Judges 16
1 One day Samson went to Gaza [city in the Philistia area]. He spent some time with a prostitute.
Ɛda bi, Samson kɔɔ Filistifoɔ kuropɔn Gasa mu, na ɔne ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ bi kɔdaa anadwo no.
2 People soon found out that Samson was there, so the men of Gaza gathered together at the city gate and waited all night. They said to themselves, “When it dawns tomorrow morning, we will kill him [when he tries to leave the city].”
Ankyɛre na kuro mma no tee sɛ Samson wɔ hɔ, enti Gasa mmarima boaboaa wɔn ho ano na wɔtwɛnee kuro no ɛpono ano anadwo mu no nyinaa. Wɔyɛɛ komm anadwo no kaa sɛ, “Adeɛ kye a yɛbɛkum no.”
3 But Samson did not stay there all night. At midnight, he got up. He went to the city gate, he took hold of its two posts, and he lifted it up out of the ground, with its [connecting cross] bar still attached. He put it on his shoulders and carried it [many miles] uphill to Hebron.
Na Samson daa hɔ ara kɔsii dasuo mu. Ɔsɔre sɔɔ kuro no apono no ne nʼaponnwa mmienu mu hodwoo no, na ɔtutuu dadeɛ abaa a ɛda akyire ne deɛ ɛkeka ho nyinaa. Ɔde ne nyinaa guu ne mmatire so, soa de kɔɔ bepɔ bi a ɛne Hebron di nhwɛanimu no atifi.
4 Later Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, [and started to live with her]. She lived in Sorek Valley [in the Philistia area].
Akyire no, Samson nyaa ɔbaa bi wɔ Sorek bɔnhwa no mu a na wɔfrɛ no Delila.
5 The Philistine leaders went to her and said, “Find out from Samson what makes him so strong. And find out how we can subdue him and tie him up securely. If you do that, each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver.”
Filistifoɔ ntuanofoɔ kɔɔ ɔbaa no nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Hwɛ sɛ wobɛtumi adaadaa Samson ma wakyerɛ wo deɛ ɛma ɔnya ahoɔden saa ne sɛdeɛ yɛbɛtumi adi ne so, akyekyere no pampee. Na yɛn mu biara bɛma wo nnwetɛbena kilogram dumienu ne fa.”
6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me what makes you so strong, and tell me how someone can subdue you and tie you up.”
Enti, Delila ka kyerɛɛ Samson sɛ, “Mesrɛ wo kyerɛ me deɛ ɛma wo ahoɔden saa ne deɛ ɛbɛyɛ a yɛbɛtumi akyekyere wo pampee.”
7 Samson said, “If someone ties me with seven new bowstrings, ones that are not dry yet, I will become as weak as other men.”
Samson buaa no sɛ, “Sɛ obi de agyan so nhoma nson a ɛnwoeɛ kyekyere me a, mɛyɛ mmerɛ te sɛ onipa biara.”
8 So [after Delilah told that to the Philistine leaders], they brought seven new bowstrings to Delilah.
Enti, Filistifoɔ ntuanofoɔ no de agyan so nhoma nson a ɛnwoeɛ brɛɛ Delila maa ɔde kyekyeree Samson.
9 Then she hid the men in one of the rooms in her house. Then [while Samson was sleeping], she tied him up with the bowstrings. Then she called out, “Samson! The Philistines have come here to capture you!” But Samson snapped the bowstrings as easily as though they were strings that had been singed in a fire. So the Philistines did not find out what made Samson so strong.
Saa ɛberɛ yi na ɔde mmarima atɛ wɔ adan a ɛwɔ ne fie no mu baako mu, na ɔteaam sɛ, “Samson, Filistifoɔ no aba rebɛkye wo!” Nanso, ɔtetee agyan nhoma nson a ɛnwoeɛ no mu te sɛ ahoma bi a wɔde aka ogya dɛreɛ. Enti, wɔanhunu nʼahoɔden no ahintasɛm.
10 Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have deceived me and lied to me! Now tell me [the truth, ] how someone can tie you up securely.”
Akyire yi, Delila ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Wodii me ho fɛ, twaa me nkontompo. Afei, mesrɛ wo kyerɛ me sɛdeɛ wɔbɛtumi akyekyere wo pampee.”
11 Samson replied, “If someone ties me with new ropes, ones that have never been used, I will be as weak as other men.”
Samson buaa no sɛ, “Sɛ wɔde ntampehoma mono a wɔmfa nnii dwuma biara da kyekyere me a, meyɛ mmerɛ te sɛ onipa obiara.”
12 So again, [she told the Philistine leaders, and] they [came and] hid in the room as they had done before. And again, while Samson was sleeping, she took the new ropes and tied him up with them. Then she called out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson snapped the ropes on his arms as easily as if they were threads.
Enti, Delila kɔfaa ntampehoma mono de kyekyeree no. Saa ɛberɛ no na mmarima no akɔtɛ wɔ dan mu te sɛ kane no. Bio, Delila teaam frɛɛ no sɛ, “Samson! Filistifoɔ aba sɛ wɔrebɛkye wo!” Nanso, Samson tetee ntampehoma no mu firii ne nsa so te sɛ asaawa bi.
13 Then Delilah said, “You have deceived me and lied to me [again]! Please tell me how someone can tie you up securely!” Samson replied, “If you weave the seven braids of my hair into the threads you are weaving on the loom, and then fasten those threads with the pin [that makes the threads tight], then I will be as weak as other men.” So again, while Samson was sleeping on her lap, Delilah held the seven braids of his hair, and wove them into the threads on the loom,
Delila ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Wodii me ho fɛ, twaa me nkontompo! Worenkyerɛ me sɛdeɛ wɔbɛtumi akyekyere wo pampee anaa?” Samson buaa no sɛ, “Sɛ wonwono me tirinwi mmɛsa nson no bɔ ntoma bamma a ɛwɔ wʼakurokurowa no mu a, mɛyɛ mmerɛ te sɛ obiara.” Enti ɔdaeɛ no, Delila bɔɔ ne tirinwi mmɛsa nson no
14 and she tightened them with the pin. Then she called out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson woke up and pulled out the pin, and pulled his hair from the threads on the loom.
de bɔɔ ntoma bamma a ɛwɔ akurokurowa no so. Bio, ɔteaam sɛ, “Samson! Filistifoɔ no aba rebɛkye wo!” Ɛhɔ ara, Samson nyaneeɛ, twee akurokurowa no yii ne tirinwi no firii ntoma bamma no mu.
15 Then Delilah said to him, “How can you say that you love me when you do not tell me the truth about yourself? You have deceived me three times, and you still have not told me what really makes you so strong!”
Delila sɔm nʼano kaa sɛ, “Wotumi ka sɛ wodɔ me, wɔ ɛberɛ a wonka wo kokoamsɛm nkyerɛ me? Woadi me ho fɛ mprɛnsa, nanso wonkaa deɛ ɛma wo ahoɔden no nkyerɛɛ me!”
16 Day after day she nagged him like that. He thought he would die from her nagging [IDM].
Odwan ne ho adekyeɛ biara kɔsii sɛ afei na wabrɛ no.
17 Finally Samson told her the truth. He said, “I have been set apart for God since the day I was born. And because of that, my hair has never been cut. If my hair were shaved off, my strength would be gone, and I would be as weak as other men.”
Ne korakora no, Samson kaa nʼahintasɛm kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Wɔnyii me tirinwi da, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔde me maa Onyankopɔn sɛ Nasareni firi awoɔ mu. Sɛ wɔyi me tirinwi a, mʼahoɔden no bɛfiri me mu ama mayɛ mmerɛ te sɛ obiara.”
18 Delilah realized that this time he had told her the truth. So she summoned the Philistine leaders again, saying, “Come back one more time, because Samson has really told me everything [about why he is so strong]”. So the Philistine leaders returned and brought to Delilah the money [that they promised to give her].
Delila hunuu sɛ afei deɛ waka nokorɛ akyerɛ no no, ɔsoma kɔfrɛɛ Filistifoɔ ntuanofoɔ no sɛ, “Mommra bio, ɛfiri sɛ waka biribiara akyerɛ me.” Enti, Filistifoɔ ntuanofoɔ no sane wɔn akyi kɔfaa sika no baeɛ.
19 Again she lulled Samson to sleep, with his head in her lap. Then she called one of the Philistine men to come and shave off Samson’s hair. As he did that, Samson began to get weaker. And finally his strength was all gone.
Delila dɛfɛdɛfɛɛ Samson ma ɔdaeɛ a, ne ti da ne srɛ so. Ɔfrɛɛ ɔbarima bi baeɛ ma ɔbɛyii ne tirinwi sɛdeɛ ne kyere no bɛyɛ yie. Na nʼahoɔden no firii ne mu.
20 Then [after she tied him up], she called out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” He woke up and thought, “I will do as I did before. I will shake [these ropes] off myself and be free!” But he did not realize that Yahweh had left him.
Afei, ɔteaam sɛ, “Samson! Filistifoɔ no aba rebɛkye wo!” Ɔnyaneeɛ no, ɔkaa wɔ ne tirim sɛ, “Mɛyɛ sɛdeɛ kane no na meyɛ no mɛwoso me ho agye me ho.” Nanso na ɔnnim sɛ Awurade afiri ne mu.
21 So the Philistine men seized him and gouged out his eyes. Then they took him to Gaza. There they put him in prison and bound him with bronze chains. They made him [turn a millstone to] grind grain [every day].
Na Filistifoɔ no kyeree no, tutuu nʼani. Wɔde no kɔɔ Gasa na wɔguu no kɔbere mfrafraeɛ mpokyerɛ ma ɔyamm atokoɔ wɔ nnedua fie.
22 But his hair started to grow again.
Nanso, ankyɛre na ne tirinwi no hyɛɛ aseɛ fuiɛ.
23 [Several months later] the Philistine leaders celebrated a big festival. During the festival they offered sacrifices to their god Dagon. They praised him, saying, “Our god has enabled us to defeat our great enemy Samson!”
Filistifoɔ ntuanofoɔ hyɛɛ fa kɛseɛ bi, bɔɔ afɔdeɛ maa wɔn nyame Dagon dii ahurisie kaa sɛ, “Yɛn nyame de Samson a ɔyɛ yɛn ɔtamfoɔ no ahyɛ yɛn nsam!”
24 And when the other people saw Samson, they also praised their god Dagon, saying, “Samson ruined our crops and killed many of our people, but our god has put our enemy into our hands. Our god helped us to capture the one who has killed so many of us!”
Ɛberɛ a nnipa no hunuu no no, wɔkamfoo wɔn nyame kaa sɛ, “Yɛn nyame de yɛn ɔtamfoɔ ahyɛ yɛn nsam; deɛ ɔkunkumm yɛn mu bebree no yɛn nsa aka no!”
25 By that time the people were half-drunk. They shouted, “Bring Samson out of the prison! Bring him here so that he can entertain us!” So they brought Samson from the prison and made fun of him. Then they made him stand in the center of the temple. They made him stand between the two pillars that held up the roof.
Nnipa no boroo nsã kakra no, wɔhyɛɛ sɛ, “Momfa Samson mmra na ɔmmɛgye yɛn ani.” Enti, wɔyii Samson firii nnedua fie. Wɔde no gyinaa asɔredan no mfimfini wɔ adum mmienu a ɛkura ɛdan no mmɔsoɔ no ntam.
26 Samson said to the servant who was leading him by his hand, “Place my hands against the two pillars. I want to rest against them.”
Samson ka kyerɛɛ ɔsomfoɔ a ɔkura ne nsa rekyerɛ no kwan no sɛ, “Ma memfa me nsa nsosɔ adum mmienu no mu, na mennye mʼahome.”
27 At that time the temple was full of men and women. All the Philistine leaders were also there. And there were about 3,000 people on the roof, watching Samson and making fun of him.
Na nnipa ahyɛ asɔrefie hɔ ma tɔ. Filistifoɔ ntuanofoɔ no nyinaa wɔ hɔ bi. Na ɛdan no so mmɔsoɔ no nso na mmarima ne mmaa bɛyɛ mpensa wɔ so a wɔrehwɛ Samson na wɔredi ne ho fɛ.
28 Then Samson prayed, saying, “Yahweh, my Lord, think about me again! Please give me strength one more time, so that I may get revenge on the Philistines for gouging out my eyes!”
Na Samson su frɛɛ Awurade sɛ, “Ao Otumfoɔ Awurade, kae me bio. Ao Onyankopɔn, mesrɛ wo ma me ahoɔden bio na mentua Filistifoɔ so ka wɔ mʼani a wɔatutu no so.”
29 Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars of the temple. He put his right hand on one pillar and his left hand on the other pillar.
Afei Samson sosɔɔ adum mmienu a ɛwɔ asɔrefie no mfimfini no mu. Ɔde nʼahoɔden nyinaa piaeɛ.
30 Then he shouted [to God], “Let me die with the Philistines!”, and he pushed with all his strength. [The pillars collapsed], and the temple crashed down on the Philistine leaders and all the other Philistine people, [and they all died]. So Samson killed more people when he died than he had killed all during his life.
Samson bɔɔ mpaeɛ sɛ, “Ma me ne Filistifoɔ no nwu.” Na asɔrefie no dwiri guu Filistifoɔ ntuanofoɔ no ne nnipa no nyinaa so. Enti, ɔkumm nnipa bebree sene dodoɔ a ɔkumm wɔn ɛberɛ a na ɔte ase no.
31 Later his brothers and their relatives went down [from Zorah to Gaza] to get his body. They took it back home and buried it between Zorah and Eshtaol, at the place where Samson’s father Manoah was buried. Samson had been Israel’s leader for 20 years.
Akyire yi, ne nuammarima ne nʼabusuafoɔ a wɔaka kɔfaa no. Wɔde no kɔɔ ne kurom kɔsiee no wɔ Sora ne Estaol ntam, baabi a wɔsiee nʼagya Manoa hɔ. Samson dii Israelfoɔ so ɔtemmufoɔ mfeɛ aduonu.
