Ndị Ikpe 5
1 Nʼụbọchị ahụ, Debọra na Barak nwa Abinoam bụrụ abụ sị,
On that day, Deborah sang this song, along with Barak:
2 “Mgbe ndị ndu na-edu nʼIzrel, mgbe ndị mmadụ jikwa afọ ofufu nye onwe ha, toonu Onyenwe anyị!
“When the leaders of the Israeli people really lead them, and the people follow them, [it is time to] praise Yahweh!
3 “Nụrụnụ nke a, unu ndị eze, Geenụ ntị, unu ndịisi! Mụ onwe m, ọ bụladị mụ onwe m, ga-abụku Onyenwe anyị abụ. Aga m abụ abụ otuto nye Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke Izrel.
Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you leaders! I will sing to Yahweh. With this song I will praise Yahweh, the God we Israelis worship.
4 “Onyenwe anyị, mgbe i si Sia pụta, mgbe i sitere nʼala Edọm gabiga, ụwa mara jijiji, mmiri ozuzo dị ukwuu sikwa na mbara eluigwe zodata.
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.
5 E, ọ bụladị ugwu ukwu niile mara jijiji nʼihu Onyenwe anyị. Ugwu Saịnaị makwara jijiji nʼihu Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel.
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.
6 “Nʼụbọchị Shamga, nwa Anat, nʼụbọchị Jael, ndị ịnyịnya ibu na-azụ ahịa nʼọzara kwusịrị, ndị ije niile na-esi nʼakụkụ ụzọ gbagọrọ agbagọ na-aga.
“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].
7 Ọ dịkwaghị ihe gara aga nʼobodo Izrel, tutu ruo mgbe m bịara, ee, mgbe m bụ Debọra bịara dịka nne nye Izrel.
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.
8 Mgbe ụmụ Izrel họrọ ife chi ndị ọzọ ofufe, mgbe agha bịara nʼọnụ ụzọ ama niile, ahụghị ọ bụladị otu ụta maọbụ ùbe. E, ọ bụladị nʼetiti iri puku ndị agha anọ, a hụghị otu ngwa agha ọbụla.
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.
9 Ma ugbu a, ana m aṅụrị ọṅụ banyere ndị na-achị ụmụ Izrel. Ndị ji obi ha niile were onwe ha nye nʼetiti ndị Izrel. Toonu Onyenwe anyị!
I am thankful for the leaders and soldiers who volunteered [to fight]. Praise Yahweh [for them!]
10 “Kwupụtanụ ya, unu ndị na-agba ịnyịnya ibu dị ọcha, unu ndị na-anọkwasị nʼelu akwa dị oke ọnụahịa nʼelu ịnyịnya unu, na unu ndị na-eji ukwu na-agagharị nʼokporoụzọ. Tụleenụ
“You wealthy people who ride on donkeys, sitting on nice padded saddles, and you people who just walk on the road, you all listen!
11 olu abụ igwe mmadụ ndị nọ nʼakụkụ olulu mmiri niile. Ha na-akọ akụkọ mmeri niile nke Onyenwe anyị, ya bụ, mmeri nke obodo nta ya niile nʼIzrel. “Mgbe ahụ, ndị nke Onyenwe anyị ridara gaa nʼọnụ ụzọ ama niile e si abata nʼobodo.
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.
12 ‘Teta, teta, gị Debọra! Teta, teta, bụọ abụ. Bilie, gị Barak nwa Abinoam, bilie! Duru ndị ahụ niile ị dọtara nʼagha.’
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!’
13 “Ndị fọdụrụ na ndị a na-asọpụrụ rịdatara, ndị nke Onyenwe anyị bịakwutere m imegide ndị dị ike.
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.
14 Ụfọdụ si Ifrem bịa, bụ ndị ahụ nwere mgbọrọgwụ nʼala ndị Amalek, ndị Benjamin sokwa pụta, ndị ndu sikwa Makia bịa, ndị na-eso ndị ndu sikwa Zebụlọn pụta.
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.
15 Ndị ndu ebo Isaka pụkwutekwara Debọra. E, Isaka sokwara Barak na ndagwurugwu ahụ ka ezigara ha nʼokpuru ya. Ma nʼetiti ndị Ruben, ha nọ na-atụgharị uche.
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.
16 Gịnị mere unu ji nọdụ nʼetiti ọgba atụrụ, ịnụ ụda ọja a na-egburu igwe atụrụ? Nʼetiti obodo niile nke Ruben, ka e nwere ọtụtụ ntụgharị uche.
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.
17 Ndị Gilead nọgidere nʼofe ọzọ nke osimiri Jọdan. Ndị Dan nọgidekwara nʼime ụgbọ mmiri ha. Ndị Asha nọgidere nʼahụ udo nʼakụkụ ọnụ mmiri.
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.
18 Ma ndị Zebụlọn na Naftalị jiri ndụ ha chụọ aja, pụọ nʼọzara ibu agha ahụ.
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.
19 “Ndị eze ala Kenan bịara ọgụ na Teanak, nʼakụkụ mmiri ala Megido. Ma ha enweghị mmeri ọbụla. Ha akwataghị ọlaọcha maọbụ ihe nkwata ọzọ nʼagha.
“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.
20 Ọ bụladị kpakpando niile dị na mbara eluigwe lụrụ ọgụ megide Sisera.
[It was as though] the stars in the sky fought for us [and as though] those stars in their paths fought against Sisera.
21 Mmiri na-achị ọkụ nke iyi ukwu Kishọn bupụrụ ha niile. Ya mere, mkpụrụobi m gaa nʼihu, zoo ụkwụ gị nʼala, dị ike dịka ọdụm!
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.
22 Gee ntị nụrụ ụda nzọ ụkwụ nke ịnyịnya ndị iro. Leekwa mwuli elu nke ụkwụ ịnyịnya ahụ!
The hooves of the horses of Sisera’s [army] pounded the ground. Those powerful horses kept galloping along.
23 Ma Mmụọ ozi Onyenwe anyị sịrị, ‘Bụọ Meroz ọnụ.’ ‘Bụọ ndị bi na ya ọnụ ebe ọ dị ukwuu, nʼihi na ha abịaghị nyere Onyenwe anyị aka imeri ndị iro ya.’
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].’
24 “Onye a gọziri karịchasịa ka Jael, nwunye Heba onye Ken bụ, e, onye a gọziri karịchasịa ndị inyom niile na-ebi nʼụlọ ikwu.
“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.
25 Nwoke ahụ rịọrọ mmiri, ma o nyere ya mmiri ara ehi, o ji iko kwesiri ndị a na-asọpụrụ nye ya mmiri ara ehi rahụrụ arahụ.
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.
26 O setịpụrụ aka ya were ǹtu ji ụlọ ikwu ahụ, aka nri ya welitere mkpirisi igwe nke onye ọrụ ji arụ ọrụ. Ọ kpọrọ ya Sisera otu mkpọ, kpọrie ya isi, ọ kpọwasịrị, ma kpọmie ǹtu ahụ nʼegedege ihu ya.
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.
27 Nʼụkwụ ya ka o milara nʼala, nʼebe ahụ ọ dara, ka o dinara. Nʼụkwụ ya ka o milara nʼala, nʼebe ọ dara, nʼebe ahụ o milara nʼala, nʼebe ahụ ọ dara nwụọ.
He collapsed and fell dead at her feet.
28 “Nne Sisera si na oghereikuku lepụ anya nʼazụ oghere ịnata ikuku, o tiri mkpu, ‘Gịnị mere ụgbọala igwe ya ji anọ ọdụ ịbịa? Gịnị ji na mkpọtụ ụkwụ ụgbọala ya adawabeghị?’
“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?’
29 Ma otu nʼime ndị inyom na-ejere ya ozi, nke makarịsịrị ibe ya nʼihe. E, ya onwe ya kwukwara sị,
One wise woman replied to her, and she [kept consoling herself by] repeating those words:
30 ‘Ọ bụ na ha adịghị achọta ma na-ekekwa ọtụtụ ihe a kwatara nʼagha: onye agha ọbụla ga-eketa otu nwaagbọghọ, maọbụ abụọ. Sisera ga-enweta uwe nwere ọtụtụ agwa dị iche iche, uwe nwere ọtụtụ agwa ndị a kpara nke ọma uwe ndị akpaziri nke ọma maka ịnya nʼolu m, ihe ndị a niile dịka ihe nkwata nʼagha?’
‘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.’
31 “Onyenwe anyị, biko, ka ndị iro gị niile si otu a laa nʼiyi. Ka ndị niile hụrụ gị nʼanya nwupụta ihe dịka anyanwụ mgbe o biliri nʼike.” E nwere izuike nʼala ahụ iri afọ anọ.
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!
