Abahluleli 5
1 Ngalolosuku uDibhora loBharakhi indodana ka-Abhinowami bahlabela ingoma le:
In that day Debbora and Barac son of Abinoem sung, and said:
2 “Lapho amakhosana ko-Israyeli esekhokhela, lapho abantu bezinikela ngokuzithandela, dumisani uThixo!
O you of Israel, that 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.
Hear, O ye kings, give ear, ye princes: It is I, it is I, that will sing to the Lord, I will sing 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 thou wentest out of Seir, and passedst by the regions of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped water.
5 Izintaba zazamazama phambi kukaThixo, yena owaseSinayi, phambi kukaThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
The mountains melted before the face of the Lord, and Sinai before the face of the Lord the God of Israel.
6 Ensukwini zikaShamigari indodana ka-Anathi, ensukwini zikaJayeli, imigwaqo yayideliwe; izihambi zithatha izindledlana ezimazombe.
In the days of Samgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jahel the paths rested: and they that went by them, walked through by-ways.
7 Izakhamizi zako-Israyeli kazizange zilwe, zahlehlela emuva kwaze kwavela mina Dibhora, kwavela umama ko-Israyeli.
The valiant men ceased, and rested in Israel: until Debbora arose, a mother arose 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 overthrew the gates of the enemies: a shield and spear was not seen among forty thousand of Israel.
9 Inhliziyo yami ikanye lamakhosana ako-Israyeli, kanye labazinikela ngokuzithandela phakathi kwabantu. Dumisani uThixo!
My heart loveth the princes of Israel: O you that of your own good will offered yourselves to danger, bless the Lord.
10 Lina eligada obabhemi abamhlophe, lihlezi ezihlalweni zenu zengubo, lani elihamba emgwaqweni cabangani
Speak, you that ride upon fair asses, and you that sit in judgment, and walk in the way.
11 ilizwi labahlabeleli ezindaweni zamanzi okunathisa. Bahuba ngokulunga kukaThixo, ukunqoba kwezakhamizi zako-Israyeli. Lapho-ke abantu bakaThixo behlela emasangweni edolobho.
Where the chariots were dashed together, and the army of the enemies was choked, there let the justices of the Lord be rehearsed, and his clemency towards the brave men of Israel: then the people of the Lord went down to the gates, and obtained the sovereignty.
12 ‘Vuka, vuka, Dibhora! Vuka, vuka, uhlabele ingoma! Vuka weBharakhi! Uthumbe abathunjiweyo bakho, wena ndodana ka-Abhinowami.’
Arise, arise, O Debbora, arise, arise, and utter a canticle. Arise, Barac, and take hold of thy captives, O son of Abinoem.
13 Ngakho abantu ababesele bafika ezikhulwini; abantu bakaThixo beza kimi labalamandla.
The remnants of the people are saved, the Lord hath fought among the valiant ones.
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 them into Amalec, and after him out of Benjamin into thy people, O Amalec: Out of Machir there came down princes, and out of Zabulon they that led the army to fight.
15 Amakhosana ako-Isakhari ayeloDibhora; yebo, u-Isakhari wayeloBharakhi emxhuma ngesiqubu ezigodini. Eziqintini zakoRubheni kwaba lokuhlolwa okukhulu kwezinhliziyo.
The captains of Issachar were with Debbora, and followed the steps of Barac, who exposed himself to danger, as one going headlong, and into a pit. Ruben being divided against himself, there was found a strife of courageous men.
16 Lahlalelani ezibayeni ukuzwa amakhwelo enqanda izimvu na? Eziqintini zakoRubheni, kwaba lokuhlolwa okukhulu kwezinhliziyo.
Why dwellest thou between two borders, that thou mayest hear the bleatings of the flocks? Ruben being divided against himself, there was found a strife of courageous men.
17 UGiliyadi wahlala ngaphetsheya kweJodani. LoDani wasalelani ngasemikhunjini na? U-Asheri wasala ngasokhunjini wahlala emathekwini akhe olwandle.
Galaad rested beyond the Jordan, and Dan applied himself to ships: Aser dwelt on the sea shore, and abode in the havens.
18 Abantu bakoZebhuluni bafaka impilo yabo uqobo engozini; wenza njalo loNafithali emiqolweni yeganga.
But Zabulon and Nephtali offered their lives to death in the region of Merome.
19 Amakhosi afika, alwa; amakhosi aseKhenani alwa, eThanakhi ngasemachibini aseMegido, kodwa kawazathwala isiliva, lempango.
The kings came and fought, the kings of Chanaan fought in Thanach by the waters of Mageddo, and yet they took no spoils.
20 Izinkanyezi zalwa zisemazulwini, zalwa loSisera zisezindleleni zazo.
War from heaven was made against them, the stars remaining in their order and courses fought against Sisara.
21 Umfula uKhishoni wabakhukhula, umfula wendulo, umfula uKhishoni. Phambili, mphefumulo wami; Qina!
The torrent of Cison dragged their carcasses, the torrent of Cadumim, the torrent of Cisoii: tread thou, my soul, upon the strong ones.
22 Kwaduma amasondo amabhiza ematha, ematha ehamba amabhiza akhe alamandla.
The hoofs of the horses were broken whilst the stoutest of the enemies fled amain, and fell headlong down.
23 ‘Iqalekiseni iMerozi,’ kwatsho ingilosi kaThixo, ‘Baqalekiseni kabuhlungu abantu bayo, ngoba kabezanga ukuzencedisa uThixo, ukuzasiza uThixo emelane labalamandla.’
Curse ye the land of Meroz, said the angel of the Lord: curse the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to help his most valiant men.
24 Kabe ngobusiswe kakhulu kwabesifazane uJayeli, umkaHebheri umKheni, obusiswe kakhulu kwabesifazane abahlala emathenteni.
Blessed among women be Jahel the wife of Haber the Cinite, and blessed be she in her tent.
25 Wacela amanzi, yena wamnika uchago, wamlethela amasi ngomganu ofanele izikhulu.
He asked her water and she gave him milk, and 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 hammer, and she struck Sisara, seeking in his head a place for the wound, and strongly piercing through his temples.
27 Wawohlokela ezinyaweni zakhe, wawa; wabhazalala khonapho. Wawohlokela ezinyaweni zakhe wawa; lapho awohlokela khona, wawela khonapho esefile.
At her feet he fell: he fainted, and he died: he rolled before her feet, and he lay lifeless and wretched.
28 UnakaSisera walunguza ngefasitela; ngemva kwewindi wanqolonga wathi, ‘Kungani inqola yakhe yempi iphuze kangaka ukufika? Kungani ukugodlozela kwezinqola zakhe zempi kuphuzile?’
His mother looked out at a window, and howled: and she spoke from the dining room: Why is his chariot so long in coming back? Why are the feet of his horses so slow?
29 Ohlakaniphe kakhulu kumakhosazana akhe wamphendula; impela yena uhlezi ezitshela esithi,
One that was wiser than the rest of his wives, returned this answer to her mother in law:
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 fairest of the women is chosen out for him: garments of divers colours are given to Sisara for his prey, and furniture of different kinds is heaped together to adorn the 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.
So let all thy enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love thee shine, as the sun shineth in his rising. And the land rested for forty years.
