Ukuzalwa kukaSamson
1Ke kaloku amaSirayeli aphinda amona *uNdikhoyo, waza ke yena wawanikela ezandleni zamaFilistiya amashumi amane eminyaka.
2Ke kaloku kwakukho umfo waseZora ogama linguManowa. Yena wayengowendlu kaDan. Umkakhe wayelidlolo, engafumani bantwana. 3Ke isithunywa sikaNdikhoyo sabonakala kuye, saza sathetha naye sathi: “Njengoko ungazanga waba namntwana, ngoku uza kukhawula, uze ufumane unyana. 4Uyabona ke, kufuneka uzigcine, ungaseli wayini natywala, ungatyi nanye into engavunyelwanga ngumthetho kaThixo. 5Ewe, selukhulelwe; uza kuzala unyana. Ke yena ze zingaze zichetywe iinwele zentloko yakhe, kuba kaloku le nkwenkwe iya kuba *lilolo likaThixo kwasesizalweni sakho. Yiyo eya kuqala ukuhlangula amaSirayeli kumaFilistiya.”
6Lo mfazi ke waya kuxelela indoda yakhe, wathi: “Ndibone ndifikelwa ngumfo wakwaThixo onenkangeleko yesithunywa sikaThixo; uyoyikeka kakhulu. Andimbuzanga apho avela khona, engandixelelanga negama lakhe. 7Uthe kum: ‘Ùyabona, selukhulelwe; uza kuzala unyana. Ke ngoko uzungaseli wayini natywala, ungatyi nanye into engavunyelwanga ngumthetho kaThixo, kuba le nkwenkwe iya kuba lilolo likaThixo kwasesizalweni sakho, kude kube yimini yokufa kwayo.’ ”
8Ke kaloku uManowa wathandaza kuNdikhoyo, wathi: “Ngxe, Nkosi yam, khawuphinde umthumele umfo wakwaThixo obumthumile, eze kusifundisa ukuba siyiphathe kanjani na inkwenkwe leyo yakuvela.”
9UThixo ke wenza ngokwesicelo sikaManowa, isithunywa sakhe sabuya seza kumkakhe esemasimini, phofu yena uManowa engekho. 10Ke umfazi wakhawuleza waya kuxelela indoda yakhe, wathi: “Laa mfo ubeze kum ngalaa mini uphinde wabonakala!”
11Waphakama ke uManowa, walandela umkakhe. Wafika wayibuza ke indoda wathi: “Ungulaa mfo wayethethe nenkosikazi yam?”
“Ndinguye,” watsho umfo lowo.
12Waqhuba ke uManowa wathi: “Ke, akuba ezalisekile la mazwi akho, imelwe kukuziphatha njani inkwenkwe leyo, yenze ntoni?”
13Saphendula ke isithunywa sikaNdikhoyo sathi: “Nakanjani na umkakho makenze njengoko ndimyalele. 14Into ephuma emdiliyeni makangayifaki emlonyeni, angaseli wayini natywala, angayityi nento engavunyelwanga ngumthetho kaThixo. Makakunyamekele konke endimyalele kona akwenze.”
15Ke uManowa wathi kwisithunywa sikaNdikhoyo: “Khawuhlale, khon' ukuze ndikuxhelele itakanana lebhokhwe.”
16Ke sathi kuye: “Nokuba ndingade ndihlale, sobe ndikutye ukutya kwakho. Into ongayenzayo wena kukwenzela uNdikhoyo idini elitshiswayo.” Kaloku uManowa wayengaqondi ukuba sisithunywa sikaNdikhoyo esi athetha naso.
17UManowa ke wasibuza isithunywa sikaNdikhoyo wathi: “Kakade ke ungubani igama lakho? Kuba ke sifuna ukukuwonga akuzaliseka la mazwi akho.”
18Saphendula ke sona sathi: “Ngani ukuba ubuze igama lam? Ligama elingummangaliso eligqitha ukuqonda!”
19Ngoko ke uManowa wathatha igatyana lebhokhwe kunye nokutya okuziinkozo, wenza idini phezu kwelitye, elenzela uNdikhoyo. UNdikhoyo wênza into emangalisayo uManowa nomkakhe bebukele. 20Wathi wakudangazela umlilo apho eqongeni, unyuka usiya ezulwini, uManowa nomkakhe basibona isithunywa sikaNdikhoyo sinyuka ngelo langatye, baza baziphosa emhlabeni. Abaphindanga ke basibone isithunywa eso. 21Waqonda ke uManowa ngoku ukuba kuthe kanti sisithunywa sikaNdikhoyo esi bebethetha naso.
22UManowa ke wathetha nomkakhe, wathi: “Nakanjani na simelwe kukufa, kuba sibone uThixo!”
23Kambe ke yena umkakhe waphendula wathi: “Ukuba uNdikhoyo ebefuna ukusibulala ngengalamkelanga idini lethu elitshiswayo nomnikelo wethu wokutya; futhi ngengasibonisanga okanye asixelele izinto ezinje.”
24Ke kaloku umka-Manowa wafumana umntwana oyinkwenkwe, baza bayithiya igama elinguSamson. Yakhula ke inkwenkwe leyo, uNdikhoyo wayithamsanqela. 25UMoya kaNdikhoyo ke waqala ukumongamela uSamson eseMahane-dan phakathi kweZora ne-Eshtawoli.
