Juges 14
1 Samson descendit à Thimna, et il y vit une femme parmi les filles des Philistins.
Then Samson descended to Timnah. And seeing there a woman from the daughters of the Philistines,
2 Lorsqu’il fut remonté, il le déclara à son père et à sa mère, et dit: J’ai vu à Thimna une femme parmi les filles des Philistins; prenez-la maintenant pour ma femme.
he went up, and he told his father and his mother, saying: “I saw a woman in Timnah from the daughters of the Philistines. I ask that you take her to me as wife.”
3 Son père et sa mère lui dirent: N’y a-t-il point de femme parmi les filles de tes frères et dans tout notre peuple, que tu ailles prendre une femme chez les Philistins, qui sont incirconcis? Et Samson dit à son père: Prends-la pour moi, car elle me plaît.
And his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your brothers, or among all my people, so that you would be willing to take a wife from the Philistines, who are uncircumcised?” And Samson said to his father: “Take this woman to me. For she has pleased my eyes.”
4 Son père et sa mère ne savaient pas que cela venait de l’Éternel: car Samson cherchait une occasion de dispute de la part des Philistins. En ce temps-là, les Philistins dominaient sur Israël.
Now his parents did not know that the matter 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 Samson descendit avec son père et sa mère à Thimna. Lorsqu’ils arrivèrent aux vignes de Thimna, voici, un jeune lion rugissant vint à sa rencontre.
And so, Samson descended with his father and mother to Timnah. And when they had arrived at the vineyards of the town, he saw a young lion, savage and roaring, and it met him.
6 L’esprit de l’Éternel saisit Samson; et, sans avoir rien à la main, Samson déchira le lion comme on déchire un chevreau. Il ne dit point à son père et à sa mère ce qu’il avait fait.
Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Samson, and he tore apart the lion, like a young goat being torn into pieces, having nothing at all in his hand. And he was not willing to reveal this to his father and mother.
7 Il descendit et parla à la femme, et elle lui plut.
And he went down and spoke to the woman who had pleased his eyes.
8 Quelque temps après, il se rendit de nouveau à Thimna pour la prendre, et se détourna pour voir le cadavre du lion. Et voici, il y avait un essaim d’abeilles et du miel dans le corps du lion.
And after some days, returning to marry her, he turned aside so that he might see the carcass of the lion. And behold, there was a swarm of bees in the mouth of the lion, with a honeycomb.
9 Il prit entre ses mains le miel, dont il mangea pendant la route; et lorsqu’il fut arrivé près de son père et de sa mère, il leur en donna, et ils en mangèrent. Mais il ne leur dit pas qu’il avait pris ce miel dans le corps du lion.
And when he had taken it in his hands, he ate it along the way. And arriving to his father and mother, he gave them a portion, and they also ate it. Yet he was not willing to reveal to them that he had taken the honey from the body of the lion.
10 Le père de Samson descendit chez la femme. Et là, Samson fit un festin, car c’était la coutume des jeunes gens.
And so his father went down to the woman, and he made a feast for his son Samson. For so the young men were accustomed to do.
11 Dès qu’on le vit, on invita trente compagnons qui se tinrent avec lui.
And when the citizens of that place had seen him, they presented to him thirty companions to be with him.
12 Samson leur dit: Je vais vous proposer une énigme. Si vous me l’expliquez pendant les sept jours du festin, et si vous la découvrez, je vous donnerai trente chemises et trente vêtements de rechange.
And Samson said to them: “I will propose to you a problem, which, if you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty shirts and the same number of tunics.
13 Mais si vous ne pouvez pas me l’expliquer, ce sera vous qui me donnerez trente chemises et trente vêtements de rechange. Ils lui dirent: Propose ton énigme, et nous l’écouterons.
But if you are not able to solve it, you shall give me thirty shirts and the same number of tunics.” And they answered him, “Propose the problem, so that we may hear it.”
14 Et il leur dit: De celui qui mange est sorti ce qui se mange, et du fort est sorti le doux. Pendant trois jours, ils ne purent expliquer l’énigme.
And he said to them, “Food went forth from that which eats, and sweetness went forth from that which is strong.” And they were unable to solve the proposition for three days.
15 Le septième jour, ils dirent à la femme de Samson: Persuade ton mari de nous expliquer l’énigme; sinon, nous te brûlerons, toi et la maison de ton père. C’est pour nous dépouiller que vous nous avez invités, n’est-ce pas?
And when the seventh day had arrived, they said to the wife of Samson: “Coax your husband, and persuade him to reveal to you what the proposition means. But if you are not willing to do so, we will burn you and your father’s house. Or have you called us to the wedding in order to despoil us?”
16 La femme de Samson pleurait auprès de lui, et disait: Tu n’as pour moi que de la haine, et tu ne m’aimes pas; tu as proposé une énigme aux enfants de mon peuple, et tu ne me l’as point expliquée! Et il lui répondait: Je ne l’ai expliquée ni à mon père ni à ma mère; est-ce à toi que je l’expliquerais?
And she shed tears before Samson, and she complained, saying: “You hate me, and you do not love me. That is why you do not want to explain to me the problem, which you have proposed to the sons of my people.” But he responded: “I was not willing to reveal it to my father and mother. And so, how can I reveal it to you?”
17 Elle pleura auprès de lui pendant les sept jours que dura leur festin; et le septième jour, il la lui expliqua, car elle le tourmentait. Et elle donna l’explication de l’énigme aux enfants de son peuple.
Therefore, she wept before him during the seven days of the feast. And at length, on the seventh day, since she had been troubling him, he explained it. And immediately she revealed it to her countrymen.
18 Les gens de la ville dirent à Samson le septième jour, avant le coucher du soleil: Quoi de plus doux que le miel, et quoi de plus fort que le lion? Et il leur dit: Si vous n’aviez pas labouré avec ma génisse, vous n’auriez pas découvert mon énigme.
And they, on the seventh day, before the sun declined, said to him: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” And he said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have uncovered my proposition.”
19 L’esprit de l’Éternel le saisit, et il descendit à Askalon. Il y tua trente hommes, prit leurs dépouilles, et donna les vêtements de rechange à ceux qui avaient expliqué l’énigme. Il était enflammé de colère, et il monta à la maison de son père.
And so the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he descended to Ashkelon, and in that place he struck down thirty men. And taking away their garments, he gave them to those who had solved the problem. And being exceedingly angry, he went up to his father’s house.
20 Sa femme fut donnée à l’un de ses compagnons, avec lequel il était lié.
Then his wife took as a husband one of his friends and wedding companions.
