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Judges 5

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1 καὶ ᾖσεν Δεββωρα καὶ Βαρακ υἱὸς Αβινεεμ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ καὶ εἶπεν 2 ἐν τῷ ἄρξασθαι ἀρχηγοὺς ἐν Ισραηλ ἐν προαιρέσει λαοῦ εὐλογεῖτε τὸν κύριον 3 ἀκούσατε βασιλεῖς ἐνωτίζεσθε σατράπαι δυνατοί ἐγὼ τῷ κυρίῳ ᾄσομαι ψαλῶ τῷ θεῷ Ισραηλ 4 κύριε ἐν τῇ ἐξόδῳ σου ἐκ Σηιρ ἐν τῷ ἀπαίρειν σε ἐξ ἀγροῦ Εδωμ γῆ ἐσείσθη καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς ἐξεστάθη καὶ αἱ νεφέλαι ἔσταξαν ὕδωρ 5 ὄρη ἐσαλεύθησαν ἀπὸ προσώπου κυρίου τοῦτο Σινα ἀπὸ προσώπου κυρίου θεοῦ Ισραηλ

1 Joyfully sang Debbora that day, and Barac the son of Abinoem with her; and this was her song. 2 Here are Israelites that freely put their lives in peril; bless we the Lord! 3 A word to you, kings; princes, this is for your hearing; the Lord is my theme, it is of the Lord God of Israel that I sing. 4 Lord, when thou didst come forth from mount Seir, and pass on thy way over Edom, how the earth shook, how fast the rain fell from skies wrapped in cloud! 5 How the hills, how Sinai itself melted away as the Lord came, the Lord God of Israel!

1 Cecineruntque Debbora et Barac filius Abinoëm in illo die, dicentes: 2

Qui sponte obtulistis de Israël animas vestras ad periculum,
benedicite Domino. 3
Audite, reges; auribus percipite, principes:
ego sum, ego sum, quæ Domino canam,
psallam Domino Deo Israël. 4
Domine, cum exires de Seir,
et transires per regiones Edom,
terra mota est,
cælique ac nubes distillaverunt aquis. 5
Montes fluxerunt a facie Domini,
et Sinai a facie Domini Dei Israël.

6 ἐν ἡμέραις Σαμεγαρ υἱοῦ Αναθ ἐν ἡμέραις Ιαηλ ἐξέλιπον βασιλεῖς καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν τρίβους ἐπορεύθησαν ὁδοὺς διεστραμμένας 7 ἐξέλιπεν φραζων ἐν τῷ Ισραηλ ἐξέλιπεν ἕως οὗ ἐξανέστη Δεββωρα ὅτι ἀνέστη μήτηρ ἐν τῷ Ισραηλ 8 ᾑρέτισαν θεοὺς καινοὺς ὡς ἄρτον κρίθινον σκέπην ἐὰν ἴδω σιρομαστῶν ἐν τεσσαράκοντα χιλιάσιν

6 In the time of Samgar son of Anath, in the time of Jahel, all the roads lay unfrequented; those that used them once must now travel by bridle-paths. 7 Gone was the warrior breed, lost to the country-side, until Debbora came, Debbora, that played a mother’s part in Israel. 8 Strange warfare this, of God’s own choosing, when he himself must overthrow the enemy’s ramparts; among the sons of Israel, not one in forty thousand carried shield or spear.

6
In diebus Samgar filii Anath,
in diebus Jahel quieverunt semitæ:
et qui ingrediebantur per eas,
ambulaverunt per calles devios. 7
Cessaverunt fortes in Israël, et quieverunt:
donec surgeret Debbora,
surgeret mater in Israël. 8
Nova bella elegit Dominus,
et portas hostium ipse subvertit:
clypeus et hasta si apparuerint
in quadraginta millibus Israël.

9 ἡ καρδία μου ἐπὶ τὰ διατεταγμένα τῷ Ισραηλ οἱ δυνάσται τοῦ λαοῦ εὐλογεῖτε τὸν κύριον 10 ἐπιβεβηκότες ἐπὶ ὑποζυγίων καθήμενοι ἐπὶ λαμπηνῶν 11 φθέγξασθε φωνὴν ἀνακρουομένων ἀνὰ μέσον εὐφραινομένων ἐκεῖ δώσουσιν δικαιοσύνην κυρίῳ δίκαιοι ἐνίσχυσαν ἐν τῷ Ισραηλ τότε κατέβη εἰς τὰς πόλεις αὐτοῦ ὁ λαὸς κυρίου

9 My heart goes out to you, chieftains of Israel; it is for you, who freely put your lives in peril, to bless the Lord; 10 for you to speak, you that hold the judge’s office, and have white asses to ride when you go on your travels. 11 There, where the chariots broke, there, where the enemy’s host was drowned, let the story of the Lord’s mercies be told, the favour he shewed to the warriors of Israel. Down to the city gates they went, the people of the Lord, and won the mastery.

9

Cor meum diligit principes Israël:
qui propria voluntate obtulistis vos discrimini,
benedicite Domino. 10
Qui ascenditis super nitentes asinos,
et sedetis in judicio,
et ambulatis in via,
loquimini. 11
Ubi collisi sunt currus,
et hostium suffocatus est exercitus,
ibi narrentur justitiæ Domini,
et clementia in fortes Israël:
tunc descendit populus Domini ad portas,
et obtinuit principatum.

12 ἐξεγείρου ἐξεγείρου Δεββωρα ἐξέγειρον μυριάδας μετὰ λαοῦ ἐξεγείρου ἐξεγείρου λάλει με{T'} ᾠδῆς ἐνισχύων ἐξανίστασο Βαρακ καὶ ἐνίσχυσον Δεββωρα τὸν Βαρακ αἰχμαλώτιζε αἰχμαλωσίαν σου υἱὸς Αβινεεμ 13 πότε ἐμεγαλύνθη ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ κύριε ταπείνωσόν μοι τοὺς ἰσχυροτέρους μου 14 λαὸς Εφραιμ ἐτιμωρήσατο αὐτοὺς ἐν κοιλάδι ἀδελφοῦ σου Βενιαμιν ἐν λαοῖς σου ἐξ ἐμοῦ Μαχιρ κατέβησαν ἐξερευνῶντες καὶ ἐκ Ζαβουλων κύριος ἐπολέμει μοι ἐν δυνατοῖς ἐκεῖθεν ἐν σκήπτρῳ ἐνισχύοντος ἡγήσεως 15 ἐν Ισσαχαρ μετὰ Δεββωρας ἐξαπέστειλεν πεζοὺς αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν κοιλάδα ἵνα τί σὺ κατοικεῖς ἐν μέσῳ χειλέων ἐξέτεινεν ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτοῦ ἐν διαιρέσεσιν Ρουβην μεγάλοι ἀκριβασμοὶ καρδίας 16 ἵνα τί μοι κάθησαι ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν μοσφαθαιμ τοῦ εἰσακούειν συρισμοὺς ἐξεγειρόντων τοῦ διελθεῖν εἰς τὰ τοῦ Ρουβην μεγάλοι ἐξιχνιασμοὶ καρδίας 17 Γαλααδ ἐν τῷ πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου κατεσκήνωσεν καὶ Δαν ἵνα τί παροικεῖ πλοίοις Ασηρ παρῴκησεν πα{R'} αἰγιαλὸν θαλασσῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς διακοπὰς αὐτοῦ κατεσκήνωσεν 18 Ζαβουλων λαὸς ὀνειδίσας ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ εἰς θάνατον καὶ Νεφθαλιμ ἐπὶ ὕψη ἀγροῦ

12 Up, up, bestir thyself, Debbora; bestir thyself, and chant the battle-hymn! Rouse thee, Barac, son of Abinoem, thy prey awaits thee! 13 It was but the remnant of a people that won the day, but the Lord himself fought among their warriors. 14 All the remnant of Ephraim had Amalec to detain them;[1] against Amalec’s tribes Benjamin, too, was matched. But chieftains came from Manasses, marshallers of the host from Zabulon; 15 the leaders of Issachar, too, were at Debbora’s side, and followed Barac into danger, as he rushed headlong down from the steep. But what of Ruben? Here there was division of counsel among brave hearts. 16 What, wouldst thou sit there between fold and fold, and listen to the shepherds piping to their flocks? Alas, for hearts so brave, and counsels so divided! 17 Galaad took his ease on the further bank of Jordan, and Dan was busy with his merchant ventures; Aser, too, lingered by the sea-shore, safe in his harbour-towns. 18 Meanwhile, Zabulon and Nephthali were putting their lives in peril, there on the uplands of Merome.

12
Surge, surge Debbora;
surge, surge, et loquere canticum:
surge Barac, et apprehende captivos tuos, fili Abinoëm. 13
Salvatæ sunt reliquiæ populi:
Dominus in fortibus dimicavit. 14
Ex Ephraim delevit eos in Amalec,
et post eum ex Benjamin in populos tuos, o Amalec:
de Machir principes descenderunt,
et de Zabulon qui exercitum ducerent ad bellandum. 15
Duces Issachar fuere cum Debbora,
et Barac vestigia sunt secuti,
qui quasi in præceps ac barathrum se discrimini dedit:
diviso contra se Ruben,
magnanimorum reperta est contentio. 16
Quare habitas inter duos terminos,
ut audias sibilos gregum?
diviso contra se Ruben,
magnanimorum reperta est contentio. 17
Galaad trans Jordanem quiescebat,
et Dan vacabat navibus:
Aser habitabat in littore maris,
et in portubus morabatur. 18
Zabulon vero et Nephthali obtulerunt animas suas morti
in regione Merome.

19 ἦλθον βασιλεῖς καὶ παρετάξαντο τότε ἐπολέμησαν βασιλεῖς Χανααν ἐν Θενναχ ἐπὶ ὕδατος Μαγεδδω πλεονεξίαν ἀργυρίου οὐκ ἔλαβον 20 ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐπολέμησαν ἀστέρες ἐκ τῆς τάξεως αὐτῶν ἐπολέμησαν μετὰ Σισαρα 21 χειμάρρους Κισων ἐξέβαλεν αὐτούς χειμάρρους καδημιμ χειμάρρους Κισων καταπατήσει αὐτοὺς ψυχή μου δυνατή 22 τότε ἀπεκόπησαν πτέρναι ἵππου αμαδαρωθ δυνατῶν αὐτοῦ

19 So the kings came down to battle, the kings of Chanaan, there at Taanach by the waters of Mageddo, but spoil had they none. 20 Heaven itself was their adversary; the stars in their ordered course did battle against Sisara. 21 Cison river bore away the corpses of them, river of the Cadumim, Cison river; trample on them, Debbora, warriors so valiant till now! 22 The horses’ hoofs lost their footing, so swiftly they fled, thundering down the slopes with the flower of the enemy’s host behind them.

19

Venerunt reges et pugnaverunt:
pugnaverunt reges Chanaan
in Thanach juxta aquas Mageddo,
et tamen nihil tulere prædantes. 20
De cælo dimicatum est contra eos:
stellæ manentes in ordine et cursu suo,
adversus Sisaram pugnaverunt. 21
Torrens Cison traxit cadavera eorum,
torrens Cadumim, torrens Cison:
conculca, anima mea, robustos. 22
Ungulæ equorum ceciderunt, fugientibus impetu,
et per præceps ruentibus fortissimis hostium.

23 καταράσασθε Μαρωζ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος κυρίου καταράσει καταράσασθε τοὺς ἐνοίκους αὐτῆς ὅτι οὐκ ἤλθοσαν εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν κυρίου βοηθὸς ἡμῶν κύριος ἐν μαχηταῖς δυνατός 24 εὐλογηθείη ἐκ γυναικῶν Ιαηλ γυνὴ Χαβερ τοῦ Κιναίου ἐκ γυναικῶν ἐν σκηνῇ εὐλογηθείη 25 ὕδωρ ᾔτησεν αὐτήν καὶ γάλα ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ἐν λακάνῃ ἰσχυρῶν προσήγγισεν βούτυρον 26 τὴν χεῖρα αὐτῆς τὴν ἀριστερὰν εἰς πάσσαλον ἐξέτεινεν τὴν δεξιὰν αὐτῆς εἰς ἀποτομὰς κατακόπων καὶ ἀπέτεμεν Σισαρα ἀπέτριψεν τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ συνέθλασεν καὶ διήλασεν τὴν γνάθον αὐτοῦ 27 ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῆς συγκάμψας ἔπεσεν ἐκοιμήθη μεταξὺ ποδῶν αὐτῆς ἐν ᾧ ἔκαμψεν ἐκεῖ ἔπεσεν ταλαίπωρος 28 διὰ τῆς θυρίδος διέκυπτεν ἡ μήτηρ Σισαρα διὰ τῆς δικτυωτῆς ἐπιβλέπουσα ἐπὶ τοὺς μεταστρέφοντας μετὰ Σισαρα διὰ τί ἠσχάτισεν τὸ ἅρμα αὐτοῦ παραγενέσθαι διὰ τί ἐχρόνισαν ἴχνη ἁρμάτων αὐτοῦ

23 Curse the land of Meroz, the angel of the Lord says, a curse on all that dwell in it! Here were men that would not rally in the Lord’s cause, would not come to aid his champions in their peril. 24 But Jahel, wife of Haber the Cinite, blessed may she be above all women; a blessing on the tent she dwells in! 25 One came by and asked her for water; but no, she would give him milk; whey should be brought out for him in such a cup as kings use. 26 A nail is in her left hand, a carpenter’s mallet in her right; now to smite Sisara, now to find the place for a mortal blow! See with what strength she pierces his forehead through! 27 There he lies at her feet, helpless in death, rolls there at her feet lifeless, a thing of pity to see! 28 Long may his mother look down from that parlour window of hers, crying out on the chariot that never returns, the sound of horses’ hoofs that still does not come.

23
Maledicite terræ Meroz, dixit angelus Domini:
maledicite habitatoribus ejus,
quia non venerunt ad auxilium Domini,
in adjutorium fortissimorum ejus. 24

Benedicta inter mulieres Jahel uxor Haber Cinæi,
et benedicatur in tabernaculo suo. 25
Aquam petenti lac dedit,
et in phiala principum obtulit butyrum. 26
Sinistram manum misit ad clavum,
et dexteram ad fabrorum malleos.
Percussitque Sisaram quærens in capite vulneri locum,
et tempus valide perforans: 27
inter pedes ejus ruit; defecit, et mortuus est:
volvebatur ante pedes ejus,
et jacebat exanimis et miserabilis. 28
Per fenestram respiciens, ululabat mater ejus:
et de cœnaculo loquebatur:
Cur moratur regredi currus ejus?
quare tardaverunt pedes quadrigarum illius?

29 σοφαὶ ἀρχουσῶν αὐτῆς ἀνταπεκρίναντο πρὸς αὐτήν καὶ αὐτὴ ἀπεκρίνατο ἐν ῥήμασιν αὐτῆς 30 οὐχὶ εὑρήσουσιν αὐτὸν διαμερίζοντα σκῦλα φιλιάζων φίλοις εἰς κεφαλὴν δυνατοῦ σκῦλα βαμμάτων Σισαρα σκῦλα βαμμάτων ποικιλίας βαφὴ ποικίλων περὶ τράχηλον αὐτοῦ σκῦλον

29 Long may some princess try to comfort her, with wiser counsel than the rest: 30 Even now, like enough, he is dividing up the spoil, of the captive women choosing out the fairest; Sisara shall have embroidered garments for his share; see the pile of necklaces that lies there, so intricate in design!

29
Una sapientior ceteris uxoribus ejus,
hæc socrui verba respondit: 30
Forsitan nunc dividit spolia,
et pulcherrima feminarum eligitur ei:
vestes diversorum colorum Sisaræ traduntur in prædam,
et supellex varia ad ornanda colla congeritur.

31 οὕτως ἀπόλοιντο πάντες οἱ ἐχθροί σου κύριε καὶ οἱ ἀγαπῶντες αὐτὸν καθὼς ἡ ἀνατολὴ τοῦ ἡλίου ἐν δυναστείαις αὐτοῦ

31 So perish all thy enemies, Lord; and may all those who love thee shine out glorious as the sun’s rising![2]

31
Sic pereant omnes inimici tui, Domine:
qui autem diligunt te, sicut sol in ortu suo splendet, ita rutilent.

32 καὶ ἡσύχασεν ἡ γῆ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη

32 And so for forty years the land was at peace.

32 Quievitque terra per quadraginta annos.

[1] The Hebrew text here is generally interpreted as meaning, ‘There was a root (i.e. a remnant) out of Ephraim against Amalec’, or possibly ‘in Amalec’. ‘The Latin version has ‘He destroyed the men out of Ephraim against Amalec’, perhaps in the sense that God had used up all the strength of this tribe against Amalec. Although nothing has been said about it in the previous chapter, we may perhaps conjecture that at the same moment when Jabin was fighting against Israel in the north, the Amalecites from the south had overrun Juda, and the adjoining tribes, Ephraim and Benjamin, were trying to stem the invasion, so that they were unable to give any help against Jabin. (There was a ‘mount of Amalec’ in the territory of Ephraim, cf. 12.15 below; but it is not likely that this can be referred to.)

[2] Throughout this poem, the meaning of the Hebrew text is frequently obscure, and is very variously interpreted. The Latin version, which is here followed, differs from it considerably.

Knox Translation Copyright © 2013 Westminster Diocese
Nihil Obstat. Father Anton Cowan, Censor.
Imprimatur. +Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. 8th January 2012.
Re-typeset and published in 2012 by Baronius Press Ltd