1 S amson s'a pogorît la Timna, şi a văzut acolo o femeie din fetele Filistenilor.

Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.

2 C înd s'a suit înapoi, a spus lucrul acesta tatălui său şi mamei sale, şi a zis:,, Am văzut la Timna o femeie din fetele Filistenilor; luaţi-mi -o acum de nevastă``.

So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.”

3 T atăl său şi mama sa i-au zis:,, Nu este nici o femeie între fetele fraţilor tăi şi în tot poporul nostru, de te duci să-ţi iei nevastă dela Filisteni, cari sînt netăiaţi împrejur?`` Şi Samson a zis tatălui său:,, Ia-mi -o, căci îmi place.``

Then his father and mother said to him, “ Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” And Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.”

4 T atăl său şi mama sa nu ştiau că lucrul acesta venea dela Domnul: căci Samson căuta un prilej de ceartă din partea Filistenilor. În vremea aceea Filistenii stăpîneau peste Israel.

But his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord —that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

5 S amson s'a pogorît împreună cu tatăl său şi cu mama sa la Timna. Cînd au ajuns la viile din Timna, iată că i -a ieşit înainte un leu tînăr mugind.

So Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Now to his surprise, a young lion came roaring against him.

6 D uhul Domnului a venit peste Samson; şi, fără să aibă ceva în mînă, Samson a sfîşiat pe leu cum se sfîşie un ied. N'a spus tatălui său şi mamei sale ce făcuse.

And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

7 S 'a pogorît şi a vorbit cu femeia aceea, şi ea i -a plăcut.

Then he went down and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

8 D upă cîtva timp, s'a dus iarăşi la Timna ca s'o ia, şi s'a abătut să vadă hoitul leului. Şi iată că în trupul leului era un roi de albine şi miere.

After some time, when he returned to get her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion. And behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the carcass of the lion.

9 A luat mierea în mînă, şi a mîncat -o pe drum; şi cînd a ajuns la tatăl său şi la mama sa, le -a dat, şi au mîncat şi ei din ea. Dar nu le -a spus că luase mierea aceasta din trupul leului.

He took some of it in his hands and went along, eating. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them, and they also ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion.

10 T atăl lui Samson s'a pogorît la femeia aceea. Şi acolo Samson a făcut un ospăţ, căci aşa făceau tinerii.

So his father went down to the woman. And Samson gave a feast there, for young men used to do so.

11 C um l-au văzut, au poftit treizeci de tovarăşi, cari au stat împreună cu el.

And it happened, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

12 S amson le -a zis:,, Am să vă spun o ghicitoare. Dacă mi -o veţi ghici în cele şapte zile ale ospăţului, şi dacă o veţi deslega, vă voi da treizeci de cămăşi şi treizeci de haine de schimb.

Then Samson said to them, “Let me pose a riddle to you. If you can correctly solve and explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.

13 D ar dacă n'o veţi ghici, să-mi daţi voi treizeci de cămăşi şi treizeci de haine de schimb``.,, Ei i-au zis:``,, Spune-ne ghicitoarea ta s'o auzim``.

But if you cannot explain it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” And they said to him, “Pose your riddle, that we may hear it.”

14 Ş i el le -a zis:,, Din cel ce mănîncă a ieşit ce se mănîncă, Şi din cel tare a ieşit dulceaţă``.

So he said to them: “Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet.” Now for three days they could not explain the riddle.

15 T rei zile, n-au putut deslega ghicitoarea. În ziua a şaptea, au zis nevestei lui Samson:,,Înduplecă pe bărbatul tău să ne deslege ghicitoarea; altfel, te vom arde, pe tine şi casa tatălui tău. Ne-aţi adunat aici ca să ne jăfuiţi, nu -i aşa?``

But it came to pass on the seventh day that they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, that he may explain the riddle to us, or else we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us in order to take what is ours? Is that not so? ”

16 N evasta lui Samson plîngea lîngă el şi zicea:,, Tu n'ai decît ură pentru mine, şi nu mă iubeşti; ai spus o ghicitoare copiilor poporului meu, şi nu mi-ai deslegat -o!`` Şi el i -a răspuns:,, N'am deslegat -o nici tatălui meu, nici mamei mele: să ţi -o desleg ţie``?

Then Samson’s wife wept on him, and said, “You only hate me! You do not love me! You have posed a riddle to the sons of my people, but you have not explained it to me.” And he said to her, “Look, I have not explained it to my father or my mother; so should I explain it to you?”

17 E a a plîns lîngă el tot timpul celor şapte zile cît a ţinut ospătul; şi în ziua a şaptea, i -a deslegat -o, căci îl necăjea. Şi ea a dat copiilor poporului ei deslegarea ghicitorii.

Now she had wept on him the seven days while their feast lasted. And it happened on the seventh day that he told her, because she pressed him so much. Then she explained the riddle to the sons of her people.

18 O amenii din cetate au zis lui Samson în ziua a şaptea, înainte de apusul soarelui:,, Ce este mai dulce de cît mierea, şi ce este mai tare decît leul? Şi el le -a zis:, Dacă n'aţi fi arat cu juncana mea, Nu mi-aţi fi deslegat ghicitoarea``.

So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” And he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, You would not have solved my riddle!”

19 D uhul Domnului a venit peste el, şi s'a pogorît la Ascalon. Acolo a ucis treizeci de oameni, le -a luat hainele şi a dat hainele de schimb celor ce deslegaseră ghicitoarea. Era aprins de mînie, şi s'a suit la casa tatălui său.

Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave the changes of clothing to those who had explained the riddle. So his anger was aroused, and he went back up to his father’s house.

20 N evastă-sa a fost dată unuia din tovarăşii lui, cu care era prieten el.

And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.