1 S ansone scese a Timna e vide là una donna tra le figlie dei Filistei.

Samson went down to Timnah. There he saw a woman, one of the daughters of the Philistines.

2 T ornato a casa, ne parlò a suo padre e a sua madre, e disse: «Ho visto a Timna una donna tra le figlie dei Filistei; prendetemela dunque per moglie».

He returned and told his father and mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah. She is one of the daughters of the Philistines. Now get her for me as a wife.”

3 S uo padre e sua madre gli dissero: «Non c’è tra le figlie dei tuoi fratelli in tutto il nostro popolo una donna per te? Devi andare a prenderti una moglie tra i Filistei incirconcisi?» Sansone rispose a suo padre: «Prendimi quella perché mi piace».

But his father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your family or among all our people? Must you take a wife from the Philistines who have not gone through the religious act of the Jews?” Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she looks good to me.”

4 S uo padre e sua madre non sapevano che questo veniva dal Signore; Sansone infatti cercava un’occasione di contesa da parte dei Filistei. In quel tempo, i Filistei dominavano Israele.

His father and mother did not know that it was the Lord’s leading. For He was planning a way to go against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

5 P oi Sansone scese con suo padre e sua madre a Timna; e quando giunsero alle vigne di Timna, ecco un leoncello venirgli incontro ruggendo.

Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother. They came as far as the grape-fields of Timnah. There a young lion came running toward him, making a loud noise.

6 L o Spirito del Signore investì Sansone, che, senza aver niente in mano, squartò la belva come uno squarta un capretto; ma non disse nulla a suo padre né a sua madre di ciò che aveva fatto.

The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson with power. Samson tore the lion apart like one tears a young goat. He had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.

7 E scese, parlò alla donna, e questa gli piacque.

Then Samson went down and talked to the woman. She looked good to him.

8 D i lì a qualche tempo tornò per prenderla e uscì di strada per vedere la carcassa del leone; ed ecco nella carcassa del leone c’era uno sciame d’api e del miele.

When he returned later to take her, he turned to look at the dead lion. He saw that a lot of bees and some honey were inside the lion’s body.

9 E gli prese in mano il miele e si mise a mangiarlo per via; e quando ebbe raggiunto suo padre e sua madre, ne diede loro ed essi ne mangiarono; ma non disse loro che aveva preso il miele dalla carcassa del leone.

So he took the honey out with his hands and went on his way, eating as he went. He came to his father and mother and gave some honey to them, and they ate it. But he did not tell them he had taken the honey out of the lion’s body.

10 S uo padre scese a trovare quella donna e là Sansone fece un convito, perché tale era il costume dei giovani.

Then his father went down to the woman. Samson made a special supper there. The young men used to do this.

11 A ppena i parenti della sposa videro Sansone, invitarono trenta compagni perché stessero con lui.

When the people saw him, they brought thirty friends to be with him.

12 S ansone disse loro: «Io vi proporrò un enigma; se voi me lo spiegate entro i sette giorni del convito e se l’indovinate, vi darò trenta tuniche e trenta vesti;

And Samson said to them, “Let me see if you can answer this question. If you can find the answer within the seven days of the special supper, I will give you thirty linen coats and thirty pieces of clothing.

13 m a, se non me lo potete spiegare, darete trenta tuniche e trenta vesti a me».

But if you cannot answer me, you must give me thirty linen coats and thirty pieces of clothing.” And they said to him, “Ask your question. Let us hear it.”

14 Q uelli gli risposero: «Proponi il tuo enigma e noi l’ascolteremo». Egli disse loro: «Dal mangiatore è uscito del cibo, e dal forte è uscito il dolce». Per tre giorni quelli non poterono spiegare l’enigma.

So Samson said to them, “Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet. Now what does this mean?” But they could not answer the question in three days.

15 I l settimo giorno dissero alla moglie di Sansone: «Tenta tuo marito affinché ci spieghi l’enigma; se no, daremo fuoco a te e alla casa di tuo padre. E che? ci avete invitati per spogliarci?»

On the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Make your husband tell us the answer. Or we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you asked us to come here so you can make us poor? Is it not true?”

16 L a moglie di Sansone si mise a piangere presso di lui e a dirgli: «Tu non hai per me che dell’odio e non mi ami; hai proposto un enigma ai figli del mio popolo e non me l’hai spiegato!» Egli a lei: «Ecco, non l’ho spiegato né a mio padre né a mia madre e lo spiegherei a te?»

So Samson’s wife cried in front of Samson, saying, “You only hate me. You do not love me. You have asked my people a question. And you have not told me the answer.” Samson said to her, “See, I have not told the answer to my father or mother. Should I tell it to you?”

17 L ei pianse presso di lui, per i sette giorni che durava il convito; il settimo giorno Sansone glielo spiegò, perché lo tormentava; e lei spiegò l’enigma ai figli del suo popolo.

But she cried in front of him for seven days while their special supper lasted. On the seventh day Samson told her the answer because she begged him so much. Then she told the answer to her people.

18 G li uomini della città, il settimo giorno, prima che tramontasse il sole, dissero a Sansone: «Cos’è più dolce del miele? e chi è più forte del leone?» Egli rispose loro: «Se non aveste arato con la mia giovenca, non avreste indovinato il mio enigma».

So the men of the city said to Samson before the sun went down on the seventh day, “What is more sweet than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” Samson said to them, “If you had not plowed with my young cow, you would not have found the answer.”

19 L o Spirito del Signore lo investì ed egli scese ad Ascalon, vi uccise trenta uomini, prese le loro spoglie e diede le vesti a quelli che avevano spiegato l’enigma. Poi, acceso d’ira, risalì a casa di suo padre.

Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him with power. Samson went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty men of the town. He took their clothing and gave it to the men who answered his question. He was very angry and returned to his father’s house.

20 M a la moglie di Sansone fu data al compagno, che egli si era scelto per amico.

Samson’s wife was given to his friend who had been his best man at his wedding.