Judges 14

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he noticed a woman, a Philistine girl.	1 Then Samson descended to Timnah. And seeing there a woman from 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 went up, and he told his father and his mother, saying: “I saw a woman in Timnah from the daughters of the Philistines. I ask that you take her to me as 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 not a woman among the daughters of your brothers, or among all my people, so that you would be willing to take a wife from the Philistines, who are uncircumcised?” And Samson said to his father: “Take this woman to me. For she has 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 did not know that the matter 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 And so, Samson descended with his father and mother to Timnah. And when they had arrived at the vineyards of the town, he saw a young lion, savage and roaring, and it met him.
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 Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Samson, and he tore apart the lion, like a young goat being torn into pieces, having nothing at all in his hand. And he was not willing to reveal 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 who 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 marry her, he turned aside so that he might see the carcass of the lion. And behold, there was a swarm of bees in the mouth of the lion, with 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 he had taken it in his hands, he ate it along the way. And arriving to his father and mother, he gave them a portion, and they also ate it. Yet he was not willing to reveal to 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 And so his father went down to the woman, and he made a feast for his son Samson. For so the young men were accustomed 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 had seen him, they presented to 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 problem, which, if you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty shirts and the same number of tunics.
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 are not able to solve it, you shall give me thirty shirts and the same number of tunics.” And they answered him, “Propose the problem, so 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, “Food went forth from that which eats, and sweetness went forth from that which is strong.” And they were unable to solve the proposition for three days.
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 had arrived, they said to the wife of Samson: “Coax your husband, and persuade him to reveal to you what the proposition means. But if you are not willing to do so, we will burn you and your father’s house. Or have you called us to the wedding in order to despoil 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 And she shed tears before Samson, and she complained, saying: “You hate me, and you do not love me. That is why you do not want to explain to me the problem, which you have proposed to the sons of my people.” But he responded: “I was not willing to reveal it to my father and mother. And so, how can I reveal it to you?”
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 Therefore, she wept before him during the seven days of the feast. And at length, on the seventh day, since she had been troubling him, he explained it. And immediately she revealed it to 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 declined, said to him: “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 uncovered my proposition.”
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 so the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he descended to Ashkelon, and in that place he struck down thirty men. And taking away their garments, he gave them to those who had solved the problem. And being exceedingly 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 Then his wife took as a husband one of his friends and wedding companions.