1 In that he Israel hath reveng'd,
Bless ye therefore the Lord:
2 In that the people offered
Themselves of free accord.
3 Give ear, O kings, ye princes hear,
Sing to the Lord I will;
I, even I'll sing to the Lord,
The God of Israel.
4 Lord, when thou went'st from Seir, when thou
Didst march from Edom's field;
The earth did shake, the heav'ns did drop,
The clouds their show'rs distill'd.
5 Before the presence of the Lord,
The mountains melting fell;
Ev'n Sina, from before the Lord,
The God of Israel.
6 In days of Shamgar, Anath's son,
High-ways in Jael's days,
Untrodden were: the passengers
Did travel through by-ways.
7 The villagers did cease to be,
They ceas'd in Israel:
Till that I Deb'rah rose; I rose
A mother in Israel.
8 New gods they chase, then cruel wars
Entred their gates within,
With forty thousand Isra'lites
No shield nor spear was seen.
9 My heart to Israel's rulers is,
Who did of free accord
Present themfelves among the folk:
Bless ye therefore the Lord.
10 Speak ye your minds, all ye that do
Upon while asses ride;
Ye that in judgment sit, and ye
That walk the way beside.
11 Who from the archer's noise are freed,
There shall they now record,
In places where they water draw,
The just acts of the Lord.
His righteous acts to them who dwell
In Israel's towns relate,
Then shall the people of the Lord
Go down unto the gate.
[2]
12 Wake, wake, O Deborah, wake, awake,
A song sing; Barak rise;
Abinoam's son, and captive lead,
Thou thy captivities.
13 Unto the remnant he gave rule
Above the nobles then
Among the folk: the Lord gave me
Rule over mighty men.
14 From Ephraim a root against
Proud Amalek there was.
Thy followers, O Benjamin,
Among thy folk did pass,
From out of Machir governours
Deseended also then,
And out of Zebulun came they
That handle writer's pen.
15 Then Issachar, ev'n Issachar,
His peers with Deborah went,
And also Barak was on foot,
Into the valley sent.
Because of those divisions that
In Ruben did appear,
Great fears and anxious thoughts of heart
Among us then there were.
16 Why didst, thou with the sheep-folds stay
The bleating flocks to hear?
For Ruben his divisions sad
Heart-searchings great there were.
17 Gilead by Jordan stay'd; and why
Did Dan in ships reside?
On sea-shore Amur why remain,
And in his creeks abide?
18 But Zebulun and Napthali
Were people who did yield
Their lives in danger unto death
In the high open field.
[3]
19 The kings came and they fought, then fought
The kings of Canaan,
In Tanach by Megiddo's streams;
No money prize they wan.
20 From heav'n they fought, the stars by course
Fought against Sisera:
21 Then Kishon's brook, old Kishon's brook,
That brook them swept away.
O thou my soul hast trod down strength.
22 Then broke their horse-hoofs were;
By pransing, trampling, pransings of
Their mighty horses there.
23 Curse Meroz, curse her dwellers, curse,
Jehovah's angel said:
For they came not to aid the Lord,
Against the strong to aid.
24 Jael the Kenite, Heber's wife,
'Bove women bless shall be:
Above the women in the tent,
A blesed one is she.
25 He water ask'd; she gave him milk,
Him butter forth she fetch'd
26 In lordly dish: then to the nail,
She forth her left hand stretch'd;
Her right the workman's hammer held,
And Sisera struck dead:
She pierc'd and struck his temples through,
And then smote off his head.
27 He at her feet bow'd, fell, lay down,
He at her feet bow'd, where
He fell: ev'n where he bowed down,
He fell destroyed there.
[4]
28 Out of a window Sisera
His mother look'd, and said,
The lattess through, in coming why
So long his chariot staid ?
His chariot-wheels why tarry they?
29 Her ladies wise reply'd,
Yea to herself the answer made,
30 Have they not sped? she cry'd
The prey to each, a maid or twain,
Divided have not they?
To Sifera have they not shar'd
A divers-colour'd prey?
Of divers colour'd needle-work,
Wrought curious on each side,
Of various colours, meet for necks
Of those who spoils divide?
31 So perish let thine enemies all,
O Lord; but let all those
Who do him love, be like the sun
That in his strength forth goes.
Source: The Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs of the Old and New-Testament: faithfully translated into English metre: for the use, edification, and comfort of the saints...especially in New-England (25th ed) #297
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