Samson Carries Off the Gates of Gaza
1 One day while Samson was in Gaza, he saw a prostitute and went to her house to spend the night. 2 The people who lived in Gaza found out he was there, and they decided to kill him at sunrise. So they went to the city gate and waited all night in the guardrooms on each side of the gate.
3 But Samson got up in the middle of the night and went to the town gate. He pulled the gate doors and doorposts out of the wall and put them on his shoulders. Then he carried them all the way to the top of the hill that overlooks Hebron, where he set the doors down, still closed and locked.
Delilah Tricks Samson
4 Some time later, Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in Sorek Valley. 5 The Philistine rulers went to Delilah and said, “Trick Samson into telling you what makes him so strong and what can make him weak. Then we can tie him up so he can't get away. If you find out his secret, we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.”
6 The next time Samson was at Delilah's house, she asked, “Samson, what makes you so strong? How can I tie you up so you can't get away? Come on, you can tell me.”
7 Samson answered, “If someone ties me up with seven new bowstrings that have never been dried, it will make me just as weak as anyone else.”
8-9 The Philistine rulers gave seven new bowstrings to Delilah. They also told some of their soldiers to go to Delilah's house and hide in the room where Samson and Delilah were. If the bowstrings made Samson weak, they would be able to capture him.
Delilah tied up Samson with the bowstrings and shouted, “Samson, the Philistines are attacking!”
Samson snapped the bowstrings, as though they were pieces of scorched string. The Philistines had not found out why Samson was so strong.
10 “You lied and made me look like a fool,” Delilah said. “Now tell me. How can I really tie you up?”
11 Samson answered, “Use some new ropes. If I'm tied up with ropes that have never been used, I'll be just as weak as anyone else.”
12 Delilah got new ropes, and again some Philistines hid in the room. Then she tied up Samson's arms and shouted, “Samson, the Philistines are attacking!”
Samson snapped the ropes as if they were threads.
13 “You're still lying and making a fool of me,” Delilah said. “Tell me how I can tie you up!”
“My hair is in seven braids,” Samson replied. “If you weave my braids into the threads on a loom and nail the loom to a wall, then I will be as weak as anyone else.”
14 While Samson was asleep, Delilah wove his braids into the threads on a loom and nailed the loom to a wall. Then she shouted, “Samson, the Philistines are attacking!”
Samson woke up and pulled the loom free from its posts in the ground and from the nails in the wall. Then he pulled his hair free from the woven cloth.
15 “Samson,” Delilah said, “you claim to love me, but you don't mean it! You've made me look like a fool three times now, and you still haven't told me why you are so strong.” 16 Delilah started nagging and pestering him day after day, until he couldn't stand it any longer.
17 Finally, Samson told her the truth. “I have belonged to God ever since I was born, so my hair has never been cut. If it were ever cut off, my strength would leave me, and I would be as weak as anyone else.”
18 Delilah realized that he was telling the truth. So she sent someone to tell the Philistine rulers, “Come to my house one more time. Samson has finally told me the truth.”
The Philistine rulers went to Delilah's house, and they brought along the silver they had promised her. 19 Delilah had lulled Samson to sleep with his head resting in her lap. She signaled to one of the Philistine men as she began cutting off Samson's seven braids. And by the time she was finished, Samson's strength was gone. Delilah tied him up 20 and shouted, “Samson, the Philistines are attacking!”
Samson woke up and thought, “I'll break loose and escape, just as I always do.” He did not realize that the Lord had stopped helping him.
21 The Philistines grabbed Samson and poked out his eyes. They took him to the prison in Gaza and chained him up. Then they put him to work, turning a millstone to grind grain. 22 But they didn't cut his hair any more, so it started growing back.
23 The Philistine rulers threw a big party and sacrificed a lot of animals to their god Dagon. The rulers said:
Samson was our enemy,
but our god Dagon
helped us capture him!
24-25 Everyone there was having a good time, and they shouted, “Bring out Samson—he's still good for a few more laughs!”
The rulers had Samson brought from the prison, and when the people saw him, this is how they praised their god:
Samson ruined our crops
and killed our people.
He was our enemy,
but our god helped us
capture him.
They made fun of Samson for a while, then they told him to stand near the columns that supported the roof. 26 A young man was leading Samson by the hand, and Samson said to him, “I need to lean against something. Take me over to the columns that hold up the roof.”
27 The Philistine rulers were celebrating in a temple packed with people and with 3,000 more on the flat roof. They had all been watching Samson and making fun of him.
28 Samson prayed, “Please remember me, Lord God. The Philistines poked out my eyes, but make me strong one last time, so I can take revenge for at least one of my eyes!”
29 Samson was standing between the two middle columns that held up the roof. He felt around and found one column with his right hand, and the other with his left hand. 30 Then he shouted, “Let me die with the Philistines!” He pushed against the columns as hard as he could, and the temple collapsed with the Philistine rulers and everyone else still inside. Samson killed more Philistines when he died than he had killed during his entire life.
31 His brothers and the rest of his family went to Gaza and took his body back home. They buried him in his father's tomb, which was located between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Samson was a leader of Israel for 20 years.
Samuuda niŋ Delila
1 Kabiriŋ Samuuda taata Kaasa, a ye cakamusoo doo le je jee. Bituŋ a taata wo yaa. 2 Kabiriŋ Kaasankoolu ye ñiŋ moyi ko, Samuuda be jee le, ì ye dulaa ñiŋ bee muruŋ-muruŋ. Ì ye suutoo bee ke saatewo dundaŋ daa* le to ka a batu. Ì ŋunuŋunuta ñoo ye ko, “Ali ŋà m batu fo janniŋ fanikewo, m̀ be a faa la le.” 3 Bari Samuuda maŋ suutoo bee laa jee. A tarata jee le fo suutoo teema. Bituŋ a wulita, a ye saatewo dundaŋ daa wutu, a niŋ a yiri fuloo niŋ a sorondaŋo, a ye ì bee wutu. A ye ì laa a kaboo kaŋ, a ye ì samba konkoo santo, meŋ be Heburoni ñaatiliŋo la.
4 Ñiŋ koolaa, a naata musoo doo kanu meŋ be sabatiriŋ Soreki Wulumbaŋo kono, a too mu Delila le ti. 5 Filisitinka maralilaalu naata ñiŋ musoo kaŋ, ì ko a ye ko, “Samuuda neenee, a ye a fo i ye, meŋ ka a semboo warandi teŋ, aniŋ m̀ be n kutu noo la a la ñaameŋ, fo ǹ si a muta noo, a ye tara ǹ na maroo to. Niŋ wo keta, ntolu bee kiliŋ-kiliŋ naa be kodiforo kuntu wuli kiliŋ keme kiliŋ ne dii la i la.”
6 Bituŋ Delila ko Samuuda ye ko, “A fo n ye, meŋ ka i semboo warandi baake teŋ, aniŋ moo si i siti noo ñaameŋ ka i muta noo ka i kutu i la.” 7 Samuuda ko a ye ko, “Niŋ ì ye n siti julu kuta woorowula la, ì ka mennu ke kaloo bala, niŋ wo keta, n semboo be dooyaa la le, ŋa ke ko moo koteŋolu.” 8 Bituŋ Filisitinka maralilaalu ye kalajulu kuta woorowula, mennu maŋ jaa, samba a ye naŋ. Bituŋ a ye Samuuda siti ì la. 9 Wo waatoo la, kewolu ñinnu be maaboriŋ bunkono doo to. Kabiriŋ a ye Samuuda siti, fo ka paree, a ko a ye ko, “Samuuda, Filisitinkoolu ka naa i kaŋ ne!” Bari Samuuda ye wo kalajuloolu kuntu le komeŋ boorajuloo, dimbaa ye meŋ jani. Hani saayiŋ ì maŋ a la semboo kulloo loŋ noo.
10 Bituŋ Delila ko Samuuda ye ko, “I ye m muta toolewo le ti, i maŋ soŋ ka tooñaa fo n ye. Dukaree, a fo n ye, moo ñanta ite siti la ñaameŋ.” 11 A ko a ye ko, “Niŋ ì ye n siti julu kutoolu la, ì nene maŋ mennu dookundi, niŋ i ye n siti wolu la, n semboo be dooyaa la le, ŋa ke ko moo koteŋolu.” 12 Bituŋ Delila ye julu kutoolu taa, a ye a siti ì la. A ko a ye ko, “Samuuda, Filisitinkoolu ka naa i kaŋ ne!” Kewolu mennu be baturoo la, be maaboriŋ bunkono doo le to kotenke. Bari Samuuda ye wo juloolu kuntu a buloo bala le komeŋ boorajuloo.
13 Delila ko Samuuda ye ko, “I ye m muta toolewo le ti fo ka naa bula saayiŋ na. I maŋ tara tooñaa fo kaŋ n ye. Ŋa i maaneenee, a fo n ye, moo si i siti noo ñaameŋ.” A ko a ye ko, “Niŋ ì ye n kuntiñakala woorowula niŋ daarilaŋ boorajuloolu debe ñoo bala, i ye ì siti daarilaŋ dokoo bala, n semboo be dooyaa la le, ŋa ke ko moo koteŋolu.” 14 Kabiriŋ a siinoota, Delila ye a kuntiñakala woorowuloo niŋ boorajuloolu debe ñoo bala, a ye a niŋ daarilaŋ dokoo siti ñoo bala. Bituŋ a wuurita a kaŋ, a ko a ye ko, “Samuuda, Filisitinkoolu ka naa i kaŋ ne!” A barata siinoo la, a ye daarilaŋ juloo kuntu, a ye a dokoo fanaa wutu.
15 Bituŋ a ko a ye ko, “I si a fo noo ñaadii le, i ye nte kanu le, i ŋaniyoo te n ye? I ye n ke toolewo le ti fo siiñaa saba, i maŋ a fo n ye, meŋ ka i semboo warandi.”
16 Labaŋo la, kabiriŋ a ye a korindi a la luŋ-wo-luŋ ñininkaaroolu la, a naata pasi. Bituŋ saayaa naata fisiyaa a ye baluwo ti. 17 A naata laa a la, a ye a la kulloo bee fo a ye. A ko a ye ko, “Liirilaŋ nene maŋ maa n kuŋo la. Kaatu nte mu Alla la Nasira moo le ti, kabiriŋ m be m baamaa wuluuñaŋo kono. Niŋ n kuŋo liita doroŋ, n semboo be bo la m bala le, m be ke la ko moo koteŋolu.”
18 Kabiriŋ Delila ye a loŋ ko, Samuuda ye a la kulloo bee fo a ye le saayiŋ, a ye kumoo kii ka Filisitinka maralilaalu kumandi naŋ. A ko ì ye ko, “Waatoo siita le, kaatu a ye a la kulloo bee fo n ye le.” Bituŋ Filisitinka maralilaalu naata a kaŋ, ì ye a la kodoo samba naŋ a ye ñoo la. 19 A ye a bula ka siinoo a wutoo kaŋ. Bituŋ a ye kewo doo le kumandi. Wo naata ka Samuuda kuntiñakala woorowuloo bee kuntu. A semboo ye a dati ka dooyaa, a semboo bee naata taa. 20 Bituŋ a ko a ye ko, “Samuuda, Filisitinkoolu ka naa i kaŋ ne!” Kabiriŋ a wulita siinoo la, a ye a miira le ko, a be taa le komeŋ a ka taa nuŋ ñaameŋ waati doolu la ka a faŋ kanandi. Bari a maŋ ñiŋ loŋ ko, Yaawe* bota a kaŋ ne. 21 Bituŋ Filisitinkoolu ye a muta, ì ye a ñaakesoolu lokoti. Ì ye a samba naŋ Kaasa, ì ye a siti jaawali joloolu la. Bituŋ a tarata tuuroo la bunjawoo kono. 22 Bari a kuntiñoo naata soroŋ ne kotenke, ì ye meŋ kuntu.
Samuuda la julujoo, aniŋ a la saayaa
23 Filisitinka maralilaalu benta ñoo kaŋ ka beeyaŋ sadaa* betoo dii Dakoni la, meŋ mu ì la alla ti, aniŋ ka ì la kontaanoo yitandi. Ì ko ñoo ye ko, “Ǹ na alla le ye ǹ jawoo Samuuda duŋ m̀ bulu.”
24-25 Kabiriŋ ì be seewooriŋ, ì kumata ko, “Ali Samuuda kumandi naŋ jaŋ, a ye naa ǹ jelendi.” Bituŋ ì ye Samuuda bondi naŋ bunjawoo kono, fo a si ì jelendi. Ì ye a londi buŋo samasiŋolu teema. Kabiriŋ jee moolu ye a je, ì ye ì la alla tentu, ì kumata ko,
“Ǹ na alla ye ǹ jawoo duŋ m̀ bulu le,
ǹ na bankoo tiñaalaa,
aniŋ ǹ na moo jamaa faalaa.”
26 Samuuda ko kambaanoo ye, meŋ ka a samba ko, “M bula, ŋa m buloo maa samasiŋolu la, mennu ye buŋo muta. N lafita sembe la ì la le.” 27 Buŋo ñiŋ be faariŋ moolu le la, musoolu niŋ kewolu. Filisitinka maralilaalu bee le be jee fanaa. Moolu mennu be buŋo santo, ì taata le fo moo wuli saba, musoolu niŋ kewolu. Wolu bee be Samuuda la moo jelendiñaa le juubee kaŋ.
28 Bituŋ Samuuda naata Yaawe daani, a ko a ye ko, “M Maarii Yaawe, kalamutari ke n na kuwo la, i ye m bambandi siiñaa kiliŋ doroŋ. Dukaree, Alla, n lafita le ka n na juloo joo Filisitinkoolu to, ì ye n ñaakesoolu lokoti meŋ na.” 29 Samuuda ye buŋo teema samasiŋ fuloo ñafu, buŋo be looriŋ mennu kaŋ. A bulubaa buloo be doo bala, a maraa buloo be doo bala. A ye ì ñori. 30 Bituŋ a kumata ko, “N niŋ Filisitinkoolu ye faa ñoo la.” A ye ì ñori niŋ a semboo bee la. Bituŋ buŋo ñiŋ boyita Filisitinka maralilaalu kaŋ, aniŋ moolu mennu bee be a kono. Samuuda niŋ moolu mennu faata ñoo la, wo le siyaata a ye moolu mennu faa a la baluwo waatoo bee kono.
31 Bituŋ a baadiŋolu aniŋ a faamaa la dimbaayaa moo koteŋolu bee naata ka a furewo samba. Ì ye a samba, ì taata a baadee a faamaa Manowa la kaburoo to, meŋ be Sora niŋ Esitawoli teema.
Samuuda tarata Banisirayilankoolu ñaatonkayaa kaŋ ne fo sanji muwaŋ.
