Abahluleli 14
1 USamsoni waya eThimina wabona intombi engumFilistiya.
Then Samson went down to Thamnatlia, and seeing there a woman of the daughters of the Philistines,
2 Esebuyele, wathi kuyise lonina, “Ngibone intombi engumFilistiya eThimina; ake liyengithathela yona ukuba ibe ngumkami.”
He came up, and told his father and his mother, saying: I saw a woman in Thamnatha of the daughters of the Philistines: I beseech you, take her for me to 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.”
And his father and mother said to him: Is there no woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou wilt take a wife of the Philistines, who are uncircumcised? And Samson said to his father: Take this woman for me, for she hath pleased my eyes.
4 (Uyise lonina babengazi ukuthi lokhu kwakuvela kuThixo, owayefuna ithuba lokumelana lamaFilistiya; ngoba ngalesosikhathi ayebusa abako-Israyeli.)
Now his parents knew not that the thing was done by the Lord, and that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
5 USamsoni waya eThimina eloyise lonina. Bathe sebebanga ezivinini zeThimina kwathutsha ibhuklwana lesilwane libhonga liqonde yena.
Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Thamnatha. And when they were come to the vineyards of the town, behold a young lion met him raging and roaring.
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 upon Samson, and he tore the lion as he would have torn a kid in pieces, having nothing at all in his hand: and he would not tell this to his father and mother.
7 Emva kwalokho wahamba wayakhuluma lowesifazane lowo, wezwa emthanda.
And he went down and spoke to the woman that had pleased his eyes.
8 Emva kwesikhathi esithile, esebuyele ukuba ayemthatha, waphambuka ukuba abone isidumbu sesilwane. Phakathi kwaso kwasekulomtshitshi wezinyosi ziloluju,
And after some days returning to take her, he went aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold there was a swarm of bees in the mouth of the lion and a honeycomb.
9 waluthapha ngezandla zakhe, wahamba eludla. Esefike ebazalini bakhe, wabapha olunye kodwa kabatshelanga ukuthi wayeluthaphe esidunjini sesilwane.
And when be had taken it in his hands, he went on eating: and coming to his father and mother, he gave them of it, and they ate: but he would not tell them, that he had taken the honey from the body of the lion.
10 Uyise wahamba ukuyabona owesifazane lowo. USamsoni wenza idili khona, njengokwakungumkhuba wezinsizwa ezithathayo.
So his father went down to the woman, and made a feast for his son Samson: for so the young men used to do.
11 Ekufikeni kwakhe waphiwa abakhaphi abangamatshumi amathathu.
And when the citizens of that place saw him, they brought him thirty companions to be with him.
12 USamsoni wasesithi kubo, “Lalelani ngilitshele ilibho. Lingangitshela ukuthi litshoni phakathi kwensuku eziyisikhombisa zedili, ngizalinika izembatho zelineni ezingamatshumi amathathu lezigqoko ezingamatshumi amathathu.
And Samson said to them: I will propose to you a riddle, which if you declare unto me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty shirts, and as many coats:
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 shall not be able to declare it, you shall give me thirty shirts and the same number of coats. They answered him: Put forth the riddle that we may hear it.
14 Waphendula wathi, “Kokudlayo, kwaphuma okudliwayo; kokulamandla kwaphuma okumnandi.” Behluleka ukuyitsho impendulo okwensuku ezintathu.
And he said to them: Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
15 Ngosuku lwesine bathi kumkaSamsoni, “Ncenga umkakho asichazele ilibho, hlezi sikutshise wena labendlu yakwenu life. Kanti usinxusele ukuzasiphanga lapha na?”
And when the seventh day came, they said to the wife of Samson: Soothe thy husband, and persuade him to tell thee what the riddle meaneth. But if thou wilt not do it, we will burn thee, and thy father’s house. Have you called us to the wedding on purpose to strip 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?”
So she wept before Samson and complained, saying: Thou hatest me, and dost not love me: therefore thou wilt not expound to me the riddle which thou hast proposed to the sons of my people. But he answered: I would not tell it to my father and mother, and how can I tell it to thee?
17 Owesifazane lowo wakhala zonke lezinsuku eziyisikhombisa zedili. Ngakho ngosuku lwesikhombisa wamtshela, ngoba wayelokhu emphikelela. Laye-ke walichaza ilibho ebantwini bakibo.
So she wept before him the seven days of the feast: and at length on the seventh day as she was troublesome to him, he expounded it. And she immediately told her countrymen.
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.”
And they on the seventh day before the sun went down said to him: What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them: If you had not ploughed with my heifer, you had not found out 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.
And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ascalon, and slew there thirty men, whose garments he took away and gave to them that had declared the riddle. And being exceeding angry he went up to his father’s house:
20 UmkaSamsoni wasesendiselwa komunye wabakhaphi bakhe owayekhona edilini.
But his wife took one of his friends and bridal companions for her husband.
