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