Judges 14
1 Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah, of the daughters of the Philistines;
And Samson went down to Timnath, —and saw a woman in Timnath, of the daughters of the Philistines.
2 And when he came back he said to his father and mother, I have seen a woman in Timnah, of the daughters of the Philistines: get her now for me for my wife.
So he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said—A woman, have I seen in Timnath, of the daughters of the Philistines, —now, therefore, take her for me, to wife.
3 Then his father and mother said to him, Is there no woman among the daughters of your relations or among all my people, that you have to go for your wife to the Philistines, who are without circumcision? But Samson said to his father, Get her for me, for she is pleasing to me.
And his father and his mother said to him—Is there not, among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, a woman, that thou art going away to take a woman from among the uncircumcised Philistines? But Samson said unto his father—Take, her, for me, for, she, is pleasant in mine eyes.
4 Now his father and mother had no knowledge that this was the purpose of the Lord, who had the destruction of the Philistines in mind. Now the Philistines at that time were ruling over Israel.
Now, his father and his mother, knew not, that, from Yahweh, it was, that, an occasion, he was seeking of the Philistines, —at that time, the Philistines having dominion over Israel.
5 Then Samson went down to Timnah (and his father and his mother, ) and came to the vine-gardens of Timnah; and a young lion came rushing out at him.
So Samson went down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, —and they came as far as the vineyards of Timnath, when lo! a young lion, roaring to meet him.
6 And the spirit of the Lord came on him with power, and, unarmed as he was, pulling the lion in two as one might do to a young goat, he put him to death; (but he said nothing to his father and mother of what he had done.)
And the Spirit of Yahweh, came suddenly over him, and he tore it in pieces as if he had torn in pieces a kid, there being, nothing at all, in his hand, —but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
7 So he went down and had talk with the woman; and she was pleasing to Samson.
So he went down, and spake unto the woman, —and she was pleasant in the eyes of Samson.
8 Then after a time he went back to take her; and turning from the road to see the dead body of the lion, he saw a mass of bees in the body of the lion, and honey there.
And he returned, after a time, to take her, and went aside to see the carcass of the lion, —and lo! a swarm of bees, in the body of the lion, and, honey,
9 And he took the honey in his hand, and went on, tasting it on the way; and when he came to his father and mother he gave some to them; but did not say that he had taken the honey from the body of the lion.
which he took into his hands, and went on—eating as he went, and came unto his father and unto his mother, and gave unto them, and they did eat, —but he told them not that, out of the carcass of the lion, he had taken the honey.
10 Then Samson went down to the woman, and made a feast there, as was the way among young men.
And his father went down unto the woman, —and Samson made there a banquet, for, so, used the young men, to do.
11 And he took thirty friends, and they were with him.
And it came to pass, because they feared him, that they took thirty companions, who remained with him.
12 And Samson said, Now I have a hard question for you: if you are able to give me the answer before the seven days of the feast are over, I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty changes of clothing;
And Samson said unto them, I pray you let me put you forth a riddle, —if ye, tell, it me, within the seven days of the banquet, and find it out, then will I give you thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of raiment;
13 But if you are not able to give me the answer, then you will have to give me thirty linen robes and thirty changes of clothing. And they said to him, Put your hard question and let us see what it is.
but, if ye cannot tell me, then shall, ye, give me thirty linen wraps, and thirty changes of raiment. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14 And he said, Out of the taker of food came food, and out of the strong came the sweet. And at the end of three days they were still not able to give the answer.
And he said to them—Out of the eater, came forth food, And, out of the strong, came forth sweetness. But they could not tell the riddle, in three days.
15 So on the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, Get from your husband the answer to his question by some trick or other, or we will have you and your father's house burned with fire; did you get us here to take all we have?
And it came to pass, on the fourth day, that they said to Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may tell us the riddle, lest we burn thee and the house of thy father, with fire. Was it not, to impoverish us, that ye invited us—was it not?
16 Then Samson's wife, weeping over him, said, Truly you have no love for me but only hate; you have put a hard question to the children of my people and have not given me the answer. And he said to her, See, I have not given the answer even to my father or my mother; am I to give it to you?
And the wife of Samson wept upon him, and said—Thou dost, altogether hate me, and dost not love me, a riddle, hast thou put forth to the sons of my people, and, unto me, thou hast not told it! And he said to her, Lo! to my own father and mother, have I not told it, and, to thee, shall I tell it?
17 And all the seven days of the feast she went on weeping over him; and on the seventh day he gave her the answer, because she gave him no peace; and she sent word of it to the children of her people.
So she wept upon him the seven days, —while their banquet lasted, —and it came to pass, on the seventh day, that he told her, because she urged him, and she told the riddle unto the sons of her people.
18 Then on the seventh day, before he went into the bride's room, the men of the town said to him, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them, If you had not been ploughing with my cow you would not have got the answer to my question.
And the men of the city said to him, on the seventh day—ere yet the sun went in, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them: If ye had not ploughed with my heifer, Ye had not found out my riddle!
19 And the spirit of the Lord came rushing on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and, attacking thirty men there, took their clothing from them, and gave it to the men who had given the answer to his hard question. Then, full of wrath, he went back to his father's house.
And the Spirit of Yahweh, came suddenly over him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote of them thirty men, and took their garments, and gave the changes [of raiment] to them who had told the riddle, —and his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.
20 But Samson's wife was given to the friend who had been his best man.
And the wife of Samson was given unto his companion who had served him as his friend.
