Judges · Chapter 14

[ edit] Sampſon þanne deſſendide in Thannaþa, and ſeynge þere a womman of þe douȝtris of Philiſtien, ſtiede vp, and tolde to his fader and his moder, ſeiynge, Y ſawȝ a womman in Thannaþa of þe douȝtris of Philiſtiens, whom, Y biſeche, þat þou take to me wijf. To whom ſeiden þe fader and his moder, Wheþer is þere no womman in þe douȝtres of þi briþeren and in al þi puple, for þou wolt take a wijf of Philiſtien, þat ben vncircumcidid? And Sampſon ſeide to his fader, Þis tak to me, for ſhe pleſide to myn eyen. His fader and moder wiſten not, þat þe þing ſhulde be doo of þe Lord; and he ſhulde ſeche occaſioun aȝens þe Philiſtien; forſoþe þat tyme Philiſtien lordſhipide to Yrael.

And ſo Sampſon deſſendide wiþ his fader and moder in to Thannaþa; and whanne þei weren comen to þe vynes of þe bourȝ toun, and þere aperide a feers whelp of a lyoun and rorynge, and aȝen cam to hym. Þe ſpyrit of þe Lord forſoþe felle into Sampſon, and he taar þe lioun, as he ſhulde to-teer out a kide, into gobetis, no þing vtterli hauynge in hoond; and þat to fader and moder he wold not ſhewe. And he deſſendide, and ſpak to þe womman, þat pleſide to his eyen. And after a fewe days turnynge aȝen for to take hir, he wente aſide for to ſe þe careyn of þe lioun; and loo! a ſwarm of beeſe was in þe mouþ of þe lioun, and an hony coombe.

Þe which whanne he hadde takun in hoondis, he ete in þe weye; and comynge to his fader and moder, he ȝaf to hem part, þe which and þei eeten; and neuerþelater he wolde not ſhewe to hem, þat þe hony he took of þe mouþ of þe lioun. And ſo his fader deſſendide to þe womman, and made to his ſone Sampſon a feeſt; forſoþe ſo ȝong men weren wont to doo. Whanne þanne þe cyteſeyns of þat place hadden ſeen him, þei ȝouen to him bord felawis þretti, þe whiche ſhulden be wiþ hym.

To whom ſpak Sampſon, Y ſhal purpoſe to ȝow a dowtous word, þe which if ȝe ſoylen to me wiþ ynne ſeuen dais of þe feeſt, Y ſhal ȝyue to ȝou þretti lynnen cloþis, and ſo fele cootis; forſoþe if ȝe mowen not aſſoyle, ȝe ſhulen ȝyue to me þretty lynnen cloþis, and of þe ſame noumbre cootis. Þe whiche anſwerden to hym, Purpos þe probleme, þat we heren. And he ſeide to hem, Of þe eter ȝede out meete, and of þe ſtrong wente out ſwetnes. And þei miȝten not bi þre days ſoylen þe propoſicioun. And whanne þe ſeuenþe day was nyȝ, þei ſeiden to þe wijf of Sampſon, Faage to þi man, and meue hym, þat he ſhewe to þee what bitokeneþ þe probleme.

Þe which þing if þou wold not doo, we ſhulen brenne þee and þe hows of þi fader. Wheþer þerfor ȝe han clepid vs to þe brydale for to robben? Þe which ſhedde anentis Sampſon teeris, and pleynede, ſeiynge, Þow hatidiſt me, and not loueſt, and þerfor þe redels, þat þow haſt purpoſid to þe ſones of my puple, þou wolt not to me expowne. He anſwerde, To my fadir and moder I wold not ſeye, and to þe ſhal I mowe ſhewe? Þerfor ſeuen days of þe feeſt ſhe wepte anentis hym, at þe laſt þe ſeuenþe dai whanne ſhe was heuy to hym, he expownede. Þe which anoon tolde to hir citeſeyns. And þei ſeiden to him þe ſeuenþe day before þe ſunne goynge doun, What is ſwetter þan hony, and what is ſtronger þan a lyoun?

Þe which ſeide to hem, If ȝe hadden not erid in my ſhe calf, ȝe ſhulden not haue founden my propoſicioun. And ſo þe ſpyryt of þe Lord felle into hym; and he wente doun to Aſchalonen, and he ſmoot þere þretti men, of whom þe takun cloþis he ȝaf to hem þat þe redilis ſoileden; and wrooþ wel myche he ſtiede vp into þe hows of his fader. Forſoþe þe wijf of hym took an houſboond, oon of hir freendis and wowers.