Giudici 5
1 In quel giorno Debora, con Barak, figlio di Abinoam, pronunciò questo canto:
On that day, Deborah sang this song, along with Barak:
2 «Ci furono capi in Israele per assumere il comando; ci furono volontari per arruolarsi in massa: Benedite il Signore!
“When the leaders of the Israeli people really lead them, and the people follow them, [it is time to] praise Yahweh!
3 Ascoltate, re, porgete gli orecchi, o principi; io voglio cantare al Signore, voglio cantare al Signore, voglio cantare inni al Signore, Dio d'Israele!
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 Signore, quando uscivi dal Seir, quando avanzavi dalla steppa di Edom, la terra tremò, i cieli si scossero, le nubi si sciolsero in acqua.
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 Si stemperarono i monti davanti al Signore, Signore del Sinai, davanti al Signore, Dio d'Israele.
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 Ai giorni di Samgar, figlio di Anat, ai giorni di Giaele, erano deserte le strade e i viandanti deviavano su sentieri tortuosi.
“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 Era cessata ogni autorità di governo, era cessata in Israele, fin quando sorsi io, Debora, fin quando sorsi come madre in Israele.
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 Si preferivano divinità straniere e allora la guerra fu alle porte, ma scudo non si vedeva né lancia né quarantamila in Israele.
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 Il mio cuore si volge ai comandanti d'Israele, ai volontari tra il popolo; benedite il Signore!
I am thankful for the leaders and soldiers who volunteered [to fight]. Praise Yahweh [for them!]
10 Voi, che cavalcate asine bianche, seduti su gualdrappe, voi che procedete sulla via, raccontate;
“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 unitevi al grido degli uomini schierati fra gli abbeveratoi: là essi proclamano le vittorie del Signore, le vittorie del suo governo in Israele, quando scese alle porte il popolo del Signore.
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 Dèstati, dèstati, o Debora, dèstati, dèstati, intona un canto! Sorgi, Barak, e cattura i tuoi prigionieri, o figlio di Abinoam!
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 Allora scesero i fuggiaschi per unirsi ai principi; il popolo del Signore scese a sua difesa tra gli eroi.
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 Quelli della stirpe di Efraim scesero nella pianura, ti seguì Beniamino fra le tue genti. Dalla stirpe di Machir scesero i comandanti e da Zàbulon chi impugna lo scettro del comando.
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 I principi di Issacar mossero con Debora; Barak si lanciò sui suoi passi nella pianura. Presso i ruscelli di Ruben grandi erano le esitazioni.
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 Perché sei rimasto seduto tra gli ovili, ad ascoltare le zampogne dei pastori? Presso i ruscelli di Ruben erano ben grandi le dispute...
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 Gàlaad dimora oltre il Giordano e Dan perché vive straniero sulle navi? Aser si è stabilito lungo la riva del grande mare e presso le sue insenature dimora.
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 Zàbulon invece è un popolo che si è esposto alla morte, come Nèftali, sui poggi della campagna!
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 Vennero i re, diedero battaglia, combatterono i re di Canaan, a Taanach sulle acque di Meghiddo, ma non riportarono bottino d'argento.
“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 Dal cielo le stelle diedero battaglia, dalle loro orbite combatterono contro Sisara.
[It was as though] the stars in the sky fought for us [and as though] those stars in their paths fought against Sisera.
21 Il torrente Kison li travolse; torrente impetuoso fu il torrente Kison... Anima mia, calpesta con forza!
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 Allora martellarono gli zoccoli dei cavalli al galoppo, al galoppo dei corsieri.
The hooves of the horses of Sisera’s [army] pounded the ground. Those powerful horses kept galloping along.
23 Maledite Meroz - dice l'angelo del Signore - maledite, maledite i suoi abitanti, perché non vennero in aiuto al Signore, in aiuto al Signore tra gli eroi.
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 Sia benedetta fra le donne Giaele, la moglie di Eber il Kenita, benedetta fra le donne della tenda!
“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 Acqua egli chiese, latte essa diede, in una coppa da principi offrì latte acido.
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 Una mano essa stese al picchetto e la destra a un martello da fabbri, e colpì Sisara, lo percosse alla testa, ne fracassò, ne trapassò la tempia.
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 Ai piedi di lei si contorse, ricadde, giacque; ai piedi di lei si contorse, ricadde, dove si contorse, là ricadde finito.
He collapsed and fell dead at her feet.
28 Dietro la finestra si affaccia e si lamenta la madre di Sisara, dietro la persiana: Perché il suo carro tarda ad arrivare? Perché così a rilento procedono i suoi carri?
“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 Le più sagge sue principesse rispondono e anche lei torna a dire a se stessa:
One wise woman replied to her, and she [kept consoling herself by] repeating those words:
30 Certo han trovato bottino, stan facendo le parti: una fanciulla, due fanciulle per ogni uomo; un bottino di vesti variopinte per Sisara, un bottino di vesti variopinte a ricamo; una veste variopinta a due ricami è il bottino per il mio collo...
‘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 Così periscano tutti i tuoi nemici, Signore! Ma coloro che ti amano siano come il sole, quando sorge con tutto lo splendore». Poi il paese ebbe pace per quarant'anni.
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!
