1 Sansão desceu a Tamna e, vendo ali uma mulher das filhas dos filisteus,2 voltou, e falou ao seu pai e à sua mãe, dizendo: Vi em Tamna uma filha dos filisteus: pedi-a para mim em casamento.3 Seu pai e sua mãe disseram-lhe: Não há porventura ninguém entre as filhas de teus irmãos, e em todo o nosso povo, para que queiras escolher uma mulher entre os filisteus, estes incircuncisos? Sansão, porém, disse ao seu pai: Toma esta para mim, porque me agrada.4 Seus pais não sabiam que isso se fazia por disposição do Senhor, e que ele buscava uma ocasião contra os filisteus que, naquele tempo, dominavam sobre Israel.5 Sansão desceu com seu pai e sua mãe a Tamna. Quando chegaram às vinhas de Tamna, apareceu de repente um leão, rugindo, que arremeteu contra ele.6 O Espírito do Senhor apossou-se de Sansão, e ele despedaçou o leão como se fosse um cabrito, sem ter coisa alguma na mão; e não quis contar isso aos seus pais.7 Depois desceu a Tamna e falou à mulher que lhe agradava.8 Voltando, alguns dias depois, para a desposar, afastou-se do caminho para ver o cadáver do leão. Mas eis que na boca do leão estava um enxame de abelhas com mel.9 Tomou o mel nas mãos e o ia comendo pelo caminho; e tendo alcançado os seus pais, deu-lhes do mel e eles comeram, mas não lhes disse que aquele mel provinha da boca do leão.10 Seu pai desceu à casa da mulher, onde Sansão deu um banquete, segundo o costume dos jovens.11 Logo que o viram chegar, deram-lhe trinta companheiros para estarem com ele.12 Sansão disse-lhes: Vou propor-vos um enigma; se o decifrardes dentro dos sete dias das bodas e descobri-lo, dar-vos-ei trinta túnicas e trinta vestes de festa;13 mas, se o não puderdes decifrar, sois vós que me dareis trinta túnicas e outras tantas vestes de festa. Eles responderam-lhe: Propõe o teu enigma, para que o ouçamos.14 Ele disse-lhes: Do que come saiu o que se come; do forte saiu doçura. Durante três dias não puderam decifrar o enigma.15 Quando chegou o quarto dia, disseram à mulher de Sansão: Persuade o teu marido que nos explique o enigma, se não queres que te queimemos com a casa de teu pai. Será talvez para nos despojar que nos convidastes?16 A mulher de Sansão, desfazendo-se em lágrimas junto dele, disse-lhe: Tu me odeias; tu não me amas. Propuseste um enigma aos filhos do meu povo e não mo explicaste! Nem sequer aos meus próprios pais eu o expliquei, respondeu ele, e haveria de explicá-lo a ti?17 E ela chorava assim até o sétimo dia das bodas. Ao sétimo dia, enfim, importunado por sua mulher, deu-lhe a chave do enigma, e ela por sua vez {apressou-se} a declará-lo aos seus compatriotas.18 Estes, no sétimo dia, antes do pôr-do-sol, disseram a Sansão: Que coisa é mais doce que o mel, que coisa é mais forte que o leão? Se vós não tivésseis lavrado com a minha novilha, respondeu Sansão, não teríeis descoberto o meu enigma.19 Apoderou-se então dele o Espírito do Senhor, e desceu a Ascalon. Matou ali trinta homens, tomou os seus despojos, e deu trinta vestes de festas aos que tinham explicado o seu enigma, e voltou enfurecido para a casa paterna.20 Sua mulher, porém, foi dada em casamento a um jovem que tinha sido seu companheiro nas bodas.

1 And Samson went down to Timnathah, and saw a woman in Timnathah of the daughters of the Philistines.2 And he went up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnathah of the daughters of the Philistines; and now take her to me for wife.3 Then said unto him his father and his mother, Is there not among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, a woman, that thou art going to take a wife from the Philistines, the uncircumcised? And Samson said unto his father, This one take for me; for she pleaseth me well.4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was from the Lord, that he sought but an occasion against the Philistines; and at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.5 And Samson thus went down, with his father and his mother, to Timnathah; and when they were come as far as the vineyards of Timnathah, behold, a young lion came roaring toward him.6 And the Spirit of the Lord came suddenly over him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand; but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.7 And he went down, and spoke unto the woman; and she pleased Samson well.8 And when he returned after a time to take her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the carcass of the lion and honey likewise.9 And he took it out in his hands, and went on, eating as he was going, and came to his father and mother, and he gave unto them, and they did eat; but he told them not that out of the carcass of the lion he had taken the honey.10 And his father went down unto the woman; and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions, and they remained with him.12 And Samson said unto them, I will now propound unto you a riddle; if ye can in anywise tell it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then will I give you thirty shirts and thirty changes of garments;13 But if ye will not be able to tell it to me, then shall ye give me thirty shirts and thirty changes of garments. And they said unto him, Propound thy riddle, that we may hear it.14 And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not solve the riddle in three days.15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson’s wife, Persuade thy husband, that he may solve unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye invited us to impoverish us? is it not so?16 And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou doest but hate me, and lovest me not: that riddle hast thou propounded unto the children of my people, and me hast thou not told the solution. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it to my father and to my mother, and thee shall I tell it?17 And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted; and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she had worried him: and she told the solution of the riddle to the children of her people.18 Then said unto him the men of the city on the seventh day before the sun was yet gone down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not ploughed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.19 And the Spirit of the Lord came suddenly over him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew of them thirty men, and he took their apparel, and gave the changes of garments unto the expounders of the riddle; but his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.20 And Samson’s wife was given to his companion who had been given him as his associate.