1 Tsiku lina Samsoni anapita ku Gaza. Kumeneko anaonako mkazi wachiwerewere, ndipo analowa mu nyumba yake. 2 Anthu a ku Gaza anawuzidwa kuti, “Samsoni ali kuno!” Choncho anthuwo anazungulira malowo, kumubisalira usiku wonse ku chipata cha mzindawo. Iwo anakhala chete usiku wonse namanena kuti, “Tidzamupha mmamawa.”

3 Koma Samsoni anangogonako mpaka pakati pa usiku. Kenaka pakati pa usiku anadzuka nagwira zitseko za chipata cha mzinda ndi maferemu ake awiri, ndipo anazizula zonse pamodzi ndi mpiringidzo womwe. Anazisenza pa mapewa pake napita nazo pamwamba pa phiri loyangʼanana ndi Hebroni.

4 Pambuyo pake, Samsoni anayamba kukonda mtsikana wina wa ku chigwa cha Soreki dzina lake Delila. 5 Olamulira Afilisti anapita kwa mkaziyo ndipo anati, “Umunyengerere Samsoni kuti udziwe chinsinsi cha mphamvu zake zoopsazi, komanso ndi mmene ife tingamupambanire kuti timumange ndi kumugonjetsa. Ukatero aliyense wa ife adzakupatsa ndalama zasiliva 1,100.”

6 Choncho Delila anati kwa Samsoni, “Inu tandiwuzani pamene pagona mphamvu zanu zoopsazi ndi mmene anthu akhoza kukumangirani kuti akugonjetseni.”

7 Samsoni anamuyankha kuti, “Ngati wina atandimanga ndi zingwe zisanu ndi ziwiri zatsopano zosawuma, ndidzafowoka ndi kusanduka ngati munthu wina aliyense.”

8 Tsono atsogoleri a Afilisti aja anapita kwa mkazi uja namupatsa zingwe zisanu ndi ziwiri zatsopano zosawuma, ndipo mkaziyo anamanga nazo Samsoni. 9 Nthawi imeneyo nʼkuti mkazi uja atayika anthu omubisalira mʼchipinda. Tsono anati kwa mwamuna wake, “Amuna anga, Afilisti aja afika!” Koma iye anangodula zingwe zija ngati mmene imadukira nkhosi ya chingwe ikamapsa. Choncho chinsinsi cha mphamvu zake sichinadziwike.

10 Kenaka Delila anati kwa Samsoni, “Inu mwandipusitsa ndi kundiwuza zabodza. Chonde tandiwuzani mmene munthu angakumangireni.”

11 Iye anati, “Ngati aliyense atandimanga ine ndi zingwe zatsopano zimene sanazigwiritseko ntchito, ndidzasanduka wofowoka ndi kukhala monga munthu wina aliyense.”

12 Choncho Delila anatenga zingwe zatsopano namumanga nazo. Kenaka anati “Amuna anga, Afilisti aja afikanso!” Nthawi iyi nʼkuti anthu omubisalira aja ali mʼchipinda chamʼkati. Koma iye anadulanso zingwe mʼmanja ake ngati akudula ulusi wa thonje.

13 Ndipo Delila anati kwa Samsoni, “Mpaka tsopano mwakhala mukundipusitsa ndi kumandiwuza zabodza. Chonde, tandiwuzani mmene munthu angakumangireni.”

Iye anayankha kuti, “Ngati njombi zisanu ndi ziwiri za kumutu kwanga utazilukira mu cholukira nsalu ndi kuchimanga molimbika ndi chikhomo, ndidzasanduka wofowoka ndi kukhala wofanana ndi munthu wina aliyense.” 14 Choncho iye akugona, Delila analukira njombi za ku mutu kwa Samsoni mu cholukira nsalu nachimanga molimba ndi chikhomo.

Pambuyo pake anati kwa Samsoni, “Amuna anga, Afilisti aja abwera!” Tsono iye anadzuka ku tulo, nazula chikhomo chija ndipo njombi zinachoka mu cholukira chija.

15 Tsono mkaziyo ananenanso kwa iye kuti, “Munganene bwanji kuti mumandikonda pamene mtima wanu suli pa ine? Aka ndi kachitatu mukundipusitsa ndipo simunandiwuze pamene pagona mphamvu zanu zoopsazi.” 16 Tsono popeza anamupanikiza ndi mawu ake tsiku ndi tsiku ndi kumukakamiza, mtima wa Samsoni unatopa pafupi kufa.

17 Choncho anamuwuza mkaziyo zonse za mu mtima mwake nati “Lumo silinapitepo pa mutu wanga chifukwa ndakhala ndili Mnaziri wopatulikira Mulungu chibadwire. Ngati nditametedwa mphamvu zanga zidzandichokera, ndidzasanduka wofowoka ndipo ndidzafanana ndi munthu wina aliyense.”

18 Delila ataona kuti wamuwuza zonse za mu mtima mwake anatumiza uthenga kukayitana akuluakulu a Afilisti nati, “Bweraninso kamodzi kano kokha popeza wandiwululira zonse za mu mtima mwake.” Choncho akuluakulu a Afilisti aja anabwera ndi ndalama za siliva mʼmanja mwawo. 19 Mkazi uja anagoneka Samsoni pa miyendo yake. Kenaka anayitana munthu wina ndipo anadzameta Samsoni njombi zisanu ndi ziwiri zija kumutu kwake. Pamenepo anayamba kufowoka, ndipo mphamvu zake zinamuchokera.

20 Pambuyo pake mkaziyo anamuyitana kuti, “Amuna anga, Afilisti aja abwera!”

Iye anadzuka kutuloko, naganiza kuti, “Ndituluka monga ndimachitira nthawi zonse ndi kudzimasula.” Koma sanadziwe kuti Yehova wamuchokera.

21 Afilisti anamugwira ndipo anamukolowola maso. Kenaka anapita naye ku Gaza atamumanga ndi maunyolo achitsulo. Kumeneko anakhala wa pamphero mu ndende. 22 Pambuyo pake tsitsi la pa mutu wake, monga linametedwa, linayambanso kumera.

23 Tsono atsogoleri a Afilisti anasonkhana kuti adzapereke nsembe yayikulu kwa Dagoni mulungu wawo ndi kukondwerera popeza ankanena kuti, “Mulungu wathu wapereka Samsoni mdani wathu mʼmanja mwathu.”

24 Anthuwo atamuona Samsoni, anayamba kutamanda mulungu wawo popeza ankanena kuti,

25 Ali mʼkati mosangalala, anthu aja amafuwula kuti, “Mutulutseni Samsoniyo kuti adzatisangalatse.” Choncho anamutulutsadi Samsoni mʼndende, ndipo anawasangalatsadi.

Ndipo anamuyimiritsa pakati pa mizati. 26 Pambuyo pake Samsoni anawuza mnyamata amene anamugwira dzanja kuti, “Ndilole kuti ndikhudze mizati imene yachirikiza nyumba yonseyi kuti ndiyitsamire.” 27 Nthawi imeneyi nʼkuti nyumbayo ili yodzaza ndi anthu aamuna ndi aakazi. Olamulira onse a Afilisti anali momwemo, ndipo pamwamba pa nyumbayo panali anthu 3,000 aamuna ndi aakazi amene amaonerera Samsoni akusewera. 28 Tsono Samsoni anapemphera kwa Yehova kuti, “Inu Yehova Ambuye anga, ndikumbukireni. Chonde ndilimbitseni nthawi yokha ino, inu Yehova, kuti ndiwabwezere Afilistiwa chifukwa cha maso anga awiri.” 29 Choncho Samsoni anagwira mizati iwiri yapakati imene inkachirikiza nyumbayo. Anayitsamira ndi mphamvu zake zonse, dzanja lake lamanja ku mzati wina ndi dzanja lamanzere ku mzati winanso, 30 ndipo Samsoni anati, “Ndife nawo pamodzi!” Nthawi yomweyo anakankha ndi mphamvu zake zonse ndipo mizati inagwera atsogoleri a Afilisti ndi anthu onse anali mʼmenemo. Tsono chiwerengero cha anthu amene Samsoni anapha pa nthawi ya imfa yake chinaposa cha iwo amene anawapha akanali ndi moyo.

31 Kenaka abale ake ndi onse a pa banja la abambo ake anapita kukamutenga. Ndipo anakamuyika pakati pa Zora ndi Esitaoli mʼmanda a abambo ake, Manowa. Iye anatsogolera Israeli kwa zaka makumi awiri.