Iudicum 14
1 descendit igitur Samson in Thamnatha vidensque ibi mulierem de filiabus Philisthim
One day when Samson was in Timnah [town], he saw a young Philistine woman there.
2 ascendit et nuntiavit patri suo et matri dicens vidi mulierem in Thamnatha de filiabus Philisthinorum quam quaeso ut mihi accipiatis uxorem
When he returned home, he told his mother and father, “I saw a young Philistine woman in Timnah, and I want you to get her for me so I can marry her.”
3 cui dixerunt pater et mater sua numquid non est mulier in filiabus fratrum tuorum et in omni populo meo quia vis accipere uxorem de Philisthim qui incircumcisi sunt dixitque Samson ad patrem suum hanc mihi accipe quia placuit oculis meis
His mother and father objected very strongly. They said, “Is there no woman from our tribe, or from the other Israeli tribes, that you could marry? Why must you go to the heathen Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me! She is the one I want!”
4 parentes autem eius nesciebant quod res a Domino fieret et quaereret occasionem contra Philisthim eo enim tempore Philisthim dominabantur Israheli
His mother and father did not realize that Yahweh was arranging this. He was preparing a way for [Samson to defeat] the Philistines, who were ruling over Israel at that time.
5 descendit itaque Samson cum patre suo et matre in Thamnatha cumque venissent ad vineas oppidi apparuit catulus leonis saevus rugiens et occurrit ei
So, as Samson was going down to Timnah, followed by his mother and father, a young lion attacked Samson near the vineyards close to Timnah.
6 inruit autem spiritus Domini in Samson et dilaceravit leonem quasi hedum in frusta concerperet nihil omnino habens in manu et hoc patri et matri noluit indicare
Then Yahweh’s Spirit came upon Samson powerfully, with the result that he tore the lion apart with his hands. He did it [as easily] as if it were a young goat. But he did not tell his mother and father about it.
7 descenditque et locutus est mulieri quae placuerat oculis eius
When they arrived in Timnah, Samson talked with the young woman, and he liked her very much. [And his father made arrangements for the wedding].
8 et post aliquot dies revertens ut acciperet eam declinavit ut videret cadaver leonis et ecce examen apium in ore leonis erat ac favus mellis
Later, when Samson returned to Timnah for the wedding, he turned off the path to see the carcass of the lion. He discovered that [after other creatures had eaten all the flesh], a swarm of bees [had made a hive in the skeleton and] had made some honey.
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 adsumpserat
So he scooped some of the honey into his hands and ate some of it as he was walking along. He also gave some of it to his mother and father, but he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the skeleton of the lion, [because anyone dedicated to God was not to touch any corpse].
10 descendit itaque pater eius ad mulierem et fecit filio suo Samson convivium sic enim iuvenes facere consuerant
As his father was making the final arrangements for the marriage, Samson gave a party [for the young men in that area]. That was the custom for men to do when they were about to be married.
11 cum igitur cives loci vidissent eum dederunt ei sodales triginta qui essent cum eo
Thirty young man were invited to the party.
12 quibus locutus est Samson proponam vobis problema quod si solveritis mihi intra septem dies convivii dabo vobis triginta sindones et totidem tunicas
Samson said to them, “Allow me to tell you a riddle. If you tel me the meaning of my riddle during these seven days of the celebration, I will give each of you a linen robe and an extra set of clothes.
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 cannot tell me the meaning, you must each give me a linen robe and an extra set of clothes.” They replied, “All right. Tell us your riddle.”
14 dixitque eis de comedente exivit cibus et de forte est egressa dulcedo nec potuerunt per tres dies propositionem solvere
So he said, “From the thing that eats came something to eat; out of something strong came something sweet.” But for three days they could not tell him the meaning of the riddle.
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 incendimus et te et domum patris tui an idcirco nos vocastis ad nuptias ut spoliaretis
On the fourth day, they said to Samson’s bride, “Ask your husband to tell you the meaning of the riddle. If you do not do that, we will burn down your father’s house, with you inside it! Did you invite us here only to make us poor [by forcing us to buy a lot of clothes for your husband]?”
16 quae fundebat apud Samson lacrimas et querebatur 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
So Samson’s wife came to him, crying, and said to him, “You do not really love me. You hate me! You have told a riddle to my friends, but you have not told me the meaning of the riddle!” He replied, “I have not told the meaning of the riddle even to my mother and father, so why should I tell it to you?”
17 septem igitur diebus convivii flebat apud eum tandemque die septimo cum ei molesta esset exposuit quae statim indicavit civibus suis
She continued to cry every time she was with him, all during the rest of the celebration. Finally, on the seventh day, because she continued to nag him, he told her the meaning of the riddle. Then she told it to the young men.
18 et illi dixerunt ei die septimo ante solis occubitum quid dulcius melle et quid leone fortius qui ait ad eos si non arassetis in vitula mea non invenissetis propositionem meam
So, before sunset on the seventh day, the young men came to Samson and said to him, “What/Nothing is sweeter than honey [RHQ]. What/Nothing is stronger than a lion [RHQ]!” Samson replied, “[You should not force a heifer to] plow a field [MET]. Similarly, if you had not forced my bride to ask me about the riddle [MET], you would not have known the answer to my riddle!”
19 inruit itaque in eo spiritus Domini descenditque Ascalonem et percussit ibi triginta viros quorum ablatas vestes dedit his qui problema solverant iratusque nimis ascendit in domum patris sui
Then Yahweh’s Spirit powerfully took control of Samson. He went down to [the coast at] Ashkelon [town], and killed 30 men. He took their clothes [and went back to Timnah] and gave them to the men who had told him the meaning of the riddle. But he was very angry about what had happened, so he went back home to live with his mother and father.
20 uxor autem eius accepit maritum unum de amicis eius et pronubis
So (Samson’s wife was given/the bride’s father gave Samson’s wife) to the man who who had been Samson’s best man at the wedding, [but Samson did not know that].
