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

“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 Jehovah; I will sing praise to Jehovah, the 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 J ehovah, 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.

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 quaked at the presence of Jehovah, Even yon Sinai at the presence of Jehovah, the 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 rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, 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 Jehovah.

My heart is with the leaders of Israel, who were willing to help among the people. Thanks be to the Lord!

10 T ell of it, ye that ride on white asses, Ye that sit on rich carpets, And ye that 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 F ar from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah, Even the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. Then the people of Jehovah went 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 away thy captives, 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 came down a remnant of the nobles and the people; Jehovah came down for me against 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 came down they 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.

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; 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.

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 sattest thou among the sheepfolds, To hear the pipings for the flocks? At the watercourses 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 the Jordan: And Dan, why did he remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, And abode by his creeks.

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 was a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death, And Naphtali, upon 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 F rom heaven fought the stars, From their courses they fought against Sisera.

The stars fought from heaven. From their paths they fought against Sisera.

21 T he river Kishon swept them away, That ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, march on with 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 did the horsehoofs stamp By reason of the prancings, the prancings of their strong 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 Jehovah. Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, Because they came not to the help of Jehovah, To the help of Jehovah 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 be, The wife of Heber the Kenite; 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 him 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 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.

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; 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 hrough the window she looked forth, and cried, The mother of Sisera 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 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?

’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 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.

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.