Abahluleli 14
1 USamsoni waya eThimina wabona intombi engumFilistiya.
Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah 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 have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. Now therefore get her for me as my 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.”
Then his father and his mother said to him, “Isn’t there a woman among your brothers’ daughters, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?” Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.”
4 (Uyise lonina babengazi ukuthi lokhu kwakuvela kuThixo, owayefuna ithuba lokumelana lamaFilistiya; ngoba ngalesosikhathi ayebusa abako-Israyeli.)
But his father and his mother didn’t know that it was of the LORD; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines ruled 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 his mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion roared at him.
6 Umoya kaThixo wafika kuye ngamandla wasidabula ngezandla zakhe njengayengakwenza edabula izinyane lembuzi. Kodwa uyise lonina kabatshelanga ayekwenzile.
The LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a young goat with his bare hands, but he didn’t tell his father or his mother what he had done.
7 Emva kwalokho wahamba wayakhuluma lowesifazane lowo, wezwa emthanda.
He went down and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well.
8 Emva kwesikhathi esithile, esebuyele ukuba ayemthatha, waphambuka ukuba abone isidumbu sesilwane. Phakathi kwaso kwasekulomtshitshi wezinyosi ziloluju,
After a while he returned to take her, and he went over to see the carcass of the lion; and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.
9 waluthapha ngezandla zakhe, wahamba eludla. Esefike ebazalini bakhe, wabapha olunye kodwa kabatshelanga ukuthi wayeluthaphe esidunjini sesilwane.
He took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went. He came to his father and mother and gave to them, and they ate, but he didn’t tell them that he had taken the honey out of the lion’s body.
10 Uyise wahamba ukuyabona owesifazane lowo. USamsoni wenza idili khona, njengokwakungumkhuba wezinsizwa ezithathayo.
His father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men used to do so.
11 Ekufikeni kwakhe waphiwa abakhaphi abangamatshumi amathathu.
When they saw him, they brought 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.
Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can tell me the answer within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing;
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 can’t tell me the answer, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” They said to him, “Tell us your riddle, that we may hear it.”
14 Waphendula wathi, “Kokudlayo, kwaphuma okudliwayo; kokulamandla kwaphuma okumnandi.” Behluleka ukuyitsho impendulo okwensuku ezintathu.
He said to them, “Out of the eater came out food. Out of the strong came out sweetness.” They couldn’t in three days declare the riddle.
15 Ngosuku lwesine bathi kumkaSamsoni, “Ncenga umkakho asichazele ilibho, hlezi sikutshise wena labendlu yakwenu life. Kanti usinxusele ukuzasiphanga lapha na?”
On the seventh day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you called us to impoverish us? Isn’t that so?”
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?”
Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, “You just hate me, and don’t love me. You’ve told a riddle to the children of my people, and haven’t told it to me.” He said to her, “Behold, I haven’t told my father or my mother, so why should I tell you?”
17 Owesifazane lowo wakhala zonke lezinsuku eziyisikhombisa zedili. Ngakho ngosuku lwesikhombisa wamtshela, ngoba wayelokhu emphikelela. Laye-ke walichaza ilibho ebantwini bakibo.
She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted; and on the seventh day, he told her, because she pressed him severely; and she told the riddle to the children of 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.”
The men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” He said to them, “If you hadn’t plowed with my heifer, you wouldn’t have 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.
The LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck thirty men of them. He took their plunder, then gave the changes of clothing to those who declared the riddle. His anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house.
20 UmkaSamsoni wasesendiselwa komunye wabakhaphi bakhe owayekhona edilini.
But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his friend.
