Open Bible Data Home About News OET Key
OET OET-RV OET-LV ULT UST BSB BLB AICNT OEB WEBBE WMBB NET LSV FBV TCNT T4T LEB BBE Moff JPS Wymth ASV DRA YLT Drby RV Wbstr KJB-1769 KJB-1611 Bshps Gnva Cvdl TNT Wycl SR-GNT UHB BrLXX BrTr Related Topics Parallel Interlinear Reference Dictionary Search
parallelVerse INT GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1SA 2SA PSA AMOS HOS 1KI 2KI 1CH 2CH PRO ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL YHN MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC GAL 1TH 2TH 1COR 2COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1TIM TIT 1PET 2PET 2TIM HEB YUD 1YHN 2YHN 3YHN REV
Jdg Intro C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21
Jdg 14 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V19 V20
Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV) Then the men of the city said to Shimshon before the sun went down on the seventh day,
⇔ “What is sweeter than honey?
⇔ And what’s stronger than a lion?”
§ So he said to them,
⇔ “If you all hadn’t ploughed with my heifer,
⇔ you wouldn’t have been able to solve my riddle.”
OET-LV And_they_said to_him/it the_men the_city in_the_day the_seventh in/on/at/with_before it_went the_sun what [is]_sweet than_honey and_what [is]_strong than_lion and_he/it_said to/for_them if_not you_all_had_plowed in/on/at/with_heifer_my not you_all_found_out riddle_my.
UHB וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לוֹ֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י הָעִ֜יר בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י בְּטֶ֨רֶם֙ יָבֹ֣א הַחַ֔רְסָה מַה־מָּת֣וֹק מִדְּבַ֔שׁ וּמֶ֥ה עַ֖ז מֵאֲרִ֑י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם לוּלֵא֙ חֲרַשְׁתֶּ֣ם בְּעֶגְלָתִ֔י לֹ֥א מְצָאתֶ֖ם חִידָתִֽי׃ ‡
(vayyoʼmərū lō ʼanshēy hāˊir bayyōm hashshəⱱīˊiy bəţerem yāⱱoʼ haḩarşāh mah-mātōq middəⱱash ūmeh ˊaz mēʼₐriy vayyoʼmer lāhem lūlēʼ ḩₐrashtem bəˊeglātiy loʼ məʦāʼtem ḩīdātiy.)
Key: khaki:verbs, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
BrLXX Καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ πρὸ τοῦ ἀνατεῖλαι τὸν ἥλιον, τί γλυκύτερον μέλιτος, καὶ τί ἰσχυρότερον λέοντος; καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Σαμψὼν, εἰ μὴ ἠροτριάσατε ἐν τῇ δαμάλει μου, οὐκ ἂν ἔγνωτε τὸ πρόβλημά μου.
(Kai eipan autōi hoi andres taʸs poleōs en taʸ haʸmera taʸ hebdomaʸ pro tou anateilai ton haʸlion, ti glukuteron melitos, kai ti isⱪuroteron leontos; kai eipen autois Sampsōn, ei maʸ aʸrotriasate en taʸ damalei mou, ouk an egnōte to problaʸma mou. )
BrTr And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day, before sunrise, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? and Sampson said to them, If ye had not ploughed with my heifer, ye would not have known my riddle.
ULT Then the men of the city said to him before the sun went down on the seventh day,
⇔ “What is sweeter than honey?
⇔ and what is stronger than a lion?”
¶ So he said to them,
⇔ “If you had not plowed with my heifer,
⇔ you would not have found out my riddle.”
UST So before sunset on the seventh day, the young men came to Samson and said to him,
⇔ “Nothing is sweeter than honey;
⇔ Nothing is as strong as a lion.”
¶ Samson replied, “People use their own animals to plow their fields. My bride is like a young heifer that you have used, but she does not belong to you!
⇔ If you had not forced her to ask me,
⇔ you would not have learned the answer!”
BSB § Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city said to Samson:
⇔ “What is sweeter than honey?
⇔ And what is stronger than a lion?”
§ So he said to them:
⇔ “If you had not plowed with my heifer,
⇔ you would not have solved my riddle!”
OEB No OEB JDG book available
WEBBE The men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?”
¶ He said to them,
⇔ “If you hadn’t ploughed with my heifer,
⇔ you wouldn’t have found out my riddle.”
WMBB (Same as above)
NET On the seventh day, before the sun set, the men of the city said to him,
⇔ “What is sweeter than honey?
⇔ What is stronger than a lion?”
¶ He said to them,
⇔ “If you had not plowed with my heifer,
⇔ you would not have solved my riddle!”
LSV And the men of the city say to him on the seventh day, before the sun goes in: “What [is] sweeter than honey? And what [is] stronger than a lion?” And he says to them: “Unless you had plowed with my heifer,
You had not found out my riddle.”
FBV Before the sun set on the seventh day, the men of the town came to Samson and said, “What's sweeter than honey? What's stronger than a lion?”
¶ “If you hadn't used my cow to plough with, you wouldn't have found out the meaning of my riddle,” Samson replied.
T4T So, before sunset on the seventh day, the young men came to Samson and said to him,
⇔ “What/Nothing is sweeter than honey [RHQ].
⇔ What/Nothing is stronger than a lion [RHQ]!”
¶ Samson replied, “You should not force a heifer to plow a field [MET].
⇔ Similarly, if you had not forced my bride to ask me about the riddle [MET],
⇔ you would not have known the answer to my riddle!”
LEB • The men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down,“What is sweeter than honey? • What is stronger than a lion?”
¶ And he said to them, • “If you had not plowed with my heifer, • you would not have found out my riddle.”
BBE Then on the seventh day, before he went into the bride's room, the men of the town said to him, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them, If you had not been ploughing with my cow you would not have got the answer to my question.
Moff No Moff JDG book available
JPS And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down: What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them: If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
ASV And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them,
⇔ If ye had not plowed with my heifer,
⇔ Ye had not found out my riddle.
DRA And they on the seventh day before the sun went down said to him: What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them: If you had not ploughed with my heifer, you had not found out my riddle.
YLT And the men of the city say to him on the seventh day, before the sun goeth in: — 'What [is] sweeter than honey? And what stronger than a lion?' And he saith to them: 'Unless ye had ploughed with my heifer, Ye had not found out my riddle.'
Drby And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey, And what stronger than a lion? And he said to them, If ye had not ploughed with my heifer, Ye had not found out my riddle.
RV And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
Wbstr And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
KJB-1769 And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
(And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye/you_all had not plowed with my heifer, ye/you_all had not found out my riddle. )
KJB-1611 And the men of the city said vnto him on the seuenth day before the sunne went downe, What is sweeter then honie? and what is stronger then a Lion? And he said vnto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, yee had not found out my riddle.
(And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter then honey? and what is stronger then a Lion? And he said unto them, If ye/you_all had not plowed with my heifer, ye/you_all had not found out my riddle.)
Bshps And the men of the citie sayd vnto him the seuenth day, before the sunne went downe: What is sweeter then hony? and what is stronger then a Lion? Then sayd he vnto them: Yf ye had not plowed with my heyffer, ye had not founde out my riddle.
(And the men of the city said unto him the seventh day, before the sun went down: What is sweeter then honey? and what is stronger then a Lion? Then said he unto them: If ye/you_all had not plowed with my heyffer, ye/you_all had not found out my riddle.)
Gnva And the men of ye citie sayde vnto him the seuenth day before the Sunne went downe, What is sweeter then honie? and what is stronger then a lyon? Then sayd hee vnto them, If yee had not plowed with my heiffer, yee had not found out my riddle.
(And the men of ye/you_all city said unto him the seventh day before the Sun went down, What is sweeter then honey? and what is stronger then a lyon? Then said he unto them, If ye/you_all had not plowed with my heiffer, ye/you_all had not found out my riddle. )
Cvdl Then sayde the men of the cite vnto him vpon the seuenth daye oreuer the Sonne wente downe: What is sweter then hony? What is strouger then the lyon? But he sayde vnto the: Yf ye had not plowed wt my calfe, ye shulde not haue founde out my ryddle.
(Then said the men of the cite unto him upon the seventh day oreuer the Son went down: What is sweter then honey? What is strouger then the lyon? But he said unto them: If ye/you_all had not plowed with my calfe, ye/you_all should not have found out my ryddle.)
Wycl And thei seiden to hym in the seuenthe dai bifor the goyng doun of the sunne, What is swettere than hony, and what is strengere than a lioun? And he seide to hem, If ye hadden not erid in my cow calf, `that is, my wijf, ye hadden not founde my proposicioun.
(And they said to him in the seventh day before the going down of the sun, What is swettere than honey, and what is strengere than a lioun? And he said to them, If ye/you_all had not erid in my cow calf, `that is, my wife, ye/you_all had not found my proposicioun.)
Luth Da sprachen die Männer der Stadt zu ihm am siebenten Tage, ehe die Sonne unterging: Was ist süßer denn Honig? Was ist stärker denn der Löwe? Aber er sprach zu ihnen: Wenn ihr nicht hättet mit meinem Kalbe gepflüget, ihr hättet mein Rätsel nicht getroffen.
(So said the men the/of_the city to him in/at/on_the siebenten days, before the sun unterging: What is süßer because Honig? What is stronger because the/of_the Löwe? But he spoke to to_them: When you/their/her not hättet with my Kalbe gepflüget, you/their/her hättet my Rätsel not getroffen.)
ClVg Et illi dixerunt ei die septimo ante solis occubitum: [Quid dulcius melle, et quid fortius leone?] Qui ait ad eos: [Si non arassetis in vitula mea, non invenissetis propositionem meam.]
(And illi dixerunt to_him day septimo before solis occubitum: [What dulcius melle, and quid fortius leone?] Who he_said to them: [When/But_if not/no arassetis in vitula mea, not/no invenissetis propositionem meam.] )
14:18 It was common to answer a riddle with another riddle. In this case, the Philistines used a similar poetic couplet, not to reveal all they knew, but simply to win the contest.
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / go
came in
(Some words not found in UHB: and=they_said to=him/it men_of the=city in_the=day the=seventh in/on/at/with,before went_down the,sun, what? sweeter than,honey and,what stronger than,lion and=he/it_said to/for=them if_~_not plowed in/on/at/with,heifer,my not found_out riddle,my )
In a context such as this, your language might say “went” instead of came. Alternate translation: “went down”
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion
What {is} sweeter than honey? And what {is} stronger than a lion?
(Some words not found in UHB: and=they_said to=him/it men_of the=city in_the=day the=seventh in/on/at/with,before went_down the,sun, what? sweeter than,honey and,what stronger than,lion and=he/it_said to/for=them if_~_not plowed in/on/at/with,heifer,my not found_out riddle,my )
The Philistine young men are using the question form to give the answer to Samson’s riddle triumphantly. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as an exclamation. Alternate translation: “Nothing is sweeter than honey, and nothing is stronger than a lion!”
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
If you had not plowed with my heifer
(Some words not found in UHB: and=they_said to=him/it men_of the=city in_the=day the=seventh in/on/at/with,before went_down the,sun, what? sweeter than,honey and,what stronger than,lion and=he/it_said to/for=them if_~_not plowed in/on/at/with,heifer,my not found_out riddle,my )
Samson is speaking as if the Philistine young men had literally plowed with a heifer that he owned. He is using the heifer to represent his wife, with the suggestion that they had no business using her in the way they did. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “If you had not gotten the answer from my wife”