Iudicum 14
1 Descendit ergo Samson in Thamnatha. vidensque ibi mulierem de filiabus Philisthiim,
Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah, of the daughters of the Philistines;
2 ascendit, et nunciavit patri suo, et matri suae, dicens: Vidi mulierem in Thamnatha de filiabus Philisthinorum: quam quaeso ut mihi accipiatis uxorem.
And when he came back he said to his father and mother, I have seen a woman in Timnah, of the daughters of the Philistines: get her now for me for my wife.
3 Cui dixerunt pater et mater sua: Numquid non est mulier in filiabus fratrum tuorum, et in omni populo tuo, quia vis accipere uxorem de Philisthiim, qui incircumcisi sunt? Dixitque Samson ad patrem suum: Hanc mihi accipe: quia placuit oculis meis.
Then his father and mother said to him, Is there no woman among the daughters of your relations or among all my people, that you have to go for your wife to the Philistines, who are without circumcision? But Samson said to his father, Get her for me, for she is pleasing to me.
4 Parentes autem eius nesciebant quod res a Domino fieret, et quaereret occasionem contra Philisthiim. eo enim tempore Philisthiim dominabantur Israeli.
Now his father and mother had no knowledge that this was the purpose of the Lord, who had the destruction of the Philistines in mind. Now the Philistines at that time were ruling over Israel.
5 Descendit itaque Samson cum patre suo et matre in Thamnatha. Cumque venissent ad vineas oppidi, apparuit catulus leonis saevus, et rugiens, et occurrit ei.
Then Samson went down to Timnah (and his father and his mother, ) and came to the vine-gardens of Timnah; and a young lion came rushing out at him.
6 Irruit autem Spiritus Domini in Samson, et dilaceravit leonem, quasi hoedum in frustra discerpens, nihil omnino habens in manu: et hoc patri et matri noluit indicare.
And the spirit of the Lord came on him with power, and, unarmed as he was, pulling the lion in two as one might do to a young goat, he put him to death; (but he said nothing to his father and mother of what he had done.)
7 Descenditque et locutus est mulieri, quae placuerat oculis eius.
So he went down and had talk with the woman; and she was pleasing to Samson.
8 Et post aliquot dies revertens ut acciperet eam, declinavit ut videret cadaver leonis, et ecce examen apum in ore leonis erat ac favus mellis.
Then after a time he went back to take her; and turning from the road to see the dead body of the lion, he saw a mass of bees in the body of the lion, and honey there.
9 Quem cum sumpsisset in manibus, comedebat in via: veniensque ad patrem suum et matrem, dedit eis partem, qui et ipsi comederunt: nec tamen eis voluit indicare quod mel de corpore leonis assumpserat.
And he took the honey in his hand, and went on, tasting it on the way; and when he came to his father and mother he gave some to them; but did not say that he had taken the honey from the body of the lion.
10 Descendit itaque pater eius ad mulierem, et fecit filio suo Samson convivium. sic enim iuvenes facere consueverant.
Then Samson went down to the woman, and made a feast there, as was the way among young men.
11 Cum ergo cives loci illius vidissent eum, dederunt ei sodales triginta qui essent cum eo.
And he took thirty friends, and they were with him.
12 Quibus locutus est Samson: Proponam vobis problema: quod si solveritis mihi intra septem dies convivii, dabo vobis triginta sindones, et totidem tunicas:
And Samson said, Now I have a hard question for you: if you are able to give me the answer before the seven days of the feast are over, I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty changes of clothing;
13 sin autem non potueritis solvere, vos dabitis mihi triginta sindones, et eiusdem numeri tunicas. Qui responderunt ei: Propone problema, ut audiamus.
But if you are not able to give me the answer, then you will have to give me thirty linen robes and thirty changes of clothing. And they said to him, Put your hard question and let us see what it is.
14 Dixitque eis: De comedente exivit cibus, et de forti egressa est dulcedo. nec potuerunt per tres dies propositionem solvere.
And he said, Out of the taker of food came food, and out of the strong came the sweet. And at the end of three days they were still not able to give the answer.
15 Cumque adesset dies septimus, dixerunt ad uxorem Samson: Blandire viro tuo, et suade ei ut indicet tibi quid significet problema. quod si facere nolueris, incendemus te, et domum patris tui. an idcirco vocastis nos ad nuptias ut spoliaretis?
So on the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, Get from your husband the answer to his question by some trick or other, or we will have you and your father's house burned with fire; did you get us here to take all we have?
16 Quae fundebat apud Samson lacrymas, et quaerebatur dicens: Odisti me, et non diligis: idcirco problema, quod proposuisti filiis populi mei, non vis mihi exponere. At ille respondit: Patri meo et matri nolui dicere: et tibi indicare potero?
Then Samson's wife, weeping over him, said, Truly you have no love for me but only hate; you have put a hard question to the children of my people and have not given me the answer. And he said to her, See, I have not given the answer even to my father or my mother; am I to give it to you?
17 Septem igitur diebus convivii flebat ante eum: tandemque die septimo cum ei esset molesta, exposuit. Quae statim indicavit civibus suis.
And all the seven days of the feast she went on weeping over him; and on the seventh day he gave her the answer, because she gave him no peace; and she sent word of it to the children of her people.
18 Et illi dixerunt ei die septimo ante solis occubitum: Quid dulcius melle, et quid fortius leone? Qui ait ad eos: Si non arassetis in vitula mea, non invenissetis propositionem meam.
Then on the seventh day, before he went into the bride's room, the men of the town said to him, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them, If you had not been ploughing with my cow you would not have got the answer to my question.
19 Irruit itaque in eum Spiritus Domini, descenditque Ascalonem, et percussit ibi triginta viros. quorum ablatas vestes dedit iis, qui problema solverant. Iratusque nimis ascendit in domum patris sui:
And the spirit of the Lord came rushing on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and, attacking thirty men there, took their clothing from them, and gave it to the men who had given the answer to his hard question. Then, full of wrath, he went back to his father's house.
20 uxor autem eius accepit maritum unum de amicis eius et pronubis.
But Samson's wife was given to the friend who had been his best man.
