Atiirĩrĩri 16
1 Mũthenya ũmwe Samusoni nĩathiire Gaza, akĩona mũmaraya kuo. Agĩtoonya gwake nĩguo akome nake.
One day Samson went to Gaza [city in the Philistia area]. He spent some time with a prostitute.
2 Andũ a Gaza makĩĩrwo atĩrĩ, “Samusoni arĩ gũkũ!” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio magĩthiũrũrũkĩria handũ hau, makĩraara mamuohetie ũtukũ wothe kĩhingo-inĩ gĩa itũũra rĩu inene. Nao matiigana kwehera ho ũtukũ ũcio, nĩ ũndũ moigĩte atĩrĩ, “Rũciinĩ gwakĩa, nĩtũkaamũũraga.”
People soon found out that Samson was there, so the men of Gaza gathered together at the city gate and waited all night. They said to themselves, “When it dawns tomorrow morning, we will kill him [when he tries to leave the city].”
3 Nowe Samusoni aakomire kuo nginya ũtukũ gatagatĩ. Agĩcooka agĩũkĩra akĩnyiita mĩrango ya kĩhingo gĩa itũũra rĩu inene, hamwe na itugĩ ciayo cierĩ, agĩcimunyanĩria na igera ciothe. Agĩciigĩrĩra ciande, agĩcitwara kĩrĩma-igũrũ kĩrĩa kĩngʼetheire Hebironi.
But Samson did not stay there all night. At midnight, he got up. He went to the city gate, he took hold of its two posts, and he lifted it up out of the ground, with its [connecting cross] bar still attached. He put it on his shoulders and carried it [many miles] uphill to Hebron.
4 Thuutha ũcio, nĩagĩire ũrata na mũndũ-wa-nja kũu gĩtuamba-inĩ gĩa Soreki na rĩĩtwa rĩake eetagwo Delila.
Later Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, [and started to live with her]. She lived in Sorek Valley [in the Philistia area].
5 Nao aathani a Afilisti magĩthiĩ kũrĩ we, makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Rora kana wahota kũmũheenereria, akwĩre hitho ya hinya ũcio wake mũnene, na ũrĩa tũngĩmũkĩria hinya nĩguo tũmuohe, tũmũtoorie. O ũmwe witũ nĩagakũhe cekeri ngiri ĩmwe na igana rĩmwe cia betha.”
The Philistine leaders went to her and said, “Find out from Samson what makes him so strong. And find out how we can subdue him and tie him up securely. If you do that, each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver.”
6 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Delila akĩĩra Samusoni atĩrĩ, “Njĩĩra hitho ya hinya waku mũnene, na ũrĩa ũngĩohwo na ũtoorio.”
So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me what makes you so strong, and tell me how someone can subdue you and tie you up.”
7 Nake Samusoni akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Mũndũ o na ũrĩkũ angĩĩnjoha na nga mũgwanja cia mwogothano itarĩ nyũmithie-rĩ, niĩ ngwaga hinya nduĩke o ta mũndũ ũngĩ o wothe.”
Samson said, “If someone ties me with seven new bowstrings, ones that are not dry yet, I will become as weak as other men.”
8 Hĩndĩ ĩyo aathani a Afilisti makĩmũrehere nga mũgwanja iria itaarĩ nyũmithie, nake akĩmuoha nacio.
So [after Delilah told that to the Philistine leaders], they brought seven new bowstrings to Delilah.
9 Nao andũ mehithĩte thĩinĩ wa nyũmba-rĩ, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Samusoni, ũrĩ mũkore nĩ Afilisti!” Nowe agĩtuanga nga icio na ũhũthũ o ta ũrĩa rũrigi rũtuĩkaga rwahutia rũrĩrĩmbĩ rwa mwaki. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio hitho ya hinya wake ndĩamenyekire.
Then she hid the men in one of the rooms in her house. Then [while Samson was sleeping], she tied him up with the bowstrings. Then she called out, “Samson! The Philistines have come here to capture you!” But Samson snapped the bowstrings as easily as though they were strings that had been singed in a fire. So the Philistines did not find out what made Samson so strong.
10 Nake Delila akĩĩra Samusoni atĩrĩ, “Nĩũnduĩte mũndũ mũkĩĩgu; ũkaheenia. Ndagũthaitha njĩĩra kĩrĩa ũngĩohwo nakĩo.”
Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have deceived me and lied to me! Now tell me [the truth, ] how someone can tie you up securely.”
11 Nake akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Mũndũ o na ũrĩkũ angĩnjoha wega na mĩhĩndo mĩerũ ĩtarĩ yahũthĩrwo, nĩngwaga hinya nduĩke o ta mũndũ ũngĩ o wothe.”
Samson replied, “If someone ties me with new ropes, ones that have never been used, I will be as weak as other men.”
12 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Delila akĩoya mĩhĩndo mĩerũ na akĩmuoha nayo. Hĩndĩ ĩyo, andũ mehithĩte nyũmba thĩinĩ-rĩ, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Samusoni, ũrĩ mũkore nĩ Afilisti!” Nowe agĩtuanga mĩhĩndo ĩyo kuuma moko-inĩ make o ta ũrĩa angĩtuanga uthi.
So again, [she told the Philistine leaders, and] they [came and] hid in the room as they had done before. And again, while Samson was sleeping, she took the new ropes and tied him up with them. Then she called out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson snapped the ropes on his arms as easily as if they were threads.
13 Delila agĩcooka akĩĩra Samusoni atĩrĩ, “Nginya rĩu ũkoretwo ũkĩndua mũndũ mũkĩĩgu, ũkaaheenia. Njĩĩra kĩrĩa ũngĩohwo nakĩo.” Nake agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Ũngĩogotha makundo maya mũgwanja ma njuĩrĩ ya mũtwe wakwa ndigi-inĩ, ũciigĩrĩre mũtambo-inĩ wa gũtuma taama na ũcirũmie na higĩ, niĩ nĩngwaga hinya nduĩke o ta mũndũ ũngĩ o wothe.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio rĩrĩa aakomete-rĩ, Delila akĩoya makundo mũgwanja ma njuĩrĩ cia mũtwe wake, agĩciogothania na ndigi,
Then Delilah said, “You have deceived me and lied to me [again]! Please tell me how someone can tie you up securely!” Samson replied, “If you weave the seven braids of my hair into the threads you are weaving on the loom, and then fasten those threads with the pin [that makes the threads tight], then I will be as weak as other men.” So again, while Samson was sleeping on her lap, Delilah held the seven braids of his hair, and wove them into the threads on the loom,
14 na agĩcirũmia na higĩ. Agĩcooka akĩmwĩta o rĩngĩ, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Samusoni, ũrĩ mũkore nĩ Afilisti!” Nake Samusoni akĩarahũka toro, na akĩguucia higĩ ĩyo, o na mũtambo ũrĩa warĩ na ndigi.
and she tightened them with the pin. Then she called out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson woke up and pulled out the pin, and pulled his hair from the threads on the loom.
15 Agĩcooka akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Wahota atĩa kuuga atĩ nĩũnyendete, rĩrĩa ũtangĩĩhoka? Rĩrĩ nĩ riita rĩa gatatũ ũnduĩte mũndũ mũkĩĩgu, na ndũrĩ wanjĩĩra hitho ya hinya ũcio waku mũnene.”
Then Delilah said to him, “How can you say that you love me when you do not tell me the truth about yourself? You have deceived me three times, and you still have not told me what really makes you so strong!”
16 Nĩ ũndũ wa ũrĩa aamũgiaga na akamũtindĩrĩra mũthenya o mũthenya, akĩmũnogia o nginya hakuhĩ gũkua.
Day after day she nagged him like that. He thought he would die from her nagging [IDM].
17 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Samusoni akĩmwĩra maũndũ mothe. Akiuga atĩrĩ, “Mũtwe ũyũ wakwa ndũrĩ wenjwo nĩ ũndũ-rĩ, niĩ ndũire ndĩ Mũnaziri wamũrĩirwo Ngai kuuma rĩrĩa ndaciarirwo. Ingĩenjwo-rĩ, hinya wakwa no ũnjeherere, na njage hinya nduĩke o ta mũndũ ũngĩ o wothe.”
Finally Samson told her the truth. He said, “I have been set apart for God since the day I was born. And because of that, my hair has never been cut. If my hair were shaved off, my strength would be gone, and I would be as weak as other men.”
18 Na rĩrĩa Delila aamenyire atĩ nĩamwĩra maũndũ make mothe, agĩtũmanĩra aathani a Afilisti akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Cookai riita rĩngĩ rĩmwe, nĩ ũndũ nĩanjĩĩrĩte maũndũ mothe.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio aathani acio a Afilisti magĩcooka makuuĩte betha na moko.
Delilah realized that this time he had told her the truth. So she summoned the Philistine leaders again, saying, “Come back one more time, because Samson has really told me everything [about why he is so strong]”. So the Philistine leaders returned and brought to Delilah the money [that they promised to give her].
19 Nake Delila agĩtũma Samusoni akome ciero-inĩ ciake, agĩĩta mũndũ ũmwe amwenje makundo mothe mũgwanja ma njuĩrĩ yake, nao makĩambĩrĩria kũmũtooria. Naguo hinya wake ũkĩmuuma.
Again she lulled Samson to sleep, with his head in her lap. Then she called one of the Philistine men to come and shave off Samson’s hair. As he did that, Samson began to get weaker. And finally his strength was all gone.
20 Hĩndĩ ĩyo akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Samusoni, ũrĩ mũkore nĩ Afilisti!” Nake agĩũkĩra kuuma toro, agĩĩciiria atĩrĩ, “Nĩnguuma nja o ta tene na ndĩĩribaribe, ndĩĩohore.” No rĩrĩ, ndaamenyete atĩ Jehova nĩamwehereire.
Then [after she tied him up], she called out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” He woke up and thought, “I will do as I did before. I will shake [these ropes] off myself and be free!” But he did not realize that Yahweh had left him.
21 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Afilisti makĩmũnyiita na hinya, makĩmũkũũra maitho na makĩmũikũrũkia Gaza. Makĩmuoha na mĩnyororo ya gĩcango, na makĩmũiga athĩage ngano arĩ kũu njeera.
So the Philistine men seized him and gouged out his eyes. Then they took him to Gaza. There they put him in prison and bound him with bronze chains. They made him [turn a millstone to] grind grain [every day].
22 No rĩrĩ, njuĩrĩ ya mũtwe wake ĩkĩambĩrĩria gũkũra rĩngĩ, thuutha wa kwenjwo.
But his hair started to grow again.
23 Na rĩrĩ, aathani a Afilisti makĩũngana nĩguo marutĩre Dagoni ngai yao igongona inene na makũngũĩre, makiugaga atĩrĩ, “Ngai iitũ nĩĩneanĩte Samusoni thũ iitũ, moko-inĩ maitũ.”
[Several months later] the Philistine leaders celebrated a big festival. During the festival they offered sacrifices to their god Dagon. They praised him, saying, “Our god has enabled us to defeat our great enemy Samson!”
24 Rĩrĩa andũ maamuonire, makĩgooca ngai ĩyo yao makiugaga atĩrĩ, “Ngai iitũ nĩĩneanĩte thũ iitũ moko-inĩ maitũ, thũ ĩrĩa yathũkangirie bũrũri witũ na ĩkĩũraga andũ aitũ aingĩ.”
And when the other people saw Samson, they also praised their god Dagon, saying, “Samson ruined our crops and killed many of our people, but our god has put our enemy into our hands. Our god helped us to capture the one who has killed so many of us!”
25 Na rĩrĩa ngoro ciao ciacanjamũkĩte, makĩanĩrĩra makiuga atĩrĩ, “Rehei Samusoni nĩguo oke atũkenie.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio makĩruta Samusoni njeera, nake agĩĩka maũndũ ma mathekania. Rĩrĩa maamũrũgamirie gatagatĩ-inĩ ga itugĩ-rĩ,
By that time the people were half-drunk. They shouted, “Bring Samson out of the prison! Bring him here so that he can entertain us!” So they brought Samson from the prison and made fun of him. Then they made him stand in the center of the temple. They made him stand between the two pillars that held up the roof.
26 Samusoni akĩĩra ndungata ĩrĩa yamũnyiitĩte guoko atĩrĩ, “Njiga harĩa ingĩhota kũhutia itugĩ iria inyiitĩrĩire hekarũ, nĩgeetha ndĩtiiranie nacio.”
Samson said to the servant who was leading him by his hand, “Place my hands against the two pillars. I want to rest against them.”
27 Na rĩrĩ, hekarũ ĩyo yaiyũrĩte arũme na andũ-a-nja; na aathani othe a Afilisti maarĩ kuo, na nyũmba igũrũ kwarĩ na arũme na andũ-a-nja ta ngiri ithatũ meroreire Samusoni agĩĩka maũndũ ma kũmakenia.
At that time the temple was full of men and women. All the Philistine leaders were also there. And there were about 3,000 people on the roof, watching Samson and making fun of him.
28 Samusoni akĩhooya Jehova, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Wee Mwathani Jehova, ndirikana. Wee Ngai, ndagũthaitha ũnjĩkĩre hinya o ihinda rĩngĩ rĩmwe, na ũreke ndĩĩrĩhĩrie kũrĩ Afilisti na igũtha rĩmwe nĩ ũndũ wa maitho makwa meerĩ.”
Then Samson prayed, saying, “Yahweh, my Lord, think about me again! Please give me strength one more time, so that I may get revenge on the Philistines for gouging out my eyes!”
29 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Samusoni akĩnyiita itugĩ icio cierĩ cia gatagatĩ iria ciarũgamĩtie hekarũ ĩyo. Agĩĩtiirania nacio, kĩmwe agĩkĩnyiita na guoko gwake kwa ũrĩo na kĩrĩa kĩngĩ na guoko gwake kwa ũmotho,
Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars of the temple. He put his right hand on one pillar and his left hand on the other pillar.
30 Samusoni akiuga atĩrĩ, “Reke ngue hamwe na Afilisti!” Agĩcooka agĩcitindĩka na hinya wake wothe, nayo hekarũ ĩkĩgwĩra aathani acio hamwe na andũ othe arĩa maarĩ thĩinĩ wayo. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio akĩũraga andũ aingĩ agĩkua gũkĩra arĩa ooragire arĩ muoyo.
Then he shouted [to God], “Let me die with the Philistines!”, and he pushed with all his strength. [The pillars collapsed], and the temple crashed down on the Philistine leaders and all the other Philistine people, [and they all died]. So Samson killed more people when he died than he had killed all during his life.
31 Nao ariũ a ithe na nyũmba yothe ya ithe magĩikũrũka makamũgĩĩre. Makĩmũkuua makĩmũinũkia na makĩmũthika gatagatĩ ga Zora na Eshitaoli mbĩrĩra-inĩ ya ithe Manoa. Nake aatirĩrĩire Isiraeli mĩaka mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ.
Later his brothers and their relatives went down [from Zorah to Gaza] to get his body. They took it back home and buried it between Zorah and Eshtaol, at the place where Samson’s father Manoah was buried. Samson had been Israel’s leader for 20 years.
