Judges 5

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

Deborah and Barak, Abinoam's son, joyfully raised their voices in song that day, expressing,

Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

Celebrate the Lord for standing up for Israel, when the people bravely volunteered themselves.

Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.

Listen up, kings and princes! I'm going to sing my heart out to the Lord, praising the God of Israel with all my might.

LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.

Lord, as you journeyed from Seir, as you strode from Edom's fields, the earth shook in awe, the heavens wept, and the clouds shed their tears.

The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.

The mighty mountains trembled and dissolved in the presence of the LORD, including Sinai, in the face of the God of Israel.

In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

During the time of Shamgar and Jael, fear gripped the land. The once bustling highways lay deserted, and travelers, anxious and wary, took hidden paths.

The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

Village life in Israel had come to a stop; it had ceased. But then, I, Deborah, rose up, a mother in Israel.

They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

They turned to false gods, sparking conflict at their very doorstep. Yet, among the vast crowd of forty thousand in Israel, not a single weapon was in sight.

My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.

I feel a deep affection for the leaders of Israel, who willingly serve their people. Praise the Lord.

Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.

Speak up, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit in judgment, and you who travel along the road.

They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.

Those who escape the chaos of conflict, in the humble places where they draw water, will recount the goodness of God. They'll share stories of His kindness towards His people in Israel. Then, God's people will gather at the city gates.

Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

Deborah, stir from your slumber, sing a melody from your heart. Rise, Barak, son of Abinoam, and lead away your captives.

Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

He empowered the last standing to rule over the elite: God granted me authority over the powerful.

Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

From Ephraim, a force rose against Amalek. Benjamin, you were not alone, your people were with you. From Machir, leaders emerged, and from Zebulun, came those skilled with the writer's pen.

And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.

The leaders of Issachar stood strong with Deborah, including Issachar himself and Barak. They bravely journeyed on foot into the valley. Meanwhile, the clans of Reuben could not make up their minds.

Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

Why did you choose to stay among the sheep, listening to their constant bleating? The tribe of Reuben was deeply conflicted, their hearts torn in search.

Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.

Gilead chose to stay across the Jordan, but why did Dan linger by his ships? Asher, meanwhile, stayed by the sea shore, keeping to his harbors.

Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.

Zebulun and Naphtali were brave souls who risked their lives, even unto death, on the battlefield's treacherous heights.

The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

The kings clashed in fierce battle, the rulers of Canaan at Taanach, by Megiddo's waters. Yet, their fight yielded no riches.

They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

From the heavens, they battled fiercely; even the stars aligned to oppose Sisera.

The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

The mighty Kishon River washed them away, that timeless river, the Kishon. Oh, my spirit, you have overcome great power.

Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.

The powerful stomping of their mighty horses shattered their hooves.

Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

"Curse Meroz," said the angel of the LORD. "Bitterly curse its people, for they failed to stand with the LORD when He needed them against the powerful."

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

Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, will be the most honored among women, even those in the tent.

He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

He requested a simple drink, but she offered him nourishing milk; she presented him with rich butter on a grand plate.

She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

She reached for the tent peg with one hand and the workman's hammer with her right. She struck Sisera with the hammer, crushing his head and piercing his temple.

At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

He sank down at her feet, he fell, he lay still. Right where he sank down, he fell dead.

The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

Sisera's mother anxiously peered out the window, her heart heavy with worry. "Why is his chariot delayed?" she cried, "What's keeping his wheels?"

Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,

Her wise companions responded, and she too, found answers within her own heart.

Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?

Haven't they succeeded? Haven't they shared the spoils, each man with a girl or two? For Sisera, a bounty of colorful, intricately woven fabrics, suitable for adorning the victors' necks.

So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

May all your foes perish, O Lord, while those who adore you shine brightly like the morning sun. Then, peace reigned over the land for four decades.