Abahluleli 5
1 UDebora loBaraki indodana kaAbinowama basebehlabela ngalolosuku besithi:
In that day, Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, sang out, saying:
2 Ngenxa yokuphindisela kwezimpindiselo koIsrayeli, nxa abantu bezinikela ngokuzithandela, busisani iNkosi!
“All you of Israel who have willingly offered your lives to danger, bless the Lord!
3 Zwanini makhosi, libeke indlebe ziphathamandla, mina, mina ngizahlabela eNkosini, ngihubele iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli.
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 Nkosi, ekuphumeni kwakho eSeyiri, ekunyatheleni kwakho usuka ensimini yeEdoma, umhlaba wazamazama, lamazulu athonta, lamayezi athontisa amanzi.
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 zageleza phambi kweNkosi, iSinayi le phambi kweNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli.
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 kaAnathi, ensukwini zikaJayeli, izindlela zaphela, lababehamba ezindledlaneni bahamba ngezindlela ezimazombazombe.
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 zemakhaya zaphela koIsrayeli, zaphela, ngaze ngasukuma mina Debora, ngasukuma, unina koIsrayeli.
The strong men ceased, and they rested in Israel, until Deborah rose up, until a mother rose up in Israel.
8 Wakhetha onkulunkulu abatsha, khona kwaba lempi emasangweni. Sabonwa yini isihlangu lomkhonto phakathi kwabazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amane koIsrayeli?
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 ikubanikimithetho bakoIsrayeli, abazinikela ngokuzithandela phakathi kwabantu. Busisani iNkosi!
My heart loves the leaders of Israel. All you who, of your own free will, offered yourselves during a crisis, bless the Lord.
10 Bagadi babobabhemi abamhlophe, bahlali besigcabha, labahambi endleleni, khulumani.
You who ride upon donkeys laboring, and you who sit in judgment, and you who walk along the way, speak out.
11 Elizwini labatshoki, phakathi kwezindawo zokukha amanzi, lapho bayalandisa ngemisebenzi elungileyo yeNkosi, imisebenzi elungileyo yezakhamizi zemakhaya zakoIsrayeli. Ngalesosikhathi abantu beNkosi behlela emasangweni.
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, Debora! Vuka, vuka, khuluma ingoma! Sukuma Baraki, uthumbe abathunjiweyo bakho, ndodana kaAbinowama.
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 Khona yayenza insali yabusa phezu kwezinduna ebantwini; iNkosi yangenza ngabusa phezu kwabalamandla.
The remnants of the people were saved. The Lord contended with the strong.
14 Kuvela koEfrayimi impande yabo yayimelene loAmaleki; emva kwakho, Bhenjamini, phakathi kwabantu bakho; kuvela kuMakiri kwehla abanikumthetho, lakoZebuluni abadonsa ngentonga yombhali.
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 Leziphathamandla zakoIsakari zaziloDebora; lanjengoIsakari, waba njalo uBaraki; wathunjwa esigodini ngenyawo zakhe. Ekwehlukaneni kukaRubeni izinqumo zenhliziyo zazizinkulu.
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 Wahlalelani phakathi kwezibaya ukuzwa umhlanga wokukhaliselwa izimvu? Izifunda zakoRubeni zaba lokuhlolwa okukhulu kwenhliziyo.
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 UGileyadi wahlala ngaphetsheya kweJordani. LoDani wahlalelani emikhunjini? UAsheri wahlala ekhunjini lolwandle, wahlala ethekwini.
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 UZebuluni uyisizwe esadela umphefumulo waso kwaze kwaba sekufeni, loNafithali, emiqolweni yensimu.
Yet truly, Zebulun and Naphtali offered their lives to death in the region of Merom.
19 Amakhosi afika alwa; khona amakhosi eKhanani alwa eThahanakhi ngasemanzini eMegido; kawathathanga impango yesiliva.
The kings came and fought; the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach, beside the waters of Megiddo. And yet they took no spoils.
20 Zisemazulwini zalwa, inkanyezi zisendleleni zazo zalwa loSisera.
The conflict against them was from heaven. The stars, remaining in their order and courses, fought against Sisera.
21 Isifula iKishoni sabakhukhula, isifula sendulo, isifula iKishoni. Mphefumulo wami, unyathela ngamandla!
The torrent of Kishon dragged away their carcasses, the onrushing torrent, the torrent of Kishon. O my soul, tread upon the stalwart!
22 Khona atshaya phansi amasondo amabhiza, ngokumatha, ukumatha kwabalamandla bakhe.
The hoofs of the horses were broken, while the strongest of the enemies fled away with fury, and rushed on to ruin.
23 Qalekisani iMerozi, kutsho ingilosi yeNkosi, qalekisani ngokuqalekisa abakhileyo kuyo, ngoba kabezanga kuncedo lweNkosi, kuncedo lweNkosi, lamaqhawe.
‘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 Uzabusiswa phezu kwabesifazana uJayeli umkaHeberi umKeni; ubusisiwe phezu kwabesifazana ethenteni.
Blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. And blessed is she in her tabernacle.
25 Wacela amanzi, wamnika uchago, waletha amasi ngomganu wobukhosi.
He begged her for water, and she gave him milk, and she offered him butter in a dish fit for princes.
26 Welulela isandla sakhe esikhonkwaneni, lesandla sakhe sokunene esandweni sezisebenzi, wamtshaya uSisera, wachoboza ikhanda lakhe, wahlaba 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 Phakathi laphakathi kwenyawo zakhe wakhothama wawa walala; phakathi laphakathi kwenyawo zakhe wakhothama wawa, lapho akhothamela khona, wawa lapho efile echithekile.
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 Unina kaSisera walunguza ngewindi, wanqolonga ngeminxibo yewindi wathi: Kungani inqola yakhe iphuza ukuza? Kungani ephuzile amavili ezinqola zakhe?
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 Izihlakaniphi zamakhosazana akhe zaphendula, yebo yena wazibuyisela impendulo yakhe wathi:
One who was wiser than the rest of his wives responded to her mother-in-law with this:
30 Kabatholanga yini bayaba impango, intombazana, amantombazana amabili kuleyo laleyondoda, impango yamalembu aconjiweyo kaSisera, impango yamalembu aconjiweyo afekethisiweyo ngenalithi, amalembu amabili aconjiweyo afekethisiweyo ngenalithi, awentamo zomphangi?
‘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 Ngokunjalo kazibhubhe zonke izitha zakho, Nkosi. Kodwa abayithandayo kababe njengokuphuma kwelanga ngamandla alo. Lelizwe lathula 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.
