Abahluleli 5
1 Ngalolosuku uDibhora loBharakhi indodana ka-Abhinowami bahlabela ingoma le:
In that day, Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, sang out, saying:
2 “Lapho amakhosana ko-Israyeli esekhokhela, lapho abantu bezinikela ngokuzithandela, dumisani uThixo!
“All you of Israel who have willingly offered your lives to danger, bless the Lord!
3 Zwanini lokhu lina makhosi! Lalelani lina babusi! Ngizahlabelela kuThixo, ngizahlabelela; ngizahubela ihubo, kuThixouNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
Listen, O kings! Pay attention, O princes! It is I, it is I, who will sing to the Lord. I will sing a psalm to the Lord, the God of Israel!
4 Awu Thixo, ekuqhamukeni kwakho eSeyiri, lapho usuka elizweni lase-Edomi, umhlaba wanyikinyeka, amazulu athululeka, amayezi athululela amanzi phansi.
O Lord, when you departed from Seir, and you crossed through the regions of Edom, the earth and the heavens were moved, and the clouds rained down water.
5 Izintaba zazamazama phambi kukaThixo, yena owaseSinayi, phambi kukaThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
The mountains flowed away before the face of the Lord, and Sinai, before the face of the Lord God of Israel.
6 Ensukwini zikaShamigari indodana ka-Anathi, ensukwini zikaJayeli, imigwaqo yayideliwe; izihambi zithatha izindledlana ezimazombe.
In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the paths were quiet. And whoever entered by them, walked along rough byways.
7 Izakhamizi zako-Israyeli kazizange zilwe, zahlehlela emuva kwaze kwavela mina Dibhora, kwavela umama ko-Israyeli.
The strong men ceased, and they rested in Israel, until Deborah rose up, until a mother rose up in Israel.
8 UNkulunkulu wakhetha abakhokheli abatsha lapho impi isifike emasangweni edolobho, kodwa akulahawu kumbe umkhonto owabonakalayo phakathi kwezinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amane ko-Israyeli.
The Lord chose new wars, and he himself overturned the gates of the enemies. A shield with a spear was not seen among the forty thousand of Israel.
9 Inhliziyo yami ikanye lamakhosana ako-Israyeli, kanye labazinikela ngokuzithandela phakathi kwabantu. Dumisani uThixo!
My heart loves the leaders of Israel. All you who, of your own free will, offered yourselves during a crisis, bless the Lord.
10 Lina eligada obabhemi abamhlophe, lihlezi ezihlalweni zenu zengubo, lani elihamba emgwaqweni cabangani
You who ride upon donkeys laboring, and you who sit in judgment, and you who walk along the way, speak out.
11 ilizwi labahlabeleli ezindaweni zamanzi okunathisa. Bahuba ngokulunga kukaThixo, ukunqoba kwezakhamizi zako-Israyeli. Lapho-ke abantu bakaThixo behlela emasangweni edolobho.
Where the chariots were struck together, and the army of the enemies was choked, in that place, let the justices of the Lord be described, and let his clemency be for the brave of Israel. Then did the people of the Lord descend to the gates, and obtain leadership.
12 ‘Vuka, vuka, Dibhora! Vuka, vuka, uhlabele ingoma! Vuka weBharakhi! Uthumbe abathunjiweyo bakho, wena ndodana ka-Abhinowami.’
Rise up, rise up, O Deborah! Rise up, rise up, and speak a canticle! Rise up, Barak, and seize your captives, O son of Abinoam.
13 Ngakho abantu ababesele bafika ezikhulwini; abantu bakaThixo beza kimi labalamandla.
The remnants of the people were saved. The Lord contended with the strong.
14 Abanye bavela ko-Efrayimi, abamdabuko wabo use-Amaleki; uBhenjamini wayelabantu abakulandelayo. Izinduna zamabutho zavela eMakhiri, koZebhuluni labo abaphatha intonga yomlawuli webutho.
Out of Ephraim, he destroyed those with Amalek, and after him, out of Benjamin, those of your people, O Amalek. From Machir, there descended leaders, and from Zebulun, those who led the army to war.
15 Amakhosana ako-Isakhari ayeloDibhora; yebo, u-Isakhari wayeloBharakhi emxhuma ngesiqubu ezigodini. Eziqintini zakoRubheni kwaba lokuhlolwa okukhulu kwezinhliziyo.
The commanders of Issachar were with Deborah, and they followed the steps of Barak, who endangered himself, like one rushing headlong into a chasm. Reuben was divided against himself. Contention was found among great souls.
16 Lahlalelani ezibayeni ukuzwa amakhwelo enqanda izimvu na? Eziqintini zakoRubheni, kwaba lokuhlolwa okukhulu kwezinhliziyo.
Why do you live between two borders, so that you hear the bleating of the flocks? Reuben was divided against himself. Contention was found among great souls.
17 UGiliyadi wahlala ngaphetsheya kweJodani. LoDani wasalelani ngasemikhunjini na? U-Asheri wasala ngasokhunjini wahlala emathekwini akhe olwandle.
Gilead rested beyond the Jordan, and Dan was occupied with ships. Asher was living on the shore of the sea, and dwelling in the ports.
18 Abantu bakoZebhuluni bafaka impilo yabo uqobo engozini; wenza njalo loNafithali emiqolweni yeganga.
Yet truly, Zebulun and Naphtali offered their lives to death in the region of Merom.
19 Amakhosi afika, alwa; amakhosi aseKhenani alwa, eThanakhi ngasemachibini aseMegido, kodwa kawazathwala isiliva, lempango.
The kings came and fought; the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach, beside the waters of Megiddo. And yet they took no spoils.
20 Izinkanyezi zalwa zisemazulwini, zalwa loSisera zisezindleleni zazo.
The conflict against them was from heaven. The stars, remaining in their order and courses, fought against Sisera.
21 Umfula uKhishoni wabakhukhula, umfula wendulo, umfula uKhishoni. Phambili, mphefumulo wami; Qina!
The torrent of Kishon dragged away their carcasses, the onrushing torrent, the torrent of Kishon. O my soul, tread upon the stalwart!
22 Kwaduma amasondo amabhiza ematha, ematha ehamba amabhiza akhe alamandla.
The hoofs of the horses were broken, while the strongest of the enemies fled away with fury, and rushed on to ruin.
23 ‘Iqalekiseni iMerozi,’ kwatsho ingilosi kaThixo, ‘Baqalekiseni kabuhlungu abantu bayo, ngoba kabezanga ukuzencedisa uThixo, ukuzasiza uThixo emelane labalamandla.’
‘Cursed be the land of Meroz!’ said the Angel of the Lord. ‘Cursed be its inhabitants! For they did not come to the aid of the Lord, to the assistance of his most valiant men.’
24 Kabe ngobusiswe kakhulu kwabesifazane uJayeli, umkaHebheri umKheni, obusiswe kakhulu kwabesifazane abahlala emathenteni.
Blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. And blessed is she in her tabernacle.
25 Wacela amanzi, yena wamnika uchago, wamlethela amasi ngomganu ofanele izikhulu.
He begged her for water, and she gave him milk, and she offered him butter in a dish fit for princes.
26 Wathatha isikhonkwane sethente ngesandla sakhe, isandla sakhe sokudla sathatha isando somkhandi. Watshaya uSisera, wachoboza ikhanda lakhe, waphahaza wabhoboza inhlafuno yakhe.
She put her left hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workman’s mallet. And she struck Sisera, seeking in his head a place for the wound, and strongly piercing his temples.
27 Wawohlokela ezinyaweni zakhe, wawa; wabhazalala khonapho. Wawohlokela ezinyaweni zakhe wawa; lapho awohlokela khona, wawela khonapho esefile.
Between her feet, he was ruined. He fainted away and passed on. He curled up before her feet, and he lay there lifeless and miserable.
28 UnakaSisera walunguza ngefasitela; ngemva kwewindi wanqolonga wathi, ‘Kungani inqola yakhe yempi iphuze kangaka ukufika? Kungani ukugodlozela kwezinqola zakhe zempi kuphuzile?’
His mother gazed through a window and wailed. And she spoke from an upper room: ‘Why does his chariot delay in returning? Why are the feet of his team of horses so slow?’
29 Ohlakaniphe kakhulu kumakhosazana akhe wamphendula; impela yena uhlezi ezitshela esithi,
One who was wiser than the rest of his wives responded to her mother-in-law with this:
30 ‘Kanti kabafumani mpango bayabelane na; intombazana loba amabili indoda nganye, izigqoko ezimibalabala eziyimpango kaSisera, izigqoko ezimibalabala ezicecisiweyo, izigqoko eziceciswe kakhulu zentamo yami, konke lokhu kuyimpango?’
‘Perhaps he is now dividing the spoils, and the most beautiful among the women is being selected for him. Garments of diverse colors are being delivered to Sisera as spoils, and various goods are being collected for the adornment of necks.’
31 Ngakho sengathi zingabhubha zonke izitha zakho, Oh Thixo! Kodwa sengathi labo abakuthandayo bangaba njengelanga lapho liphuma ngamandla alo.” Kwasekusiba lokuthula elizweni iminyaka engamatshumi amane.
O Lord, so may all your enemies perish! But may those who love you shine with splendor, as the sun shines at its rising.” And the land rested for forty years.
