¹ Kord läks Simson alla Timnasse ja nägi Timnas ühte naist vilistite tütarde hulgast.

² Ta tuli üles ja jutustas oma isale ja emale ning ütles: 'Ma nägin Timnas ühte naist vilistite tütarde hulgast; võtke ta nüüd mulle naiseks!'

³ Tema isa, samuti ta ema küsisid temalt: 'Kas ei ole naist su vendade tütarde hulgas ja kogu mu rahva hulgas, et sa lähed naist võtma ümberlõikamata vilistite hulgast?' Aga Simson vastas oma isale: 'Võta ta mulle, sest tema on minu silmis see õige!'

⁴ Tema isa ja ema aga ei teadnud, et see tuli Issandalt, kes otsis põhjust vilistite vastu; sel ajal valitsesid vilistid Iisraeli üle.

⁵ Nii läks Simson isa ja emaga alla Timnasse; aga kui nad jõudsid Timna viinamägede juurde, vaata, siis tuli üks noor lõvi möirates temale vastu.

⁶ Aga Issanda Vaim tuli võimsasti tema peale ja ta kiskus lõvi lõhki, otsekui oleks ta kitsetalle lõhki kiskunud, kuigi tal ei olnud käes mitte midagi; oma isale ja emale ta aga ei jutustanud, mis ta oli teinud.

⁷ Seejärel läks ta alla ja kõneles naisega, kes Simsoni silmis oli meeldiv.

⁸ Mõne aja pärast, olles teel tagasi teda võtma, põikas ta vaatama lõvi raibet, ja ennäe, lõvi korjuses oli mesilaspere ja mett.

⁹ Ta kaapis mett oma pihkudesse, läks edasi ja sõi; ja ta tuli oma isa ja ema juurde ning andis ka neile ja nemad sõid; aga ta ei jutustanud neile, et ta oli mee kaapinud lõvi korjusest.

¹⁰ Kui ta isa tuli alla naise juurde, siis valmistas Simson seal peo, sest nõnda oli poissmeestel viisiks teha.

¹¹ Ja kui nad teda nägid, siis tõid nad kolmkümmend peiupoissi, et need oleksid ta juures.

¹² Ja Simson ütles neile: 'Ma annan teile nüüd ühe mõistatuse mõistatada: kui te seitsme pidupäeva jooksul seletate selle mulle õigesti ja leiate lahenduse, siis ma annan teile kolmkümmend särki ja kolmkümmend piduriietust.

¹³ Aga kui te ei suuda seda mulle seletada, siis peate teie mulle andma kolmkümmend piduriietust.' Ja nad ütlesid temale: 'Anna oma mõistatus mõistatada, me oleme valmis kuulma!'

¹⁴ Siis ta ütles neile: 'Sööjast tuli söök ja tugevast tuli magus.' Aga nad ei suutnud kolmel päeval mõistatust seletada.

¹⁵ Neljandal päeval ütlesid nad Simsoni naisele: 'Meelita oma meest, et ta seletaks meile mõistatuse, et me sind ja su isakoda tulega ära ei põletaks! Kas olete meid kutsunud, et teha meid vaeseks, või kuidas?'

¹⁶ Siis Simsoni naine nuttis tema juures ning ütles: 'Sina ainult vihkad mind ega armasta mind! Sa oled andnud mu rahva poegadele mõistatada ühe mõistatuse, aga ei ole seda mulle seletanud!' Ta vastas temale: 'Vaata, ma ei ole seletanud oma isale ja emale, aga peaksin seletama sinule?'

¹⁷ Tema aga nuttis ta juures need seitse päeva, mil neil oli pidu; ja seitsmendal päeval seletas Simson temale, sest naine ajas teda kitsikusse; ja naine seletas mõistatuse oma rahva poegadele.

¹⁸ Siis ütlesid linna mehed temale seitsmendal päeval, enne kui päike oli loojunud: 'Mis on meest magusam ja kes on lõvist tugevam?' Ja tema vastas neile: 'Kui te mu õhvakesega ei oleks kündnud, ei oleks te mu mõistatust lahendanud!'

¹⁹ Siis tuli Issanda Vaim võimsasti Simsoni peale ja ta läks alla Askeloni ning lõi neist maha kolmkümmend meest, võttis nende riided ja andis piduriietuseks mõistatuse seletajaile. Ta viha süttis põlema ja ta läks oma isakotta.

²⁰ Simsoni naine sai aga sellele peiupoisile, kes oli olnud temale isameheks.

¹ And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

² 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.

³ 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.

⁴ 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.

⁵ 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.

⁶ 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.

⁷ And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

⁸ 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.

⁹ 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.