Iudicum 16
1 Abiit quoque in Gazam, et vidit ibi mulierem meretricem, ingressusque est ad eam.
Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.
2 Quod cum audissent Philisthiim, et percrebruisset apud eos intrasse urbem Samson, circumdederunt eum, positis in porta civitatis custodibus: et ibi tota nocte cum silentio præstolantes, ut facto mane exeuntem occiderent.
And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson has come here. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
3 Dormivit autem Samson usque ad medium noctem: et inde consurgens, apprehendit ambas portæ fores cum postibus suis et sera, impositasque humeris suis portavit ad verticem montis, qui respicit Hebron.
And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.
4 Post hæc amavit mulierem, quæ habitabat in valle Sorec, et vocabatur Dalila.
And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
5 Veneruntque ad eam principes Philisthinorum, atque dixerunt: Decipe eum, et disce ab illo, in quo habeat tantam fortitudinem, et quomodo eam superare valeamus, et vinctum affligere: quod si feceris, dabimus tibi singuli mille et centum argenteos.
And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will give you every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.
6 Locuta est ergo Dalila ad Samson: Dic mihi, obsecro, in quo sit tua maxima fortitudo, et quid sit quo ligatus erumpere nequeas?
And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray you, wherein your great strength lies, and wherewith you might be bound to afflict you.
7 Cui respondit Samson: Si septem nerviceis funibus necdum siccis, et adhuc humentibus, ligatus fuero, infirmus ero ut ceteri homines.
And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withes that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
8 Attuleruntque ad eam satrapæ Philisthinorum septem funes, ut dixerat: quibus vinxit eam,
Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withes which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
9 latentibus apud se insidiis, et in cubiculo finem rei expectantibus: clamavitque ad eum: Philisthiim super te, Samson. Qui rupit vincula, quomodo si rumpat quis filum de stuppæ tortum putamine, cum odorem ignis acceperit: et non est cognitum in quo esset fortitudo ejus.
Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And he brake the withes, as a thread of tow is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.
10 Dixitque ad eum Dalila: Ecce illusisti mihi, et falsum locutus es: saltem nunc indica mihi quo ligari debeas.
And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, you have mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray you, wherewith you might be bound.
11 Cui ille respondit: Si ligatus fuero novis funibus, qui numquam fuerunt in opere, infirmus ero, et aliorum hominum similis.
And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
12 Quibus rursum Dalila vinxit eum, et clamavit: Philisthiim super te, Samson: in cubiculo insidiis præparatis. Qui ita rupit vincula quasi fila telarum.
Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And there were hidden attackers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.
13 Dixitque Dalila rursum ad eum: Usquequo decipis me, et falsum loqueris? ostende quo vinciri debeas. Cui respondit Samson: Si septem crines capitis mei cum licio plexueris, et clavum his circumligatum terræ fixeris, infirmus ero.
And Delilah said unto Samson, Until now you have mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith you might be bound. And he said unto her, If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web.
14 Quod cum fecisset Dalila, dixit ad eum: Philisthiim super te, Samson. Qui consurgens de somno extraxit clavum cum crinibus et licio.
And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.
15 Dixitque ad eum Dalila: Quomodo dicis quod amas me, cum animus tuus non sit mecum? Per tres vices mentitus es mihi, et noluisti dicere in quo sit maxima fortitudo tua.
And she said unto him, How can you say, I love you, when your heart is not with me? you have mocked me these three times, and have not told me wherein your great strength lies.
16 Cumque molesta esset ei, et per multos dies jugiter adhæreret, spatium ad quietem non tribuens, defecit anima ejus, et ad mortem usque lassata est.
And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;
17 Tunc aperiens veritatem rei, dixit ad eam: Ferrum numquam ascendit super caput meum, quia nazaræus, id est, consecratus Deo, sum de utero matris meæ: si rasum fuerit caput meum, recedet a me fortitudo mea, et deficiam, eroque sicut ceteri homines.
That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There has not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
18 Vidensque illa quod confessus ei esset omnem animum suum, misit ad principes Philisthinorum ac mandavit: Ascende adhuc semel, quia nunc mihi aperuit cor suum. Qui ascenderunt assumpta pecunia, quam promiserant.
And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he has showed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.
19 At illa dormire eum fecit super genua sua, et in sinu suo reclinare caput. Vocavitque tonsorem, et rasit septem crines ejus, et cœpit abigere eum, et a se repellere: statim enim ab eo fortitudo discessit.
And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
20 Dixitque: Philisthiim super te, Samson. Qui de somno consurgens, dixit in animo suo: Egrediar sicut ante feci, et me excutiam: nesciens quod recessisset ab eo Dominus.
And she said, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he knows not that the LORD was departed from him.
21 Quem cum apprehendissent Philisthiim, statim eruerunt oculos ejus, et duxerunt Gazam vinctum catenis, et clausum in carcere molere fecerunt.
But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
22 Jamque capilli ejus renasci cœperunt.
Nevertheless the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
23 Principes Philisthinorum convenerunt in unum ut immolarent hostias magnificas Dagon deo suo, et epularentur, dicentes: Tradidit deus noster inimicum nostrum Samson in manus nostras.
Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together in order to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
24 Quod etiam populus videns, laudabat deum suum, eademque dicebat: Tradidit deus noster adversarium nostrum in manus nostras, qui delevit terram nostram, et occidit plurimos.
And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.
25 Lætantesque per convivia, sumptis jam epulis, præceperunt ut vocaretur Samson, et ante eos luderet. Qui adductus de carcere ludebat ante eos, feceruntque eum stare inter duas columnas.
And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.
26 Qui dixit puero regenti gressus suos: Dimitte me, ut tangam columnas, quibus omnis imminet domus, et recliner super eas, et paululum requiescam.
And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house stands, that I may lean upon them.
27 Domus autem erat plena virorum ac mulierum, et erant ibi omnes principes Philisthinorum, ac de tecto et solario circiter tria millia utriusque sexus spectantes ludentem Samson.
Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
28 At ille invocato Domino ait: Domine Deus, memento mei, et redde mihi nunc fortitudinem pristinam, Deus meus, ut ulciscar me de hostibus meis, et pro amissione duorum luminum unam ultionem recipiam.
And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray you, and strengthen me, I pray you, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
29 Et apprehendens ambas columnas quibus innitebatur domus, alteramque earum dextera et alteram læva tenens,
And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.
30 ait: Moriatur anima mea cum Philisthiim. Concussisque fortiter columnis, cecidit domus super omnes principes, et ceteram multitudinem quæ ibi erat: multoque plures interfecit moriens, quam ante vivus occiderat.
And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.
31 Descendentes autem fratres ejus et universa cognatio, tulerunt corpus ejus, et sepelierunt inter Saraa et Esthaol in sepulchro patris sui Manue: judicavitque Israël viginti annis.
Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.
