King James Version

Judges 14:16

And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?

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Hebrew

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וַתֵּבְךְּ֩vatevekeand weepבָּכָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and weep”, the next action in the storyH1058to weep; generally to bemoan[idiom] at all, bewail, complain, make lamentation, [idiom] more, mourn, [idiom] sore, [idiom] with tears, weep.אֵ֨שֶׁתesheteachאִשָּׁהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “each”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH802a woman(adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.שִׁמְשׁ֜וֹןshimshonSamsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןnoun, proper name — “Samson”H8123Shimshon, an IsraeliteSamson.עָלָ֗יוalayvaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…וַתֹּ֨אמֶר֙vatomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…רַקraqonlyרַקparticle, affirmation — “only”H7535properly, leanness, i.e. (figuratively) limitation; only adverbial, merely, or conjunctional, althoughbut, even, except, howbeit howsoever, at the least, nevertheless, nothing but, notwithstanding, only, save, so (that), surely, yet (so), in any wise.שְׂנֵאתַ֨נִי֙senetanihateשָׂנֵאverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “hate”, a completed actionH8130to hate (personally)enemy, foe, (be) hate(-ful, -r), odious, [idiom] utterly.וְלֹ֣אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…אֲהַבְתָּ֔נִיahavtaniloveאָהַבverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “love”, a completed actionH157to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)(be-) love(-d, -ly, -r), like, friend.הַֽחִידָ֥הhachidahthe dark sayingחִידָהdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the dark saying”, the ordinary formH2420a puzzle, hence, a trick, conundrum, sententious maximdark saying (sentence, speech), hard question, proverb, riddle.חַ֨דְתָּ֙chadtaput forthחוּדverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “put forth”, a completed actionH2330properly, to tie a knot, i.e. (figuratively) to propound a riddleput forth.לִבְנֵ֣יlivneto sonבֵּןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “to son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […עַמִּ֔יamipeopleעַםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “people”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.וְלִ֖יveliand toוְלִ֖יconjunction, preposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “and to”and toלֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…הִגַּ֑דְתָּהhigadtahbewrayנָגַדverb, hiphil, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “bewray”, a completed actionH5046properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praisebewray, [idiom] certainly, certify, declare(-ing), denounce, expound, [idiom] fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, [idiom] surely, tell, utter.וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…לָ֗הּlahtoלָ֗הּpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “to”toהִנֵּ֨הhinehloהִנֵּהparticle, demonstrative — “lo”H2009lo!behold, lo, see.לְאָבִ֧יleavito fatherאָבpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to father”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.וּלְאִמִּ֛יuleimiand to motherאֵםconjunction, preposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “and to mother”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH517a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father))dam, mother, [idiom] parting.לֹ֥אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…הִגַּ֖דְתִּיhigadtibewrayנָגַדverb, hiphil, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “bewray”, a completed actionH5046properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praisebewray, [idiom] certainly, certify, declare(-ing), denounce, expound, [idiom] fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, [idiom] surely, tell, utter.וְלָ֥ךְvelakheand toוְלָ֥ךְconjunction, preposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “and to”and toאַגִּֽידagidbewrayנָגַדverb, hiphil, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “bewray”, an unfinished actionH5046properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praisebewray, [idiom] certainly, certify, declare(-ing), denounce, expound, [idiom] fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, [idiom] surely, tell, utter.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And Samson's wife wept before him, and said: 'Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not; thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and wilt thou not tell it me?' And he said unto her: 'Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell thee?'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell thee?

Young’s Literal Translation

And Samson's wife weepeth for it, and saith, 'Thou hast only hated me, and hast not loved me; the riddle thou hast put forth to the sons of my people — and to me thou hast not declared it;' and he saith to her, 'Lo, to my father and to my mother I have not declared [it] — and to thee I declare [it]!'

World English Bible

Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, “You just hate me, and don’t love me. You’ve told a riddle to the children of my people, and haven’t told it to me.” He said to her, “Behold, I haven’t told my father or my mother, so why should I tell you?”

Darby Translation

And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not. Thou hast propounded the riddle to the children of my people, and hast not explained it to me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not explained it to my father nor my mother, and shall I explain it to thee?

Douay-Rheims

So she wept before Samson and complained, saying: Thou hatest me, and dost not love me: therefore thou wilt not expound to me the riddle which thou hast proposed to the sons of my people. But he answered: I would not tell it to my father and mother, and how can I tell it to thee?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Sampson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not; for the riddle which thou hast propounded to the children of my people, thou hast not told me: and Sampson said to her, If I have not told it to my father and my mother, shall I tell it to thee?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἔκλαυσεν ἡ γυνὴ Σαμψὼν πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ εἶπε, πλὴν μεμίσηκάς με καὶ οὐκ ἠγάπησάς με, ὅτι τὸ πρόβλημα ὃ προεβάλου τοῖς υἱοῖς τοῦ λαοῦ μου, οὐκ ἀπήγγειλάς μοι αὐτό· καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Σαμψὼν, εἰ τῷ πατρί μου καὶ τῇ μητρί μου οὐκ ἀπήγγελκα, σοὶ ἀπαγγείλω;