Judges 5
1 That day Deborah and Barak, son of Abinoam, sang this song:
Ngalolosuku uDibhora loBharakhi indodana ka-Abhinowami bahlabela ingoma le:
2 “Israel's leaders took charge, and the people were totally committed. Praise the Lord!
“Lapho amakhosana ko-Israyeli esekhokhela, lapho abantu bezinikela ngokuzithandela, dumisani uThixo!
3 Listen, kings! Pay attention, rulers! I, yes I, will sing to the Lord; I will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song.
Zwanini lokhu lina makhosi! Lalelani lina babusi! Ngizahlabelela kuThixo, ngizahlabelela; ngizahubela ihubo, kuThixouNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
4 Lord, when you set off from Seir, when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook, rain fell from the skies, the clouds poured down water.
Awu Thixo, ekuqhamukeni kwakho eSeyiri, lapho usuka elizweni lase-Edomi, umhlaba wanyikinyeka, amazulu athululeka, amayezi athululela amanzi phansi.
5 The mountains melted in the presence of the Lord, the God of Sinai, in the presence of the Lord, the God of Israel.
Izintaba zazamazama phambi kukaThixo, yena owaseSinayi, phambi kukaThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
6 In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, people didn't use the main highways and stayed on winding paths.
Ensukwini zikaShamigari indodana ka-Anathi, ensukwini zikaJayeli, imigwaqo yayideliwe; izihambi zithatha izindledlana ezimazombe.
7 Village life in Israel was abandoned until I, Deborah, came on the scene as a mother in Israel.
Izakhamizi zako-Israyeli kazizange zilwe, zahlehlela emuva kwaze kwavela mina Dibhora, kwavela umama ko-Israyeli.
8 When the people chose new gods, then war arrived at their gates. Not even a shield or spear could be found among forty thousand warriors in Israel.
UNkulunkulu wakhetha abakhokheli abatsha lapho impi isifike emasangweni edolobho, kodwa akulahawu kumbe umkhonto owabonakalayo phakathi kwezinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amane ko-Israyeli.
9 My thoughts are with the Israelite commanders and those people who volunteered. Praise the Lord!
Inhliziyo yami ikanye lamakhosana ako-Israyeli, kanye labazinikela ngokuzithandela phakathi kwabantu. Dumisani uThixo!
10 You people riding white donkeys, sitting on comfortable blankets, traveling down the road, notice
Lina eligada obabhemi abamhlophe, lihlezi ezihlalweni zenu zengubo, lani elihamba emgwaqweni cabangani
11 what people are talking about as they gather at the watering holes. They describe the Lord's just acts and those of his warriors in Israel. Then the people of the Lord went to the town gates.
ilizwi labahlabeleli ezindaweni zamanzi okunathisa. Bahuba ngokulunga kukaThixo, ukunqoba kwezakhamizi zako-Israyeli. Lapho-ke abantu bakaThixo behlela emasangweni edolobho.
12 ‘Wake up, Deborah, wake up! Wake up, wake up, sing a song! Get up, Barak! Capture your prisoners, son of Abinoam.’
‘Vuka, vuka, Dibhora! Vuka, vuka, uhlabele ingoma! Vuka weBharakhi! Uthumbe abathunjiweyo bakho, wena ndodana ka-Abhinowami.’
13 The survivors went to attack the nobles, the people of the Lord went to attack the powerful.
Ngakho abantu ababesele bafika ezikhulwini; abantu bakaThixo beza kimi labalamandla.
14 Some came from Ephraim, a land that used to belong to the Amalekites; the tribe of Benjamin followed you with its men. Commanders came Makir; from Zebulun came those who carry a military officer's staff.
Abanye bavela ko-Efrayimi, abamdabuko wabo use-Amaleki; uBhenjamini wayelabantu abakulandelayo. Izinduna zamabutho zavela eMakhiri, koZebhuluni labo abaphatha intonga yomlawuli webutho.
15 The leaders of Issachar supported Deborah and Barak; they raced into the valley following Barak. But the tribe of Reuben was very undecided.
Amakhosana ako-Isakhari ayeloDibhora; yebo, u-Isakhari wayeloBharakhi emxhuma ngesiqubu ezigodini. Eziqintini zakoRubheni kwaba lokuhlolwa okukhulu kwezinhliziyo.
16 Why did you stay at home in the sheepfolds, listening to shepherds whistling for their flocks? The tribe of Reuben really couldn't decide what to do.
Lahlalelani ezibayeni ukuzwa amakhwelo enqanda izimvu na? Eziqintini zakoRubheni, kwaba lokuhlolwa okukhulu kwezinhliziyo.
17 Gilead remained on the other side of Jordan. Dan stayed with his ships. Asher sat still on the seacoast, not moving from his ports.
UGiliyadi wahlala ngaphetsheya kweJodani. LoDani wasalelani ngasemikhunjini na? U-Asheri wasala ngasokhunjini wahlala emathekwini akhe olwandle.
18 The people of Zebulun risked their lives; as did Naphtali on the high battlefields.
Abantu bakoZebhuluni bafaka impilo yabo uqobo engozini; wenza njalo loNafithali emiqolweni yeganga.
19 Kings came and fought, the Canaanite kings fought at Taanach near the waters of Megiddo, but they didn't get any silver plunder.
Amakhosi afika, alwa; amakhosi aseKhenani alwa, eThanakhi ngasemachibini aseMegido, kodwa kawazathwala isiliva, lempango.
20 The stars fought from heaven. The stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
Izinkanyezi zalwa zisemazulwini, zalwa loSisera zisezindleleni zazo.
21 The Kishon River swept them away—the old river turned into a raging torrent! I bravely march on!
Umfula uKhishoni wabakhukhula, umfula wendulo, umfula uKhishoni. Phambili, mphefumulo wami; Qina!
22 Then the horses' hooves flailed loudly, his stallions stampeded.
Kwaduma amasondo amabhiza ematha, ematha ehamba amabhiza akhe alamandla.
23 ‘Curse Meroz,’ says the angel of the Lord. ‘Totally curse those who live there, for they refused to come help the Lord, to help the Lord against the powerful enemies.’
‘Iqalekiseni iMerozi,’ kwatsho ingilosi kaThixo, ‘Baqalekiseni kabuhlungu abantu bayo, ngoba kabezanga ukuzencedisa uThixo, ukuzasiza uThixo emelane labalamandla.’
24 Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite is to be praised the most among women. She deserves praise above all other women who live in tents.
Kabe ngobusiswe kakhulu kwabesifazane uJayeli, umkaHebheri umKheni, obusiswe kakhulu kwabesifazane abahlala emathenteni.
25 He asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a bowl fit for nobles she brought him buttermilk.
Wacela amanzi, yena wamnika uchago, wamlethela amasi ngomganu ofanele izikhulu.
26 With one hand she picked up the tent peg, and with her right hand she held a workman's hammer. She hit Sisera and smashed his skull; she shattered and pierced his temple.
Wathatha isikhonkwane sethente ngesandla sakhe, isandla sakhe sokudla sathatha isando somkhandi. Watshaya uSisera, wachoboza ikhanda lakhe, waphahaza wabhoboza inhlafuno yakhe.
27 At her feet he collapsed, he fell, he lay motionless. At her feet he collapsed, he fell; where he collapsed, there he fell, his life plundered from him.
Wawohlokela ezinyaweni zakhe, wawa; wabhazalala khonapho. Wawohlokela ezinyaweni zakhe wawa; lapho awohlokela khona, wawela khonapho esefile.
28 Sisera's mother looked out from the window. Through the latticed window she cried out, ‘Why is his chariot taking so long to come? Why is the sound of his chariot arriving so delayed?’
UnakaSisera walunguza ngefasitela; ngemva kwewindi wanqolonga wathi, ‘Kungani inqola yakhe yempi iphuze kangaka ukufika? Kungani ukugodlozela kwezinqola zakhe zempi kuphuzile?’
29 The wisest of her ladies tells her, and she repeats the same words to herself,
Ohlakaniphe kakhulu kumakhosazana akhe wamphendula; impela yena uhlezi ezitshela esithi,
30 ‘They're busy dividing up the plunder and assigning a girl or two for each man. There'll be colorful clothes for Sisera as plunder; beautifully embroidered colorful clothes as plunder; double-embroidered clothing reaching to the neck as plunder.’
‘Kanti kabafumani mpango bayabelane na; intombazana loba amabili indoda nganye, izigqoko ezimibalabala eziyimpango kaSisera, izigqoko ezimibalabala ezicecisiweyo, izigqoko eziceciswe kakhulu zentamo yami, konke lokhu kuyimpango?’
31 May all your enemies die like this, Lord, but may those who love you shine like the sun in all its brilliance!” The land was at peace for forty years.
Ngakho sengathi zingabhubha zonke izitha zakho, Oh Thixo! Kodwa sengathi labo abakuthandayo bangaba njengelanga lapho liphuma ngamandla alo.” Kwasekusiba lokuthula elizweni iminyaka engamatshumi amane.
