Abahluleli 5
1 UDebora loBaraki indodana kaAbinowama basebehlabela ngalolosuku besithi:
On that day, Deborah sang this song, along with Barak:
2 Ngenxa yokuphindisela kwezimpindiselo koIsrayeli, nxa abantu bezinikela ngokuzithandela, busisani iNkosi!
“When the leaders of the Israeli people really lead them, and the people follow them, [it is time to] praise Yahweh!
3 Zwanini makhosi, libeke indlebe ziphathamandla, mina, mina ngizahlabela eNkosini, ngihubele iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli.
Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you leaders! I will sing to Yahweh. With this song I will praise Yahweh, the God we Israelis worship.
4 Nkosi, ekuphumeni kwakho eSeyiri, ekunyatheleni kwakho usuka ensimini yeEdoma, umhlaba wazamazama, lamazulu athonta, lamayezi athontisa amanzi.
O Yahweh, when you came from Seir, when you marched from that land [better known as] Edom, the earth shook, and rain poured down from the skies.
5 Izintaba zageleza phambi kweNkosi, iSinayi le phambi kweNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli.
The mountains shook when you came, just like Sinai Mountain shook when you appeared there, because you are Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis worship.
6 Ensukwini zikaShamigari indodana kaAnathi, ensukwini zikaJayeli, izindlela zaphela, lababehamba ezindledlaneni bahamba ngezindlela ezimazombazombe.
“When Shamgar was our leader and when Jael ruled us, [we were afraid to walk on] the main roads; instead, caravans of travelers walked on winding [less traveled] roads [to avoid being molested].
7 Izakhamizi zemakhaya zaphela koIsrayeli, zaphela, ngaze ngasukuma mina Debora, ngasukuma, unina koIsrayeli.
People left their small villages, [and moved into the walled cities] until I, Deborah, became their leader. [I became like] a mother to the Israeli people.
8 Wakhetha onkulunkulu abatsha, khona kwaba lempi emasangweni. Sabonwa yini isihlangu lomkhonto phakathi kwabazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amane koIsrayeli?
When the Israeli people [abandoned Yahweh and] chose new gods, enemies attacked the gates of the cities, and then [they took away] the shields and spears from 40,000 Israeli soldiers. Not one shield or spear was left.
9 Inhliziyo yami ikubanikimithetho bakoIsrayeli, abazinikela ngokuzithandela phakathi kwabantu. Busisani iNkosi!
I am thankful for the leaders and soldiers who volunteered [to fight]. Praise Yahweh [for them!]
10 Bagadi babobabhemi abamhlophe, bahlali besigcabha, labahambi endleleni, khulumani.
“You wealthy people who ride on donkeys, sitting on nice padded saddles, and you people who just walk on the road, you all listen!
11 Elizwini labatshoki, phakathi kwezindawo zokukha amanzi, lapho bayalandisa ngemisebenzi elungileyo yeNkosi, imisebenzi elungileyo yezakhamizi zemakhaya zakoIsrayeli. Ngalesosikhathi abantu beNkosi behlela emasangweni.
Listen to the voices of the singers who gather at the places where [the animals drink] water. They tell about how Yahweh acted righteously when he enabled the Israeli warriors to conquer [their enemies]. “Yahweh’s people marched down to the gates of our city.
12 Vuka, vuka, Debora! Vuka, vuka, khuluma ingoma! Sukuma Baraki, uthumbe abathunjiweyo bakho, ndodana kaAbinowama.
The people came to my house and shouted, ‘Deborah, wake up! Wake up and start singing!’ They also shouted, ‘Barak, son of Abinoam, get up, and capture our enemies!’
13 Khona yayenza insali yabusa phezu kwezinduna ebantwini; iNkosi yangenza ngabusa phezu kwabalamandla.
Later, some of the Israeli people came down [from Tabor Mountain] with us, their leaders. These men who belonged to Yahweh came with me to fight their strong enemies.
14 Kuvela koEfrayimi impande yabo yayimelene loAmaleki; emva kwakho, Bhenjamini, phakathi kwabantu bakho; kuvela kuMakiri kwehla abanikumthetho, lakoZebuluni abadonsa ngentonga yombhali.
Some came from the tribe descended from Ephraim. They came from land that once belonged to the descendants of Amalek. And men from the tribe descended from Benjamin followed them. Troops from the group descended from Makir also came down, and officers from the tribe descended from Zebulun came down, carrying staffs.
15 Leziphathamandla zakoIsakari zaziloDebora; lanjengoIsakari, waba njalo uBaraki; wathunjwa esigodini ngenyawo zakhe. Ekwehlukaneni kukaRubeni izinqumo zenhliziyo zazizinkulu.
Leaders from the tribes descended from Issachar joined Barak and me. They followed Barak, rushing down into the valley. But men from the tribe descended from Reuben could not decide whether or not to join us.
16 Wahlalelani phakathi kwezibaya ukuzwa umhlanga wokukhaliselwa izimvu? Izifunda zakoRubeni zaba lokuhlolwa okukhulu kwenhliziyo.
Why did you men stay at your sheep pens, waiting to hear the shepherds whistle for their flocks of sheep to come to the pens? Men in the tribe descended from Reuben could not decide whether they would join us to fight our enemies, or not.
17 UGileyadi wahlala ngaphetsheya kweJordani. LoDani wahlalelani emikhunjini? UAsheri wahlala ekhunjini lolwandle, wahlala ethekwini.
Similarly, the men living in the Gilead area stayed at home, east of the Jordan River. And the men from the tribe descended from Dan, why did they stay home? The tribe descended from Asher sat by the seashore. They stayed in their coves.
18 UZebuluni uyisizwe esadela umphefumulo waso kwaze kwaba sekufeni, loNafithali, emiqolweni yensimu.
But men from the tribe descended from Zebulun risked (their lives/were ready to die fighting) on the battlefield, and men descended from Naphtali were ready to do that, also.
19 Amakhosi afika alwa; khona amakhosi eKhanani alwa eThahanakhi ngasemanzini eMegido; kawathathanga impango yesiliva.
“The kings of Canaan fought us at Taanach, near the springs in Megiddo [Valley]. [But since they did not defeat us], they did not carry away any silver or other treasures from the battle.
20 Zisemazulwini zalwa, inkanyezi zisendleleni zazo zalwa loSisera.
[It was as though] the stars in the sky fought for us [and as though] those stars in their paths fought against Sisera.
21 Isifula iKishoni sabakhukhula, isifula sendulo, isifula iKishoni. Mphefumulo wami, unyathela ngamandla!
The Kishon River swept them away— that river that has been there for ages. I will tell myself to be brave and continue marching on.
22 Khona atshaya phansi amasondo amabhiza, ngokumatha, ukumatha kwabalamandla bakhe.
The hooves of the horses of Sisera’s [army] pounded the ground. Those powerful horses kept galloping along.
23 Qalekisani iMerozi, kutsho ingilosi yeNkosi, qalekisani ngokuqalekisa abakhileyo kuyo, ngoba kabezanga kuncedo lweNkosi, kuncedo lweNkosi, lamaqhawe.
The angel sent by Yahweh said, ‘Curse the people of Meroz [town], because they did not come to help Yahweh to defeat the mighty warriors [of Canaan].’
24 Uzabusiswa phezu kwabesifazana uJayeli umkaHeberi umKeni; ubusisiwe phezu kwabesifazana ethenteni.
“But God is very pleased with Jael, the wife of Heber from the Ken people-group. He is more pleased with her than with all the other women who live in tents.
25 Wacela amanzi, wamnika uchago, waletha amasi ngomganu wobukhosi.
Sisera asked for some water, but Jael gave him some milk. She brought him some yogurt/curds in a bowl that was suitable for kings.
26 Welulela isandla sakhe esikhonkwaneni, lesandla sakhe sokunene esandweni sezisebenzi, wamtshaya uSisera, wachoboza ikhanda lakhe, wahlaba wabhoboza inhlafuno yakhe.
Then, [when he was asleep], she reached for a tent peg with her left hand, and she reached for a hammer with her right hand. She hit Sisera hard with it and crushed his head. She pounded the tent peg right through his head.
27 Phakathi laphakathi kwenyawo zakhe wakhothama wawa walala; phakathi laphakathi kwenyawo zakhe wakhothama wawa, lapho akhothamela khona, wawa lapho efile echithekile.
He collapsed and fell dead at her feet.
28 Unina kaSisera walunguza ngewindi, wanqolonga ngeminxibo yewindi wathi: Kungani inqola yakhe iphuza ukuza? Kungani ephuzile amavili ezinqola zakhe?
“Sisera’s mother looked out from her window. She waited for him to return. She said, ‘Why is he taking so long to come home in his chariot? Why don’t I hear the sound of the wheels of his chariot?’
29 Izihlakaniphi zamakhosazana akhe zaphendula, yebo yena wazibuyisela impendulo yakhe wathi:
One wise woman replied to her, and she [kept consoling herself by] repeating those words:
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 they are dividing up the things and the people they captured after the battle. Each soldier will get one or two women. Sisera will get some beautiful robes, and some beautiful embroidered robes for me.’
31 Ngokunjalo kazibhubhe zonke izitha zakho, Nkosi. Kodwa abayithandayo kababe njengokuphuma kwelanga ngamandla alo. Lelizwe lathula iminyaka engamatshumi amane.
But [that is not what happened]! Yahweh, I hope that all your enemies will die as Sisera did! And I desire that all those who love you will be as strong as the sun when it rises!
