Liber Iudicum

Iudicum, chapter 16, Vulgate and King James Version

Chapter 16 Vulgate

   1 Abiit Samson in Gazam et vidit ibi meretricem mulie rem ingressusque est ad eam.
   2 Cum nuntiatum esset Gazaeis intrasse urbem Samson, circuierunt et insidiabantur ei in porta civitatis; tota autem nocte quieverunt praestolantes, ut, facto mane, exeuntem occiderent.
   3 Dormivit autem Samson usque ad noctis medium et inde consurgens apprehendit ambas portae fores cum postibus suis et evellit eas cum sera, impositasque umeris portavit ad verticem montis, qui respicit Hebron.
   4 Post haec amavit mulierem, quae habitabat in valle Sorec et vocabatur Dalila.
   5 Veneruntque ad eam principes Philisthinorum atque dixerunt: "Decipe eum et disce ab illo in quo tantam habeat fortitudinem, et quomodo eum superare valeamus et vinctum humiliare; quod si feceris, dabimus tibi singuli mille centum argenteos"
   6 Locuta est ergo Dalila ad Samson: "Dic mihi, obsecro, in quo sit tua maxima fortitudo, et quid sit, quo ligatus humilieris"
   7 Cui respondit Samson: "Si septem nerviceis funibus necdum siccis et adhuc humentibus ligatus fuero, deficiam eroque ut ceteri homines"
   8 Attuleruntque ad eam satrapae Philisthinorum septem funes, ut dixerat; quibus vinxit eum,
   9 latentibus apud se insidiis in cubiculo. Clamavitque ad eum: "Philisthim super te, Samson!" Qui rupit vincula, quomodo si rumpat quis filum de stuppa tortum, cum odorem ignis acceperit; et non est cognitum in quo esset fortitudo eius.
   10 Dixitque ad eum Dalila: "Ecce illusisti mihi et falsum locutus es; saltem nunc indica mihi quo ligari debeas"
   11 Cui ille respondit: "Si ligatus fuero novis funibus, qui numquam fuerunt in opere, infirmus ero et aliorum hominum similis"
   12 Quibus rursum Dalila vinxit eum et clamavit: "Philisthim super te, Samson!" in cubiculo insidiis praeparatis. Qui ita rupit vincula brachiorum quasi fila telarum.
   13 Dixitque Dalila rursum ad eum: "Usquequo decipis me et falsum loqueris? Ostende quo vinciri debeas" Cui respondit Samson: "Si septem crines nexos capitis mei cum licio plexueris et paxillo fixeris, deficiam eroque ut ceteri homines"
   14 Quae cum dormire eum fecisset et septem crines nexos capitis eius cum licio plexisset et paxillo fixisset, dixit ad eum: "Philisthim super te, Samson!" Qui consurgens de somno extraxit paxillum cum navicula et licio.
   15 Dixitque ad eum Dalila: "Quomodo dicis quod ames me, cum animus tuus non sit mecum? Per tres vices mentitus es mihi et noluisti dicere in quo sit tua maxima fortitudo"
   16 Cumque molesta ei esset et per multos dies iugiter eum urgeret, defecit anima eius et ad mortem usque lassata est.
   17 Tunc aperiens ei totum cor suum dixit ad eam: "Novacula numquam ascendit super caput meum, quia nazaraeus consecratus Deo sum de utero matris meae; si rasum fuerit caput meum, recedet a me fortitudo mea, et deficiam eroque ut ceteri homines"
   18 Videns illa quod confessus ei esset omnem animum suum, misit ad principes Philisthinorum atque mandavit: "Ascendite adhuc semel, quia nunc mihi aperuit totum cor suum" Qui ascenderunt, assumpta pecunia, quam promiserant.
   19 At illa dormire eum fecit super genua sua vocavitque tonsorem et fecit radere septem crines eius et coepit humiliare eum; statim enim ab eo fortitudo discessit.
   20 Dixitque: "Philisthim super te, Samson!" Qui de somno consurgens dixit in animo suo: "Egrediar, sicut ante feci, et me excutiam" nesciens quod Dominus recessisset ab eo.
   21 Quem cum apprehendissent Philisthim, statim eruerunt oculos eius et duxerunt Gazam vinctum duabus catenis aeneis et clausum in carcere molere fecerunt.
   22 Iamque capilli eius renasci coeperant, postquam rasi sunt.
   23 Principes autem Philisthinorum convenerunt in unum, ut immolarent hostias magnificas Dagon deo suo et epularentur dicentes: "Tradidit deus noster in manus nostras inimicum nostrum Samson"
   24 Quem etiam populus videns laudabat deum suum eademque dicebat: "Tradidit deus noster in manus nostras adversarium nostrum, qui vastavit terram nostram et occidit plurimos nostrum"
   25 Cum enim iam hilariores essent, postulaverunt, ut vocaretur Samson et ante eos luderet. Qui adductus de carcere ludebat ante eos; feceruntque eum stare inter duas columnas.
   26 Qui dixit puero tenenti manum suam: "Dimitte me, ut tangam columnas, quibus imminet domus, et recliner super eas et paululum requiescam"
   27 Domus autem plena erat virorum ac mulierum; et erant ibi omnes principes Philisthinorum, ac de tecto circiter tria milia utriusque sexus spectabant ludentem Samson.
   28 At ille invocavit Dominum dicens: "Domine Deus, memento mei! Et redde mihi tantum hac vice fortitudinem pristinam, Deus, ut ulciscar me de Philisthim saltem pro uno duorum luminum meorum!"
   29 Et tangens ambas columnas medias, quibus innitebatur domus, obnixusque contra alteram earum dextera et contra alteram laeva
   30 ait: "Moriatur anima mea cum Philisthim!" Concussisque fortiter columnis, cecidit domus super omnes principes et ceteram multitudinem, quae ibi erat; multoque plures interfecit moriens, quam ante vivus occiderat.
   31 Descendentes autem fratres eius et universa cognatio tulerunt corpus eius et sepelierunt inter Saraa et Esthaol in sepulcro patris sui Manue; iudicavitque Israel viginti annis.

Source: Bibliorum Sacrorum Editio, Sacrosanti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II, Ratione Habita, Iussu Pauli PP. VI Recognita, Auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. II Promulgata, Editio Typica Altera

King James Version

   1 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.
   2 And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
   3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.
   4 ¶ And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
   5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.
   6 ¶ And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.
   7 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
   8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
   9 Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
   10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.
   11 And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
   12 Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.
   13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.
   14 And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.
   15 ¶ And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.
   16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;
   17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
   18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.
   19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
   20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
   21 ¶ But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
   22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
   23 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
   24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.
   25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.
   26 And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
   27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
   28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
   29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.
   30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.
   31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.