< Judges 14 >
1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
Samson, étant allé un jour à Timna, y remarqua une femme entre les filles des Philistins.
2 And 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 for a 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 thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said to his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
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 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.
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 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.
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 came mightily upon him, and he tore him as he would have torn a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not 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 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
Il alla ensuite faire sa déclaration à la femme, qui continua à lui plaire.
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.
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 And he took of it in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they ate: but he told them not that he had taken the honey out of the carcase 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 So his father went down to the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
Son père descendit chez l’épousée, où Samson donna un festin, selon l’usage des jeunes gens.
11 And it came to pass, 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 And Samson said to them, I will now tell a riddle to 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:
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 ye cannot declare it to me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said to him, Tell thy riddle, that we may 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 And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound 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 came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to take what we possess? is it not so?
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 And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast told a riddle to the children of my people, and hast not told it to me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not told it to my father nor to my mother, and shall I tell it to thee?
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 And 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 pressed him so 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 And the men of the city said to 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 to them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not 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 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 to them who expounded the riddle. And 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, whom he had used as his friend.
La femme de Samson fut donnée à l’un des compagnons qu’on lui avait adjoints.