Tikhulu 16

₁Ngalelinye lilanga Samsoni wahamba waya kulaseGaza, lapho wafike wabona khona ingwadla, wangena kayo, walala busuku bunye. ₂Bantfu baseGaza batjelwa kwatsiwa: “Samsoni sewula.” Ngako bayikaka leyo ndzawo, bambhacela busuku bonkhe; bamlalele ngasesangweni lelidolobha. Busuku bonkhe bebangatsi khwasha, bacabanga batsi: “Kutawutsi nakudzabuka kusa, simbulale.”

₃Kodvwa Samsoni walala kalengwadla kwaze kwaba ngusekhatsi nebusuku. Wase uyavuka wabamba tivalo telisango lalelidolobha, wakubhanca naletinsika letimbili, wakusiphula, tinsika nemshudvo nako konkhe. Wakuphakamisa wakubeka emahlombe, wakwetfwala waya nako etulu entsabeni leyayibukene neHebroni.

₄Kwatsi ngalesinye sikhatsi waganwa yintfombi yesigodzi saseSoreki, libito layo kutsiwa nguDelila. ₅Baholi bemaFilisti baya kuyo, bafike batsi: “Buka la, nawungamwunga aze asikhombise imfihlakalo yalamandla akhe lamakhulu, nekutsi singamncoba njani kuze simkhunge, simbambe ngulowo nalowo wetfu angakunika isiliva lengemakhilogremu langaba li-13, amunye.”

₆Ngako Delila wakhuluma kuSamsoni, watsi: “Ngitjele imfihlakalo yemandla akho lamakhulu, nekutsi ungabanjwa njani uboshwe, wehlulwe.”

₇Samsoni wamphendvula watsi: “Nakungaba khona longangibopha ngetintsambo letisikhombisa letisemanti letingakomi, nami ngingabate emandla, ngibe njengabo bonkhe bantfu.”

₈Ngako baholi bemaFilisti bamniketa tintsambo letisikhombisa letisemanti letingakomi, Delila wabopha ngato Samsoni. ₉Kwakunemadvodza labewabhacise ekamelweni; ngako wase umemeta kakhulu watsi: “Samsoni, nankha emaFilisti asasetikwakho!” Kodvwa Samsoni watichunsula kalula nje letintsambo, kwaba shangatsi letintsambo titsintfwa ngumlilo. Ngako imfihlo yemandla akhe ayizange itfolokale.

₁₀Delila wase ukhuluma kuSamsoni, watsi: “Ungente silima, ungiyengile; ngiyakuncenga tsine, ngitjele kutsi ungaboshwa kanjani?”

₁₁Samsoni watsi: “Nakungaba khona longangibopha ngetindophi letinsha letingazange setisetjentiswe, nami ngiyawuba butsakatsaka njengabo bonkhe bantfu.”

₁₂Delila wase utsatsa tindophi letinsha wambopha ngato. Kwakunalamadvodza labewabhacise ekamelweni, wase uyamemeta kakhulu watsi: “Samsoni, nankha emaFilisti asasetikwakho!” Kodvwa Samsoni wadzabula letindophi, kwaba shangatsi bekungumtiyana nje.

₁₃Ngako Delila wabuye wakhuluma kuSamsoni, watsi: “Sekuze ngunyalo solomane ungenta silima sakho, uyangiyenga, ngitjele kutsi ungaboshwa kanjani?”

Samsoni wamphendvula watsi: “Nawungeluka lamagodza lasikhombisa lasenhloko yami ngemtiya, uwente abe ligodza linye, bese ulicoboshela ngesicobosho, nami ngiyawuba butsakatsaka njengabo bonkhe bantfu.” ₁₄Ngako watsi Samsoni aselele Delila watsatsa lamagodza lasikhombisa enhloko yaSamsoni, wawachina, aba ligodza linye, wase ulicoboshela ngesicobosho.

Delila waphindza wamemeta watsi: “Samsoni, nankha emaFilisti asasetikwakho.” Samsoni wavuka ebutfongweni, wamonyula lesicobosho wachacha naleligodza lelalichiniwe.

₁₅Delila watsi kuye: “Ungasho kanjani kimi kutsi ‘Ngiyakutsandza,’ nawungangetsembi? Loku sekwesitsatfu solomane ungenta silima sakho, ungangitjeli imfihlakalo yemandla akho lamakhulu.” ₁₆Ngaloko kumbelesela kwakhe amchukulusha onkhe emalanga, amncenga, Samsoni waze wadzinwa, umphefumulo wakhe wakhatsateka kakhulu.

₁₇Ngako wamtjela yonkhe inhlitiyo yakhe, watsi: “Tinwele tami atizange setitsintfwe yinsingo, ngobe ngingumNaziri, ngehlukaniselwe Nkulunkulu kusukela ekutalweni kwami. Inhloko yami nayingase ihhulwe, emandla ami angesuka kimi, nami ngingaba butsakatsaka njengabo bonkhe bantfu.”

₁₈Delila watsi kube abone kutsi umtjele yonkhe inhlitiyo yakhe, watfumela livi kubaholi bemaFilisti, watsi: “Ase niphindze nibuye kwekugcina; sewungitjele yonkhe inhlitiyo yakhe.” Ngako baholi bemaFilisti babuya baphetse isiliva ngetandla tabo. ₁₉Delila walalisa Samsoni ematsangeni akhe, wase ubita lenye indvodza. Lendvodza yamhhula onkhe lamagodza lasikhombisa etinwele takhe. Delila wacala kumhlupha. Emandla aSamsoni esuka kuye.

₂₀Delila wase uyamemeta, watsi: “Samsoni, nankha emaFilisti asasetikwakho!”

Wavuka ebutfongweni bakhe, acabanga atsi: “Ngitawuphumelela njengasemihleni, ngiphunyuke.” Noko bekangati kutsi Simakadze bese amshiyile.

₂₁EmaFilisti ase ayambamba, akupuluta emehlo akhe, ehla naye, amyisa eGaza. Ambopha ngemaketane elitfusi, amgayisa ekhatsi ejele. ₂₂Kodvwa tinwele tenhloko yaSamsoni tacala tahluma emvakwekuhhulwa kwato.

₂₃Baholi bemaFilisti babutsana ndzawonye batekwenta lidzili lelikhulu lekwenta umhlatjelo lomkhulu kuDagoni, sithico sabo, batewubonga kuso, batsi: “Sithico setfu sinikele Samsoni, sitsa setfu, etandleni tetfu.”

₂₄Babetsi njalo labantfu nababona Samsoni, badvumise lesithico sabo, batsi:

₂₅Batsi nase bamnandzi, bamemeta batsi: “Khiphani Samsoni atesidlalela.” Ngako babita Samsoni ejele, bamletsa embikwabo, wabagidzela. Bambeka emkhatsini wetinsika. ₂₆Samsoni wacela kulesisebenti lesasimhola, simbambe ngesandla, watsi: “Ngimise lapho ngingabamba khona letinsika telithempeli, khona ngitekweyama kuto.”

₂₇Lelithempeli laligcwele linhlinhla emadvodza, nebafati, nabo bonkhe baholi bemaFilisti babekhona lapho; lapha etulu eluphahleni kwakunebantfu lababengacishe babe ti-3 000, emadvodza nebafati lababebukela kugidza kwaSamsoni. ₂₈Samsoni wathandaza kuSimakadze, watsi: “Awu, Somandla, Simakadze, ngikhumbule kube kanye. Nkulunkulu wami, ngicinise kwekugcina. Ngivumele ngihlasele kanye ngitiphindzisele kumaFilisti ngenca yemehlo ami lamabili.” ₂₉Ngako Samsoni welula tandla takhe wabamba letinsika totimbili letatisekhatsi tingutona tisimise lelithempeli. Wavinyelela kuto, sandla sakhe sangasekudla sibambe lenye, ngesancele abambelele kulenye. ₃₀Samsoni watsi: “Angife kanye nemaFilisti.” Wafuca ngemandla akhe onkhe. Lithempeli ladzilika lonkhe, lawela etikwebaholi nakubo bonkhe bantfu lababesekhatsi kulo. Ngaleyo ndlela Samsoni wabulala bantfu labanyenti nakafa kunalabo lababulala asaphila.

₃₁BomnakaboSamsoni nayo yonkhe indlu yakubo behla bayawumlandza. Babuya naye, bamngcwaba emkhatsini waseSora nase-Eshtayoli, ethuneni laManowa, uyise. Samsoni abesahole sive sema-Israyeli iminyaka lengema-20.