Richter 14

1Then Samson went down to Thamnatlia, and seeing there a woman of the daughters of the Philistines,

2He came up, and told his father and his mother, saying: I saw a woman in Thamnatha of the daughters of the Philistines: I beseech you, take her for me to wife.

3And his father and mother said to him: Is there no woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou wilt take a wife of the Philistines, who are uncircumcised? And Samson said to his father: Take this woman for me, for she hath pleased my eyes.

4Now his parents knew not that the thing was done by the Lord, and that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

5Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Thamnatha. And when they were come to the vineyards of the town, behold a young lion met him raging and roaring.

6And the spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, and he tore the lion as he would have torn a kid in pieces, having nothing at all in his hand: and he would not tell this to his father and mother.

7And he went down and spoke to the woman that had pleased his eyes.

8And after some days returning to take her, he went aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold there was a swarm of bees in the mouth of the lion and a honeycomb.

9And when be had taken it in his hands, he went on eating: and coming to his father and mother, he gave them of it, and they ate: but he would not tell them, that he had taken the honey from the body of the lion.

10So his father went down to the woman, and made a feast for his son Samson: for so the young men used to do.

11And when the citizens of that place saw him, they brought him thirty companions to be with him.

12And Samson said to them: I will propose to you a riddle, which if you declare unto me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty shirts, and as many coats:

13But if you shall not be able to declare it, you shall give me thirty shirts and the same number of coats. They answered him: Put forth the riddle that we may hear it.

14And he said to them: Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.

15And when the seventh day came, they said to the wife of Samson: Soothe thy husband, and persuade him to tell thee what the riddle meaneth. But if thou wilt not do it, we will burn thee, and thy father’s house. Have you called us to the wedding on purpose to strip us?

16So she wept before Samson and complained, saying: Thou hatest me, and dost not love me: therefore thou wilt not expound to me the riddle which thou hast proposed to the sons of my people. But he answered: I would not tell it to my father and mother, and how can I tell it to thee?

17So she wept before him the seven days of the feast: and at length on the seventh day as she was troublesome to him, he expounded it. And she immediately told her countrymen.

18And they on the seventh day before the sun went down said to him: What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them: If you had not ploughed with my heifer, you had not found out my riddle.

19And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ascalon, and slew there thirty men, whose garments he took away and gave to them that had declared the riddle. And being exceeding angry he went up to his father’s house:

20But his wife took one of his friends and bridal companions for her husband.

1Descendit ergo Samson in Thamnatha: vidensque ibi mulierem de filiabus Philisthiim,

2ascendit, et nuntiavit patri suo et matri suæ, dicens: Vidi mulierem in Thamnatha de filiabus Philisthinorum: quam quæso ut mihi accipiatis uxorem.

3Cui dixerunt pater et mater sua: Numquid non est mulier in filiabus fratrum tuorum, et in omni populo meo, quia vis accipere uxorem de Philisthiim, qui incircumcisi sunt? Dixitque Samson ad patrem suum: Hanc mihi accipe: quia placuit oculis meis.

4Parentes autem ejus nesciebant quod res a Domino fieret, et quæreret occasionem contra Philisthiim: eo enim tempore Philisthiim dominabantur Israëli.

5Descendit itaque Samson cum patre suo et matre in Thamnatha. Cumque venissent ad vineas oppidi, apparuit catulus leonis sævus, et rugiens, et occurrit ei.

6Irruit autem spiritus Domini in Samson, et dilaceravit leonem, quasi hædum in frustra discerpens, nihil omnino habens in manu: et hoc patri et matri noluit indicare.

7Descenditque, et locutus est mulieri quæ placuerat oculis ejus.

8Et post aliquot dies revertens ut acciperet eam, declinavit ut videret cadaver leonis, et ecce examen apum in ore leonis erat ac favus mellis.

9Quem cum sumpsisset in manibus comedebat in via: veniensque ad patrem suum et matrem, dedit eis partem, qui et ipsi comederunt: nec tamen eis voluit indicare quod mel de corpore leonis assumpserat.

10Descendit itaque pater ejus ad mulierem, et fecit filio suo Samson convivium: sic enim juvenes facere consueverant.

11Cum ergo cives loci illius vidissent eum, dederunt ei sodales triginta ut essent cum eo.

12Quibus locutus est Samson: Proponam vobis problema: quod si solveritis mihi intra septem dies convivii, dabo vobis triginta sindones, et totidem tunicas:

13sin autem non potueritis solvere, vos dabitis mihi triginta sindones, et ejusdem numeri tunicas. Qui responderunt ei: Propone problema, ut audiamus.

14Dixitque eis: [De comedente exivit cibus, et de forti egressa est dulcedo.] Nec potuerunt per tres dies propositionem solvere.

15Cumque adesset dies septimus, dixerunt ad uxorem Samson: Blandire viro tuo et suade ei ut indicet tibi quid significet problema: quod si facere nolueris, incendemus te, et domum patris tui: an idcirco vocastis nos ad nuptias ut spoliaretis?

16Quæ fundebat apud Samson lacrimas, et quærebatur, dicens: Odisti me, et non diligis: idcirco problema, quod proposuisti filiis populi mei, non vis mihi exponere. At ille respondit: Patri meo et matri nolui dicere: et tibi indicare potero?

17Septem igitur diebus convivii flebat ante eum: tandemque die septimo cum ei esset molesta, exposuit. Quæ statim indicavit civibus suis.

18Et illi dixerunt ei die septimo ante solis occubitum: [Quid dulcius melle, et quid fortius leone?] Qui ait ad eos: [Si non arassetis in vitula mea, non invenissetis propositionem meam.]

19Irruit itaque in eum spiritus Domini, descenditque Ascalonem, et percussit ibi triginta viros: quorum ablatas vestes dedit iis qui problema solverant. Iratusque nimis ascendit in domum patris sui:

20uxor autem ejus accepit maritum unum de amicis ejus et pronubis.

1Then Samson descended to Timnah. And seeing there a woman from the daughters of the Philistines,

2he went up, and he told his father and his mother, saying: “I saw a woman in Timnah from the daughters of the Philistines. I ask that you take her to me as wife.”

3And his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your brothers, or among all my people, so that you would be willing to take a wife from the Philistines, who are uncircumcised?” And Samson said to his father: “Take this woman to me. For she has pleased my eyes.”

4Now his parents did not know that the matter was done by the Lord, and that he sought an occasion against the Philistines. For at that time, the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

5And so, Samson descended with his father and mother to Timnah. And when they had arrived at the vineyards of the town, he saw a young lion, savage and roaring, and it met him.

6Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Samson, and he tore apart the lion, like a young goat being torn into pieces, having nothing at all in his hand. And he was not willing to reveal this to his father and mother.

7And he went down and spoke to the woman who had pleased his eyes.

8And after some days, returning to marry her, he turned aside so that he might see the carcass of the lion. And behold, there was a swarm of bees in the mouth of the lion, with a honeycomb.

9And when he had taken it in his hands, he ate it along the way. And arriving to his father and mother, he gave them a portion, and they also ate it. Yet he was not willing to reveal to them that he had taken the honey from the body of the lion.

10And so his father went down to the woman, and he made a feast for his son Samson. For so the young men were accustomed to do.

11And when the citizens of that place had seen him, they presented to him thirty companions to be with him.

12And Samson said to them: “I will propose to you a problem, which, if you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty shirts and the same number of tunics.

13But if you are not able to solve it, you shall give me thirty shirts and the same number of tunics.” And they answered him, “Propose the problem, so that we may hear it.”

14And he said to them, “Food went forth from that which eats, and sweetness went forth from that which is strong.” And they were unable to solve the proposition for three days.

15And when the seventh day had arrived, they said to the wife of Samson: “Coax your husband, and persuade him to reveal to you what the proposition means. But if you are not willing to do so, we will burn you and your father’s house. Or have you called us to the wedding in order to despoil us?”

16And she shed tears before Samson, and she complained, saying: “You hate me, and you do not love me. That is why you do not want to explain to me the problem, which you have proposed to the sons of my people.” But he responded: “I was not willing to reveal it to my father and mother. And so, how can I reveal it to you?”

17Therefore, she wept before him during the seven days of the feast. And at length, on the seventh day, since she had been troubling him, he explained it. And immediately she revealed it to her countrymen.

18And they, on the seventh day, before the sun declined, said to him: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” And he said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have uncovered my proposition.”

19And so the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he descended to Ashkelon, and in that place he struck down thirty men. And taking away their garments, he gave them to those who had solved the problem. And being exceedingly angry, he went up to his father’s house.

20Then his wife took as a husband one of his friends and wedding companions.