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

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

2 P raise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

For the leaders who took the lead in Israel, for the people who offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord!

3 H ear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.

Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; I will sing to the Lord. I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel.

4 L ord, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.

Lord, when You went forth out of Seir, when You marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens also dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water.

5 T he mountains melted from before the Lord, even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel.

The mountains quaked at the presence of the Lord, yes, yonder Sinai at the presence of the Lord, the God of Israel.

6 I n the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

After the days of Shamgar son of Anath, after the days of Jael the caravans ceased, travelers walked through byways.

7 T he inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

The villages were unoccupied and rulers ceased in Israel until you arose—you, Deborah, arose—a mother in Israel.

8 T hey chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

they chose new gods; then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among 40, 000 in Israel?

9 M y heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the Lord.

My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the Lord!

10 S peak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.

Tell of it—you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.

11 T hey that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates.

Far from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, even the righteous acts toward His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the Lord went down to the gates.

12 A wake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.

13 T hen he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty.

Then down marched the remnant of the nobles, the people of the Lord marched down for Me against the mighty.

14 O ut of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

Out of Ephraim they came down whose root is in Amalek, after you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen. Out of Machir came down commanders and lawgivers, and out of Zebulun those who handle the pen or stylus of the writer.

15 A nd the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.

And the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar was faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed forth at his heels. among the clans of Reuben were great searchings of heart.

16 W hy abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

Why did you linger among the sheepfolds listening to the piping for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

17 G ilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.

Gilead remained beyond the Jordan, and why did Dan stay with the ships? Asher sat still on the seacoast and remained by his creeks.

18 Z ebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.

But Zebulun was a people who endangered their lives to the death; Naphtali did also on the heights of the field.

19 T he kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. Gain of booty they did not obtain.

20 T hey fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera.

21 T he river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

The torrent Kishon swept away, the onrushing torrent, the torrent Kishon. O my soul, march on with strength!

22 T hen were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.

Then the horses’ hoofs beat loudly because of the galloping of valiant riders.

23 C urse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.

Curse Meroz, said the messenger of the Lord. Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty!

24 B lessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

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

25 H e asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

asked for water, and she gave milk; she brought him curds in a lordly dish.

26 S he put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

She put her hand to the tent pin, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. And with the wooden hammer she smote Sisera, she smote his head, yes, she struck and pierced his temple.

27 A t her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

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

28 T he mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

The mother of Sisera looked out at a window and wailed through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the hoofbeats of his chariots tarry?

29 H er wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,

Her wise ladies answered her, yet she repeated her words to herself,

30 H ave they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?

Have they not found and been dividing the spoil? A maiden or two for every man, a spoil of dyed garments for Sisera, a spoil of dyed stuffs embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for my neck as spoil?

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

So let all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun when it rises in its might. And the land had peace and rest for forty years.