參孫娶非利士女子為妻

14 參孫下到亭拿,在那裡看中了一個非利士女子。 他回到家裡便對父母說:「我在亭拿看中一個非利士女子,把她給我娶來做妻子吧!」 他父母說:「難道我們的親族和同胞中,沒有一個令你滿意的女子嗎?你為什麼要娶未受割禮的非利士人的女子呢?」參孫卻說:「我很喜歡她,請給我把她娶過來吧!」

他的父母不知道這事是出於耶和華的旨意,祂要找機會對付非利士人。那時,非利士人統治著以色列。

參孫跟父母一起去亭拿,走到亭拿的葡萄園時,有一頭壯獅吼叫著撲向他。 耶和華的靈降在參孫身上,他雖然手無寸鐵,竟撕裂了那頭獅子,就像撕裂一隻山羊羔一樣。他沒有把這事告訴父母。 到了亭拿,參孫跟那女子交談,很喜歡她。 過了些日子,參孫下去迎娶她,途中他順便去看那隻死獅子,見死獅子體內有一群蜜蜂和一些蜂蜜, 就用手取了一些蜜,邊走邊吃。到了父母那裡,他給了他們一些,他們也吃了。但他沒有告訴父母蜂蜜是從死獅子體內取的。

10 參孫的父親去那女子家,參孫按習俗擺設宴席。 11 眾人看見參孫,就安排了三十個人陪他。 12 參孫對他們說:「我出一個謎語,如果你們可以在這七天的婚宴期間猜出來,我就送你們三十件細麻衣和三十件外袍。 13 如果猜不中,你們就要給我三十件細麻衣和三十件外袍。」他們說:「請你出謎語吧!」 14 參孫說:

「食物出自食者,
甜物出自強者。」

三天過後,他們仍然猜不出來。

15 到了第四天,他們對參孫的妻子說:「你要哄你的丈夫把謎底說出來,不然我們就把你和你父親一家全燒死。你們邀請我們來,難道是要叫我們傾家蕩產嗎?」 16 於是,參孫的妻子向他哭訴說:「你是恨我,不是愛我。你給我的族人出了謎語,卻沒有告訴我謎底。」參孫回答說:「我連父母都沒有告訴,又怎能告訴你呢?」 17 在七天的婚宴期間,她一直在丈夫跟前哭哭啼啼。到了第七天,參孫經不住妻子的催逼就把謎底告訴了她。她把謎底告訴了她的族人。 18 在第七天日落之前,城裡的人對參孫說:

「有什麼比蜂蜜更甜?
有什麼比獅子更強?」

參孫說:

「你們若不是利用我的小母牛耕田,
肯定猜不出來。」

19 耶和華的靈降在參孫身上,他便去亞實基倫殺了三十個人,擄走他們的衣服,交給猜中謎語的那些人,然後怒氣沖沖地回父親家去了。 20 參孫的妻子後來歸了他的伴郎。

參孫娶非利士女子為妻

14 參孫下到亭拿,在亭拿看見了一個女子,是一個非利士人的女兒。 參孫上來告訴他的父母,說:“我在亭拿看見一個女子,是一個非利士人的女兒;現在請你們把她娶來給我作妻子。” 他的父母對他說:“在你兄弟的女兒中,或是在你所有的族人中,難道沒有一個女子,以致你要去從那些未受割禮的非利士人中娶妻呢?”參孫對他的父親說:“請你把她娶來給我,因為我看中她。” 他的父母卻不知道這事是出於耶和華,因為他正在找機會攻擊非利士人。那時非利士人正統治著以色列人。

參孫殺壯獅

參孫跟他的父母下到亭拿去,到了亭拿的葡萄園;忽然見一隻少壯獅子向他吼叫。 耶和華的靈大大感動參孫,他雖然手裡沒有武器,竟把獅子撕裂,像人撕裂山羊羔一樣;他沒有把他所作的這事告訴他的父母。 參孫下去,和那女子說話,就看中了她。 過了些日子,參孫回去迎娶那女子,他轉向一旁去看看那隻死了的獅子;看見有一群蜂子和一些蜂蜜在獅子的屍體內。 他刮了些蜂蜜,放在手裡,就走了;他一面走,一面吃,直走到他的父母那裡去;他又把蜂蜜給了他們,他們也吃了;但是他沒有告訴他們這蜂蜜是從獅子的屍體內刮下來的。

參孫的謎語

10 參孫的父親下去見那女子,參孫在那裡擺設了筵席,因為青年人都慣常這樣行。 11 眾人看見參孫,就請了三十個人陪伴他。 12 參孫對他們說:“現在讓我給你們出一個謎語,你們在七天婚宴之內,如果能猜出來,把它的意思清楚告訴我,我就給你們三十件內衣、三十套衣服。 13 如果你們不能告訴我,你們就要給我三十件內衣、三十套衣服。”他們對他說:“請你把謎語說給我們聽。” 14 參孫對他們說:

“可吃的從吃者出來;

甜的從強者出來。”

他們過了三日都不能說出謎語的意思。

15 到了第四天(按照《馬索拉文本》,“第四天”作“第七天”,大概是手民之誤;兩者在原文非常相似,現參照各古譯本翻譯),他們對參孫的妻子說:“你要引誘你的丈夫,使他把謎語的意思告訴我們,否則我們用火燒你和你的父家。難道你們請了我們來,是要奪取我們所有的嗎?” 16 參孫的妻子在丈夫面前哭哭啼啼,說:“你只是恨我,不是愛我;你給我的族人設謎語,卻沒有把謎語的意思告訴我。”參孫對她說:“連我父母我都沒有告訴,怎能告訴你呢?” 17 在那七天婚宴期內,她在丈夫跟前常常哭哭啼啼;到了第七天,因為她催逼著參孫,參孫才告訴她;於是她把謎語的意思告訴她的族人。 18 到了第七天太陽未落以前,城裡的人就對參孫說:

“有甚麼比蜂蜜還甜呢?

有甚麼比獅子還強呢?”

參孫對他們說:“你們若不是用我的母牛犢耕田,你們就不會猜出我的謎語的意思來。” 19 耶和華的靈大大感動參孫,參孫就下到亞實基倫,擊殺了他們中間三十個人,拿了剝下來的衣服,把三十套衣服給了那些把謎語的意思說出來的人;參孫怒氣沖沖地上自己的父家去了。 20 參孫的妻子卻歸了一個陪伴參孫的人,就是作過他伴郎的。

14 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.

Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.

But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon 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.

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

And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.

And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

10 So 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 to be with him.

12 And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:

13 But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

14 And he said unto 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 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?

16 And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?

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 lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

18 And the men of the city said unto 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 unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.

19 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

20 But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.