Judges 14
1 Therfor Sampson yede doun in to Thannatha, and he siy there a womman of `the douytris of Filisteis;
Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.
2 and he stiede, and telde to his fadir and `to his modir, and seide, Y siy a womman in Thannatha of the `douytris of Filistees, and Y biseche, that ye take hir a wijf to me.
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.”
3 To whom his fadir and modir seiden, Whether no womman is among the douytris of thi britheren and in al my puple, for thou wolt take a wijf of Filisteis, that ben vncircumcidid? And Sampson seide to his fadir, Take thou this wijf to me, for sche pleside myn iyen.
Then his father and his mother said to him, “Is not there a woman among your brothers’ daughters, or among 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.”
4 Forsothe his fadir and modir wisten not, that the thing was don of the Lord; and that he souyte occasiouns ayens Filisteis; for in that tyme Filisteis weren lordis of Israel.
But his father and his mother did not know that it was of the LORD; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
5 Therfor Sampson yede doun with his fadir and modir in to Thannatha; and whanne thei hadden come to the vyneris of the citee, a fers and rorynge `whelp of a lioun apperide, and ran to Sampson.
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.
6 Forsothe the spirit of the Lord felde in to Sampson, and he to-rente the lioun, as if he `to-rendide a kide `in to gobetis, and outerli he hadde no thing in the hond; and he nolde schewe this to the fadir and modir.
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 did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.
7 And he yede doun, and spak to the womman, that pleside hise iyen.
He went down and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well.
8 And aftir summe daies he turnede ayen to take hir `in to matrimonye; and he `bowide awey to se the `careyn of the lioun; and lo! a gaderyng of bees was in the `mouth of the lioun, and `a coomb of hony.
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.
9 And whanne he hadde take it in hondis, he eet in the weie; and he cam to his fadir and modir, and yaf part `to hem, and thei eeten; netheles he nolde schewe to hem, that he hadde take hony of the `mouth of the lioun.
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 did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the lion’s body.
10 And so his fadir yede doun to the womman, and made a feeste to his sone Sampson; for yonge men weren wont to do so.
His father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men used to do so.
11 Therfor whanne the citeseyns of that place hadden seyn hym, thei yauen to hym thretti felowis, whiche schulen be with hym.
When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12 To whiche Sampson spak, Y schal putte forth to you a probleme, `that is, a douyteful word and priuy, and if ye `asoilen it to me with ynne seuen daies of the feeste, Y schal yyue to you thretti lynnun clothis, and cootis `of the same noumbre; sotheli if ye moun not soyle,
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;
13 ye schulen yyue to me thretti lynnun clothis, and cootis `of the same noumbre. Whiche answeriden to hym, Sette forth the probleme, that we here it.
but if you cannot 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.”
14 And he seide to hem, Mete yede out of the etere, and swetnesse yede out of the stronge. And bi thre daies thei myyten not assoile the `proposicioun, that is, the resoun set forth.
He said to them, “Out of the eater came out food. Out of the strong came out sweetness.” They could not in three days declare the riddle.
15 And whanne the seuenthe dai cam, thei seiden to `the wijf of Sampson, Glose thin hosebonde, and counseile hym, that he schewe to thee what the probleme signyfieth. That if thou nylt do, we schulen brenne thee and `the hous of thi fadir. Whether herfor ye clepiden vs to weddyngis, that ye schulden robbe vs?
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? Is not that so?”
16 And sche schedde teerys at Sampson, and pleynede, and seide, Thou hatist me, and louest not, therfor thou nylt expowne to me the probleme, which thou settidist forth to the sones of my puple. And he answeride, Y nolde seie to my fadir and modir, and schal Y mow schewe to thee?
Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, “You just hate me, and do not love me. You have told a riddle to the children of my people, and have not told it to me.” He said to her, “Behold, I have not told my father or my mother, so why should I tell you?”
17 Therfor bi seuene dayes of the feest sche wepte at hym; at the laste `he expownede in the seuenthe dai, whanne sche was diseseful to hym. And anoon sche telde to hir citeseyns.
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.
18 And thei seiden to hym in the seuenthe dai bifor the goyng doun of the sunne, What is swettere than hony, and what is strengere than a lioun? And he seide to hem, If ye hadden not erid in my cow calf, `that is, my wijf, ye hadden not founde my proposicioun.
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 had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.”
19 Therfor the spirit of the Lord felde in to hym; and he yede doun to Ascalon, and killyde there thretti men, whose clothis he took awey, and he yaf to hem that soiliden the probleme; and he was ful wrooth, and stiede in to `the hows of his fadir.
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 burned, and he went up to his father’s house.
20 Forsothe his wijf took an hosebonde, oon of the frendis and keperis `of hir.
But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his friend.
