< Balam 5 >

1 Ku olwo Debola ne Baraki mutabani wa Abinoamu ne bayimba bwe bati:
Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
2 “Mutendereze Mukama kubanga mu Isirayiri abakulembeze baatuukiriza omulimu gwabwe n’abantu ne beewaayo nga baagala.
“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh!
3 “Muwulirize mmwe bakabaka, musseeyo omwoyo mmwe abalangira; nze kennyini, nze nnaayimbira Mukama; nze nnaayimbira Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri.
“Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to Yahweh. I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
4 “Mukama, bwe wava e Seyiri, bwe wava mu kitundu kya Edomu okutabaala, ensi n’ekankana, enkuba n’eyiika okuva mu ggulu. Weewaawo, ebire ne bifukumuka amazzi.
“Yahweh, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water.
5 Ensozi ne zikankana awali Mukama, Oyo owa Sinaayi, ne lukankana mu maaso Mukama Katonda w’Abayisirayiri.
The mountains quaked at Yahweh’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
6 “Ku mulembe gwa Samugali, mutabani wa Anasi, ne ku mulembe gwa Yayeeri abatambuze tebaayitanga, mu nguudo nnene, baatambuliranga mu mpenda.
“In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways.
7 Abakulembeze mu Isirayiri baggwaawo okutuusa nze Debola lwe nayimuka, nga nnyina wa bonna mu Isirayiri.
The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.
8 Bwe beefunira abakulembeze abalala, entalo ne ziryoka zibalukawo mu Isirayiri. Ku basajja Abayisirayiri emitwalo ena kwaliko n’omu eyalina effumu oba engabo?
They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9 Omutima gwange guli eri abakulembeze b’Abayisirayiri, n’eri abantu abeewaayo nga baagala. Mutendereze Mukama.
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh!
10 “Mukyogereko mmwe, abeebagala ku ndogoyi enjeru, mmwe abatuula ku biwempe ebirungi ennyo, nammwe abatambulira mu kkubo.
“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.
11 Wulira oluyimba lw’abantu ku luzzi, nga batendereza obuwanguzi era n’ebikolwa bya Mukama eby’obutuukirivu, ebikolwa bye eby’obutuukirivu nga akulembera Abayisirayiri. “Awo abantu ba Mukama ne baserengeta, ne bagenda ku miryango gy’ebibuga byabwe.
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse Yahweh’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then Yahweh’s people went down to the gates.
12 Zuukuka, zuukuka Debola zuukuka, zuukuka, okulembere oluyimba; golokoka, Baraki okulembere abawambe bo nga basibiddwa, ggwe mutabani wa Abinoamu.
‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’
13 “Awo abakungu abaasigalawo ne baserengeta, abantu ba Mukama, ne baserengeta okulwanyisa ow’amaanyi.
“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. Yahweh came down for me against the mighty.
14 Awo abaava mu kitundu kya Efulayimu ne baserengeta mu kiwonvu, nga bakugoberera ggwe, Benyamini, n’ab’ekika kyo. Mu Makiri ne wavaayo abakulembeze, ne baserengeta, ne mu kitundu kya Zebbulooni ne wavaayo abaduumizi.
Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.
15 Abalangira ba Isakaali baali wamu ne Debola; era Isakaali yali wamu ne Baraki. Ne bafubutuka okumugoberera mu kiwonvu. Olw’enjawukana ezaali mu kika kya Lewubeeni, waaliwo okusooka okufumiitiriza ennyo mu mitima gyabwe.
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart.
16 Kiki ekyakusigaza mu bisibo byo eby’endiga, okuwuliriza endere zebafuuyira endiga? Olw’enjawukana ezaali mu kika kya Lewubeeni, waaliwo okusooka okufumiitiriza ennyo mu mitima gyabwe.
Why did you sit among the sheepfolds? To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart.
17 Ab’ekika kya Gireyaadi baasigala mitala wa Yoludaani. N’ab’ekika kya Ddaani ekyabasigaza mu byombo kiki? Ab’ekika kya Aseri; baasigala ku lubalama lw’ennyanja, ne babeera awali emyalo gyabwe.
Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks.
18 Ab’ekika kya Zebbulooni baawaayo obulamu bwabwe, era n’ab’ekika kya Nafutaali mu ddwaniro.
Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
19 “Ku mugga gw’e Megiddo mu Taanaki, bakabaka bajja ne balwana, bakabaka b’e Kanani baalwana. Naye tebaanyaga bintu.
“The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
20 Emunyeenye zaalwana nga zisinziira mu ggulu, zaalwanyisa Sisera nga bwe zetoloola mu bbanga.
From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
21 Omugga Kisoni gwabasanyizaawo ddala, omugga ogwo ogw’edda omugga Kisoni. Ggwe emmeeme yange, kkumba n’amaanyi.
The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
22 Awo embalaasi ne zijja nga zirigita era nga bwe zisambirira ettaka, ensolo zaabwe ezo ez’amaanyi.
Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.
23 Malayika wa Mukama n’agamba nti, ‘Mukolimire Merozi. Mukolimire nnyo ababeera e Merozi; kubanga tebeetaba mu lutalo lwa Mukama. Tebaalwetabaamu nga Mukama Katonda alwanyisa ab’amaanyi.’
‘Curse Meroz,’ said Yahweh’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help Yahweh, to help Yahweh against the mighty.’
24 “Nga wa mukisa Yayeeri okusinga abakazi bonna! Nga wa mukisa Yayeeri mukazi w’Omukeeni Keberi, okusinga abakazi bonna ababeera mu weema!
“Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25 Bwe yasaba amazzi, yamuwa mata, era n’amuleetera n’omuzigo mu bbawulo ey’ekikungu.
He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
26 Yakwata enkondo ya weema mu mukono gwe ogwa kkono, n’ennyondo mu gwa ddyo, n’akomerera Sisera enkondo mu kyenyi n’eyita namu.
She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.
27 Amaanyi gaamuggwa n’agwa; yagwa ku bigere bya Yayeeri n’alambaala we yagwa we yafiira.
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
28 “Nnyina wa Sisera yalingiriza mu ddirisa; yayisa amaaso mu ddirisa, n’aleekaanira waggulu nti ‘Kiki ekirwisizza eggaali lye okujja? Okuguluba kw’eggaali lye nga sikuwulira?’
“Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’
29 Abazaana be abagezi baba tebanamuddamu ne yeddamu yekka.
Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself,
30 ‘Tebazudde omunyago era tebali mu kugugabana, omuwala omu oba babiri buli musajja? Sisera tufunye omunyago ogw’engoye enduke ez’amabala? Eminagiro ebiri emiruke, egy’amabala tegiibe gyange?’
‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’
31 “Ayi Mukama Katonda abalabe bo bazikirirenga bwe batyo nga Sisera. Naye abo bonna abakwagala bamasemasenga ng’enjuba ey’akavaayo mu maanyi gaayo.” Awo ne wayitawo emyaka ana nga Abayisirayiri bali mu mirembe.
“So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.

< Balam 5 >