Judges 14

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he noticed a woman, a Philistine girl.	1 Then Samson went down to Thamnatlia, and seeing there a woman of the daughters of the Philistines,
2 He went home again and told his father and mother this. 'At Timnah', he said, 'I noticed a woman, aPhilistine girl. So now get her for me, to be my wife.'	2 He came up, and told his father and his mother, saying: I saw a woman in Thamnatha of the daughters of the Philistines: I beseech you, take her for me to wife.
3 His father and mother said to him, 'Is there no woman among your brothers' daughters or in our entirenation, for you to go and take a wife among these uncircumcised Philistines?' But Samson said to his father, 'Getthat one for me; she is the one I am fond of.'	3 And his father and mother said to him: Is there no woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou wilt take a wife of the Philistines, who are uncircumcised? And Samson said to his father: Take this woman for me, for she hath pleased my eyes.
4 His father and mother did not know that al this came from Yahweh, who was seeking grounds for aquarrel with the Philistines, since at this time the Philistines dominated Israel.	4 Now his parents knew not that the thing was done by the Lord, and that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
5 Samson went down to Timnah and, as he reached the vineyards of Timnah, he saw a young lioncoming roaring towards him.	5 Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Thamnatha. And when they were come to the vineyards of the town, behold a young lion met him raging and roaring.
6 The spirit of Yahweh seized on him and he tore the lion to pieces with his bare hands as though it werea kid; but he did not tel his father or mother what he had done.	6 And the spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, and he tore the lion as he would have torn a kid in pieces, having nothing at all in his hand: and he would not tell this to his father and mother.
7 He went down and talked to the woman, and he became fond of her.	7 And he went down and spoke to the woman that had pleased his eyes.
8 Not long after this, Samson went back to marry her. He went out of his way to look at the carcase ofthe lion, and there was a swarm of bees in the lion's body, and honey.	8 And after some days returning to take her, he went aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold there was a swarm of bees in the mouth of the lion and a honeycomb.
9 He took up some honey in his hand and ate it as he went along. On returning to his father and mother,he gave some to them, which they ate too, but he did not tel them that he had taken it from the lion's carcase.	9 And when be had taken it in his hands, he went on eating: and coming to his father and mother, he gave them of it, and they ate: but he would not tell them, that he had taken the honey from the body of the lion.
10 His father then went down to the woman, and Samson made a feast there, as is the custom for youngmen.	10 So his father went down to the woman, and made a feast for his son Samson: for so the young men used to do.
11 And when the Philistines saw him, they chose thirty companions to stay with him.	11 And when the citizens of that place saw him, they brought him thirty companions to be with him.
12 Samson then said to them, 'Let me ask you a riddle. If you can give me the answer during the sevendays of feasting, I shal give you thirty pieces of fine linen and thirty festal robes.	12 And Samson said to them: I will propose to you a riddle, which if you declare unto me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty shirts, and as many coats:
13 But if you cannot tell me the answer, then you in your turn must give me thirty pieces of fine linen andthirty festal robes.' 'Ask your riddle,' they replied, 'we are listening.'	13 But if you shall not be able to declare it, you shall give me thirty shirts and the same number of coats. They answered him: Put forth the riddle that we may hear it.
14 So he said to them: Out of the eater came what is eaten, and out of the strong came what is sweet.But three days went by and they could not solve the riddle.	14 And he said to 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 On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, 'Cajole your husband into explaining the riddle to us, orwe shal burn you and your father's family to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?'	15 And when the seventh day came, they said to the wife of Samson: Soothe thy husband, and persuade him to tell thee what the riddle meaneth. But if thou wilt not do it, we will burn thee, and thy father's house. Have you called us to the wedding on purpose to strip us?
16 Samson's wife then went to him in tears and said, 'You only hate me, you do not love me. You haveasked my fel ow countrymen a riddle and told not even me the answer.' He said to her, 'I have not told even myfather or mother; why should I tel you?'	16 So she wept before Samson and complained, saying: Thou hatest me, and dost not love me: therefore thou wilt not expound to me the riddle which thou hast proposed to the sons of my people. But he answered: I would not tell it to my father and mother, and how can I tell it to thee?
17 She wept on his neck for the seven days that their feasting lasted. She was so persistent that on theseventh day he told her the answer, and she told her fel ow-countrymen.	17 So she wept before him the seven days of the feast: and at length on the seventh day as she was troublesome to him, he expounded it. And she immediately told her countrymen.
18 So on the seventh day, before he went into the bedroom, the men of the town said to him: What issweeter than honey, and what stronger than a lion? He retorted: If you had not ploughed with my heifer, youwould never have solved my riddle.	18 And they on the seventh day before the sun went down said to him: What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them: If you had not ploughed with my heifer, you had not found out my riddle.
19 Then the spirit of Yahweh seized on him. He went down to Ashkelon, kil ed thirty men there, tookwhat they wore and gave the festal robes to those who had answered the riddle, then burning with rage returnedto his father's house.	19 And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ascalon, and slew there thirty men, whose garments he took away and gave to them that had declared the riddle. And being exceeding angry he went up to his father's house:
20 Samson's wife was then given to the companion who had acted as his best man.	20 But his wife took one of his friends and bridal companions for her husband.