< Balam 5 >

1 Ku olwo Debola ne Baraki mutabani wa Abinoamu ne bayimba bwe bati:
Then sang Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, on that day, saying,
2 “Mutendereze Mukama kubanga mu Isirayiri abakulembeze baatuukiriza omulimu gwabwe n’abantu ne beewaayo nga baagala.
For that leaders led in Israel, For that the people willingly offered themselves, Bless Jehovah!
3 “Muwulirize mmwe bakabaka, musseeyo omwoyo mmwe abalangira; nze kennyini, nze nnaayimbira Mukama; nze nnaayimbira Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri.
Hear, ye kings; give ear, ye princes, I, [even] I, will sing to Jehovah; I will hymn to Jehovah the God of Israel.
4 “Mukama, bwe wava e Seyiri, bwe wava mu kitundu kya Edomu okutabaala, ensi n’ekankana, enkuba n’eyiika okuva mu ggulu. Weewaawo, ebire ne bifukumuka amazzi.
Jehovah, when thou wentest forth from Seir, When thou marchedst out of the fields of Edom, The earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, Yea, the clouds dropped water.
5 Ensozi ne zikankana awali Mukama, Oyo owa Sinaayi, ne lukankana mu maaso Mukama Katonda w’Abayisirayiri.
The mountains quaked before the face of Jehovah, That Sinai, from before Jehovah the God of Israel.
6 “Ku mulembe gwa Samugali, mutabani wa Anasi, ne ku mulembe gwa Yayeeri abatambuze tebaayitanga, mu nguudo nnene, baatambuliranga mu mpenda.
In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, The roads were unused, and the travellers on highways went by crooked paths.
7 Abakulembeze mu Isirayiri baggwaawo okutuusa nze Debola lwe nayimuka, nga nnyina wa bonna mu Isirayiri.
The villages ceased in Israel, Ceased until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel.
8 Bwe beefunira abakulembeze abalala, entalo ne ziryoka zibalukawo mu Isirayiri. Ku basajja Abayisirayiri emitwalo ena kwaliko n’omu eyalina effumu oba engabo?
They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9 Omutima gwange guli eri abakulembeze b’Abayisirayiri, n’eri abantu abeewaayo nga baagala. Mutendereze Mukama.
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Jehovah!
10 “Mukyogereko mmwe, abeebagala ku ndogoyi enjeru, mmwe abatuula ku biwempe ebirungi ennyo, nammwe abatambulira mu kkubo.
Ye that ride on white she-asses, ye that sit on carpets, and ye that walk by the way, consider.
11 Wulira oluyimba lw’abantu ku luzzi, nga batendereza obuwanguzi era n’ebikolwa bya Mukama eby’obutuukirivu, ebikolwa bye eby’obutuukirivu nga akulembera Abayisirayiri. “Awo abantu ba Mukama ne baserengeta, ne bagenda ku miryango gy’ebibuga byabwe.
Because of the voice of those who divide [the spoil] in the midst of the places of drawing water; There they rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah, His righteous acts toward his villages in Israel. Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates.
12 Zuukuka, zuukuka Debola zuukuka, zuukuka, okulembere oluyimba; golokoka, Baraki okulembere abawambe bo nga basibiddwa, ggwe mutabani wa Abinoamu.
Awake, awake, Deborah! awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead captive thy captives, thou son of Abinoam!
13 “Awo abakungu abaasigalawo ne baserengeta, abantu ba Mukama, ne baserengeta okulwanyisa ow’amaanyi.
Then come down, thou, the remnant of nobles, [as his] people; Jehovah! come down with me in the midst of the mighty ones.
14 Awo abaava mu kitundu kya Efulayimu ne baserengeta mu kiwonvu, nga bakugoberera ggwe, Benyamini, n’ab’ekika kyo. Mu Makiri ne wavaayo abakulembeze, ne baserengeta, ne mu kitundu kya Zebbulooni ne wavaayo abaduumizi.
Out of Ephraim [came] those whose root was in Amalek; After thee was Benjamin among thy peoples. Out of Machir came down governors, And out of Zebulun they that handled the staff of the ruler.
15 Abalangira ba Isakaali baali wamu ne Debola; era Isakaali yali wamu ne Baraki. Ne bafubutuka okumugoberera mu kiwonvu. Olw’enjawukana ezaali mu kika kya Lewubeeni, waaliwo okusooka okufumiitiriza ennyo mu mitima gyabwe.
And the princes in Issachar were with Deborah; And Issachar, like Barak; They were sent into the valley at his feet. In the divisions of Reuben there were great resolves of heart!
16 Kiki ekyakusigaza mu bisibo byo eby’endiga, okuwuliriza endere zebafuuyira endiga? Olw’enjawukana ezaali mu kika kya Lewubeeni, waaliwo okusooka okufumiitiriza ennyo mu mitima gyabwe.
Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, To hear the bleating of the flocks? In the divisions of Reuben there were great deliberations of heart!
17 Ab’ekika kya Gireyaadi baasigala mitala wa Yoludaani. N’ab’ekika kya Ddaani ekyabasigaza mu byombo kiki? Ab’ekika kya Aseri; baasigala ku lubalama lw’ennyanja, ne babeera awali emyalo gyabwe.
Gilead abode beyond Jordan; And Dan, why did he remain in ships? Asher sat on the sea-shore, And abode in his creeks.
18 Ab’ekika kya Zebbulooni baawaayo obulamu bwabwe, era n’ab’ekika kya Nafutaali mu ddwaniro.
Zebulun is a people [that] jeoparded their lives unto death, Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
19 “Ku mugga gw’e Megiddo mu Taanaki, bakabaka bajja ne balwana, bakabaka b’e Kanani baalwana. Naye tebaanyaga bintu.
Kings came, — they fought; Then fought the kings of Canaan; At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; They took no spoil of silver.
20 Emunyeenye zaalwana nga zisinziira mu ggulu, zaalwanyisa Sisera nga bwe zetoloola mu bbanga.
From heaven was the fight; The stars from their courses fought with Sisera.
21 Omugga Kisoni gwabasanyizaawo ddala, omugga ogwo ogw’edda omugga Kisoni. Ggwe emmeeme yange, kkumba n’amaanyi.
The torrent of Kishon swept them away, That ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. My soul, thou hast trodden down strength!
22 Awo embalaasi ne zijja nga zirigita era nga bwe zisambirira ettaka, ensolo zaabwe ezo ez’amaanyi.
Then did the horse-hoofs clatter with the coursings, The coursings of their steeds.
23 Malayika wa Mukama n’agamba nti, ‘Mukolimire Merozi. Mukolimire nnyo ababeera e Merozi; kubanga tebeetaba mu lutalo lwa Mukama. Tebaalwetabaamu nga Mukama Katonda alwanyisa ab’amaanyi.’
Curse Meroz, saith the Angel of Jehovah; Curse, curse the inhabitants thereof; For they came not to the help of Jehovah, To the help of Jehovah among the mighty.
24 “Nga wa mukisa Yayeeri okusinga abakazi bonna! Nga wa mukisa Yayeeri mukazi w’Omukeeni Keberi, okusinga abakazi bonna ababeera mu weema!
Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, Blessed above women in the tent!
25 Bwe yasaba amazzi, yamuwa mata, era n’amuleetera n’omuzigo mu bbawulo ey’ekikungu.
He asked water, she gave milk; In the nobles' bowl she brought forth cream.
26 Yakwata enkondo ya weema mu mukono gwe ogwa kkono, n’ennyondo mu gwa ddyo, n’akomerera Sisera enkondo mu kyenyi n’eyita namu.
She put her hand to the tent-pin, And her right hand to the workmen's hammer; And she smote Sisera, she struck through his head, Shattered and pierced through his temples.
27 Amaanyi gaamuggwa n’agwa; yagwa ku bigere bya Yayeeri n’alambaala we yagwa we yafiira.
Between her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: Between her feet he bowed, he fell; Where he bowed, there he fell, overcome.
28 “Nnyina wa Sisera yalingiriza mu ddirisa; yayisa amaaso mu ddirisa, n’aleekaanira waggulu nti ‘Kiki ekirwisizza eggaali lye okujja? Okuguluba kw’eggaali lye nga sikuwulira?’
Them other of Sisera looketh out at the window, And crieth through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the trampings of his chariots?
29 Abazaana be abagezi baba tebanamuddamu ne yeddamu yekka.
The wise amongst her ladies answer [her], Yea, she returneth answer to herself,
30 ‘Tebazudde omunyago era tebali mu kugugabana, omuwala omu oba babiri buli musajja? Sisera tufunye omunyago ogw’engoye enduke ez’amabala? Eminagiro ebiri emiruke, egy’amabala tegiibe gyange?’
Have they not found, divided the booty, A damsel, two damsels, to each? A booty of dyed stuffs for Sisera, A booty of dyed stuffs of embroidery, Dyed stuff of double embroidery for the neck of a spoiler?
31 “Ayi Mukama Katonda abalabe bo bazikirirenga bwe batyo nga Sisera. Naye abo bonna abakwagala bamasemasenga ng’enjuba ey’akavaayo mu maanyi gaayo.” Awo ne wayitawo emyaka ana nga Abayisirayiri bali mu mirembe.
So let all thine enemies perish, Jehovah! But let them that love him be as the rising of the sun in its might. And the land had rest forty years.

< Balam 5 >