Deborah and Barak Sing for the Lord
1 After the battle was over that day, Deborah and Barak sang this song:
2 We praise you, Lord!
Our soldiers volunteered,
ready to follow you.
3 Listen, kings and rulers,
while I sing for the Lord,
the God of Israel.
4 Our Lord, God of Israel,
when you came from Seir,
where the Edomites live,
5 rain poured from the sky,
the earth trembled,
and mountains shook.
6 In the time of Shamgar
son of Anath,
and now again in Jael's time,
roads were too dangerous
for caravans.
Travelers had to take
the back roads,
7 and villagers couldn't work
in their fields.
Then Deborah took command,
protecting Israel as a mother
protects her children.
8 The Israelites worshiped
other gods,
and the gates of their towns
were then attacked.
But they had no shields
or spears to fight with.
9 I praise you, Lord,
and I am grateful
for those leaders and soldiers
who volunteered.
10 Listen, everyone!
Whether you ride a donkey
with a padded saddle
or have to walk.
11 Even those who carry water
to the animals will tell you,
“The Lord has won victories,
and so has Israel.”
Then the Lord's people marched
down to the town gates
12 and said, “Deborah, let's go!
Let's sing as we march.
Barak, capture our enemies.”
13 The Lord's people who were left
joined with their leaders
and fought at my side.
14 Troops came from Ephraim,
where Amalekites once lived.
Others came from Benjamin;
officers and leaders came
from Machir and Zebulun.
15 The rulers of Issachar
came along with Deborah,
and Issachar followed Barak
into the valley.
But the tribe of Reuben
was no help at all!
16 Reuben, why did you stay
among your sheep pens?
Was it to listen to shepherds
whistling for their sheep?
No one could figure out
why Reuben wouldn't come.
17 The people of Gilead stayed
across the Jordan.
Why did the tribe of Dan
remain on their ships
and the tribe of Asher
stay along the coast
near the harbors?
18 But soldiers of Zebulun
and Naphtali
risked their lives
to attack the enemy.
19 Canaanite kings fought us
at Taanach by the stream
near Megiddo —
but they couldn't rob us
of our silver.
20 From their pathways in the sky
the stars fought Sisera,
21 and his soldiers were swept away
by the ancient Kishon River.
I will march on and be brave.
22 Sisera's horses galloped off,
their hoofs thundering
in retreat.
23 The Lord's angel said,
“Put a curse on Meroz Town!
Its people refused
to help the Lord fight
his powerful enemies.”
24 But honor Jael,
the wife of Heber
from the Kenite clan.
Give more honor to her
than to any other woman
who lives in tents.
Yes, give more honor to her
than to any other woman.
25 Sisera asked for water,
but Jael gave him milk—
cream in a fancy cup.
26 She reached for a tent-peg
and held a hammer
in her right hand.
And with a blow to the head,
she crushed his skull.
27 Sisera sank to his knees
and fell dead at her feet.
28 Sisera's mother looked out
through her window.
“Why is he taking so long?”
she asked.
“Why haven't we heard
his chariots coming?”
29 She and her wisest women
gave the same answer:
30 “Sisera and his troops
are finding treasures
to bring back—
a woman, or maybe two,
for each man,
and beautiful dresses
for those women to wear.”
31 Our Lord, we pray
that all your enemies
will die like Sisera.
But let everyone who loves you
shine brightly like the sun
at dawn.
Midian Steals Everything from Israel
There was peace in Israel for about 40 years.
Eimbilohambelelo laDebora
1 Mefiku tuu olo Debora naBarak yaAbinoam va imba, tava ti:
2 “Ovakomesho va pitila Israel komesho,
novanhu va li ve nehalo liwa okuliyandja,
onghee hambeleleni Omwene!
3 Udeni, nye eehamba! Pwilikineni, nye ovapangeli!
Ame nda hala okwiimbila efimaneko lOmwene,
nda hala okwiimba efimaneko lOmwene Kalunga kaIsrael.
4 Omwene, Ove eshi wa dja mo muSeir,
Ove eshi wa katuka moshikandjo shaEdom,
edu ola kakama neulu yo la tilashi omeva,
noilemo yo ya tilashi omeva!
5 Eemhunda da tengauka koshipala shOmwene,
Sinai ei moipafi yOmwene Kalunga kaIsrael.
6 “Momafiku aSamgar yaAnat, momafiku aJael,
eendjila da efuwa
novaendanandjila va enda nouxwaxwaila.
7 Ovapangeli va pumba muIsrael, heeno, va pumba shili.
Fiyo ame, Debora, nda fikama,
heeno, ame ina yOvaisraeli, nda fikama.
8 Vo eshi va hoolola oikalunga ipe,
oita ye uya peenhu davo.
Mwa monika tuu oshikelelifo neonga
mokati komayovi omilongo nhee muIsrael?
9 Omutima wange wa dama kovakulunhu vaIsrael,
vo ove liyandja nehalo liwa mokati kovanhu.
Hambeleleni Omwene!
10 “Nye ava hamu londo keendongi eenghadi ditoka,
nye ava tamu hokololifwa,
nye ava hamu ende pominghulo deendjila, popyeni!
11 Ondaka yovaumbi vomauta tai udika pokati komifima,
hava imbi oilonga iyuki yOmwene,
oilonga iyuki yokweendifa kwaye muIsrael.
“Opo nee ovanhu vOmwene va londoloka, va ya keenhu.
12 Debora, penduka!
Penduka! Penduka, penduka, imba eimbilo!
Fikama, Barak! Twala ko eenghwate doye,
omona waAbinoam!
13 Opo nee ava va xupa po, va tula ovaladi va ninge ovakomesho.
Omwene okwa tula nge omupitili komesho wovaladi.
14 MuEfraim mwa dja ava va tula muAmalek,
va shikula omatanga oye Benjamin.
MuMakir mwa dja ovapiti vokomesho,
ndele muSebulon ava ve nodibo yomupuudi.
15 Ovakulunhu vomuIsaskar pamwe naDebora,
ndele ngaashi Barak nosho yo Isaskar:
ye okwe mu shikula nokukulukila mefilu.
Momatanga aRuben
omwa li eenghundafana dinene.
16 Omolwashike mwa kala omutumba pokati koyuunda yoimuna
nokupwilikina okukwena kwoimuna?
Momatanga aRuben
mwa li eenghundafana dinene.
17 Gilead a kala e netulumuko langhele kwinya yaJordan.
NaDan, omolwashike a kala peeskepa?
Asser a kala omutumba pomunghulo wefuta
nopoikololo yaye a tulumukwa.
18 Sebulon ye oshiwana she liyandja mefyo.
Nosho yo Naftali medu lopombada la lalakana.
19 “Eehamba de uya ndele da lwifa,
eehamba daKaanan da lwifa,
muTaanak, pomeva aMegido,
ndelenee inadi kufa oshisiliveli nande.
20 Eenyofi dokeulu da lwifa,
meendjila dado da lwifa Sisera.
21 Okamulonga kaKison ke va twala ko,
okamulonga komalwoodi, okamulonga kaKison.
Omwenyo wange, inda ko neyombamo!
22 Opo nee omakondo eenghambe a mbulukuta nokutondoka,
ovaladi eshi ve di londa nokutondoka.
23 ‘Tuleni omutima Meros,’ omweengeli wOmwene ta ti.
‘Heeno, oonakukalamo musho nava tulwe omutima,
osheshi inave uya okukwafa Omwene,
okukwafa Omwene mokati kovaladi.’
24 “Mokati kovalikadi, Jael omwalikadi waEber, Omukeni,
na nangekwe noupuna.
Na nangekwe noupuna mokati kovalikadi hava kala momatwali.
25 Ye okwa pula omeva, ndelenee ye okwe mu pa omashini,
molwiyo la wapala okwa eta omashini a pama.
26 Eke laye te li nanene kombosha
neke laye lokolulyo kohamala yomupangeli.
Ndele ye ta valele Sisera,
ta tataula omutwe waye
ndele ta teyaula nokutyuula pombadu yomutwe waye.
27 Okwa tekela peemhadi daye, a wila,
opo a nangala!
Peemhadi daye a tekela, a wila po.
Apa a tekela, oko a nangala, a dipaelwa po.
28 Ina yaSisera ta tale mombululu yekende,
ndele ta ingida moikulo yekende:
‘Omolwashike etemba laye la kala ko?
Omolwashike eengobe detemba tadi findada?’
29 Omunongoelela womovambada te mu nyamukula,
heeno, ye mwene ta nyamukula eendjovo daye:
30 ‘Vo ova kwata kashuude oixuulwa ndele tave i tukula:
omupika umwe omukainhu, heeno,
ovapika vavali ovakainhu komulumenhu keshe,
oshihakanwa shoikutu yoluvala kuSisera,
heeno, oshihakanwa shoikutu yoluvala, yomaluvala mahapu.
Oshikaiwa sholuvala, heeno,
oikaiwa ivali yomaluvala mahapu oshihakanwa mofingo yange.’
31 “Ovatondadi voye aveshe, Omwene,
osho ve nokukombwa po!
Ndelenee ava ve mu hole,
ove li ngaashi etango tali piti meenghono dalo.”
Noshilongo sha tulumukwa omido omilongo nhee.
