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

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

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

“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh!

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

“Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to Yahweh. I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel.

4 L ORD, when thou didst go out of Seir, when thou didst march out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped; the clouds also dropped water.

“Yahweh, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky 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 Yahweh’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

6 ¶ In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways ceased, and those that walked went astray through crooked paths.

“In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways.

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

The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.

8 W hen they chose new gods, the war was at the gates. Was there a shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel?

They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

9 M y heart is toward the princes of Israel, those that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.

My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh!

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

“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.

11 B ecause of the noise of archers, taken from among those that draw water, there they shall retell the righteousnesses of the LORD, even the righteousnesses of his villages in Israel. Now shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.

Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse Yahweh’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then Yahweh’s people went down to the gates.

12 ¶ Rise up, rise up, Deborah; rise up, rise up, sing a song. Stand up, 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 N ow he has made the remnant of the people to have dominion over the magnificent; the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. Yahweh came down for me against the mighty.

14 O ut of Ephraim came his root against Amalek; after thee, came Benjamin, against thy peoples; out of Machir came down princes; and from Zebulun, those that handle the pen of the writer.

Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.

15 A lso princes of Issachar were with Deborah; and Issachar, like Barak, went on foot into the valley. From the divisions of Reuben, great are the thoughts of the heart.

The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart.

16 W hy didst thou abide among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? From the divisions of Reuben great are the searchings of the heart.

Why did you sit among the sheepfolds? To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart.

17 G ilead remained on the other side of the Jordan, and why did Dan remain next to the ships? Asher continued on the sea shore and remained in his breaches.

Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived 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.

Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.

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

“The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.

20 T hey fought from the heavens; the stars from their ways fought against Sisera.

From the sky 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. Tread down, O my soul, with strength.

The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.

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

Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.

23 C urse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they did not come to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

‘Curse Meroz,’ said Yahweh’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help Yahweh, to help Yahweh against the mighty.’

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

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

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

He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.

26 S he put her hand to the stake, 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 peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.

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.

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

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

“Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’

29 H er wise princesses answered her; and she even answered to herself,

Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself,

30 H ave they not found spoil and are dividing it? To each man a damsel or two; to Sisera a spoil of different colours, a spoil of different colours of needlework, of different colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of those that take the spoil?

‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’

31 S o let all thine enemies perish, O LORD, but let those that love thee be as the sun when he rises in all his might. And the land had rest forty years.

“So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.