Abahluleli 5
1 Ngalolosuku uDibhora loBharakhi indodana ka-Abhinowami bahlabela ingoma le:
Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
2 “Lapho amakhosana ko-Israyeli esekhokhela, lapho abantu bezinikela ngokuzithandela, dumisani uThixo!
“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, LORD!
3 Zwanini lokhu lina makhosi! Lalelani lina babusi! Ngizahlabelela kuThixo, ngizahlabelela; ngizahubela ihubo, kuThixouNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
“Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to the LORD. I will sing praise 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.
“LORD, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water.
5 Izintaba zazamazama phambi kukaThixo, yena owaseSinayi, phambi kukaThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
The mountains quaked at the LORD’s presence, even Sinai at the presence 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 Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travellers walked through byways.
7 Izakhamizi zako-Israyeli kazizange zilwe, zahlehlela emuva kwaze kwavela mina Dibhora, kwavela umama ko-Israyeli.
The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.
8 UNkulunkulu wakhetha abakhokheli abatsha lapho impi isifike emasangweni edolobho, kodwa akulahawu kumbe umkhonto owabonakalayo phakathi kwezinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amane ko-Israyeli.
They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen amongst forty thousand in Israel?
9 Inhliziyo yami ikanye lamakhosana ako-Israyeli, kanye labazinikela ngokuzithandela phakathi kwabantu. Dumisani uThixo!
My heart is towards the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly amongst the people. Bless the LORD!
10 Lina eligada obabhemi abamhlophe, lihlezi ezihlalweni zenu zengubo, lani elihamba emgwaqweni cabangani
“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.
11 ilizwi labahlabeleli ezindaweni zamanzi okunathisa. Bahuba ngokulunga kukaThixo, ukunqoba kwezakhamizi zako-Israyeli. Lapho-ke abantu bakaThixo behlela emasangweni edolobho.
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse the LORD’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then the LORD’s people went down to the gates.
12 ‘Vuka, vuka, Dibhora! Vuka, vuka, uhlabele ingoma! Vuka weBharakhi! Uthumbe abathunjiweyo bakho, wena ndodana ka-Abhinowami.’
‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’
13 Ngakho abantu ababesele bafika ezikhulwini; abantu bakaThixo beza kimi labalamandla.
“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. The LORD came down for me against the mighty.
14 Abanye bavela ko-Efrayimi, abamdabuko wabo use-Amaleki; uBhenjamini wayelabantu abakulandelayo. Izinduna zamabutho zavela eMakhiri, koZebhuluni labo abaphatha intonga yomlawuli webutho.
Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, amongst your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.
15 Amakhosana ako-Isakhari ayeloDibhora; yebo, u-Isakhari wayeloBharakhi emxhuma ngesiqubu ezigodini. Eziqintini zakoRubheni kwaba lokuhlolwa okukhulu kwezinhliziyo.
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart.
16 Lahlalelani ezibayeni ukuzwa amakhwelo enqanda izimvu na? Eziqintini zakoRubheni, kwaba lokuhlolwa okukhulu kwezinhliziyo.
Why did you sit amongst the sheepfolds? To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart.
17 UGiliyadi wahlala ngaphetsheya kweJodani. LoDani wasalelani ngasemikhunjini na? U-Asheri wasala ngasokhunjini wahlala emathekwini akhe olwandle.
Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks.
18 Abantu bakoZebhuluni bafaka impilo yabo uqobo engozini; wenza njalo loNafithali emiqolweni yeganga.
Zebulun was a people that jeopardised their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
19 Amakhosi afika, alwa; amakhosi aseKhenani alwa, eThanakhi ngasemachibini aseMegido, kodwa kawazathwala isiliva, lempango.
“The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
20 Izinkanyezi zalwa zisemazulwini, zalwa loSisera zisezindleleni zazo.
From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
21 Umfula uKhishoni wabakhukhula, umfula wendulo, umfula uKhishoni. Phambili, mphefumulo wami; Qina!
The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
22 Kwaduma amasondo amabhiza ematha, ematha ehamba amabhiza akhe alamandla.
Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.
23 ‘Iqalekiseni iMerozi,’ kwatsho ingilosi kaThixo, ‘Baqalekiseni kabuhlungu abantu bayo, ngoba kabezanga ukuzencedisa uThixo, ukuzasiza uThixo emelane labalamandla.’
‘Curse Meroz,’ said the LORD’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’
24 Kabe ngobusiswe kakhulu kwabesifazane uJayeli, umkaHebheri umKheni, obusiswe kakhulu kwabesifazane abahlala emathenteni.
“Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25 Wacela amanzi, yena wamnika uchago, wamlethela amasi ngomganu ofanele izikhulu.
He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
26 Wathatha isikhonkwane sethente ngesandla sakhe, isandla sakhe sokudla sathatha isando somkhandi. Watshaya uSisera, wachoboza ikhanda lakhe, waphahaza wabhoboza inhlafuno yakhe.
She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.
27 Wawohlokela ezinyaweni zakhe, wawa; wabhazalala khonapho. Wawohlokela ezinyaweni zakhe wawa; lapho awohlokela khona, wawela khonapho esefile.
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
28 UnakaSisera walunguza ngefasitela; ngemva kwewindi wanqolonga wathi, ‘Kungani inqola yakhe yempi iphuze kangaka ukufika? Kungani ukugodlozela kwezinqola zakhe zempi kuphuzile?’
“Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’
29 Ohlakaniphe kakhulu kumakhosazana akhe wamphendula; impela yena uhlezi ezitshela esithi,
Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself,
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?’
‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’
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 your enemies perish, LORD, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.
