< Judges 14 >
1 And Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines, and she was right in his eyes.
Samson, étant allé un jour à Timna, y remarqua une femme entre les filles des Philistins.
2 He came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, "I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. Now therefore get her for me as wife."
A son retour, il le raconta à son père et à sa mère, en disant: "J’Ai vu une femme à Timna, parmi les filles des Philistins, et je désire que vous me la procuriez pour épouse."
3 Then his father and his mother said to him, "Is there not a woman among the daughters of your brothers, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?" And Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes."
Son père et sa mère lui dirent: "Est-ce qu’il n’y a pas de femme dans ta parenté ou dans le reste de notre peuple, que tu ailles en chercher une parmi ces Philistins incirconcis?" Samson répondit à son père: "Procure-moi celle-là, puisque celle-là me plaît."
4 But his father and his mother did not know that it was of the LORD, for he sought for an opportunity against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.
Or, ses parents ne savaient pas que cela venait de Dieu, et qu’il cherchait une occasion de nuire aux Philistins, qui dominaient alors sur Israël.
5 Then Samson went down with his father and his mother to Timnah. And he turned aside and went into the vineyards of Timnah, and look, a young lion roared against him.
Samson se rendit donc, avec son père et sa mère, à Timna. Comme ils atteignaient les vignes de Timna, voici qu’un jeune lion vint à lui en rugissant.
6 And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and he tore him as he would have torn a young goat. And he had nothing in his hand, but he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.
Saisi soudain de l’esprit divin, Samson le mit en pièces comme on ferait d’un chevreau, et il n’avait aucune arme. Mais il ne dit pas à ses parents ce qu’il avait fait.
7 He went down and talked with the woman, and she was right in Samson's eyes.
Il alla ensuite faire sa déclaration à la femme, qui continua à lui plaire.
8 After a while he returned to take her; and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and look, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.
Quelque temps après, étant revenu pour l’épouser, il s’écarta afin de voir le cadavre du lion, et il trouva dans le corps un essaim d’abeilles et du miel.
9 He took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went. And he came to his father and mother, and gave to them, and they ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the body of the lion.
Il le recueillit dans ses mains, en mangea chemin faisant, et, ayant rejoint ses parents, leur en donna à manger, sans leur apprendre qu’il avait tiré ce miel du corps du lion.
10 His father went down to the woman, and Samson made a feast there, since young men used to do so.
Son père descendit chez l’épousée, où Samson donna un festin, selon l’usage des jeunes gens.
11 It happened, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
Lors de sa réception, l’on désigna trente compagnons pour lui tenir société.
12 Samson said to them, "Let me now put forth a riddle to you. If you can explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, and figure it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.
Samson leur dit: "Je veux vous proposer une énigme. Si vous pouvez la résoudre et me l’expliquer dans les sept jours du festin, je vous donnerai trente chemises et trente habillements de rechange;
13 But if you can't explain it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing." And they said to him, "Propose your riddle, we want to hear it."
mais si vous ne pouvez me l’expliquer, c’est vous qui me donnerez trente chemises et trente habillements." Ils lui répondirent: "Propose-nous ton énigme, pour que nous l’entendions."
14 He said to them, "Out of the eater came forth food. Out of the strong came forth sweetness." They couldn't in three days declare the riddle.
Et il leur dit: "Du mangeur est sorti un aliment, et du fort est sortie la douceur." Mais ils ne purent deviner l’énigme, trois jours durant.
15 And it happened on the fourth day, that they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband, that he may tell us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire. Did you invite us here to impoverish us?"
Le septième jour, ils dirent à la femme de Samson: "Persuade à ton mari de te communiquer la solution et nous la rapporte, ou nous te brûlerons avec ta famille. Est-ce pour nous dépouiller que vous nous avez invités, vraiment?"
16 Samson's wife wept before him, and said, "You just hate me, and do not love me. You have put forth a riddle to the children of my people, and haven't told it me." And he said to her, "Look, I haven't told it to my father or my mother, and shall I tell you?"
La femme de Samson l’obséda de ses pleurs, disant: "Tu n’as que de la haine pour moi, point d’amour! Tu as proposé une énigme à mes compatriotes, et tu ne m’en as pas dit le mot! Vois! répondit-il, je ne l’ai pas dit à mon père ni à ma mère, et à toi je le révélerais?"
17 She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it happened on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him hard; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
Elle l’obséda ainsi de ses pleurs pendant les sept jours qu’on célébra le festin, si bien que le septième jour, vaincu par ses instances, il lui révéla le mot, qu’elle apprit à son tour à ses compatriotes.
18 The men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" He said to them, "If you hadn't plowed with my heifer, you wouldn't have found out my riddle."
Le septième jour, avant que le soleil fût couché, les gens de la ville dirent à Samson: "Qu’y a-t-il de plus doux que le miel, et de plus fort que le lion?" A quoi il répondit: "Si vous n’aviez pas labouré avec ma génisse, vous n’auriez pas deviné mon énigme."
19 The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and struck thirty men of them, and took their belongings, and gave their garments to those who explained the riddle. His anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
Et saisi de l’esprit divin, il descendit à Ascalon, y tua trente hommes, s’empara de leurs dépouilles et donna aux devineurs les vêtements promis; puis, plein de fureur, se retira chez son père.
20 But Samson's wife was given to his companion, who had been his friend.
La femme de Samson fut donnée à l’un des compagnons qu’on lui avait adjoints.