Ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo 14
1 Gbe ɖeka la, Samson yi Timna eye wòkpɔ Filisti ɖetugbi aɖe.
Then Samson went down to Thamnatlia, and seeing there a woman of the daughters of the Philistines,
2 Esi wòtrɔ gbɔ la, egblɔ na fofoa kple dadaa bena yedi be yeaɖee.
He came up, and told his father and his mother, saying: I saw a woman in Thamnatha of the daughters of the Philistines: I beseech you, take her for me to 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.”
And his father and mother said to him: Is there no woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou wilt take a wife of the Philistines, who are uncircumcised? And Samson said to his father: Take this woman for me, for she hath pleased 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 parents knew not that the thing was done by the Lord, and that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion 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 with his father and mother to Thamnatha. And when they were come to the vineyards of the town, behold a young lion met him raging and roaring.
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 upon Samson, and he tore the lion as he would have torn a kid in pieces, having nothing at all in his hand: and he would not tell this to his father and mother.
7 Esi woɖo Timna la, eƒo nu kple ɖetugbi la eye wòkpɔ be eya tututu dim yele. Ale wowɔ srɔ̃ɖeɖe la ŋu ɖoɖowo.
And he went down and spoke to the woman that had pleased 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.
And after some days returning to take her, he went aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold there was a swarm of bees in the mouth of the lion and a honeycomb.
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.
And when be had taken it in his hands, he went on eating: and coming to his father and mother, he gave them of it, and they ate: but he would not tell them, that he had taken the honey from the body of the lion.
10 Azɔ la, esi fofoa yi be yeakpɔ nyɔnu la la, Samson ɖo kplɔ̃ le afi ma abe ale si ɖekakpuiviwo wɔna ene.
So his father went down to the woman, and made a feast for his son Samson: for so the young men used to do.
11 Esi Samson va ɖo la, wotsɔ ɖekakpui blaetɔ̃ kpe ɖe eŋu.
And when the citizens of that place saw him, they brought him thirty companions to be with 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.
And Samson said to them: I will propose to you a riddle, which if you declare unto me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty shirts, and as many coats:
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 shall not be able to declare it, you shall give me thirty shirts and the same number of coats. They answered him: Put forth the riddle that we may 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.
And he said to them: Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound 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?”
And when the seventh day came, they said to the wife of Samson: Soothe thy husband, and persuade him to tell thee what the riddle meaneth. But if thou wilt not do it, we will burn thee, and thy father’s house. Have you called us to the wedding on purpose to strip 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?”
So she wept before Samson and complained, saying: Thou hatest me, and dost not love me: therefore thou wilt not expound to me the riddle which thou hast proposed to the sons of my people. But he answered: I would not tell it to my father and mother, and how can I tell it to thee?
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.
So she wept before him the seven days of the feast: and at length on the seventh day as she was troublesome to him, he expounded it. And she immediately told her countrymen.
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.”
And they on the seventh day before the sun went down said to him: What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them: If you had not ploughed with my heifer, you had not found out 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.
And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ascalon, and slew there thirty men, whose garments he took away and gave to them that had declared the riddle. And being exceeding angry he went up to his father’s house:
20 Ale wotsɔ Samson srɔ̃ na ŋutsu si nɔ Samson ŋu le esime wòlé alɔ kple srɔ̃a.
But his wife took one of his friends and bridal companions for her husband.
