Atemmufoɔ 14
1 Dabi a na Samson wɔ Timna no, ɔhunuu Filistini ababaawa bi.
Then Samson went down to Thamnatlia, and seeing there a woman of the daughters of the Philistines,
2 Ɔsane kɔɔ efie no, ɔka kyerɛɛ nʼagya ne ne maame sɛ, “Mahunu Filistini ababaawa bi wɔ Timna a mepɛ sɛ meware no.”
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 Nʼagya ne ne maame ampene so kaa no anibereɛ so sɛ, “Enti, yɛn abusua yi mu anaa Israelfoɔ yi mu, ɔbaa baako mpo nni mu a wotumi ware no? Adɛn na ɛsɛ sɛ wokɔ Filistifoɔ abosonsomfoɔ mu kɔpɛ ɔyere?” Nanso, Samson ka kyerɛɛ nʼagya sɛ, “Kɔyɛ ne ho adeɛ ma me. Ɔno ara na mepɛ.”
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 Nʼagya ne ne maame anhunu sɛ Awurade na ɔreyɛ nʼadwuma, repɛ akwannya bi a ɔbɛfa so atia Filistifoɔ a saa ɛberɛ no na wɔdi Israelfoɔ so.
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 Samson ne nʼawofoɔ rekɔ Timna no, gyata ba bi to hyɛɛ Samson so wɔ beaeɛ bi a ɛbɛn Timna bobe nturo.
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 Amonom hɔ ara, Awurade Honhom baa ne so wɔ ahoɔden mu, na ɔde ne nsa hunu waee gyata no apantan. Ɔwaee te sɛ deɛ ɔrewae abirekyie ba bi apantan. Nanso, wanka deɛ ɔyɛeɛ yi ankyerɛ nʼawofoɔ.
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 Samson duruu Timna no, ɔne ɔbaa no kasaeɛ na nʼani gyee ne ho.
And he went down and spoke to the woman that had pleased his eyes.
8 Akyire no a ɔresane akɔ Timna akɔhyia ayeforɔ no, ɔmane kɔhwɛɛ gyata no funu no. Ɔhunuu sɛ nwowa kuo akɔyɛ ɛwoɔ wɔ mu.
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 Ɔkɔtii ɛwoɔ no bi dii wɔ ɛkwan so. Ɔmaa nʼawofoɔ no bi ma wɔdiiɛ. Nanso, wanka ankyerɛ wɔn sɛ ɔnyaa ɛwoɔ no wɔ gyata funu no mu.
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 Afei, ɛberɛ a nʼagya reyɛ ahoboa ama awaregyeɛ no, Samson too ɛpono wɔ Timna, sɛdeɛ amanneɛ kyerɛ saa ɛberɛ no.
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 Wɔtoo nsa frɛɛ mmeranteɛ aduasa a wɔfiri kuro no mu sɛ wɔmmɛka ne ho.
And when the citizens of that place saw him, they brought him thirty companions to be with him.
12 Samson ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Momma menka aborɔme bi nkyerɛ mo. Sɛ nnanson apontoɔ yi mu, motumi yi ano a, mɛma mo serekyetam ntadeɛ aduasa ne ntadeɛ ahodoɔ bi nso aduasa.
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 Sɛ moantumi anyi ano nso a, mo nso mobɛma me serekyetam ntadeɛ aduasa ne ntadeɛ ahodoɔ bi nso aduasa.” Wɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Ka aborɔme no ma yɛntie.”
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 Ɔkaa no sɛ, “Deɛ ɔdie mu na wɔnya biribi a wɔdie; ɔhoɔdenfoɔ mu na ɔdɛ firi ba.” Nnansa akyi no, na wɔntumi nyii ano.
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 Ne nna ɛnan soɔ no, wɔkɔka kyerɛɛ Samson yere sɛ, “Gye aborɔme no mmuaeɛ firi wo kunu hɔ ma yɛn, anyɛ saa a, yɛbɛhye wo ne wʼagya fie ama wɔawu. Motoo nsa frɛɛ yɛn wɔ ha sɛ morebɛsisi yɛn anaa?”
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 Enti, Samson yere de su baa ne nkyɛn bɛkaa sɛ, “Wonnɔ me. Wotan me! Woaka aborɔme bi akyerɛ me nkurɔfoɔ, nanso, wonkyerɛɛ me aseɛ.” Samson buaa ne yere no sɛ, “Saa ara na mʼagya ne me maame nso menkyerɛɛ wɔn aseɛ. Na adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ meka kyerɛ wo?”
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 Enti, ɔsu guu ne so biribiara ɔne no wɔ hɔ. Ɔkɔɔ so saa ara nna a aka na apontoɔ no aba nʼawieeɛ nyinaa. Nnanson so no, ɛsiane ha a ɔhaa no enti, ɔkyerɛɛ no aseɛ. Ɔno nso kaa aborɔme asekyerɛ no kyerɛɛ mmeranteɛ no.
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 Na nnanson so, ansa na owia rebɛtɔ no, kuro no mu mmarima baa Samson nkyɛn bɛkyerɛɛ no aseɛ sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na ɛyɛ dɛ sene woɔ? Ɛdeɛn na ɛwɔ ahoɔden sene gyata?” Samson buaa wɔn sɛ, “Sɛ mo ne ɔfatwafoɔ no antu agyina, anka morennya aborɔme no asekyerɛ.”
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 Afei, Awurade Honhom de ahoɔden kɛseɛ bi baa ne so. Ɔkɔɔ Askelon kuro mu. Ɔkunkumm mmarima aduasa faa wɔn agyapadeɛ nyinaa. Ɔde wɔn ntadeɛ maa mmarima a wɔyii aborɔme no ano no. Na Samson bo annwo deɛ ɛbaeɛ no ho yie enti ɔkɔɔ ne fie na ɔne nʼawofoɔ kɔtenaeɛ.
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 Enti, wɔde ne yere no maa ɔbarima a na ɔdi Samson nan ase wɔ wɔn ayeforɔhyia mu no awadeɛ.
But his wife took one of his friends and bridal companions for her husband.
