Abahluleli 14
1 USamsoni waya eThimina wabona intombi engumFilistiya.
One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.
2 Esebuyele, wathi kuyise lonina, “Ngibone intombi engumFilistiya eThimina; ake liyengithathela yona ukuba ibe ngumkami.”
So he returned and told his father and mother, “I have seen a daughter of the Philistines in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”
3 Uyise lonina baphendula bathi, “Kanti akulantombi eyamukelekayo yini phakathi kwezihlobo zakho loba phakathi kwabantu bonke bakithi? Usungaze uye kumaFilistiya angasokanga ukuba uthathe umfazi na?” Kodwa uSamsoni wathi kuyise, “Ngithathela yena. Nguye ongifaneleyo.”
But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.”
4 (Uyise lonina babengazi ukuthi lokhu kwakuvela kuThixo, owayefuna ithuba lokumelana lamaFilistiya; ngoba ngalesosikhathi ayebusa abako-Israyeli.)
(Now his father and mother did not know this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines; for at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.)
5 USamsoni waya eThimina eloyise lonina. Bathe sebebanga ezivinini zeThimina kwathutsha ibhuklwana lesilwane libhonga liqonde yena.
Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him,
6 Umoya kaThixo wafika kuye ngamandla wasidabula ngezandla zakhe njengayengakwenza edabula izinyane lembuzi. Kodwa uyise lonina kabatshelanga ayekwenzile.
and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.
7 Emva kwalokho wahamba wayakhuluma lowesifazane lowo, wezwa emthanda.
Then Samson continued on his way down and spoke to the woman, because she was pleasing to his eyes.
8 Emva kwesikhathi esithile, esebuyele ukuba ayemthatha, waphambuka ukuba abone isidumbu sesilwane. Phakathi kwaso kwasekulomtshitshi wezinyosi ziloluju,
When Samson returned later to take her, he left the road to see the lion’s carcass, and in it was a swarm of bees, along with their honey.
9 waluthapha ngezandla zakhe, wahamba eludla. Esefike ebazalini bakhe, wabapha olunye kodwa kabatshelanga ukuthi wayeluthaphe esidunjini sesilwane.
So he scooped some honey into his hands and ate it as he went along. And when he returned to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.
10 Uyise wahamba ukuyabona owesifazane lowo. USamsoni wenza idili khona, njengokwakungumkhuba wezinsizwa ezithathayo.
Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom.
11 Ekufikeni kwakhe waphiwa abakhaphi abangamatshumi amathathu.
And when the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty men to accompany him.
12 USamsoni wasesithi kubo, “Lalelani ngilitshele ilibho. Lingangitshela ukuthi litshoni phakathi kwensuku eziyisikhombisa zedili, ngizalinika izembatho zelineni ezingamatshumi amathathu lezigqoko ezingamatshumi amathathu.
“Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.
13 Nxa lingehluleka ukungitshela ukuthi litshoni, kumele linginike izembatho zelineni ezingamatshumi amathathu lezigqoko ezingamatshumi amathathu.” Bona bathi, “Sitshele ilibho lakho. Litsho silizwe.”
But if you cannot solve it, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they replied. “Let us hear it.”
14 Waphendula wathi, “Kokudlayo, kwaphuma okudliwayo; kokulamandla kwaphuma okumnandi.” Behluleka ukuyitsho impendulo okwensuku ezintathu.
So he said to them: “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet.” For three days they were unable to explain the riddle.
15 Ngosuku lwesine bathi kumkaSamsoni, “Ncenga umkakho asichazele ilibho, hlezi sikutshise wena labendlu yakwenu life. Kanti usinxusele ukuzasiphanga lapha na?”
So on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?”
16 Lapho-ke umkaSamsoni waziphosela phezu kwakhe, ebubula esithi, “Uyangizonda. Kawungithandi ngeqiniso. Unike abantu bakithi ilibho; kodwa mina kawungitshelanga ukuthi litshoni.” Yena waphendula wathi, “Angilichazanga lakubaba lomama, pho ngingalichazelani kuwe na?”
Then Samson’s wife came to him, weeping, and said, “You hate me! You do not really love me! You have posed to my people a riddle, but have not explained it to me.” “Look,” he said, “I have not even explained it to my father or mother, so why should I explain it to you?”
17 Owesifazane lowo wakhala zonke lezinsuku eziyisikhombisa zedili. Ngakho ngosuku lwesikhombisa wamtshela, ngoba wayelokhu emphikelela. Laye-ke walichaza ilibho ebantwini bakibo.
She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and finally on the seventh day, because she had pressed him so much, he told her the answer. And in turn she explained the riddle to her people.
18 Kwathi ilanga lingakatshoni ngosuku lwesikhombisa abantu bakulowomuzi bathi kuye, “Kuyini okumnandi kuloluju na? Kuyini okulamandla kulesilwane na?” USamsoni wathi kubo, “Aluba kalilimanga ngethokazi lami, belingeke lilichaze ilibho lami.”
Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city said to Samson: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” So he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!”
19 UMoya kaThixo wasusehlela phezu kwakhe ngamandla. Waya e-Ashikheloni, wabulala abantu bakhona abangamatshumi amathathu, wabemuka konke ababelakho kwathi izigqoko zabo wazinika labo ababechaze ilibho lakhe. Waya endlini kayise evutha ulaka.
Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave their clothes to those who had solved the riddle. And burning with anger, Samson returned to his father’s house,
20 UmkaSamsoni wasesendiselwa komunye wabakhaphi bakhe owayekhona edilini.
and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.
