Megiddo [Valley]. [But since they did not defeat us], they did not carry away any silver or other treasures from the battle.
“Athamaki magĩũka, makĩrũa; athamaki a Kaanani makĩrũĩra kũu Taanaka, gũkuhĩ na maaĩ ma Megido, no matiakuuire betha, o na kana ndaho.
20 [It was as though] the stars in the sky fought for us [and as though] those stars in their paths fought against Sisera.
Kũu igũrũ njata nĩciarũire, o kũu njĩra-inĩ ciacio ikĩrũa mbaara na Sisera.
21 The Kishon River swept them away— that river that has been there for ages. I will tell myself to be brave and continue marching on.
Rũũĩ rwa Kishoni nĩ rwamathereririe, rũu rũũĩ rwa tene, Rũũĩ rwa Kishoni. Wee ngoro yakwa wĩtware, na ũgĩe na hinya!
22 The hooves of the horses of Sisera’s [army] pounded the ground. Those powerful horses kept galloping along.
Ningĩ mahũngũ ma mbarathi makĩrumia thĩ, itengʼerete, mbarathi ciake irĩ hinya igathiĩ itengʼerete.
23 The angel sent by Yahweh said, ‘Curse the people of Meroz [town], because they did not come to help Yahweh to defeat the mighty warriors [of Canaan].’
Nake mũraika wa Jehova akiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Merozu ĩrogwatwo nĩ kĩrumi. Arĩa matũũraga kuo marogwatwo nĩ kĩrumi kĩrĩa kĩũru, nĩ ũndũ matiokire gũteithia Jehova, gũteithia Jehova kũrũa na arĩa marĩ hinya.’
24 “But God is very pleased with Jael, the wife of Heber from the Ken people-group. He is more pleased with her than with all the other women who live in tents.
“Jaeli mũtumia wa Heberi ũrĩa Mũkeni, arorathimwo gũkĩra atumia arĩa angĩ, o we mũrathime mũno harĩ atumia arĩa matũũraga hema-inĩ.
25 Sisera asked for some water, but Jael gave him some milk. She brought him some yogurt/curds in a bowl that was suitable for kings.
Sisera aamũhoire maaĩ, nake akĩmũhe iria; akĩmũrehera iria imata na mbakũri ĩngĩnyuĩrwo nĩ andũ arĩa me igweta.
26 Then, [when he was asleep], she reached for a tent peg with her left hand, and she reached for a hammer with her right hand. She hit Sisera hard with it and crushed his head. She pounded the tent peg right through his head.
Aatambũrũkirie guoko gwake akĩoya higĩ ya hema, akĩnyiita nyondo ya bundi na guoko kwa ũrĩo. Akĩringa Sisera, akĩmũhehenja mũtwe, akĩmũtheeca na agĩthethera thikĩrĩrio yake.
27 He collapsed and fell dead at her feet.
Akĩinama magũrũ-inĩ make, akĩgũa; agĩkoma hau. Akĩinama magũrũ-inĩ make, akĩgũa; o hau ainamire, no ho aagũire arĩ mũkuũ.
28 “Sisera’s mother looked out from her window. She waited for him to return. She said, ‘Why is he taking so long to come home in his chariot? Why don’t I hear the sound of the wheels of his chariot?’
“Nyina wa Sisera agĩcũthĩrĩria na ndirica; akĩanĩrĩra arĩ gatirica-inĩ kau, akiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩ kĩĩ gĩtũmĩte ngaari yake ya ita ĩikare ũguo ĩtookĩte? inegene rĩa magũrũ ma ngaari cia ita-rĩ, rĩcereirwo kũ?’
29 One wise woman replied to her, and she [kept consoling herself by] repeating those words:
Atumia ake arĩa oogĩ mũno makamũcookagĩria; o nake agecookagĩria na ngoro yake atĩrĩ,
30 ‘Perhaps they are dividing up the things and the people they captured after the battle. Each soldier will get one or two women. Sisera will get some beautiful robes, and some beautiful embroidered robes for me.’
‘Githĩ ti gwetha mareetha na makagayana indo cia ndaho: mũirĩtu ũmwe kana eerĩ harĩ o mũndũ, na nguo cia marangi maingĩ itahĩirwo Sisera, nguo cia marangi maingĩ iria ngʼemie, nguo iria ngʼemie mũno cia ngingo yakwa, icio ciothe nĩ cia gũtahwo?’
31 But [that is not what happened]! Yahweh, I hope that all your enemies will die as Sisera did! And I desire that all those who love you will be as strong as the sun when it rises!
“Nĩ ũndũ ũcio thũ ciaku iroothira, Wee Jehova! No arĩa makwendete-rĩ, marotuĩka ta riũa rĩkĩratha rĩrĩ na hinya warĩo.” Naguo bũrũri ũcio ũkĩgĩa na thayũ ihinda rĩa mĩaka mĩrongo ĩna.

< Judges 5 >