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.
Si Samson at ang Babae sa Timnah
1Isang araw, pumunta si Samson sa Timnah, at may nakita siya roon na isang dalagang Filisteo. 2Nang umuwi siya, nagkwento siya sa mga magulang niya. Sinabi niya, “May nakita ako sa Timnah na isang babaeng Filisteo. Kunin ninyo siya dahil gusto ko siyang mapangasawa.”
3Pero sumagot ang mga magulang niya, “Bakit gusto mong makapag-asawa ng mula sa mga Filisteong hindi nakakakilala sa Dios?14:3 hindi … Dios: sa literal, ay hindi tuli. Wala ka bang mapili sa mga kamag-anak o kababayan natin?” Sumagot si Samson sa kanyang ama, “Ah basta, siya po ang gusto kong mapangasawa.” 4Hindi pala alam ng mga magulang ni Samson na kalooban ng Panginoon ang pasya niya. Sapagkat naghahanap ang Panginoon ng pagkakataon na makipaglaban sa mga Filisteo, dahil sakop ng mga Filisteo ang Israel nang mga panahong iyon.
5Pumunta si Samson sa Timnah kasama ang mga magulang niya. Nang papunta na si Samson14:5 Samson: sa Septuagint, siya. Sa Hebreo, sila. sa mga ubasan sa Timnah, bigla siyang sinalubong ng isang batang leon na umuungal. 6Pinalakas siya ng Espiritu ng Panginoon, at niluray niya ang leon sa pamamagitan ng mga kamay niya na tulad lang ng pagluray sa batang kambing. Pero hindi niya ito sinabi sa mga magulang niya. 7At pinuntahan ni Samson ang babae at nakipagkwentuhan. Nagustuhan talaga niya ang babae.
8Pagkalipas ng ilang araw, bumalik siya sa Timnah para pakasalan ang babae. Doon siya dumaan sa kinaroroonan ng pinatay niyang leon para tingnan ang bangkay nito. At nakita niya ang maraming pulot at pukyutan sa bangkay ng leon. 9Isinandok niya ang kanyang kamay sa pulot at kinain ito habang naglalakad. Nang makita niya ang kanyang magulang, binigyan niya sila ng pulot, at kinain din nila ito. Pero hindi niya sinabi sa kanila na kinuha niya ito sa bangkay ng leon.
10-11Pumunta ang ama ni Samson sa bahay ng magiging manugang niya, at doon ay nagpa-piging si Samson ayon sa kaugalian nila na dapat gawin ng isang nobyo. Nang makita nila si Samson, binigyan siya ng 30 binatang lalaki para makasama niya. 12Sinabi ni Samson sa kanila, “May bugtong ako sa inyo. Kung mahuhulaan nʼyo ito bago matapos ang pitong araw na piging, bibigyan ko kayo ng 30 telang linen at 30 mamahaling damit. 13Pero kapag hindi nʼyo ito nahulaan, kayo ang magbibigay sa akin ng mga ito.” Sumagot sila, “Sige, sabihin mo sa amin ang bugtong mo.”
14Sinabi ni Samson,
“Mula sa nangangain, lumabas ang pagkain,
at mula sa malakas, matamis ay lumabas.”
Lumipas ang tatlong araw pero hindi nila ito mahulaan. 15Nang ikaapat na araw, kinausap nila ang asawa ni Samson, “Hikayatin mo ang asawa mo na ipagtapat niya sa iyo ang sagot sa bugtong para malaman namin. Kung hindi, susunugin ka namin pati ang sambahayan ng iyong ama. Inimbita nʼyo ba kami sa piging na ito para kunin ang mga pag-aari namin?”
16Kaya pumunta ang babae kay Samson na mangiyak-ngiyak. Sinabi niya, “Hindi mo pala ako mahal. Nagpahula ka ng bugtong sa mga kababayan ko pero hindi mo sinabi sa akin ang sagot.” Sumagot si Samson, “Hindi ko nga sinabi sa mga magulang ko, sa iyo pa kaya?” 17Mula noon, patuloy na umiyak ang babae hanggang sa ikapitong araw. Kaya sinabi na lang ni Samson sa kanya ang sagot dahil tuloy pa rin ang pangungulit niya. At ang sinabi ni Samson sa kanya ay sinabi rin niya sa kanyang kababayan. 18Kaya bago matapos ang ikapitong araw, sinagot nila ang bugtong. Sinabi nila kay Samson,
“Wala nang mas tatamis pa sa pulot, at wala nang mas lalakas pa sa leon.”
Sumagot si Samson,
“Kung hindi nʼyo pinilit ang asawa14:18 Kung … asawa: sa literal, Kung hindi ninyo ipinang-araro ang aking dumalagang baka. ko,
hindi nʼyo sana nalaman ang sagot.”
19Pinalakas ng Espiritu ng Panginoon si Samson. Pumunta siya sa Ashkelon at doon pinatay niya ang 30 tao at kinuha ang mga ari-arian at mga damit ng mga ito. Pagkatapos, ibinigay niya ang mga damit sa mga tao na nakasagot ng bugtong niya. Kaya umuwi siya sa magulang niya na galit na galit dahil sa nangyari. 20Ang asawa ni Samson ay ibinigay sa pangunahing abay sa kanilang kasal.
