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

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

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

“When leaders lead in Israel, When the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the Lord!

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

“Hear, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, even I, will sing to the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.

4 “ 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.

“ Lord, when You went out from Seir, When You marched from the field of Edom, The earth trembled and the heavens poured, The clouds also poured water;

5 T he mountains quaked Yahweh’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

The mountains gushed before the Lord, This Sinai, before the Lord God of Israel.

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

“In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, In the days of Jael, The highways were deserted, And the travelers walked along the byways.

7 T he rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.

Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, Until I, Deborah, arose, Arose a mother in Israel.

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

They chose new gods; Then there was war in the gates; Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.

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

My heart is with the rulers of Israel Who offered themselves willingly with the people. Bless the Lord!

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

“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, Who sit in judges’ attire, And who walk along the road.

11 F ar 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.

Far from the noise of the archers, among the watering places, There they shall recount the righteous acts of the Lord, The righteous acts for His villagers in Israel; Then the people of the Lord shall go down to the gates.

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

“Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and lead your captives away, O son of Abinoam!

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

“Then the survivors came down, the people against the nobles; The Lord came down for me against the mighty.

14 T hose 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.

From Ephraim were those whose roots were in Amalek. After you, Benjamin, with your peoples, From Machir rulers came down, And from Zebulun those who bear the recruiter’s staff.

15 T he 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.

And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; As Issachar, so was Barak Sent into the valley under his command; Among the divisions of Reuben There were great resolves of heart.

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

Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the pipings for the flocks? The divisions of Reuben have great searchings of heart.

17 G ilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks.

Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan, And why did Dan remain on ships? Asher continued at the seashore, And stayed by his inlets.

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

Zebulun is a people who jeopardized their lives to the point of death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.

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

“The kings came and fought, Then the kings of Canaan fought In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; They took no spoils of silver.

20 F rom the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.

They fought from the heavens; The stars from their courses fought against Sisera.

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

The torrent of Kishon swept them away, That ancient torrent, the torrent of Kishon. O my soul, march on in strength!

22 T hen the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.

Then the horses’ hooves pounded, The galloping, galloping of his steeds.

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

‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord, ‘Curse its inhabitants bitterly, Because they did not come to the help of the Lord, To the help of the Lord against the mighty.’

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

“Most blessed among women is Jael, The wife of Heber the Kenite; Blessed is she among women in tents.

25 H e asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.

He asked for water, she gave milk; She brought out cream in a lordly bowl.

26 S he 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.

She stretched her hand to the tent peg, Her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; She pounded Sisera, she pierced his head, She split and struck through his temple.

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.

At her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; At her feet he sank, he fell; Where he sank, there he fell dead.

28 “ 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?’

“The mother of Sisera looked through the window, And cried out through the lattice, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarries the clatter of his chariots?’

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

Her wisest ladies answered her, Yes, she answered herself,

30 ‘ 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?’

‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil: To every man a girl or two; For Sisera, plunder of dyed garments, Plunder of garments embroidered and dyed, Two pieces of dyed embroidery for the neck of the looter?’

31 “ 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.

“Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.” So the land had rest for forty years.