| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying: | 1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang: |
| 2“When leaders lead in Israel, When the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the LORD! | 2When the leaders lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, praise the LORD. |
| 3“Hear, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, even I, will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. | 3Listen, kings! Pay attention, princes! I will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. |
| 4“LORD, when You went out from Seir, When You marched from the field of Edom, The earth trembled and the heavens poured, The clouds also poured water; | 4 LORD, when You came from Seir, when You marched from the fields of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens poured rain, and the clouds poured water. |
| 5The mountains gushed before the LORD, This Sinai, before the LORD God of Israel. | 5The mountains melted before the LORD, even Sinai before the LORD, the God of Israel. |
| 6“In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, In the days of Jael, The highways were deserted, And the travelers walked along the byways. | 6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the main ways were deserted because travelers kept to the side roads. |
| 7Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, Until I, Deborah, arose, Arose a mother in Israel. | 7Villages were deserted, they were deserted in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel. |
| 8They chose new gods; Then there was war in the gates; Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel. | 8Israel chose new gods, then war was in the gates. Not a shield or spear was seen among 40,000 in Israel. |
| 9My heart is with the rulers of Israel Who offered themselves willingly with the people. Bless the LORD! | 9My heart is with the leaders of Israel, with the volunteers of the people. Praise the LORD! |
| 10“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, Who sit in judges’ attire, And who walk along the road. | 10You who ride on white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and who travel on the road, give praise! |
| 11Far from the noise of the archers, among the watering places, There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, The righteous acts for His villagers in Israel; Then the people of the LORD shall go down to the gates. | 11Let them tell the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His warriors in Israel, with the voices of the singers at the watering places. Then the LORD's people went down to the gates." |
| 12“Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and lead your captives away, O son of Abinoam! | 12Awake! Awake, Deborah! Awake! Awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and take hold of your captives, son of Abinoam!" |
| 13“Then the survivors came down, the people against the nobles; The LORD came down for me against the mighty. | 13The survivors came down to the nobles; the LORD's people came down to me with the warriors. |
| 14From Ephraim were those whose roots were in Amalek. After you, Benjamin, with your peoples, From Machir rulers came down, And from Zebulun those who bear the recruiter’s staff. | 14Those with their roots in Amalek came from Ephraim; Benjamin came with your people after you. The leaders came down from Machir, and those who carry a marshal's staff came from Zebulun. |
| 15And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; As Issachar, so was Barak Sent into the valley under his command; Among the divisions of Reuben There were great resolves of heart. | 15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah; Issachar was with Barak. They set out at his heels in the valley. There was great searching of heart among the clans of Reuben. |
| 16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the pipings for the flocks? The divisions of Reuben have great searchings of heart. | 16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds listening to the playing of pipes for the flocks? There was great searching of heart among the clans of Reuben. |
| 17Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan, And why did Dan remain on ships? Asher continued at the seashore, And stayed by his inlets. | 17Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger at the ships? Asher remained at the seashore and stayed in his harbors. |
| 18Zebulun is a people who jeopardized their lives to the point of death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield. | 18Zebulun was a people risking their lives, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield. |
| 19“The kings came and fought, Then the kings of Canaan fought In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; They took no spoils of silver. | 19Kings came and fought. Then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no spoil of silver. |
| 20They fought from the heavens; The stars from their courses fought against Sisera. | 20The stars fought from the heavens; the stars fought with Sisera from their courses. |
| 21The torrent of Kishon swept them away, That ancient torrent, the torrent of Kishon. O my soul, march on in strength! | 21The river Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the river Kishon. March on, my soul, in strength! |
| 22Then the horses’ hooves pounded, The galloping, galloping of his steeds. | 22The horses' hooves then hammered-- the galloping, galloping of his stallions." |
| 23‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the LORD, ‘Curse its inhabitants bitterly, Because they did not come to the help of the LORD, To the help of the LORD against the mighty.’ | 23Curse Meroz," says the Angel of the LORD," Bitterly curse her inhabitants, for they did not come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty warriors." |
| 24“Most blessed among women is Jael, The wife of Heber the Kenite; Blessed is she among women in tents. | 24Jael is most blessed of women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; she is most blessed among tent-dwelling women. |
| 25He asked for water, she gave milk; She brought out cream in a lordly bowl. | 25He asked for water; she gave him milk. She brought him curdled milk in a majestic bowl. |
| 26She stretched her hand to the tent peg, Her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; She pounded Sisera, she pierced his head, She split and struck through his temple. | 26She reached for a tent peg, her right hand, for a workman's mallet. Then she hammered Sisera-- she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple. |
| 27At her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; At her feet he sank, he fell; Where he sank, there he fell dead. | 27He collapsed, he fell, he lay down at her feet; he collapsed, he fell at her feet; where he collapsed, there he fell--dead. |
| 28“The mother of Sisera looked through the window, And cried out through the lattice, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarries the clatter of his chariots?’ | 28Sisera's mother looked through the window; she peered through the lattice, crying out:" Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why don't I hear the hoofbeats of his horses?" |
| 29Her wisest ladies answered her, Yes, she answered herself, | 29Her wisest princesses answer her; she even answers herself:" |
| 30‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil: To every man a girl or two; For Sisera, plunder of dyed garments, Plunder of garments embroidered and dyed, Two pieces of dyed embroidery for the neck of the looter?’ | 30Are they not finding and dividing the spoil-- a girl or two for each warrior, the spoil of colored garments for Sisera, the spoil of an embroidered garment or two for my neck?" |
| 31“Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.” So the land had rest for forty years. | 31 LORD, may all your enemies perish as Sisera did. But may those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its strength. And the land was peaceful 40 years. |
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