1 Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman.2 When he returned, he said to his father and mother, "I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife."3 His father and mother replied, "Isn't there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?" But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me. She's the right one for me."4 (His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.)5 Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him.6 The Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done.7 Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her.8 Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to look at the lion's carcass, and in it he saw a swarm of bees and some honey.9 He scooped out the honey with his hands and ate as he went along. When he rejoined his parents, he gave them some, and they too ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion's carcass.10 Now his father went down to see the woman. And there Samson held a feast, as was customary for young men.11 When the people saw him, they chose thirty men to be his companions.12 "Let me tell you a riddle," Samson said to them. "If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.13 If you can't tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes." "Tell us your riddle," they said. "Let's hear it."14 He replied, "Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet." For three days they could not give the answer.15 On the fourth "day, they said to Samson's wife, "Coax your husband into explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father's household to death. Did you invite us here to steal our property?"16 Then Samson's wife threw herself on him, sobbing, "You hate me! You don't really love me. You've given my people a riddle, but you haven't told me the answer." "I haven't even explained it to my father or mother," he replied, "so why should I explain it to you?"17 She cried the whole seven days of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people.18 Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" Samson said to them, "If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle."19 Then the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. He went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of everything and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he returned to his father's home.20 And Samson's wife was given to one of his companions who had attended him at the feast.

1 ونزل شمشون الى تمنة ورأى امرأة في تمنة من بنات الفلسطينيين.2 فصعد واخبر اباه وامه وقال قد رأيت امرأة في تمنة من بنات الفلسطينيين فالآن خذاها لي امرأة.3 فقال له ابوه وامه أليس في بنات اخوتك وفي كل شعبي امرأة حتى انك ذاهب لتأخذ امرأة من الفلسطينيين الغلف. فقال شمشون لابيه اياها خذ لي لانها حسنت في عينيّ.4 ولم يعلم ابوه وامه ان ذلك من الرب لانه كان يطلب علّة على الفلسطينيين. وفي ذلك الوقت كان الفلسطينيون متسلطين على اسرائيل5 فنزل شمشون وابوه وامه الى تمنة وأتوا الى كروم تمنة. واذا بشبل اسد يزمجر للقائه.6 فحلّ عليه روح الرب فشقه كشق الجدي وليس في يده شيء. ولم يخبر اباه وامه بما فعل.7 فنزل وكلم المرأة فحسنت في عيني شمشون.8 ولما رجع بعد ايام لكي ياخذها مال لكي يرى رمّة الاسد واذا دبر من النحل في جوف الاسد مع عسل.9 فاشتار منه على كفيه وكان يمشي وياكل وذهب الى ابيه وامه واعطاهما فأكلا ولم يخبرهما انه من جوف الاسد اشتار العسل10 ونزل ابوه الى المرأة فعمل هناك شمشون وليمة لانه هكذا كان يفعل الفتيان.11 فلما رأوه احضروا ثلاثين من الاصحاب فكانوا معه.12 فقال لهم شمشون لأحاجينكم أحجية. فاذا حللتموها لي في سبعة ايام الوليمة واصبتموها اعطيكم ثلاثين قميصا وثلاثين حلّة ثياب.13 وان لم تقدروا ان تحلّوها لي تعطوني انتم ثلاثين قميصا وثلاثين حلّة ثياب. فقالوا له حاج أحجيتك فنسمعها.14 فقال لهم من الآكل خرج أكل ومن الجافي خرجت حلاوة. فلم يستطيعوا ان يحلّوا الاحجية في ثلاثة ايام.15 وكان في اليوم السابع انهم قالوا لامرأة شمشون تملقي رجلك لكي يظهر لنا الاحجية لئلا نحرقك وبيت ابيك بنار. ألتسلبونا دعوتمونا ام لا.16 فبكت امرأة شمشون لديه وقالت انما كرهتني ولا تحبني. قد حاجيت بني شعبي احجية واياي لم تخبر. فقال لها هوذا ابي وامي لم اخبرهما فهل اياك اخبر.17 فبكت لديه السبعة الايام التي فيها كانت لهم الوليمة وكان في اليوم السابع انه اخبرها لانها ضايقته فاظهرت الاحجية لبني شعبها.18 فقال له رجال المدينة في اليوم السابع قبل غروب الشمس اي شيء احلى من العسل وما اجفى من الاسد. فقال لهم لو لم تحرثوا على عجلتي لما وجدتم أحجيتي.19 وحلّ عليه روح الرب فنزل الى اشقلون وقتل منهم ثلاثين رجلا واخذ سلبهم واعطى الحلل لمظهري الاحجية. وحمي غضبه وصعد الى بيت ابيه.20 فصارت امرأة شمشون لصاحبه الذي كان يصاحبه