Ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo 14
1 Gbe ɖeka la, Samson yi Timna eye wòkpɔ Filisti ɖetugbi aɖe.
One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.
2 Esi wòtrɔ gbɔ la, egblɔ na fofoa kple dadaa bena yedi be yeaɖee.
So he returned and told his father and mother, “I have seen a daughter of the Philistines in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”
3 Dzilawo melɔ̃ ɖe edzi nɛ kura o, wobiae be, “Nu ka ta màɖe Yuda ɖetugbi aɖeke o? Nu ka ta nàɖe srɔ̃ tso Filistitɔ, ame siwo nye trɔ̃subɔlawo dome? Nyɔnuvi aɖeke mele Israelviwo dome nàte ŋu aɖe oa?” Ke Samson gblɔ na fofoa be, “Eya koe nye ame si medi be maɖe. Ɖee nam.”
But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.”
4 Fofoa kple dadaa medze sii be Mawue nɔ mɔ trem na Filistitɔwo, ame siwo nye Israel dziɖulawo le ɣe ma ɣi o.
(Now his father and mother did not know this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines; for at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.)
5 Gbe ɖeka esi Samson kple edzilawo yina Timna la, dzatavi aɖe nɔ gbe tem helũ ɖe Samson dzi le waingble aɖe me le dua gbɔ lɔƒo.
Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him,
6 Yehowa ƒe Gbɔgbɔ va edzi eye esi lãnu aɖeke menɔ esi o la, etsɔ asi ƒuƒlu fe dzata la ƒe glã bɔbɔe abe gbɔ̃vi aɖe tɔ ene! Ke Samson megblɔ nya aɖeke tso nu sia ŋuti na dzilawo o.
and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.
7 Esi woɖo Timna la, eƒo nu kple ɖetugbi la eye wòkpɔ be eya tututu dim yele. Ale wowɔ srɔ̃ɖeɖe la ŋu ɖoɖowo.
Then Samson continued on his way down and spoke to the woman, because she was pleasing to his eyes.
8 Esi Samson trɔ tso Timna gbɔna la, edze yi gbe me be yeakpɔ dzata kuku la ɖa. Kasia ekpɔ anyiwo kple anyitsi le eme.
When Samson returned later to take her, he left the road to see the lion’s carcass, and in it was a swarm of bees, along with their honey.
9 Eɖe anyitsi la, ɖu ɖe le mɔa dzi eye wòna ɖe fofoa kple dadaa gake megblɔ na wo be dzata ƒe dɔ me ye yekpɔe tsoe o.
So he scooped some honey into his hands and ate it as he went along. And when he returned to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.
10 Azɔ la, esi fofoa yi be yeakpɔ nyɔnu la la, Samson ɖo kplɔ̃ le afi ma abe ale si ɖekakpuiviwo wɔna ene.
Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom.
11 Esi Samson va ɖo la, wotsɔ ɖekakpui blaetɔ̃ kpe ɖe eŋu.
And when the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty men to accompany him.
12 Samson gblɔ na wo be, “Mina mato adzo na mi. Ne miete ŋu ɖe egɔme nam le azãɖuɖua ƒe ŋkeke adreawo me la, matsɔ aklala biɖibiɖiwu blaetɔ̃ kple atsyɔ̃ɖowu blaetɔ̃ na mi.
“Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.
13 Ke ne miete ŋu ɖe egɔme o la, ekema miawo hã miatsɔ aklala biɖibiɖi ƒe awu blaetɔ̃ kple atsyɔ̃ɖowu blaetɔ̃ nam.” Woɖo eŋu nɛ be, “To wò adzo la na mí, na míase wò adzo la.”
But if you cannot solve it, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they replied. “Let us hear it.”
14 Adzo si wòto lae nye, “Nuɖuɖu do tso nuɖula me eye nu vivi do tso nu sesẽ me!” Ŋkeke etɔ̃ va yi, womete ŋu ɖe adzo la gɔme o.
So he said to them: “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet.” For three days they were unable to explain the riddle.
15 Le ŋkeke enea gbe la, wogblɔ na Samson srɔ̃ be, “Ble srɔ̃wò nu ne wòaɖe adzo la gɔme na mí. Ne menye nenema o la, míatɔ dzo wò kple fofowò ƒe aƒekɔ la miaku. Ɖe miekpe mí va afi siae be miada adzo mía?”
So on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?”
16 Tete Samson srɔ̃ tsɔ eɖokui ƒu Samson dzi, nɔ hehe ɖom be, “Èlé fum! Mèlɔ̃m kura o. Èto adzo na nye amewo gake mèɖe egɔme nam o.” Samson ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Nyemeɖe egɔme na fofonye alo danye gɔ̃ hã o. Nu ka tae maɖe egɔme na wò ya?”
Then Samson’s wife came to him, weeping, and said, “You hate me! You do not really love me! You have posed to my people a riddle, but have not explained it to me.” “Look,” he said, “I have not even explained it to my father or mother, so why should I explain it to you?”
17 Nyɔnu la fa avi le azãɖuɖu ƒe ŋkeke adreawo katã me. Ale le ŋkeke adrea gbe la, egblɔe nɛ mlɔeba elabena nyɔnu la nɔ fu ɖem nɛ akpa. Ale nyɔnu la yi ɖagblɔ adzo la ƒe gɔmeɖeɖe na wo detɔwo.
She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and finally on the seventh day, because she had pressed him so much, he told her the answer. And in turn she explained the riddle to her people.
18 Ale hafi ɣe naɖo to le ŋkeke adrea gbe la, ɖekapuiawo ɖe adzo la gɔme na Samson be, “Nu kae vivina wu anyitsi eye nu kae sesẽ wu dzata?” Samson gblɔ na wo be, “Ne menye nye ŋutɔ nye nyivie mietsɔ ŋlɔ agblea o la, anye ne miete ŋu nya nye adzo la ƒe gɔmeɖeɖe o.”
Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city said to Samson: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” So he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!”
19 Tete Aƒetɔ la ƒe Gbɔgbɔ va Samson dzi kple ŋusẽ, eyi Askelon du la me, wu ŋutsu blaetɔ̃, ɖe woƒe awuwo eye wòtsɔ wo na ɖekakpui siwo ɖe adzo la gɔme. Ke dɔ me vee eya ta wògblẽ srɔ̃a ɖi eye wòdzo yi fofoa ƒe aƒe me.
Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave their clothes to those who had solved the riddle. And burning with anger, Samson returned to his father’s house,
20 Ale wotsɔ Samson srɔ̃ na ŋutsu si nɔ Samson ŋu le esime wòlé alɔ kple srɔ̃a.
and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.
