11 When the bride’s parents saw him, they selected thirty young men from the town to be his companions.
12 Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle. If you solve my riddle during these seven days of the celebration, I will give you thirty fine linen robes and thirty sets of festive clothing.
13 But if you can’t solve it, then you must give me thirty fine linen robes and thirty sets of festive clothing.”“All right,” they agreed, “let’s hear your riddle.”
14 So he said:“Out of the one who eats came something to eat;out of the strong came something sweet.”Three days later they were still trying to figure it out.
15 On the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle for us, or we will burn down your father’s house with you in it. Did you invite us to this party just to make us poor?”
16 So Samson’s wife came to him in tears and said, “You don’t love me; you hate me! You have given my people a riddle, but you haven’t told me the answer.”“I haven’t even given the answer to my father or mother,” he replied. “Why should I tell you?”
17 So she cried whenever she was with him and kept it up for the rest of the celebration. At last, on the seventh day he told her the answer because she was tormenting him with her nagging. Then she explained the riddle to the young men.