Judges 14
1 Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.
Descendit ergo Samson in Thamnatha. vidensque ibi mulierem de filiabus Philisthiim,
2 He came up, and told his father and his mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. Now therefore get her for me as my wife.”
ascendit, et nunciavit patri suo, et matri suæ, dicens: Vidi mulierem in Thamnatha de filiabus Philisthinorum: quam quæso ut mihi accipiatis uxorem.
3 Then his father and his mother said to him, “Isn’t there a woman amongst your brothers’ daughters, or amongst all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?” Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.”
Cui dixerunt pater et mater sua: Numquid non est mulier in filiabus fratrum tuorum, et in omni populo meo, quia vis accipere uxorem de Philisthiim, qui incircumcisi sunt? Dixitque Samson ad patrem suum: Hanc mihi accipe: quia placuit oculis meis.
4 But his father and his mother didn’t know that it was of the LORD; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
Parentes autem eius nesciebant quod res a Domino fieret, et quæreret occasionem contra Philisthiim. eo enim tempore Philisthiim dominabantur Israeli.
5 Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and his mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion roared at him.
Descendit itaque Samson cum patre suo et matre in Thamnatha. Cumque venissent ad vineas oppidi, apparuit catulus leonis sævus, et rugiens, et occurrit ei.
6 The LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a young goat with his bare hands, but he didn’t tell his father or his mother what he had done.
Irruit autem Spiritus Domini in Samson, et dilaceravit leonem, quasi hœdum in frustra discerpens, nihil omnino habens in manu: et hoc patri et matri noluit indicare.
7 He went down and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well.
Descenditque et locutus est mulieri, quæ placuerat oculis eius.
8 After a while he returned to take her, and he went over to see the carcass of the lion; and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.
Et post aliquot dies revertens ut acciperet eam, declinavit ut videret cadaver leonis, et ecce examen apum in ore leonis erat ac favus mellis.
9 He took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went. He came to his father and mother and gave to them, and they ate, but he didn’t tell them that he had taken the honey out of the lion’s body.
Quem cum sumpsisset in manibus, comedebat in via: veniensque ad patrem suum et matrem, dedit eis partem, qui et ipsi comederunt: nec tamen eis voluit indicare quod mel de corpore leonis assumpserat.
10 His father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men used to do so.
Descendit itaque pater eius ad mulierem, et fecit filio suo Samson convivium. sic enim iuvenes facere consueverant.
11 When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.
Cum ergo cives loci illius vidissent eum, dederunt ei sodales triginta ut essent cum eo.
12 Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can tell me the answer within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing;
Quibus locutus est Samson: Proponam vobis problema: quod si solveritis mihi intra septem dies convivii, dabo vobis triginta sindones, et totidem tunicas:
13 but if you can’t tell me the answer, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” They said to him, “Tell us your riddle, that we may hear it.”
sin autem non potueritis solvere, vos dabitis mihi triginta sindones, et eiusdem numeri tunicas. Qui responderunt ei: Propone problema, ut audiamus.
14 He said to them, “Out of the eater came out food. Out of the strong came out sweetness.” They couldn’t in three days declare the riddle.
Dixitque eis: De comedente exivit cibus, et de forti egressa est dulcedo. nec potuerunt per tres dies propositionem solvere.
15 On the seventh day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you called us to impoverish us? Isn’t that so?”
Cumque adesset dies septimus, dixerunt ad uxorem Samson: Blandire viro tuo, et suade ei ut indicet tibi quid significet problema. quod si facere nolueris, incendemus te, et domum patris tui. an idcirco vocastis nos ad nuptias ut spoliaretis?
16 Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, “You just hate me, and don’t love me. You’ve told a riddle to the children of my people, and haven’t told it to me.” He said to her, “Behold, I haven’t told my father or my mother, so why should I tell you?”
Quæ fundebat apud Samson lacrymas, et quærebatur dicens: Odisti me, et non diligis: idcirco problema, quod proposuisti filiis populi mei, non vis mihi exponere. At ille respondit: Patri meo et matri nolui dicere: et tibi indicare potero?
17 She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted; and on the seventh day, he told her, because she pressed him severely; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
Septem igitur diebus convivii flebat ante eum: tandemque die septimo cum ei esset molesta, exposuit. Quæ statim indicavit civibus suis.
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 ploughed with my heifer, you wouldn’t have found out my riddle.”
Et illi dixerunt ei die septimo ante solis occubitum: Quid dulcius melle, et quid fortius leone? Qui ait ad eos: Si non arassetis in vitula mea, non invenissetis propositionem meam.
19 The LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck thirty men of them. He took their plunder, then gave the changes of clothing to those who declared the riddle. His anger burnt, and he went up to his father’s house.
Irruit itaque in eum Spiritus Domini, descenditque Ascalonem, et percussit ibi triginta viros. quorum ablatas vestes dedit iis, qui problema solverant. Iratusque nimis ascendit in domum patris sui:
20 But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his friend.
uxor autem eius accepit maritum unum de amicis eius et pronubis.
