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.
Ukwati wa Samsoni
1Samsoni anapita ku Timna ndipo kumeneko anaonako mtsikana wa Chifilisiti. 2Atabwerera kwawo, anawuza abambo ndi amayi ake kuti, “Ine ndaona mtsikana wa Chifilisiti ku Timna, tsono mukanditengere ameneyo kuti akhale mkazi wanga.”
3Koma abambo ndi amayi ake anayankha kuti, “Kodi palibe mkazi pakati pa abale akowa kapena pakati pa anthu a mtundu wako, kuti iwe upite kukapeza mkazi kwa Afilisti anthu osachita mdulidwe?”
Koma Samsoni anawuza abambo ake kuti, “Kanditengereni ameneyu basi, pakuti ndamukonda.” 4(Abambo ndi amayi ake sankadziwa kuti zimenezi zinali zochokera kwa Yehova, pakuti Yehova amafuna powapezera chifukwa Afilistiwo. Nthawi imeneyo nʼkuti Afilisti akulamulira Aisraeli). 5Choncho Samsoni pamodzi ndi abambo ake anapita ku Timna. Akuyandikira minda ya mpesa ya ku Timna, mwadzidzidzi anamva kubuma kwa mkango waungʼono ukubwera kumene kunali iye. 6Tsono Mzimu wa Yehova unafika ndi mphamvu pa Samsoni ndipo ngakhale analibe chida mʼmanja mwake, iye anakadzula mkangowo ngati akukadzula mwana wambuzi. Koma sanawuze abambo kapena amayi ake zimene anachitazo. 7Kenaka Samsoni anapita kukakambirana ndi mkaziyo, ndipo anamukonda mtsikanayo.
8Patapita nthawi, Samsoni anabwerera kukatenga mtsikana uja. Panjira anapatuka kukaona mkango unawupha uja, ndipo anangoona njuchi zili mu mkangowo pamodzi ndi uchi wake. 9Tsono anakomberako uchi uja mʼmanja mwake ndi kumapita akudya. Atabwereranso kwa abambo ndi amayi ake, anawapatsako uchiwo ndipo anadya. Koma sanawawuze kuti uchi umenewo anawufula mu mkango wakufa.
10Tsopano Samsoni anapita ku nyumba kwa mtsikanayo. Ndipo kumeneko Samsoni anakonza phwando monga ankachitira anyamata. 11Makolo a mkwatibwiyo atamuona, anasankha anyamata makumi atatu kuti akhale naye.
12Samsoni anawawuza kuti, “Bwanji ndikuphereni mwambi. Mukandiwuza tanthauzo lake asanathe masiku asanu ndi awiri aphwandowa, ndidzakupatsani zovala makumi atatu za bafuta ndi zina makumi atatu za tsiku la chikondwerero. 13Koma ngati simutha kundiwuza tanthauzo lake, inuyo mudzandipatsa zovala makumi atatu zabafuta ndi zina za tsiku la chikondwerero.”
Iwo anamuyankha kuti, “Tiwuze mwambi wakowo tiwumve.”
14Iye anati,
“Chakudya chinatuluka mu chinthu chodya chinzake;
ndipo chozuna chinatuluka mu chinthu champhamvu.”
Panapita masiku atatu anthuwo akulephera kumasulira mwambiwo.
15Tsiku lachinayi anthuwo anawuza mkazi wa Samsoni kuti, “Umunyengerere mwamuna wako kuti akuwuze tanthauzo la mwambiwu. Ngati sutero tikutentha iweyo pamodzi ndi nyumba ya abambo ako. Kodi unatiyitana kuti mudzatilande zinthu zathu?”
16Kenaka mkazi wa Samsoni anayamba kulira pamaso pake namuwuza kuti, “Inu mumandida ndipo simundikonda. Mwaphera anyamata a mtundu wathu mwambi, koma ine wosandiwuza tanthauzo lake.”
Samsoni anamuyankha kuti, “Taona sindinawuze abambo kapena amayi anga, ndiye ndiwuze iweyo?” 17Mkaziyo anamulirira masiku onse asanu ndi awiri aphwandowo. Choncho pa tsiku lachisanu ndi chiwiri anamuwuza tanthauzo lake popeza amamukakamiza. Ndipo mkaziyo anakawuza abale ake aja tanthauzo la mwambiwo.
18Pambuyo pake anthu a mu mzinda aja anamuwuza Samsoni pa tsiku lachisanu ndi chiwiri dzuwa lisanalowe kuti,
“Chozuna nʼchiyani choposa uchi?
Champhamvu nʼchiyani choposa mkango?”
Samsoni anawawuza kuti,
“Mukanapanda kutipula ndi ngʼombe yanga yayingʼono,
simukanatha kumasulira mwambi wangawu.”
19Ndipo Mzimu wa Yehova unafika pa iye mwamphamvu. Choncho anatsikira ku Asikeloni naphako anthu makumi atatu, natenga zovala zawo za tsiku la chikondwerero napereka kwa anthu amene anamasulira mwambi wake. Kenaka anabwerera ku nyumba ya abambo ake ndi mkwiyo waukulu. 20Ndipo mkazi wa Samsoniyo anamukwatitsa kwa amene anali mnzake womuperekeza pa ukwati paja.
