Iudicum 5
1 Cecineruntque Debbora et Barac filius Abinoem in illo die, dicentes:
On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
2 Qui sponte obtulistis de Israel animas vestras ad periculum, benedicite Domino.
“When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD.
3 Audite reges, auribus percipite principes: Ego sum, ego sum quae Domino canam, psallam Domino Deo Israel.
Listen, O kings! Give ear, O princes! 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, caelique ac nubes distillaverunt aquis.
O LORD, when You went out from Seir, when You marched from the land of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens poured out rain, and the clouds poured down water.
5 Montes fluxerunt a facie Domini, et Sinai a facie Domini Dei Israel.
The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel.
6 In diebus Samgar filii Anath, in diebus Iahel quieverunt semitae: et qui ingrediebantur per eas, ambulaverunt per calles devios.
In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted and the travelers took the byways.
7 Cessaverunt fortes in Israel, et quieverunt: donec surgeret Debbora, surgeret mater in Israel.
Life in the villages ceased; it ended in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel.
8 Nova bella elegit Dominus, et portas hostium ipse subvertit: clypeus et hasta si apparuerint in quadraginta millibus Israel.
When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel.
9 Cor meum diligit principes Israel: qui propria voluntate obtulistis vos discrimini, benedicite Domino.
My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD!
10 Qui ascenditis super nitentes asinos, et sedetis in iudicio, et ambulatis in via, loquimini.
You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder
11 Ubi collisi sunt currus, et hostium suffocatus est exercitus, ibi narrentur iustitiae Domini et clementia in fortes Israel: tunc descendit populus Domini ad portas, et obtinuit principatum.
the voices of the singers at the watering places. There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates:
12 Surge, surge Debbora, surge, surge, et loquere canticum: surge Barac, et apprehende captivos tuos fili Abinoem.
‘Awake, awake, O Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, O Barak, and take hold of your captives, O son of Abinoam!’
13 Salvatae sunt reliquiae populi, Dominus in fortibus dimicavit.
Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of the LORD came down to 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.
Some came from Ephraim, with their roots in Amalek; Benjamin came with your people after you. The commanders came down from Machir, the bearers of the marshal’s staff from Zebulun.
15 Duces Issachar fuere cum Debbora, et Barac vestigia sunt secuti, qui quasi in praeceps ac barathrum se discrimini dedit: diviso contra se Ruben, magnanimorum reperta est contentio.
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah, and Issachar was with Barak, rushing into the valley at his heels. In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision.
16 Quare habitas inter duos terminos, ut audias sibilos gregum? diviso contra se Ruben, magnanimorum reperta est contentio.
Why did you sit among the sheepfolds to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision.
17 Galaad trans Iordanem quiescebat, et Dan vacabat navibus: Aser habitabat in littore maris, et in portubus morabatur.
Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger by the ships? Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors.
18 Zabulon vero et Nephthali obtulerunt animas suas morti in regione Merome.
Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield.
19 Venerunt reges et pugnaverunt, pugnaverunt reges Chanaan in Thanach iuxta aquas Mageddo, et tamen nihil tulere praedantes.
Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver.
20 De caelo dimicatum est contra eos: stellae manentes in ordine et cursu suo, adversus Sisaram pugnaverunt.
From the heavens 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, the ancient river, the River Kishon. March on, O my soul, in strength!
22 Ungulae equorum ceciderunt, fugientibus impetu, et per praeceps ruentibus fortissimis hostium.
Then the hooves of horses thundered— the mad galloping of his stallions.
23 Maledicite terrae 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. ‘Bitterly curse her inhabitants; for they did not come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’
24 Benedicta inter mulieres Iahel uxor Haber Cinaei, et benedicatur in tabernaculo suo.
Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
25 Aquam petenti lac dedit, et in phiala principum obtulit butyrum.
He asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds.
26 Sinistram manum misit ad clavum, et dexteram ad fabrorum malleos, percussitque Sisaram quaerens in capite vulneri locum, et tempus valide perforans.
She reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman’s hammer. She struck Sisera and crushed 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, there he lay still; at her feet he collapsed, he fell; where he collapsed, there he fell dead.
28 Per fenestram respiciens, ululabat mater eius: et de coenaculo loquebatur: Cur moratur regredi currus eius? quare tardaverunt pedes quadrigarum illius?
Sisera’s mother looked through the window; she peered through the lattice and lamented: ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? What has delayed the clatter of his chariots?’
29 Una sapientior ceteris uxoribus eius, haec socrui verba respondit:
Her wisest ladies answer; indeed she keeps telling herself,
30 Forsitan nunc dividit spolia, et pulcherrima feminarum eligitur ei: vestes diversorum colorum Sisarae traduntur in praedam, et supellex varia ad ornanda colla congeritur.
‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil— a girl or two for each warrior, a plunder of dyed garments for Sisera, the spoil of embroidered garments for the neck of the looter?’
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 may all your enemies perish, O LORD! But may those who love You shine like the sun at its brightest.” And the land had rest for forty years.
