Ukuzalwa kukaSamsoni
1Abantwana bakwaIsrayeli babuye benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova; uJehova wabanikela esandleni samaFilisti iminyaka engamashumi amane.
2Kwakukhona umuntu othile waseSora womndeni wakwaDani ogama lakhe lalinguManowa; umkakhe wayeyinyumba engazali.
3Ingelosi kaJehova yabonakala kowesifazane, yathi kuye: Bheka-ke, uyinyumba, awuzali, kepha uyakukhulelwa, uzale indodana.
4Ngalokho ake uxwaye ungaphuziwayini naluphuzo olunamandla, ungadli-lutho olungcolileyo,
5ngokuba bheka, uyakukhulelwa, uzale indodana; impuco ayiyikuthinta ekhanda layo, ngokuba umntwana uyakuba-ngumNaziri* kaNkulunkulu kwasesizalweni; uyakuqala ukusindisa uIsrayeli esandleni samaFilisti.
6Owesifazane wayeseya ukubika endodeni yakhe, ethi: Kufikile kimi umuntu kaNkulunkulu, isimo sakhe sasinjengesimo sengelosi kaNkulunkulu, sesabeka kakhulu; angimbuzanga ukuthi uvelaphi, naye akangitshelanga igama lakhe.
7Kepha wathi kimi: Bheka, uyakukhulelwa, uzale indodana; ngakho ungaphuzi-wayini naluphuzo olunamandla, ungadli-lutho olungcolileyo, ngokuba umntwana uyakuba-ngumNaziri* kaNkulunkulu kwasesizalweni kuze kube-sosukwini lokufa kwakhe.
8UManowa wayesemncenga uJehova, wathi: O Nkosi, umuntu kaNkulunkulu owamthumayo ake abuyele kithi, asifundise ukuthi siyakwenzani kumntwana ozakuzalwa.
9UNkulunkulu walalela izwi likaManowa; ingelosi kaNkulunkulu yabuyela kowesifazane ehlezi endle; kepha uManowa indoda yakhe wayengenaye.
10Owesifazane washesha, wagijima, wayitshela indoda yakhe, wathi kuyo: Bheka, ubonakele kimi lowomuntu owafika kimi ngolunye usuku.
11UManowa wasukuma wamlandela umkakhe, wafika kulowomuntu, wathi kuye: Wena ungumuntu lowo owakhuluma kowesifazane na? Wathi: Nginguye.
12Wayesethi uManowa: Nxa esenzekile amazwi akho, iyakuba-yini indlela yomntwana, kuyakwenziwani na?
13Ingelosi kaJehova yathi kuManowa: Konke engakushoyo kowesifazane makakuxwaye.
14Kangadli-lutho oluvela ezithelweni zomvini, kangaphuzi-wayini naluphuzo olunamandla, kangadli-lutho olungcolileyo; konke engamyaleza ngakho kakugcine.
15UManowa wayesethi engelosini kaJehova: Ake sikulibazise, sikulungisele izinyane lembuzi.
16Ingelosi kaJehova yathi kuManowa: Noma ungilibazisa, angiyikudla ukudla kwakho; uma ulungisa umnikelo wokushiswa, uyakunikela ngawo kuJehova. Ngokuba uManowa wayengazi ukuthi uyingelosi kaJehova.
17UManowa wathi engelosini kaJehova: Ngubani igama lakho ukuba, lapho esenzekile amazwi akho, sikudumise?
18Ingelosi kaJehova yathi kuye: Ubuzelani igama lami, lokhu liyimfihlakalo, na?
19UManowa walithatha izinyane lembuzi kanye nomnikelo wempuphu, wanikela ngakho kuJehova edwaleni. Yayisenza okumangalisayo, uManowa nomkakhe bebukela.
20Kwathi ilangabi lisaphuma ealtare lenyukela ngasezulwini, ingelosi kaJehova yenyuka elangabini lealtare; uManowa nomkakhe babukela; bawa ngobuso emhlabathini.
21Kepha ingelosi kaJehova ayiphindanga ukubonakala kuManowa nomkakhe. Khona uManowa waqonda ukuthi yingelosi kaJehova.
22UManowa wathi kumkakhe: Siyakufa nokufa, ngokuba simbonile uNkulunkulu.
23Kepha umkakhe wathi kuye: Uma uNkulunkulu ebethanda ukusibulala, nga engamukelanga esandleni sethu umnikelo wokushiswa nomnikelo wempuphu, futhi nga engasibonisanga konke lokho, nga engasitshelanga izinto njengalezi.
24Owesifazane wazala indodana, waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uSamsoni; umntwana wakhula, uJehova wambusisa.
25UMoya kaJehova waqala ukumqhuba eMahane-Dani phakathi kweSora neEshitawoli.
