1 Siku mwenga Samsoni waphiya mudzi wa Afilisti wa Gaza, ambako wakpwendaona malaya na achilala naye. 2 Atu a Gaza achiambirwa kukala Samsoni akedza a mo mudzini, kpwa hivyo achiuzunguluka nyo mudzi achimgodzera usiku wosi hipho ryangoni. Ahurira gbwii, achidziamba, “Nahugodzeni hadi ligundzu umuphahe humuolage.” 3 Ela Samsoni walamuka usiku wa manane achiphiya ryango ra mudzi. Achigbwira miryango ya ro ryango achiringʼola na vizingitivye phamwenga na zo tumbuuze achidzibandika fuzini, achiritsukula hadi dzulu ya mwango unaololana na mudzi wa Heburoni.

4 Bada ya higa, Samsoni wammendza mchetu yeihwa Delila yeishi Dete ra Soreki. 5 Vilongozi a Afilisti amlunga Delila, achendamuamba, “Mchenge-chenge Samsoni akuambire ni chitu chani nkumuhenda akakala na nguvu nyinji na vira ambavyo hunaweza kumturya ili huphahe kumfunga na kumgbwayisa. Chila mmwenga wehu andakupha vipande elufu mwenga na gana vya feza.” 6 Phahi Delila wamuamba Samsoni, “Niambira ni chitu chikuhendacho ukale na nguvu nyinji? Dze! Mutu achilonda kukufunga ili akuteseni ahendedze?” 7 Samsoni achimjibu achiamba, “Ichikala ndafungbwa na nyugbwe sabaa ambazo tazidzangbweuma, ndakala mnyonje, na kukala dza mutu yeyesi wanjina.” 8 Phahi vilongozi a Afilisti amrehera nyugbwe sabaa ambazo kala bado kuuma, naye achimfunga nazo. 9 Delila kala akafwitsa atu chumba cha ndani amuviziye. Ariphomala kumfunga, wakota kululu achiamba, “Samsoni, Afilisti hinyo aredza akugbwire!” Ela zo nyugbwe zadoka dza uzi udokavyo uchitsupizwa mohoni. Kpwa hivyo siri ya mkpwotsewe taiyamanywa.

10 Badaye Delila wamuamba Samsoni, “Ukanihenda mzuzu, mana ukanichenga. Hebu niambira vi sambi vira ambavyo unaweza kufungbwa.” 11 Achimuamba, “Nchifungbwa na mikowa miphya ambayo taidzangbwehumika, ndakala mnyonje na kukala dza mutu yeyesi.” 12 Phahi Delila wahala mikowa miphya achimfunga nayo, chisha achimuamba, “Samsoni, Afilisti hinyo aredza!” (Nyo atu kala akatiywa chumba cha ndani anagodzera.) Ela Samsoni waidosa yo mikowa mwakpwe mikononi avi anadosa uzi.

13 Hipho Delila wamuamba Samsoni, “Hata vivi ukaninyetera na unanichenga, amba niambira ambavyo naweza kukufunga!”

15 Delila achimuamba Samsoni, “Unawezadze kuniamba unanimendza, ichikala unanifwitsa sirizo? Hino ni kano ya hahu kunihenda mzuzu na kudzangbweniambira chinacho kuhenda ukale na mkpwotse munji.” 16 Phahi Delila wamyuga na maneno ga kumuudhi Samsoni siku bada ya siku hadi Samsoni achisinywa sana. 17 Mwishirowe Samsoni wamuambira Delila siriye achimuamba, “Sidzangbwenyolwa hangu nivyalwe. Natengbwa kpwa ajili ya Mlungu hangu ndanini mwa mayo. Nyere zangu zichinyolwa, nguvu zangu zindaniukira na ndakala mnyonje na kukala dza mutu yeyesi.”

18 Delila ariphomanya kukala akaambirwa kpweli, wahuma mutu achendaiha vilongozi a Afilisti achiambira, “Ndzoni kano yanjina, mana Samsoni vivi akaniambira kpweli.” Hara vilongozi a Afilisti auya, kuno akatsukula zira feza mwao mikononi. 19 Delila achimlaza Samsoni phakpwe magoni hadi achinyekererwa. Hipho Delila waiha mutu mmwenga edze amnyole vira vishungi sabaa. Kpwa njira ihi Delila wamuweza Samsoni naye achisirirwa ni nguvuze naye achiandza kumgbwayisa. 20 Chisha achimuiha, “Samsoni, Afilisti hinyo aredza!” Aripholamuka kula usingizini, waaza, “Ndatuluka kama irivyo kawaida nikadzihehere.” Ela achikala kamanya kukala Mwenyezi Mlungu akamricha. 21 Kpwa hivyo Afilisti amgbwira achimsokola matso. Achimphirika Gaza ambako akpwendamfunga pingu za shaba, chisha achihendwa msagadzi wa mtsere mumo jela. 22 Ela nyereze zaandza kumera tsona bada ya kunyolwa.

23 Phahi vilongozi a Afilisti akusanyika phamwenga achihenda sharee ya kumlavira sadaka na kumtogola mlungu wao Dagoni. Mana aamba, “Mlungu wehu akahupha ushindi kpwa kuturya adui wehu Samsoni.” 24 Afilisti ariphomuona Samsoni, amtogola mlungu wao achiamba, “Mlungu wehu akamtiya mwehu mikononi, iye yebananga tsi yehu na kuolaga atu ehu anji.” 25 Nao ariphokala akalewa na kuhererwa, aamba, “Mvuguleni Samsoni edze ahufwihire.” Phahi Samsoni wavugulwa kula jela achendaafwihira. Amuimisa kahi-kahi ya nguzo mbiri. 26 Samsoni achimuamba yuya anayemuelekeza, “Nihenda niweze kugbwira nguzo ziimisazo ihi nyumba, ili niweze kugandamira.” 27 Wakati hinyo yo nyumba ya mlungu wao kala ikaodzala atu, alume kpwa achetu, vilongozi osi a Afilisti piya kala a phapho, na ko dzulu ya dari nako kala kuna atu elufu tahu alume kpwa achetu analola Samsoni anavyofwihira atu.

28 Phahi Samsoni wavoya Mwenyezi Mlungu achiamba, “Mwenyezi Mlungu, nakuvoya unitambukire na unitiye nguvu tsona kano ihi mwenga tu! Ee! Mlungu ili nidziriphize kpwa Afilisti kpwa sababu ya kusokola matso gangu mairi.” 29 Naye Samsoni achigbwira zira nguzo mbiri zoimisira yo nyumba, mwenga mkpwono wa kulume na yanjina mkpwonowe wa kumotso. 30 Samsoni achiamba, “Richa nifwe phamwenga na aha Afilisti.” Naye achizama achizisukuma na nguvuze zosi, nayo yo nyumba ya kuvoyera mlungu ichiagbwerera vilongozi na Afilisti osi ariokala himo ndani. Kpwa hivyo Samsoni achiolaga atu anji zaidi wakati uhu kuriko hara arioolaga wakati kala achere moyo. 31 Chisha nduguze na jamaaze achendahala mwiriwe, achiuzika kahi-kahi ya Zora na Eshitaoli phokala na mbira ya ise Manoa. Iye kala akakala muamuli wa Iziraeli kpwa miaka mirongo miiri.