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

That day Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang this song:

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

“The leaders led in Israel. The people were willing to help them. For this we give thanks to 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! Listen, O rulers! 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, You went out from Seir. You walked from the field of Edom. And the earth shook. Water fell from the heavens. Yes, water fell from the clouds.

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

The mountains shook before the Lord. Mount Sinai shook before 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.

“In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the wide roads were empty. Travelers walked on the side roads.

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

Country towns were empty. They were no more in Israel, until I, Deborah, came. I came as 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?

New gods were chosen. Then war was in the gates. No battle-covering or sword was 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 is with the leaders of Israel, who were willing to help among the people. Thanks be to 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 and you who sit on rich floor coverings. Tell of it, you who travel on the road.

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.

They will tell of the right and good acts of the Lord at the sound of music beside the wells of water. They will tell of His right and good acts toward His towns people 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, sing a song! Get up, Barak! Lead away the people you took in war, O 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.

Those who were left came down to the rulers. The people of the Lord came down to me as soldiers.

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.

The children of Amalek came down from Ephraim. They followed you, Benjamin, with your people. Leaders came down from Machir. Leaders came from Zebulun.

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.

The rulers of Issachar came with Deborah. Issachar was faithful to Barak. They ran behind him into the valley. There was much thinking done among the families of Reuben.

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 sit among the sheep, to hear the horns blow for the flocks? There was much thought among the families of Reuben.

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 stayed on the other side of the Jordan. Why did Dan stay in ships? Asher sat beside the sea. He stayed by its rivers.

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

Zebulun is a people who put their lives in danger even to death. Naphtali did this also, on the high places 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. The kings of Canaan fought at Taanach near the waters of Megiddo. They did not get any silver.

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

The stars fought from heaven. From their paths 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 fast river of Kishon took them away, the rushing river, the river Kishon. O my soul, walk on with strength.

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

The beating of the feet of horses was loud, because the strong horses went fast.

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 angel of the Lord. ‘Curse its people, because they did not come to the help of the Lord. They did not help the Lord against the powerful soldiers.’

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

“The most respected of women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. She is the most respected of women in the tent.

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

Sisera asked for water and she gave him milk. She brought him milk in a fine pot.

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 out her hand to the big tent nail. And she put out her right hand for the servant’s heavy object. Then she hit Sisera. She crushed his head. She broke and cut through the side of his head.

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 went down. He fell and lay without moving at her feet. He fell dead where he went down.

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 of the window. She looked through the window and cried in sorrow, ‘Why is his war-wagon so long in coming? Why do the steps of his horses wait?’

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

Her wise ladies answered her. But she asked herself again and again,

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?

’Are they not finding and dividing the riches? Is there not a girl or two for every man? Is there not colored cloth for Sisera to take? Is there not colored cloth with beautiful sewing on it? Are there not two pieces of colored cloth with beautiful sewing on them for the neck of the one who takes them?’

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 those who hate You die, O Lord. But let those who love Him be like the sun as he rises in his power.” And the land had peace for forty years.