Praise ye the Lord, for the revenge
Of Isra'l on his foes,
When for the war, the people bent,
As volunteers arose.

Ye kings give ear; ye princes, hear;
Attention sets you well,
I'll sing to J AH , I'll sing to J AH ,
The God of Israel.

Lord, when in state thou went'st from Seir,
In march from Edom's field,
The earth did quake, the heav'ns did drop,
The clouds their show'rs distill'd.

Away before Jehovah's face,
The melting mountains wore;
Before Jehovah, Israel's God,
As Sinai blaz'd before.

In Shamgar, son of Anath's time,
In Jael's troublous days,
The roads infested were untrod,
And trav'llers took by-ways.

Then Isra'l's villagers harass'd,
Did cease, through fear, did cease,
Till I, Deborah, rose; I rose,
A mother there for peace.

New gods they choose; then wars arose,
And spite of gates were keen:
Where was in Isra'l shield or spear
'Mong forty thousands seen?

My heart is tow'rd the governors,
That rule in Isra'l's coasts,
Who 'mong the folk were volunteers;
Bless ye the Lord of hosts.

Speak, ye that on white asses ride,
Ye that in judgment sit;
And ye who safe can tread the way,
Speak out his praises fit.

Who freed from cruel archers noise
In places they traverse
For drawing water; there shall they
The Lord's just acts rehearse;

Just acts for villagers of his
In Isra'l there release:
Then go the people of the Lord
Down to the gates of peace.

Awake, awake, Deborah, now:
Now tune the harp of praise:
Awake, awake, with lifted voice,
A song of triumph raise;

Rise, Barak, and stir up thyself,
Thou Abinoam's son:
Lead captive thy captivities,
And push the conquest on.

Jehovah gave the remnant mean
Rule o'er the nobles then;
And ev'n to me, a woman weak,
Pow'r o'er the mighty men.

From out of Ephraim the root,
'Gainst Amalek was there;
Which led by thee, stout Benjamin,
Did 'mong the folk appear.

From Machir came the governors,
From Zebulun the scribes,
(Whose prudent writs, with skilful pen,
To battle promp'd the tribes.)

The peers and tribes of Issachar,
Close by Deborah went;
And Barak nimble was on foot,
Into the valley sent:

When Reuben faint stood far apart,
Nor join'd to quell the foes;
For his divisions, sad and smart,
Great thoughts of heart arose.

'Mong sheepfolds why didst thou abide,
The bleating flocks to wait?
For Reuben's rents, and ruptures wide
Heart scrutinies were great.

By Jordan why did Gilead stay;
Dan in his ships abide?
And Asher, by the ocean shore,
In creeks his valour hide?

Zeb'lun's stout folk, and Napthali's,
Their risked lives did yield;
Fearless to face the front of death,
Upon the open field.

In Tannach, by Megiddo's streams,
The kings did fight and fall:
No money-gain got Canaan's kings,
But fought and forfeit all.

From heaven above the fiery hosts
Fought with a thund'ring storm;
Stars, in their ranks and courses high,
'Gainst Sis'ra fought in form.

The river Kishon, that old stream,
Made ready for the prey,
By swelling to a torrent rose,
And swept them clean away.

O thou, my soul, through God thou hast,
(Let God be praised then)
By means of weakness feminine,
Trode down the strength of men.

Then were the warlike horses' hoofs
Broke by their prancings mad;
The prancings of their mighty ones,
Their boasted cavalcade.

(Thus said the angel of the Lord)
Come, curse ye Merez all;
On each inhabitant thereof
Let bitter curses fall:

For dastardly they loll'd at home,
And came not to, nor chose
Jehovah's help, Jehovah's help,
Against the mighty foes.

'Bove women Jael, Heber's wife,
The Kenite bless'd shall be;
'Bove women, tim'rous in the tent,
The blessing gain shall she.

He water sought, she gave him milk,
For drink to his content;
And butter in a lordly dish,
Did cunningly present.

The nail she in her left-hand took,
The hammer in the right;
Then hammer'd softly Sisera
Down to the ground on sight.

When through his temples she had pierc'd,
And striken on the spot;
Then, fearless, she his fetter'd head,
From off his shoulders smote.

Thus at her feet he bow'd, he fell,
And struggling lay decoy'd;
Prostrate he fell; and where he bow'd,
There down he fell destroy'd.

Sis'ra's vain mother (swell'd in thought,
That she him victor spy'd,)
From out the window glaring look'd,
And through the lattice cry'd;

“Why stays so long this conquering car,
With trophies at his heels
Triumphant led? Why tarry thus
His rapid chariot-wheels?”

Her ladies wise about her made
An answer to her mind;
Yea, she herself did to herself
The following answer find:

“Have they not sped? and is not this
The reason of their stay?
That full they may the booty view,
And distribute the prey?

“To every man a maid or two,
By poll to call their dues;
To Sisera, beyond the rest,
A prey of divers hues?

“Of party-colour'd needle-work,
Wrought so upon each side,
Meet for the necks of them that do
The joyful spoil divide?

So let thy foes all perish, Lord,
But let thy friends upright,
Be like the sun, when going forth,
In his resistless might.