The Song of Deborah
1On that day Deborah and Barak sang a song. Barak was the son of Abinoam. Here is what Deborah and Barak sang.
2“The princes in Israel lead the way.
The people follow them just because they want to.
When this happens, praise the Lord!
3“Kings, hear this! Rulers, listen!
I will sing to the Lord.
I will praise the Lord in song. He is the God of Israel.
4“Lord, you went out from Seir.
You marched out from the land of Edom.
The earth shook. The heavens poured.
The clouds poured down their water.
5The mountains shook because of the Lord. He was at Mount Sinai.
They shook because of the Lord. He is the God of Israel.
6“The main roads were deserted. So travelers used the winding paths.
That happened in the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath.
It happened in the days of Jael.
7Those who lived in the villages of Israel would not fight.
They held back until I, Deborah, came.
I came as a mother in Israel.
8War came to the city gates. Then God chose new leaders.
But no shields or spears were seen anywhere.
There weren’t any among 40,000 men in Israel.
9My heart is with the princes in Israel.
It’s with the people who follow them just because they want to.
Praise the Lord!
10“Some of you ride on white donkeys.
Some of you sit on your saddle blankets.
Some of you walk along the road.
Think about 11the voices of the singers at the watering places.
They sing about the victories of the Lord.
They sing about the victories of his people who live in Israel’s villages.
“The people of the Lord
went down to the city gates.
12‘Wake up, Deborah! Wake up!’ they said.
‘Wake up! Wake up! Begin to sing!
Barak, get up!
Son of Abinoam, capture your prisoners!’
13“The nobles who were left came down.
The people of the Lord
came down to me against the powerful enemy.
14Some came from the part of Ephraim where some Amalekites lived.
Some from Benjamin were with the people who followed Ephraim.
Captains came down from Makir.
Those who rule like commanders came down from Zebulun.
15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah.
The men of Issachar were with Barak.
They went into the valley under his command.
In the territories of Reuben,
men looked deeply into their hearts.
16Why did they stay among the sheep pens?
Why did they stay to hear shepherds whistling for the flocks?
In the territories of Reuben,
men looked deeply into their hearts.
17Gilead stayed east of the Jordan River.
Why did Dan stay near the ships?
The men of Asher remained on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
They stayed in their safe harbors.
18The people of Zebulun put their very lives in danger.
So did Naphtali on the hillside fields.
19“Kings came and fought.
The kings of Canaan fought
at Taanach by the streams of Megiddo.
But they didn’t carry away any silver.
They didn’t take anything at all.
20From the heavens the stars fought.
From the sky they fought against Sisera.
21The Kishon River swept them away.
The Kishon is a very old river.
My spirit, march on! Be strong!
22The hooves of the horses pounded like thunder.
The powerful horses of our enemies galloped away.
23‘Let Meroz be cursed,’ said the angel of the Lord.
‘Let bitter curses fall on its people.
They did not come to help the Lord.
They did not come to help him against our powerful enemies.’
24“May Jael be the most blessed woman of all.
May the wife of Heber, the Kenite, be blessed.
May she be the most blessed woman of all those who live in tents.
25Sisera asked for water. She gave him milk.
In a bowl fit for nobles she brought him buttermilk.
26Her hand reached out for a tent stake.
Her right hand reached for a hammer.
She hit Sisera. She crushed his head.
She drove the stake right through his head.
27He sank down. He fell at her feet.
He was lying there.
At her feet he sank down. He fell.
He fell where he sank down.
That’s where he died.
28“Sisera’s mother looked out through the window.
From behind the wooden screen she cried out.
‘Why is his chariot taking so long to get here?’ she said.
‘Why can’t I hear the noise of his chariots yet?’
29Her wisest ladies answer her.
And here’s what she keeps saying to herself.
30She says, ‘They must be finding riches to bring back.
They must be dividing them up.
Each man is getting a woman or two.
They are giving colorful clothes to Sisera.
The clothes are very beautiful.
He will bring some for me to wear.
The men must be finding many things to bring home.’
31“Lord, may all your enemies be destroyed.
But may all who love you be like the morning sun.
May they be like the sun when it shines the brightest.”
So the land was at peace for 40 years.
Wimbo Wa Debora
15:1 Amu 4:4, 6; Kut 15:1; Za 32:7Ndipo Debora na Baraka mwana wa Abinoamu wakaimba wimbo huu:
25:2 2Nya 17:16; Za 110:3“Wakuu katika Israeli wanapoongoza,
wakati watu wanapojitoa
kwa hiari yao wenyewe:
mhimidini Bwana!
35:3 Kut 15:1; Za 27; 6“Sikieni hili, enyi wafalme!
Sikilizeni, enyi watawala!
Nitamwimbia Bwana, nitaimba;
kwa wimbo nitamhimidi Bwana,
Mungu wa Israeli.
45:4 Kut 13:21; Hes 24:18; Kut 33:2; 2Sam 22:8; Za 18:7; 77:18; 82:5; Isa 2:19-21; 64:3; Yer 10; 10; 50:46; 51:29; Yoe 3:16; Nah 1:5; Hab 3:6; Za 68:8; 77:17“Ee Bwana, ulipotoka katika Seiri,
ulipopita katika mashamba ya Edomu,
nchi ilitetemeka, mbingu nazo zikamwaga,
naam, mawingu yakamwaga maji.
55:5 Kut 19:18; Za 29:6; 46:3; 77:18; 114:4; Isa 64:3Milima ilitetemeka mbele za Bwana,
hata ule wa Sinai,
mbele za Bwana,
Mungu wa Israeli.
65:6 Amu 3:31; 4:17; Law 26:22; Isa 33:8; Za 125:5; Isa 59:8“Katika siku za Shamgari mwana wa Anathi,
katika siku za Yaeli,
barabara kuu hazikuwa na watu;
wasafiri walipita njia za kando.
75:7 Amu 4:4Mashujaa walikoma katika Israeli,
walikoma mpaka mimi, Debora, nilipoinuka,
nilipoinuka kama mama katika Israeli.
85:8 Kum 32:17; Amu 2:13; Yos 2:5; Hes 25:7Walipochagua miungu migeni,
vita vilikuja katika malango ya mji,
hapakuonekana ngao wala mkuki
miongoni mwa mashujaa 40,000 katika Israeli.
9Moyo wangu u pamoja na wakuu wa Israeli,
pamoja na wale wanaojitoa wenyewe
kwa hiari yao miongoni mwa watu.
Mhimidini Bwana!
105:10 Mwa 49:11; Amu 12:14; 10:4“Nanyi mpandao punda weupe,
mkiketi juu ya matandiko ya thamani,
nanyi mtembeao barabarani,
fikirini 115:11 1Sam 12:7; Dan 9:16; Mik 6:5juu ya sauti za waimbaji
mahali pa kunyweshea maji.
Wanasimulia matendo ya haki ya Bwana,
matendo ya haki ya mashujaa wake
katika Israeli.
“Ndipo watu wa Bwana
walipoteremka malangoni pa mji.
125:12 Za 44:23; 57:8; Isa 51:9, 17; Amu 4:4-6; Za 68:18; Efe 4:8‘Amka, amka! Debora!
Amka, amka, uimbe!
Ee Baraka! Inuka,
chukua mateka wako uliowateka,
ee mwana wa Abinoamu.’
13“Ndipo mabaki ya watu
wakashuka dhidi ya wenye nguvu,
watu wa Bwana,
wakashuka dhidi ya mashujaa wenye nguvu.
145:14 Mwa 41:52; Amu 1:29; 3:13; Hes 34:21; Mwa 50:23Kutoka Efraimu wakaja watu, ambao chimbuko lao ni Amaleki;
Benyamini akiwa miongoni
mwa watu waliokufuata.
Kutoka Makiri wakashuka viongozi,
na kutoka Zabuloni wale washikao
fimbo ya jemadari.
155:15 Mwa 50:18; Amu 4:4-6Wakuu wa Isakari walikuwa pamoja na Debora;
naam, Isakari alikuwa pamoja na Baraka,
wakija nyuma yake kwa mbio
wakielekea bondeni.
Katika jamaa za Reubeni,
palikuwa na kujihoji kukubwa moyoni.
165:16 Mwa 49:11; Hes 32; 1Kwa nini ulikaa katikati ya mazizi ya kondoo
kusikiliza sauti ya filimbi zinazoita makundi?
Kwa jamaa za Reubeni,
palikuwa na kujihoji kukubwa moyoni.
175:17 Yos 12:2; 17:7; 19:29Gileadi alikaa ngʼambo ya Yordani.
Naye Dani, kwa nini alikaa
kwenye merikebu siku nyingi?
Asheri alikaa kwa utulivu ufuoni mwa bahari,
akikaa kwenye ghuba zake ndogo.
185:18 Mwa 30:20; 30:8; Za 68:27; Amu 9:6Watu wa Zabuloni walihatarisha maisha yao,
vilevile nao watu wa Naftali.
195:19 Yos 11:5; Amu 4; 13; Ufu 16:16; Yos 12:21; Amu 1:27“Wafalme walikuja na kufanya vita;
wafalme wa Kanaani walipigana
huko Taanaki karibu na maji ya Megido,
lakini hawakuchukua fedha wala nyara.
205:20 Yos 10:11Kutoka mbinguni nyota zilipigana,
nyota kutoka njia zake
zilipigana na Sisera.
215:21 Amu 4:7; Yos 1:6Mto wa Kishoni uliwasomba,
ule mto wa zamani, mto wa Kishoni.
Songa mbele, ee nafsi yangu,
kwa ujasiri!
225:22 Yer 8:16Ndipo kwato za farasi zikafanya mshindo:
farasi wake wenye nguvu
huenda mbio kwa kurukaruka.
23Malaika wa Bwana akasema, ‘Merozi alaaniwe.
Walaaniwe watu wake kwa uchungu,
kwa kuwa hawakuja kumsaidia Bwana,
kumsaidia Bwana dhidi ya hao wenye nguvu.’
245:24 Lk 1:42; Amu 4:17; Mwa 15:19“Yaeli abarikiwe kuliko wanawake wote,
mkewe Heberi, Mkeni,
abarikiwe kuliko wanawake wote
waishio kwenye mahema.
255:25 Mwa 18:8; Amu 4:19Aliomba maji, naye akampa maziwa;
kwenye bakuli la heshima
akamletea maziwa mgando.
26Akanyoosha mkono wake
akashika kigingi cha hema,
mkono wake wa kuume
ukashika nyundo ya fundi.
Akampiga Sisera kwa nyundo,
akamponda kichwa chake,
akamvunjavunja na kumtoboa
paji lake la uso.
27Aliinama miguuni pa Yaeli,
akaanguka; akalala hapo.
Pale alipoinama miguuni pake,
alianguka;
pale alipoinamia, ndipo alipoanguka,
akiwa amekufa.
285:28 Yos 2:15; Mit 7:6“Kupitia dirishani mamaye Sisera alichungulia;
nyuma ya dirisha alilia, akasema,
‘Mbona gari lake linachelewa kufika?
Mbona vishindo vya magari yake
vimechelewa?’
29Wanawake wenye busara
kuliko wengine wote wakamjibu;
naam, husema moyoni mwake,
305:30 Kut 15:9; 1Sam 30:24; Za 68:12; 45:14; Eze 16:10; 2Sam 1:24‘Je, hawapati na kugawanya nyara:
msichana mmoja au wawili kwa kila mtu,
mavazi ya rangi mbalimbali kwa Sisera kuwa nyara,
mavazi ya rangi mbalimbali yaliyotariziwa,
mavazi yaliyotariziwa vizuri kwa ajili ya shingo yangu:
yote haya yakiwa nyara?’
315:31 Hes 10:35; 2Sam 23:4; Ay 37:21; Za 19:4; 89:36; Isa 18:4; 2Sam 18:32; Amu 3:11“Adui zako wote na waangamie, Ee Bwana!
Bali wote wakupendao na wawe kama jua
lichomozavyo kwa nguvu zake.”
Hivyo nchi ikawa na amani kwa miaka arobaini.
