< Balam 4 >

1 Ekudi bwe yamala okufa Abayisirayiri ne bakola nate ebibi eri Mukama.
And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, —when, Ehud, was dead.
2 Mukama n’abawaayo mu mikono gya Yabini Kabaka wa Kanani, eyabeeranga e Kazoli; omuduumizi w’eggye lye nga ye Sisera eyabeeranga e Kalosesi eky’abamawanga.
So Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor, —now, the prince of his host, was Sisera, and, he, dwelt in Harosheth of the nations.
3 Yabini yalina amagaali ag’ekyuma lwenda, era n’ajoogera Abayisirayiri emyaka amakumi abiri, kyebaava balaajaanira Mukama abayambe.
And the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh, —for he had, nine hundred chariots of iron, and, he, oppressed the sons of Israel heavily, twenty years.
4 Awo Nnabbi Debola mukazi wa Leppidosi ye yali akulembera Abayisirayiri mu kiseera ekyo.
And, Deborah, a woman who was a prophetess, wife of Lapidoth, she, was judging Israel, at that time:
5 Era bulijjo yatuulanga wansi w’olukindu olwayitibwanga olwa Debola wakati w’e Lama ne Beseri mu kitundu kya Efulayimu eky’ensozi: Abayisirayiri ne bajjanga gyali okubalamula.
she used to sit, therefore, under the palm-tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel, in the hill country of Ephraim, —and the sons of Israel came up to her, for justice.
6 N’atumya Baraki mutabani wa Abinoamu ave mu Kedesi ekitundu kya Nafutaali, n’amugamba nti, “Mukama Katonda w’Abayisirayiri akulagidde nti, ‘Ggenda okuŋŋaanyize abasajja bo ku lusozi Taboli, obalondemu omutwalo gumu okuva mu kika ekya Nafutaali n’ekya Zebbulooni.
And she sent and called for Barak son of Abinoam, out of Kadesh-naphtali, —and said unto him—Hath not Yahweh God of Israel, commanded, —Come and draw towards Mount Tabor, and bring with thee—ten thousand men, of the sons of Naphtali, and of the sons of Zebulun;
7 Ndisindika gy’oli ku mugga Kisoni, Sisera omuduumizi w’eggye lya Yabini, n’amagaali ge n’abalwanyi be era ndibawaayo mu mikono gyo.’”
and I will draw unto thee, unto the torrent of Kishon, Sisera, prince of the host of Jabin, with his chariots, and with his multitude, —and will deliver him into thy hand?
8 Baraki n’amuddamu nti, “Kale nnaagenda bw’onokkiriza ŋŋende naawe, naye bw’otokkirize nange siigende.”
And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then will I go—but, if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go.
9 Debola n’amugamba nti, “Wewaawo nnaagenda naawe, naye ekitiibwa n’obuwanguzi tebiibe bibyo, kubanga Mukama aliwaayo Sisera awangulwe mu mikono gy’omukazi.” Baraki n’addayo ne Debola e Kedesi.
And she said—I will, go, with thee; only, it shall not be, thine own honour, that shall arise from the journey which thou art about to take, for, into the hand of a woman, will Yahweh sell Sisera. So Deborah arose, and went with Barak, towards Kadesh.
10 Baraki n’ayita ab’ekika kya Zebbulooni n’ekya Nafutaali bakuŋŋaanire e Kedesi, abasajja omutwalo gumu ne bamugoberera awamu ne Debola.
And Barak called together Zebulun and Naphtali, towards Kadesh, and there went up at his feet—ten thousand men, —and Deborah, went up with him.
11 Keberi Omukeeni yazimba eweema ye okumpi n’omuti omwera e Zaanannimu ekiri okumpi ne Kedesi oluvannyuma lw’okwawukana ne Bakeeni banne, bazzukulu ba Kobabu mukoddomi wa Musa.
Now, Heber the Kenite, had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the sons of Hobab, father-in-law of Moses, —and moved his tent as far as the oak of Zaanaim, which is near Kadesh.
12 Awo Sisera bwe yamanya nga Baraki mutabani wa Abinoamu atuuse ku Lusozi Taboli,
And they told Sisera that Barak, son of Abinoam, had gone up to Mount Tabor.
13 n’akuŋŋaanya amagaali ge gonna lwenda ag’ekyuma, n’abalwanyi be bonna okuva ku Kalosesi eky’abamawanga okutuuka ku mugga Kisoni.
So Sisera called together all his chariots—nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, —from Harosheth of the nations, unto the torrent of Kishon.
14 Debola n’agamba Baraki nti, “Mukama si y’akukulembedde! Noolwekyo situkiramu kubanga olwa leero Mukama awaddeyo Sisera mu mikono gyo.” Awo Baraki n’ava ku lusozi Taboli n’abalwanyi be omutwalo gumu.
Then said Deborah unto Barak—Up! for, this, is the day on which Yahweh hath delivered Sisera into thy hand, hath not, Yahweh, gone forth before thee? So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men after him.
15 Mukama n’afufuggaza n’ekitala Sisera n’amagaali gonna n’eggye lye lyonna nga Baraki alaba; Sisera n’abuuka mu ggaali lye, n’adduka.
And Yahweh put to flight Sisera and all the chariots and all the host, with the edge of the sword, before Barak, —so Sisera alighted from his chariot, and fled on foot.
16 Baraki n’afubutula eggye lya Sisera n’amagaali gaalyo okutuuka e Keloseesi eky’amawanga; era n’abatta n’ekitala obutalekaawo yadde n’omu.
Now, Barak, pursued the chariots, and the host, as far as Harosheth of the nations, —and all the host of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword, there was not left so much as one.
17 Naye Sisera n’addukira eri eweema ya Yayeeri mukazi w’Omukeeni Keberi: Kubanga waaliwo enkolagana wakati wa kabaka w’e Kazoli, Yabini n’ab’omu maka g’Omukeeni Keberi.
Now, Sisera, had fled on foot, unto the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin, king of Hazer, and the house of Heber the Kenite.
18 Yayeeri n’afuluma okusisinkana Sisera; n’amugamba nti, “Mukama wange yingira mu weema yange, totya.” Sisera n’ayingira mu weema. Yayeeri n’amubikkako omunagiro.
And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him: Turn aside, my lord, turn aside with me, do not fear. So he turned aside with her into the tent, and she threw over him a coverlet.
19 Namwegayirira nti, “Mpa ku tuzzi nnyweko kubanga ennyonta enzita.” N’asumulula eddiba omufukibwa amata n’amunywesa oluvannyuma n’amubikkako.
And he said unto her—Let me drink, I pray thee, a little water, for I am thirsty. So she opened the bottle of milk, and gave him to drink, and spread over him the coverlet.
20 Sisera n’agamba Yayeeri nti, “Yimirira mu mulyango gwa weema eno, omuntu yenna bw’ajja n’akubuuza obanga muno mulimu omusajja yenna, omuddamu nti, ‘Temuli.’”
And he said unto her, Stand at the entrance of the tent, —and it shall be, if any man come and ask thee and say—Is there here a man? that thou shalt say, There is not.
21 Awo Sisera bwe yali nga ali mu tulo tungi, Yayeeri mukazi wa Keberi n’addira enkondo ya weema n’ennyondo n’amusooberera n’amukomerera enkondo mu kyenyi, n’eyitamu n’ekwata n’ettaka n’afa.
Then took Jael, wife of Heber, the tent-pin, and put the mallet in her hand, and went in unto him, softly, and smote the tent-pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground, —he being fast asleep and shrouded in darkness, and he died.
22 Awo Baraki bwe yali nga anoonya Sisera, Yayeeri n’afuluma okumusisinkana, n’amugamba nti, “Jjangu nkulage omusajja gw’onoonya. Baraki n’ayingira mu weema n’alaba omulambo ggwa Sisera nga gukubiddwamu enkondo mu kyenyi.”
And lo! Barak—in pursuit of Sisera! So Jael went forth to meet him, and said unto him, Come and let me shew thee—the man whom thou art seeking. And he came in with her, and lo! Sisera—lying dead, with the tent-pin in his temples.
23 Ku lunaku olwo Katonda n’awa Abayisirayiri obuwanguzi ku Yabini kabaka wa Kanani.
Thus God subdued, on that day, Jabin king of Canaan, —before the sons of Israel.
24 Abayisirayiri ne beeyongera okufufuggaza Yabini kabaka wa Kanani okutuusa lwe bamuzikiririzza ddala.
And the hand of the sons of Israel went on, waxing more and more heavy upon Jabin king of Canaan, —until they had cut off Jabin king of Canaan.

< Balam 4 >