Isandla sikaBawo wethu emtshatweni kaSamson
USamson ubanga umfazi womFilisti nakuba abazali bakhe bechasa, engazi ukuba uBawo wethu usebenza isizathu sokuchasana neenkosi zamaSirayeli. Ubulala ingonyama ngezandla zakhe ezize, adle ubusi kwisidumbu sayo, enze ngayo iqashiso. Iinyembezi zomkakhe zikhupha impendulo, aza afe amadoda angamashumi mathathu ngenxa yayo.
14 1USamson wehla waya eTimna, wabona apho intombi, enye yeentombi zamaFilisti. 2Wenyuka waxelela uyise nonina, wathi: “Ndibone umfazi womFilisti eTimna; ngoku ndizekeleni yena abe ngumkam.”
3Bathi uyise nonina kuye: “Akukho mfazi na phakathi kwemizalwane yakho nakubo bonke abantu bakowethu, ukuba uze uzeke umfazi kumaFilisti angalukileyo?” Kodwa uSamson wathi kuyise: “Ndizekele yena; ulungile emehlweni am.”
4Uyise nonina babengazi ukuba oku kwavela kuBawo wethu, owayefuna isizathu sokuchasana namaFilisti; kuba ngelo xesha amaFilisti ayelawula amaSirayeli.
5USamson wehla waya eTimna noyise nonina. Ezidiliyeni zaseTimna, lamhlangabeza ithole lengonyama libharhula. 6UMoya kaBawo wethu wamfikela ngamandla, waza wayiqwenga ingonyama ngezandla zakhe ezize njengetakane lebhokhwe, kodwa akamxelela uyise nonina into ayenzileyo. 7Waza wehla, wathetha nomfazi lowo, yaye wayelungile emehlweni kaSamson.
8Emva kwexesha, akubuya eza kumzeka, wathi gu bucala ukuba akhangele isidumbu sengonyama. Khangela, ngaphakathi kwakukho umhlambi weenyosi nobusi. 9Wabukha ubusi ngezandla zakhe, wahamba esidla. Wafika kuyise nonina, wabanika, badla. Kodwa akabaxelela ukuba ububukhe esidumbini sengonyama. 10Uyise wehla waya kumfazi lowo, waza uSamson wenza umsitho khona, njengoko babenza abafana. 11Bakumbona abantu, bazisa abalingane abangamashumi omathathu ukuba babe naye.
12Wathi uSamson kubo: “Mandiniqhinele iqhina. Ukuba niyalicacisa ngaphakathi kwemihla esixhenxe yomsitho, ndoninika iingubo zelinen ezingamashumi omathathu nezambatho zokutshintsha ezingamashumi omathathu. 13Kodwa ukuba aninako ukuphendula, nondinika iingubo zelinen ezingamashumi omathathu nezambatho zokutshintsha ezingamashumi omathathu.” Bathi: “Lithethe iqhina lakho, silive.”
14Wathi: “Kodlayo kuphume ukudla; komeleleyo kuphume into emnandi.” Kwaphela imihla emithathu bengenako ukulicacisa iqhina.
15Ngomhla wesine bathi kumkaSamson: “Hendela indoda yakho ukuba isicacisele iqhina, hleze sikutshise wena nendlu kayihlo ngomlilo. Usimemele apha na ukuze usihluthe?”
16UmkaSamson walila kuye, wathi: “Undithiyile kodwa, akundithandi. Ubaphosele iqhina abantu bakowethu, kodwa akundixelelanga impendulo yalo.” Wathi yena: “Khangela, andixelelanga ubawo noma, ndingakuxelela wena ke?”
17Walila kuye imihla esixhenxe yomsitho wabo; kwathi ngowesixhenxe wamxelela, ngenxa yokuba wamzama. Waza waxelela abantu bakowabo iqhina. 18Ngomhla wesixhenxe, lingekatshoni ilanga, amadoda aloo mzi athi kuye: “Yintoni emnandi ngaphezu kobusi? Yintoni enamandla ngaphezu kwengonyama?” Waphendula uSamson wathi: “Ukuba beningalimanga ngethokazi lam, ngeningalicacisanga iqhina lam.”
19Waza uMoya kaBawo wethu wamfikela ngamandla. Wehla waya eAshkelon, wabulala kuwo amadoda angamashumi omathathu, wathabatha impahla yawo, wanika izambatho zawo abo bebelicacisile iqhina. Wavutha ngumsindo, wenyuka waya endlwini kayise. 20UmkaSamson wanikwa umlingane wakhe, lowo owayengumkhaphi wakhe emtshatweni.
