1And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 2And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 3Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.14.3 pleaseth…: Heb. is right in mine eyes 4But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
5¶ Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.14.5 against…: Heb. in meeting him 6And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. 7And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
8¶ And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. 9And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
10¶ So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. 11And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12¶ And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:14.12 sheets: or, shirts 13But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.14.13 sheets: or, shirts 14And he said unto 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 it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?14.15 take…: Heb. possess us, or, impoverish us? 16And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee? 17And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.14.17 the seven…: or, the rest of the seven days 18And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
19¶ And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.14.19 spoil: or, apparel 20But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
Samson Aware Ne Nʼaborɔme No
1Da bi a na Samson wɔ Timna14.1 Timna yɛ kurow bi a na ɛwɔ Dan (Yos 19.43). Na Filistifo te saa kurow yi mu ansa na Israelfo rebɛfa hɔ. no, ohuu Filistini ababaa bi. 2Ɔsan kɔɔ fie no, ɔka kyerɛɛ nʼagya ne ne na se, “Mahu Filistini ababaa bi wɔ Timna a mepɛ sɛ meware no.”
3Nʼagya ne ne na ampene so kaa no anibere so se, “Enti yɛn abusua yi mu anaa Israelfo yi mu, ɔbea baako mpo nni mu a wutumi ware no? Adɛn na ɛsɛ sɛ wokɔ Filistifo abosonsomfo mu kɔhwehwɛ ɔyere?”
Nanso Samson ka kyerɛɛ nʼagya se, “Kɔyɛ ne ho ade ma me. Ɔno ara na mepɛ.” 4Nʼagya ne ne na anhu sɛ Awurade na ɔreyɛ nʼadwuma, rehwehwɛ akwannya bi a ɔbɛfa so atia Filistifo a saa bere no na wodi Israelfo so.
5Samson ne nʼawofo rekɔ Timna no, gyata ba bi tow hyɛɛ Samson so wɔ beae bi a ɛbɛn Timna bobe nturo. 6Amono mu hɔ ara, Awurade Honhom baa ne so wɔ ahoɔden mu, na ɔde ne nsa hunu waee gyata no abogye. Ɔwaee te sɛ nea ɔrewae abirekyi ba bi abogye. Nanso wanka nea ɔyɛe yi ankyerɛ nʼawofo. 7Samson duu Timna no, ɔne ɔbea no kasae, na nʼani gyee ne ho.
8Akyiri no a ɔresan akɔ Timna akohyia ayeforo no, ɔman kɔhwɛɛ gyata no funu no. Ohuu sɛ nnowa kuw akɔyɛ ɛwo wɔ mu. 9Okotii ɛwo no bi dii wɔ kwan so. Ɔmaa nʼawofo no bi ma wodii. Nanso wanka ankyerɛ wɔn sɛ onyaa ɛwo no wɔ gyata funu no mu.
10Afei, bere a nʼagya reyɛ ahoboa ama awaregye no, Samson too pon wɔ Timna, sɛnea amanne kyerɛ saa bere no. 11Wɔtoo nsa frɛɛ mmerante aduasa a wofi kurow no mu sɛ wɔmmɛka ne ho. 12Samson ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Momma menka aborɔme bi nkyerɛ mo. Sɛ nnanson aponto yi mu, mutumi yi ano a, mɛma mo sirikyitam ntade aduasa ne ntade ahorow bi nso aduasa. 13Sɛ moantumi anyi ano nso a, mo nso mobɛma me sirikyitam ntade aduasa ne ntade ahorow bi nso aduasa.”
Wɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Ka aborɔme no ma yentie.”
14Ɔkaa no se,
“Nea odidi mu na wonya biribi a wodi;
ɔhoɔdenfo mu na ade dɛɛdɛ fi ba.”
Nnansa akyi no, na wontumi nyii ano.
15Ne nnaanan so no, wɔkɔka kyerɛɛ Samson yere se, “Gye aborɔme no mmuae fi wo kunu hɔ ma yɛn, anyɛ saa a, yɛbɛhyew wo ne wʼagya fi ama wɔawu. Motoo nsa frɛɛ yɛn wɔ ha sɛ morebesisi yɛn ana?”
16Enti Samson yere de su baa ne nkyɛn bɛkae se, “Wonnɔ me. Wotan me! Woaka aborɔme bi akyerɛ me nkurɔfo, nanso wonkyerɛɛ me ase.”
Samson buaa ne yere no se, “Saa ara na mʼagya ne me na nso menkyerɛɛ wɔn ase ɛ. Na adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ meka kyerɛ wo?” 17Enti osu guu ne so bere biara a ɔne no wɔ hɔ. Ɔkɔɔ so saa ara nna a aka na aponto no aba nʼawie nyinaa. Nnanson so no, esiane haw a ɔhaw no nti, ɔkyerɛɛ no ase. Ɔno nso kaa aborɔme nkyerɛase no kyerɛɛ mmerante no.
18Na nnanson so, ansa na owia rebɛtɔ no, kurow no mu mmarima baa Samson nkyɛn bɛkyerɛɛ no ase se,
“Dɛn na ɛyɛ dɛ sen ɛwo?
Dɛn na ɛwɔ ahoɔden sen gyata?”
Samson buaa wɔn se, “Sɛ mo ne ɔfatwafo no antu agyina a, anka morennya aborɔme no nkyerɛase.”
19Afei, Awurade Honhom de ahoɔden kɛse bi baa ne so. Ɔkɔɔ Askelon14.19 Na Askelon yɛ Filisti kurow. kurow mu. Okunkum mmarima aduasa faa wɔn agyapade nyinaa. Ɔde wɔn ntade maa mmarima a woyii aborɔme no ano no. Na Samson bo annwo nea ɛbae no ho yiye nti ɔkɔɔ ne fi na ɔne nʼawofo kɔtenae. 20Enti wɔde ne yere no maa ɔbarima a na odi Samson nan ase wɔ wɔn ayeforohyia mu no aware.
