Juges 14
1 Samson, étant allé un jour à Timna, y remarqua une femme entre les filles des Philistins.
And Sampson went down to Thamnatha, and saw a woman in Thamnatha of the daughters of the Philistines.
2 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."
And he went up and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Thamnatha of the daughters of the Phylistines; and now take her to me for a wife.
3 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."
And his father and his mother said to him, Are there no daughters of your brethren, and [is there not] a woman of all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Sampson said to his father, Take her for me, for she [is] right in my eyes.
4 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.
And his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought to be revenged on the Philistines: and at that time the Philistines lorded it over Israel.
5 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.
And Sampson and his father and his mother went down to Thamnatha, and he came to the vineyard of Thamnatha; and behold, a young lion roared in meeting him.
6 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.
And the spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him, and he crushed him as he would have crushed a kid of the goats, and there was nothing in his hands: and he told not his father and his mother what he had done.
7 Il alla ensuite faire sa déclaration à la femme, qui continua à lui plaire.
And they went down and spoke to the woman, and she was pleasing in the eyes of Sampson.
8 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.
And after some time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion; and behold, a swarm of bees, and honey [were] in the mouth of the lion.
9 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.
And he took it into his hands, and went on eating, and he went to his father and his mother, and gave to them, and they did eat; but he told them not that he took the honey out of the mouth of the lion.
10 Son père descendit chez l’épousée, où Samson donna un festin, selon l’usage des jeunes gens.
And his father went down to the woman, and Sampson made there a banquet for seven days, for so the young men are used to do.
11 Lors de sa réception, l’on désigna trente compagnons pour lui tenir société.
And it came to pass when they saw him, that they took thirty guests, and they were with him.
12 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;
And Sampson said to them, I propound you a riddle: if you will indeed tell it me, and discover it within the seven days of the feast, I will you give thirty sheets and thirty changes of raiment.
13 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."
And if you can’t tell it me, you shall give me thirty napkins and thirty changes of apparel: and they said to him, Propound your riddle, and we will hear it.
14 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.
And he said to them, Meat came forth of the eater, and sweetness out of the strong: and they could not tell the riddle for three days.
15 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?"
And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they said to the wife of Sampson, Deceive now your husband, and let him tell you the riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire: did you invite us to do us violence?
16 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?"
And Sampson's wife wept before him, and said, You do but hate me, and love me not; for the riddle which you have propounded to the children of my people you have not told me: and Sampson said to her, If I have not told it to my father and my mother, shall I tell it to you?
17 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.
And she wept before him the seven days, during which their banquet lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she troubled him; and she told it to the children of her people.
18 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."
And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day, before sunrise, What [is] sweeter than honey? and what [is] stronger than a lion? and Sampson said to them, If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have known my riddle.
19 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.
And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him powerfully, and he went down to Ascalon, and destroyed of the inhabitants thirty men, and took their garments, and gave the changes of raiment to them that told the riddle; and Sampson was very angry, and went up to the house of his father.
20 La femme de Samson fut donnée à l’un des compagnons qu’on lui avait adjoints.
And the wife of Sampson was [given] to one of his friends, with whom he was on terms of friendship.
