1 A nd Deborah singeth -- also Barak son of Abinoam -- on that day, saying: --

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

2 ` For freeing freemen in Israel, For a people willingly offering themselves 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, ye kings; give ear, ye princes, I, to Jehovah, I -- I do sing, I sing praise to Jehovah, 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, in Thy going forth out of Seir, In Thy stepping out of the field of Edom, Earth trembled, also the heavens dropped, Also thick 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 H ills flowed from the face of Jehovah, This one -- Sinai -- From the face of Jehovah, 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 son of Anath -- In the days of Jael -- The ways have ceased, And those going in the paths go crooked ways.

“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 V illages ceased in Israel -- they ceased, Till that I arose -- Deborah, 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 H e chooseth new gods, Then war at the gates! A shield is not seen -- and a spear 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 to the lawgivers of Israel, Who are offering 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 R iders on white asses -- Sitters on a long robe -- And walkers by the way -- meditate!

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 B y the voice of shouters Between the places of drawing water, There they give out righteous acts of Jehovah, Righteous acts of His villages in Israel, Then ruled in the gates have the people of Jehovah.

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; Rise, Barak, and take captive thy captivity, 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 him who is left of the honourable ones He caused to rule the people of Jehovah, He caused me to rule among 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 their root against Amalek. After thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples. Out of Machir came down lawgivers, And out of Zebulun those drawing with the reed of a 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 princes in Issachar with Deborah, Yea, Issachar right with Barak, Into the valley he was sent on his feet. In the divisions of Reuben, Great the decrees 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 hast thou abode between the boundaries, To hear lowings of herds? For the divisions of Reuben, Great the 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 beyond the Jordan did tabernacle, And Dan -- why doth he sojourn ships? Asher hath abode at the haven of the seas, And by his creeks doth tabernacle.

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 a people who exposed its soul to death, Naphtali also -- on 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 K ings came -- they fought; Then fought kings of Canaan, In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; Gain of money they took not!

“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 the heavens they fought: The stars from their highways fought with Sisera.

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

21 T he brook Kishon swept them away, The brook most ancient -- the brook Kishon. Thou dost tread down strength, O my soul!

The fast river of Kishon took them away, the rushing river, the river Kishon. O my soul, walk on with strength.

22 T hen broken were the horse-heels, By pransings -- pransings of its mighty ones.

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

23 C urse Meroz -- said a messenger of Jehovah, Cursing, curse ye its inhabitants, For they came not to the help of Jehovah, To the help of Jehovah among 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 is Jael, Wife of Heber the Kenite, Above women in the tent she is blessed.

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

25 W ater he asked -- milk she gave; In a lordly dish she brought near butter.

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

26 H er hand to the pin she sendeth forth, And her right hand to the labourers' hammer, And she hammered Sisera -- she smote his head, Yea, she smote, and it passed through his temple.

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 B etween her feet he bowed -- He fell, he lay down; Between her feet he bowed, he fell; Where he bowed, there he fell -- destroyed.

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 hath looked out -- Yea, she crieth out -- the mother of Sisera, Through the lattice: Wherefore is his chariot delaying to come? Wherefore tarried have the steps of his chariot?

“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 T he wise ones, her princesses, answer her, Yea, she returneth her sayings to herself:

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

30 D o they not find? -- they apportion spoil, A female -- two females -- for every head, Spoil of finger-work for Sisera, Spoil of embroidered finger-work, Finger-work -- a pair of embroidered things, For 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 do all Thine enemies perish, O Jehovah, And those loving Him As the going out of the sun in its might!' and the land resteth 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.