Iudicum 5
1 Cecineruntque Debbora et Barac filius Abinoem in illo die, dicentes:
That day Deborah and Barak, son of Abinoam, sang this song:
2 Qui sponte obtulistis de Israel animas vestras ad periculum, benedicite Domino.
“Israel's leaders took charge, and the people were totally committed. Praise the Lord!
3 Audite reges, auribus percipite principes: Ego sum, ego sum quæ Domino canam, psallam Domino Deo Israel.
Listen, kings! Pay attention, rulers! I, yes I, will sing to the Lord; I will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song.
4 Domine cum exires de Seir, et transires per regiones Edom, terra mota est, cælique ac nubes distillaverunt aquis.
Lord, when you set off from Seir, when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook, rain fell from the skies, the clouds poured down water.
5 Montes fluxerunt a facie Domini, et Sinai a facie Domini Dei Israel.
The mountains melted in the presence of the Lord, the God of Sinai, in the presence of the Lord, the God of Israel.
6 In diebus Samgar filii Anath, in diebus Iahel quieverunt semitæ: et qui ingrediebantur per eas, ambulaverunt per calles devios.
In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, people didn't use the main highways and stayed on winding paths.
7 Cessaverunt fortes in Israel, et quieverunt: donec surgeret Debbora, surgeret mater in Israel.
Village life in Israel was abandoned until I, Deborah, came on the scene as a mother in Israel.
8 Nova bella elegit Dominus, et portas hostium ipse subvertit: clypeus et hasta si apparuerint in quadraginta millibus Israel.
When the people chose new gods, then war arrived at their gates. Not even a shield or spear could be found among forty thousand warriors in Israel.
9 Cor meum diligit principes Israel: qui propria voluntate obtulistis vos discrimini, benedicite Domino.
My thoughts are with the Israelite commanders and those people who volunteered. Praise the Lord!
10 Qui ascenditis super nitentes asinos, et sedetis in iudicio, et ambulatis in via, loquimini.
You people riding white donkeys, sitting on comfortable blankets, traveling down the road, notice
11 Ubi collisi sunt currus, et hostium suffocatus est exercitus, ibi narrentur iustitiæ Domini et clementia in fortes Israel: tunc descendit populus Domini ad portas, et obtinuit principatum.
what people are talking about as they gather at the watering holes. They describe the Lord's just acts and those of his warriors in Israel. Then the people of the Lord went to the town gates.
12 Surge, surge Debbora, surge, surge, et loquere canticum: surge Barac, et apprehende captivos tuos fili Abinoem.
‘Wake up, Deborah, wake up! Wake up, wake up, sing a song! Get up, Barak! Capture your prisoners, son of Abinoam.’
13 Salvatæ sunt reliquiæ populi, Dominus in fortibus dimicavit.
The survivors went to attack the nobles, the people of the Lord went to attack the powerful.
14 Ex Ephraim delevit eos in Amalec, et post eum ex Beniamin in populos tuos, o Amalec: de Machir principes descenderunt, et de Zabulon qui exercitum ducerent ad bellandum.
Some came from Ephraim, a land that used to belong to the Amalekites; the tribe of Benjamin followed you with its men. Commanders came Makir; from Zebulun came those who carry a military officer's staff.
15 Duces Issachar fuere cum Debbora, et Barac vestigia sunt secuti, qui quasi in præceps ac barathrum se discrimini dedit: diviso contra se Ruben, magnanimorum reperta est contentio.
The leaders of Issachar supported Deborah and Barak; they raced into the valley following Barak. But the tribe of Reuben was very undecided.
16 Quare habitas inter duos terminos, ut audias sibilos gregum? Diviso contra se Ruben, magnanimorum reperta est contentio.
Why did you stay at home in the sheepfolds, listening to shepherds whistling for their flocks? The tribe of Reuben really couldn't decide what to do.
17 Galaad trans Iordanem quiescebat, et Dan vacabat navibus: Aser habitabat in littore maris, et in portubus morabatur.
Gilead remained on the other side of Jordan. Dan stayed with his ships. Asher sat still on the seacoast, not moving from his ports.
18 Zabulon vero et Nephthali obtulerunt animas suas morti in regione Merome.
The people of Zebulun risked their lives; as did Naphtali on the high battlefields.
19 Venerunt reges et pugnaverunt, pugnaverunt reges Chanaan in Thanach iuxta aquas Mageddo, et tamen nihil tulere prædantes.
Kings came and fought, the Canaanite kings fought at Taanach near the waters of Megiddo, but they didn't get any silver plunder.
20 De cælo dimicatum est contra eos: stellæ manentes in ordine et cursu suo, adversus Sisaram pugnaverunt.
The stars fought from heaven. The stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
21 Torrens Cison traxit cadavera eorum, torrens Cadumim, torrens Cison: conculca anima mea robustos.
The Kishon River swept them away—the old river turned into a raging torrent! I bravely march on!
22 Ungulæ equorum ceciderunt, fugientibus impetu, et per præceps ruentibus fortissimis hostium.
Then the horses' hooves flailed loudly, his stallions stampeded.
23 Maledicite terræ Meroz, dixit Angelus Domini: maledicite habitatoribus eius, quia non venerunt ad auxilium Domini, in adiutorium fortissimorum eius.
‘Curse Meroz,’ says the angel of the Lord. ‘Totally curse those who live there, for they refused to come help the Lord, to help the Lord against the powerful enemies.’
24 Benedicta inter mulieres Iahel uxor Haber Cinæi, et benedicatur in tabernaculo suo.
Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite is to be praised the most among women. She deserves praise above all other women who live in tents.
25 Aquam petenti lac dedit, et in phiala principum obtulit butyrum.
He asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a bowl fit for nobles she brought him buttermilk.
26 Sinistram manum misit ad clavum, et dexteram ad fabrorum malleos, percussitque Sisaram quærens in capite vulneri locum, et tempus valide perforans.
With one hand she picked up the tent peg, and with her right hand she held a workman's hammer. She hit Sisera and smashed his skull; she shattered and pierced his temple.
27 Inter pedes eius ruit: defecit, et mortuus est: volvebatur ante pedes eius, et iacebat exanimis et miserabilis.
At her feet he collapsed, he fell, he lay motionless. At her feet he collapsed, he fell; where he collapsed, there he fell, his life plundered from him.
28 Per fenestram respiciens, ululabat mater eius: et de cœnaculo loquebatur: Cur moratur regredi currus eius? Quare tardaverunt pedes quadrigarum illius?
Sisera's mother looked out from the window. Through the latticed window she cried out, ‘Why is his chariot taking so long to come? Why is the sound of his chariot arriving so delayed?’
29 Una sapientior ceteris uxoribus eius, hæc socrui verba respondit:
The wisest of her ladies tells her, and she repeats the same words to herself,
30 Forsitan nunc dividit spolia, et pulcherrima feminarum eligitur ei: vestes diversorum colorum Sisaræ traduntur in prædam, et supellex varia ad ornanda colla congeritur.
‘They're busy dividing up the plunder and assigning a girl or two for each man. There'll be colorful clothes for Sisera as plunder; beautifully embroidered colorful clothes as plunder; double-embroidered clothing reaching to the neck as plunder.’
31 Sic pereant omnes inimici tui Domine: qui autem diligunt te, sicut Sol in ortu suo splendet, ita rutilent. Quievitque Terra per quadraginta annos.
May all your enemies die like this, Lord, but may those who love you shine like the sun in all its brilliance!” The land was at peace for forty years.
