< Waamuzi 5 >

1 Siku hiyo Debora na Baraka, mwana wa Abinoamu waliimba wimbo huu:
On that day, Deborah sang this song, along with Barak:
2 'Viongozi wanapoongoza mbele ya Israeli, watu wanapojitolea kupigana vita, tunamsifu Bwana!
“When the leaders of the Israeli people really lead them, and the people follow them, [it is time to] praise Yahweh!
3 Sikiliza, ninyi wafalme! Sikiliza kwa makini, ninyi viongozi! Mimi nitamwimbia Bwana; Nami nitamsifu Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli.
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 Ee Bwana, wakati ulipotoka Seiri, ulipokwenda kutoka Edomu, nchi ilitetemeka, na mbingu pia ilitetemeka; pia mawingu yalitoa maji.
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 Milima ikatoka mbele ya uso wa Bwana; hata Mlima Sinai ukatetemeka mbele ya uso wa Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli.
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 Katika siku za Shamgari (mwana wa Anathi), katika siku za Jael, barabara kuu ziliachwa, na wale ambao walitembea tu walitumia njia za upepo.
“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 Kulikuwa na mashujaa wachache huko Israeli, mpaka mimi, Debora, nilipochukua amri- mama alichukua amri katika Israeli!
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 Walichagua miungu mpya, kulikuwa na vita katika malango ya jiji lakini bado hapakuwa na ngao au mikuki iliyoonekana kati ya watu elfu arobaini nchini Israeli.
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 Moyo wangu unawaendea wakuu wa Israeli, pamoja na watu ambao walijitolea -tunambariki Bwana kwa ajili yao!
I am thankful for the leaders and soldiers who volunteered [to fight]. Praise Yahweh [for them!]
10 Fikiria juu ya hili- ninyi ambao hupanda punda weupe mmeketi kwenye mazulia, nanyi mnaotembea njiani.
“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 Sikiliza sauti za wale wanaoimba kwenye maeneo ya kutekea maji. Huko wanasema tena juu ya matendo ya haki ya Bwana, na matendo ya haki ya wapiganaji wake katika Israeli. Ndipo watu wa Bwana wakashuka kwenye malango ya mji.
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 Amka, amka, Debora! Amka, amka, imba wimbo! Simama, Baraka, na uwakamate wafungwa wako, wewe mwana wa Abinoamu.
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 Wale waliokoka wakaja chini kwa watu wenye nguvu; watu wa Bwana walikuja kwangu pamoja na mashujaa.
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 Walikuja kutoka Efraimu, ambao mizizi yao iko katika Amaleki; watu wa Benyamini walikufuata. Wakuu wa Makiri walitoka, na kutoka Zebuloni wale wanaobeba fimbo ya afisa.
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 Na wakuu wangu katika Isakari walikuwa pamoja na Debora; na Isakari alikuwa na Baraka waliingia bobdeni kwa kasi chini ya amri yake. Miongoni mwa jamaa za Reubeni kulikuwa na utafutaji mkubwa wa moyo.
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 Kwa nini uliketi katikati ya moto, ukisikiliza wachungaji wakipiga filimbi yao kwa makundi yao? Na kwa jamaa za Reubeni kulikuwa na utafutaji mkubwa wa moyo.
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 Gileadi alikaa upande wa pili wa Yordani; na Dani, kwa nini alizunguka juu ya meli? Asheri alibakia pwani na akaishi karibu na bandari zake.
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 Zabuloni lilikuwa kabila ambayo lingeweza kuhatarisha maisha yao mpaka kufikia kifo, Nafthali, pia, katika uwanja wa vita.
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 Wafalme walikuja, wakapigana; wafalme wa Kanaani wakapigana huko Taanaki karibu na maji ya Megido. Lakini hawakuondoa fedha kama nyara.
“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 Nyota zilipigana kutoka mbinguni, kutoka katika njia zao za mbinguni zilipigana na Sisera
[It was as though] the stars in the sky fought for us [and as though] those stars in their paths fought against Sisera.
21 Mto Kishoni uliwaondoa, mto ule wa kale, Mto Kishoni. Endelea mbele nafsi yangu, jipe nguvu!
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 Kisha sauti za hofu za farasi-kupiga mbio, kupigana kwa watu wake wenye nguvu.
The hooves of the horses of Sisera’s [army] pounded the ground. Those powerful horses kept galloping along.
23 'Ilaani Meroz!' asema malaika wa Bwana. 'Hakika walaani wenyeji wake!' Kwa sababu hawakuja kumsaidia Bwana, kumsaidia Bwana katika vita dhidi ya mashujaa wenye nguvu.
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 Yaeli amebarikiawa zaidi kuliko wanawake wengine wote, Yaeli (mke wa Heberi Mkeni), amebarikiwa zaidi kuliko wanawake wote wanaoishi katika hema.
“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 Mtu yule aliomba maji, naye akampa maziwa; akamletea siagi katika sahani inayofaa kwa wakuu.
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 Aliweka mkono wake kwenye kigingi cha hema, na mkono wake wa kuia katika nyundo ya mfanyakazi; kwa nyundo akampiga Sisera, alimpiga kichwani kwake. Aliligawanya fuvu lake vipande vipande wakati alipompiga pembeni ya kichwa chake.
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 Akaanguka katikati ya miguu yake, akaanguka akalala pale. Kati ya miguu yake akaanguka. Mahali alipoanguka ni pale ambapo aliuawa kwa ukatili.
He collapsed and fell dead at her feet.
28 Aliangalia dirishani - mama yake Sisera aliangalia kupitia kamba na akasema kwa huzuni, 'Kwa nini gari lakelimechelewa kuja? Kwa nini viboko vya farasi vinavyovuta magari yake vimechelewa? '
“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 Wafalme wake wenye hekima walijibu, na yeye mwenyewe akajibu jibu lile
One wise woman replied to her, and she [kept consoling herself by] repeating those words:
30 'Je, hawakupata na kugawanya nyara? Tumbo, matumbo mawili kwa kila mtu; nyara ya kitambaa kilichofunikwa kwa Sisera, nyara ya kitambaa kilichofunikwa, nguo mbili za rangi iliyofunikwa kwa misumari ya wale waliopora?
‘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 Naam, adui zako wote wataangamia, Ee Bwana! Lakini marafiki zako watakuwa kama jua wakati linapoongezeka kwa uwezo wake. Na nchi ikawa na amani kwa miaka arobaini.
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!

< Waamuzi 5 >