Iudicum 5
1 Cecineruntque Debbora et Barac filius Abinoem in illo die, dicentes:
Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
2 Qui sponte obtulistis de Israel animas vestras ad periculum, benedicite Domino.
“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, LORD!
3 Audite reges, auribus percipite principes: Ego sum, ego sum quæ Domino canam, psallam Domino Deo Israel.
“Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to the LORD. I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.
4 Domine cum exires de Seir, et transires per regiones Edom, terra mota est, cælique ac nubes distillaverunt aquis.
“LORD, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water.
5 Montes fluxerunt a facie Domini, et Sinai a facie Domini Dei Israel.
The mountains quaked at the LORD’s presence, even Sinai at 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 the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travellers walked through byways.
7 Cessaverunt fortes in Israel, et quieverunt: donec surgeret Debbora, surgeret mater in Israel.
The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.
8 Nova bella elegit Dominus, et portas hostium ipse subvertit: clypeus et hasta si apparuerint in quadraginta millibus Israel.
They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen amongst forty thousand in Israel?
9 Cor meum diligit principes Israel: qui propria voluntate obtulistis vos discrimini, benedicite Domino.
My heart is towards the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly amongst the people. Bless the LORD!
10 Qui ascenditis super nitentes asinos, et sedetis in iudicio, et ambulatis in via, loquimini.
“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.
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.
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse the LORD’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then the LORD’s people went down to the gates.
12 Surge, surge Debbora, surge, surge, et loquere canticum: surge Barac, et apprehende captivos tuos fili Abinoem.
‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’
13 Salvatæ sunt reliquiæ populi, Dominus in fortibus dimicavit.
“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. The LORD came down for me against the mighty.
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.
Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, amongst your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.
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 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.
16 Quare habitas inter duos terminos, ut audias sibilos gregum? Diviso contra se Ruben, magnanimorum reperta est contentio.
Why did you sit amongst the sheepfolds? To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart.
17 Galaad trans Iordanem quiescebat, et Dan vacabat navibus: Aser habitabat in littore maris, et in portubus morabatur.
Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks.
18 Zabulon vero et Nephthali obtulerunt animas suas morti in regione Merome.
Zebulun was a people that jeopardised their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
19 Venerunt reges et pugnaverunt, pugnaverunt reges Chanaan in Thanach iuxta aquas Mageddo, et tamen nihil tulere prædantes.
“The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
20 De cælo dimicatum est contra eos: stellæ manentes in ordine et cursu suo, adversus Sisaram pugnaverunt.
From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
21 Torrens Cison traxit cadavera eorum, torrens Cadumim, torrens Cison: conculca anima mea robustos.
The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
22 Ungulæ equorum ceciderunt, fugientibus impetu, et per præceps ruentibus fortissimis hostium.
Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.
23 Maledicite terræ Meroz, dixit Angelus Domini: maledicite habitatoribus eius, quia non venerunt ad auxilium Domini, in adiutorium fortissimorum eius.
‘Curse Meroz,’ said the LORD’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’
24 Benedicta inter mulieres Iahel uxor Haber Cinæi, et benedicatur in tabernaculo suo.
“Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25 Aquam petenti lac dedit, et in phiala principum obtulit butyrum.
He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
26 Sinistram manum misit ad clavum, et dexteram ad fabrorum malleos, percussitque Sisaram quærens in capite vulneri locum, et tempus valide perforans.
She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.
27 Inter pedes eius ruit: defecit, et mortuus est: volvebatur ante pedes eius, et iacebat exanimis et miserabilis.
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
28 Per fenestram respiciens, ululabat mater eius: et de cœnaculo loquebatur: Cur moratur regredi currus eius? Quare tardaverunt pedes quadrigarum illius?
“Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’
29 Una sapientior ceteris uxoribus eius, hæc socrui verba respondit:
Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer 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.
‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the 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.
“So let all your enemies perish, LORD, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.
