Abahluleli 4
1 Abako-Israyeli baphinda benza okubi phambi kukaThixo, emva kokuba u-Ehudi esefile.
After Ehud died, the Israelis again started doing things Yahweh said were very evil.
2 Ngakho uThixo wabanikela ezandleni zikaJabhini, inkosi yaseKhenani, owayebusa eHazori. Umlawuli webutho lakhe wayenguSisera, owayehlala eHaroshethi-Hagoyimi.
So he allowed the army of Jabin, one of the kings of Canaan land, who ruled in Hazor [city], to conquer the Israelis. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-Haggoyim.
3 Ngoba wayelezinqola zempi ezensimbi ezingamakhulu ayisificamunwemunye munye njalo encindezele abako-Israyeli kabuhlungu okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili, bacela usizo kuThixo.
Sisera’s [army] had 900 chariots. For 20 years he oppressed the Israelis. Then they pleaded to Yahweh to help them.
4 Ngalesosikhathi u-Israyeli wayekhokhelwa nguDibhora umphrofethikazi, umkaLaphidothi.
At that time Deborah, who was the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophetess who had become the leader in Israel.
5 Wayethonisela amacala ngaphansi kwesihlahla seLala likaDibhora phakathi kweRama leBhetheli elizweni lezintaba lako-Efrayimi, njalo abantu bako-Israyeli baya kuye ukuba kwenziwe izinqumo ngemibono yabo.
She would sit under her palm tree at a place between Ramah and Bethel, in the hilly area where the descendants of Ephraim lived, and people would come to her and ask her to settle disputes between them.
6 Wabiza uBharakhi indodana ka-Abhinowami waseKhedeshi koNafithali wathi kuye, “UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uyakulaya uthi: ‘Suka, uhambe labantu bakoNafithali labakoZebhuluni abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi ubakhokhelele eNtabeni iThabhori.
One day she summoned Barak, the son of Abinoam, when he was in Kedesh, in the area where the descendants of Naphtali lived. She said to him, “This is what Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis worship, is commanding you to do: ‘Take with you 1,000 men, some from the descendants of Naphtali and some from the descendants of Zebulun, and lead them to Tabor Mountain.
7 Ngizahugela uSisera, umlawuli webutho likaJabhini, lezinqola zakhe zempi kanye lamabutho emfuleni uKhishoni ngimnikele ezandleni zakho.’”
Yahweh will lure Sisera, the commander of King Jabin’s army, to come with his chariots and his army, to the Kishon River, [a few miles away]. I will enable your men to defeat them there.’”
8 UBharakhi wathi kuye, “Nxa uhamba lami, ngizahamba; kodwa nxa ungahambi lami, kangiyikuhamba.”
Barak replied, “I will go only if you go with me.”
9 UDibhora wathi, “Kulungile, ngizahamba lawe. Kodwa ngenxa yendlela oqhuba ngayo lokhu udumo kaluyikuba ngolwakho, ngoba uThixo uzanikela uSisera kowesifazane.” Ngakho uDibhora wahamba loBharakhi eKhedeshi
She replied, “Okay, I will go with you. But because that is what you have decided to do, Yahweh will enable a woman to defeat Sisera, and the result will be that (you will not be honored/people will not honor you) [for doing that].”
10 lapho abizela khona uZebhuluni loNafithali. Abantu abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi bamlandela. UDibhora laye wahamba labo.
So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. There he summoned men from Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand men came to him, and then they went together with Deborah [to Tabor Mountain].
11 Ngalesosikhathi uHebheri umKheni wayetshiye amanye amaKheni, izizukulwane zikaHobhabhi, uyisezala kaMosi, wamisa ithente lakhe phansi kwesihlahla somʼOkhi eZananimi eduze leKhedeshi.
At that time Heber, one of the descendants of the Ken people-group, had moved [with his wife Jael] from the area where that group lived, and set up his tent near the big oak tree at Zaanannim, near Kedesh. Heber was a descendant of Moses’ brother-in-law Hobab.
12 Kwathi uSisera sebemtshelile ukuthi uBharakhi indodana ka-Abhinowami wayeseye eNtabeni iThabhori,
Someone told Sisera that Barak had gone up on Tabor Mountain [with an army].
13 uSisera waqoqela ndawonye izinqola zakhe zempi ezensimbi ezingamakhulu ayisificamunwemunye munye lawo wonke amadoda ayelaye, kusukela eHaroshethi-Hagoyimi kusiya emfuleni uKhishoni.
So he gathered his troops with their 900 chariots, and they marched from Harosheth-Haggoyim to the Kishon River.
14 UDibhora wasesithi kuBharakhi, “Hamba! Lolu yilo usuku uThixo anikele ngalo uSisera ezandleni zakho. Kanti uThixo kahambanga phambi kwakho na?” Ngakho uBharakhi wehlela eNtabeni iThabhori elandelwa ngabantu abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi.
Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day that Yahweh will enable your [army] to defeat the army of Sisera. Yahweh is going ahead of you!” So Barak led his men as they descended from Tabor Mountain.
15 UBharakhi wathi esesondela uThixo wamhlasela uSisera lezinqola zakhe zonke zempi kanye lebutho ngenkemba, njalo uSisera watshiya izinqola zakhe zempi wabaleka ngezinyawo.
As they advanced, Yahweh caused Sisera and all his chariots and his army to have great difficulty maneuvering/moving around. So Sisera jumped down from his chariot and ran away.
16 Kodwa uBharakhi waxotshana lezinqola zempi lebutho waze wafika eHaroshethi-Hagoyimi. Wonke amabutho kaSisera abulawa ngenkemba, akukho muntu owasilayo.
But Barak and his men pursued the other chariots and the enemy soldiers as far as Harosheth-Haggoyim. They killed all of the men in Sisera’s army. Not one man survived.
17 Kodwa uSisera wabaleka ngezinyawo waze wayafika ethenteni likaJayeli, umkaHebheri umKheni, ngoba kwakulobudlelwano obuhle phakathi kukaJabhini inkosi yaseHazori lomndeni kaHebheri umKheni.
But Sisera ran to Jael’s tent. He did that because [his boss], King Jabin of Hazor [city], was a good friend of [Jael’s husband] Heber.
18 UJayeli waphuma wahlangabeza uSisera wasesithi kuye, “Woza nkosi yami, ngena phakathi sibili. Ungesabi.” Ngakho uSisera wangena ethenteni likaJayeli, wasemembesa ngengubo.
Jael went out to greet Sisera. She said to him, “Sir, come into my tent! Do not be afraid!” So he went into the tent [and lay down], and she covered him with a blanket.
19 Wasesithi, “Ngomile. Ake unginathise.” Wavula umxhaka wesikhumba sochago, wamnathisa, wasemembesa.
He said to her, “I’m thirsty; can you give me some water?” So she opened a leather container of milk, and gave him a drink. Then she covered him with the blanket again.
20 USisera wasesithi, “Mana emnyango wethente. Kungaba lomuntu ofika akubuze athi, ‘Kulomuntu lapha na?’ wena kumele uthi ‘Hatshi.’”
He said to her, “Stand in the entrance of the tent. If someone comes and asks ‘Is anyone else here?’, say ‘No.’”
21 Kodwa uJayeli, umkaHebheri, wathatha isikhonkwane sethente lesando, wamnyenyela ephakathi kobuthongo obukhulu, ngoba wayediniwe. Wabethela isikhonkwane enhlafunweni sangena saze sayafika emhlabathini, wafa.
Sisera was very exhausted, so he soon was asleep. While he was sleeping, Jael crept quietly to him, holding a hammer and a tent peg. She pounded the peg into his skull, and all the way through his head into the ground, and he died.
22 UBharakhi wafika exotshana loSisera, uJayeli waphuma wayamhlangabeza. Wathi, “Woza, ngizakutshengisa umuntu omdingayo.” Ngakho wangena laye khonapho, uSisera wayelele isikhonkwane sethente singene satshona enhlafunweni yakhe esefile.
When Barak passed by Jael’s tent to look for Sisera, she went out to greet him. She said, “Come in, and I will show you the man you are searching for!” So he followed her into the tent, and he saw Sisera lying there, dead, with the tent peg through his head.
23 Ngalolosuku uNkulunkulu wamnqoba uJabhini, inkosi yamaKhenani, phambi kwabako-Israyeli.
On that day God enabled the Israelis to defeat [the army of] Jabin, the king of the people of Canaan.
24 Amandla abako-Israyeli okumelana loJabhini inkosi yamaKhenani akhula, aze amchitha.
From that time, the Israeli people continued to become stronger, and [the army of] King Jabin continued to become weaker. Finally the Israelis were able to completely subdue the people ruled by the king of Canaan.
