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.
O Cântico de Débora
1Naquele dia, Débora e Baraque, filho de Abinoão, entoaram este cântico:
2“Consagrem-se para a guerra os chefes de Israel.
Voluntariamente o povo se apresenta.
Louvem o Senhor!
3“Ouçam, ó reis! Governantes, escutem!
Cantarei ao5.3 Ou sobre o Senhor, cantarei;
comporei músicas ao5.3 Ou Com cânticos louvarei o Senhor, o Deus de Israel.
4“Ó Senhor, quando saíste de Seir,
quando marchaste desde os campos de Edom,
a terra estremeceu, os céus gotejaram,
as nuvens despejaram água!
5Os montes tremeram
perante o Senhor, o Deus do Sinai,
perante o Senhor, o Deus de Israel.
6“Nos dias de Sangar, filho de Anate,
nos dias de Jael, as estradas estavam desertas;
os que viajavam seguiam caminhos tortuosos.
7Já tinham desistido os camponeses de Israel,5.7 Ou Desapareceram os guerreiros em Israel,
já tinham desistido,
até que eu, Débora, me levantei;5.7 Ou até que você, Débora, se levantou;
levantou-se uma mãe em Israel.
8Quando escolheram novos deuses,
a guerra chegou às portas,
e não se via um só escudo ou lança
entre quarenta mil de Israel.
9Meu coração está com os comandantes de Israel,
com os voluntários dentre o povo.
Louvem o Senhor!
10“Vocês, que cavalgam em brancos jumentos,
que se assentam em ricos tapetes,
que caminham pela estrada, considerem!
11Mais alto que a voz dos que distribuem água5.11 Ou dos flecheiros
junto aos bebedouros,
recitem-se os justos feitos do Senhor,
os justos feitos em favor dos camponeses5.11 Ou guerreiros de Israel.
“Então o povo do Senhor
desceu às portas.
12‘Desperte, Débora! Desperte!
Desperte, desperte, irrompa em cânticos!
Levante-se, Baraque!
Leve presos os seus prisioneiros, ó filho de Abinoão!’
13“Então desceram os restantes e foram aos nobres;
o povo do Senhor veio a mim contra os poderosos.
14Alguns vieram de Efraim,
das raízes de Amaleque;
Benjamim estava com o povo que seguiu você.
De Maquir desceram comandantes;
de Zebulom, os que levam a vara de oficial.
15Os líderes de Issacar estavam com Débora;
sim, Issacar também estava com Baraque,
apressando-se após ele até o vale.
Nas divisões de Rúben
houve muita inquietação.
16Por que vocês permaneceram entre as fogueiras5.16 Ou os alforjes
a ouvir o balido dos rebanhos?
Nas divisões de Rúben
houve muita indecisão.
17Gileade permaneceu do outro lado do Jordão.
E Dã, por que se deteve junto aos navios?
Aser permaneceu no litoral
e em suas enseadas ficou.
18O povo de Zebulom arriscou a vida,
como o fez Naftali nas altas regiões do campo.
19“Vieram reis e lutaram.
Os reis de Canaã lutaram em Taanaque,
junto às águas de Megido,
mas não levaram prata alguma, despojo algum.
20Desde o céu lutaram as estrelas,
desde as suas órbitas lutaram contra Sísera.
21O rio Quisom os levou,
o antigo rio, o rio Quisom.
Avante, minh’alma! Seja forte!
22Os cascos dos cavalos faziam tremer o chão;
galopavam, galopavam os seus poderosos cavalos.
23‘Amaldiçoem Meroz’, disse o anjo do Senhor.
‘Amaldiçoem o seu povo,
pois não vieram ajudar o Senhor,
ajudar o Senhor contra os poderosos.’
24“Que Jael seja a mais bendita das mulheres,
Jael, mulher de Héber, o queneu!
Seja ela bendita entre as mulheres
que habitam em tendas!
25Ele pediu água, e ela lhe deu leite;
numa tigela digna de príncipes trouxe-lhe coalhada.
26Ela estendeu a mão e apanhou a estaca da tenda;
e com a mão direita o martelo do trabalhador.
Golpeou Sísera, esmigalhou sua cabeça,
esmagou e traspassou suas têmporas.
27Aos seus pés ele se curvou,
caiu e ali ficou prostrado.
Aos seus pés ele se curvou e caiu;
onde caiu, ali ficou. Morto!
28“Pela janela olhava a mãe de Sísera;
atrás da grade ela exclamava:
‘Por que o seu carro se demora tanto?
Por que custa a chegar o ruído de seus carros?’
29As mais sábias de suas damas respondiam,
e ela continuava falando consigo mesma:
30‘Estarão achando e repartindo os despojos?
Uma ou duas moças para cada homem,
roupas coloridas como despojo para Sísera,
roupas coloridas e bordadas, tecidos bordados
para o meu pescoço, tudo isso como despojo?’
31“Assim pereçam todos os teus inimigos, ó Senhor!
Mas os que te amam sejam como o sol
quando se levanta na sua força”.
E a terra teve paz durante quarenta anos.
