Judges 5

1Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,

1On that day, Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:

2For that the leaders took the lead in Israel, For that the people offered themselves willingly, Bless ye Jehovah.

2Praise the LORD! The leaders took charge in Israel, and the people volunteered gladly.

3Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, evenI, will sing unto Jehovah; I will sing praise to Jehovah, the God of Israel.

3Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you rulers! I will sing to the LORD; I will sing praises to the LORD, the God of Israel.

4Jehovah, when thou wentest forth out of Seir, When thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, Yea, the clouds dropped water.

4LORD, when you set out from Seir and marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook and the heavens poured; the clouds poured down rain.

5The mountains quaked at the presence of Jehovah, Even yon Sinai at the presence of Jehovah, the God of Israel.

5The mountains trembled before the LORD, the God of Sinai—before the LORD, the God of Israel.

6In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, In the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, And the travellers walked through byways.

6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, and in the days of Jael, the main roads were empty. Travelers had to take the back paths.

7The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, Until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel.

7Life in the villages ceased; it ceased until I, Deborah, arose—arose as a mother in Israel.

8They chose new gods; Then was war in the gates: Was there a shield or spear seen Among forty thousand in Israel?

8When they chose new gods, war came to the city gates. Not a shield or a spear could be seen among forty thousand in Israel.

9My heart is toward the governors of Israel, That offered themselves willingly among the people: Bless ye Jehovah.

9My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel, to the people who volunteered gladly. Praise the LORD!

10Tell of it, ye that ride on white asses, Ye that sit on rich carpets, And ye that walk by the way.

10You who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on fine rugs, and you who walk along the road—tell about it!

11Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah, Eventhe righteous acts of his rule in Israel. Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates.

11Listen to the singers at the watering holes! They repeat the righteous victories of the LORD, the victories of his villagers in Israel. Then the LORD’s people went down to the city gates.

12Awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, awake, utter a song: Arise, Barak, and lead away thy captives, thou son of Abinoam.

12Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, and sing a song! Get up, Barak! Lead away your captives, son of Abinoam.

13Then came down a remnant of the nobles and the people; Jehovah came down for me against the mighty.

13Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty.

14Out of Ephraimcame downthey whose root is in Amalek; After thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples; Out of Machir came down governors, And out of Zebulun they that handle the marshal’s staff.

14They came from Ephraim, whose roots were in Amalek; Benjamin followed you with your troops. Commanders came down from Machir, and from Zebulun those who carry the officer’s staff.

15And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; As was Issachar, so was Barak; Into the valley they rushed forth at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben There were great resolves of heart.

15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah; Issachar stayed loyal to Barak, rushing into the valley at his heels. But in the clans of Reuben, there was much vacillation.

16Why sattest thou among the sheepfolds, To hear the pipings for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben There were great searchings of heart.

16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, listening to the whistles for the flocks? In the clans of Reuben, there was much soul-searching.

17Gilead abode beyond the Jordan: And Dan, why did he remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, And abode by his creeks.

17Gilead stayed across the Jordan River. And Dan, why did he stay by the ships? Asher sat still on the seacoast and stayed by his harbors.

18Zebulun was a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death, And Naphtali, upon the high places of the field.

18The people of Zebulun risked their very lives; Naphtali did the same on the heights of the battlefield.

19The kings came and fought; Then fought the kings of Canaan, In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo: They took no gain of money.

19Kings came and they fought; the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo. But they carried off no silver or treasure.

20From heaven fought the stars, From their courses they fought against Sisera.

20The stars fought from heaven; from their orbits they fought against Sisera.

21The river Kishon swept them away, That ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, march on with strength.

21The Kishon River swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. March on, my soul, with strength!

22Then did the horsehoofs stamp By reason of the prancings, the prancings of their strong ones.

22Then the horses’ hooves thundered—galloping, galloping went his mighty steeds.

23Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of Jehovah. Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, Because they came not to the help of Jehovah, To the help of Jehovah against the mighty.

23'Curse Meroz,' said the angel of the LORD. 'Curse its people bitterly, because they did not come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty warriors.'

24Blessed above women shall Jael be, The wife of Heber the Kenite; Blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

24Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, is the most blessed of women; she is blessed above all women who live in tents.

25He asked water, andshe gave him milk; She brought him butter in a lordly dish.

25He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a magnificent bowl she brought him thickened milk.

26She put her hand to the tent-pin, And her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; And with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote through his head; Yea, she pierced and struck through his temples.

26She reached for a tent peg and her right hand for a workman’s hammer. She struck Sisera and crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple.

27At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay; At her feet he bowed, he fell: Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

27He sank at her feet, he fell, and he lay there. At her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead.

28Through the window she looked forth, and cried, The mother of Siseracriedthrough the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

28From the window, Sisera's mother looked out; through the lattice she cried, 'Why is his chariot so late? Why do I not hear the hoofbeats of his chariots?'

29Her wise ladies answered her, Yea, she returned answer to herself,

29Her wisest noblewomen answer her, and she repeats the words to herself:

30Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A damsel, two damsels to every man; To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?

30'They must be finding and dividing the loot: a girl or two for every man; colorful robes for Sisera, colorful robes with embroidery; two embroidered robes for the neck of the plunderer.'

31So let all thine enemies perish, O Jehovah: But let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

31May all your enemies perish like this, LORD! But may those who love you be like the sun as it rises in its strength. Then the land had peace for forty years.