IV.

SAMSON.

[=A]n mann waes eardiende on Israh[=e]la th[=e]ode, Manu[=e] [.g]e.h[=a]ten, of th[=ae]re m[=ae][.g]the Dan; his w[=i]f waes un-t[=i]emend, and h[=i]e wunodon b[=u]tan [.c]ilde. Him c[=o]m th[=a] gangende t[=o] Godes [e,]n[.g]el, and cwaeth thaet h[=i]e scolden habban sunu him [.g]e.m[=ae]nne; 'ne h[=e] ealu ne drince n[=ae]fre oththe w[=i]n, ne n[=a]ht 5 f[=u]les ne thi[.c][.g]e; s[=e] bith Gode h[=a]li[.g] fram his [.c]ildh[=a]de; and man ne m[=o]t hine [e,]fsian oththe be.s[.c]ieran, for th[=ae]m the h[=e] on.[.g]inth t[=o] [=a].l[=i]esenne his folc, Israh[=e]la th[=e]ode, of Philist[=e]a th[=e]owte.'

H[=e]o [=a].c[e,]nde th[=a] sunu, sw[=a] sw[=a] hiere sae[.g]de se [e,]n[.g]el, and 10 h[=e]t hine Samson; and h[=e] sw[=i]the w[=e]ox; and God hine bl[=e]tsode, and Godes g[=a]st waes on him. H[=e] wearth th[=a] mihti[.g] on mi[.c]elre str[e,]n[.g]tho, sw[=a] thaet h[=e] [.g]e.l[=ae]hte [=a]ne l[=e]on be we[.g]e, the hine [=a].b[=i]tan wolde, and t[=o].brae[.g]d h[=i]e t[=o] sty[.c][.c]um, swelce he t[=o].t[=ae]re sum [=e]athelic ti[.c][.c]en. 15

H[=e] be.gann th[=a] t[=o] winnenne with th[=a] Philist[=e]os, and hiera fela of.sl[=o]g and t[=o] scame t[=u]code, th[=e]ah the h[=i]e onweald haefden ofer h[=i]s l[=e]ode. Th[=a] f[=e]rdon th[=a] Philist[=e]i forth aefter Samsone, and h[=e]ton his l[=e]ode thaet h[=i]e hine [=a].[.g][=e]afen t[=o] hiera onwealde, thaet h[=i]e wrecan mihten hiera t[=e]on-r[=ae]denne mid tintregum 20 on him. H[=i]e th[=a] hine [.g]e.bundon mid tw[=ae]m baestenum r[=a]pum and hine [.g]e.l[=ae]ddon t[=o] th[=ae]m folce. And th[=a] Philist[=e]iscan thaes fae[.g]nodon sw[=i]the; urnon him t[=o].[.g][=e]anes ealle hl[=y]dende; woldon hine tintre[.g]ian for hiera t[=e]onr[=ae]denne. Th[=a] t[=o].brae[.g]d Samson b[=e][.g]en his earmas, thaet th[=a] r[=a]pas t[=o]-burston the h[=e] mid 25 {77} [.g]e.bunden waes. And h[=e] [.g]e.l[=ae]hte th[= a] s[=o]na sumes assan [.c]inn-b[=a]n the h[=e] th[=ae]r funde, and [.g]e.feaht with h[=i]e, and of.sl[=o][.g] [=a]n th[=u]send mid thaes assan [.c]innb[=a]ne. H[=e] wearth th[=a] sw[=i]the of.thyrst for th[=ae]m wundorlican sl[e,][.g]e, and baed thone heofonlican God thaet h[=e] him [=a].s[e,]nde drincan, for th[=ae]m the on th[=ae]re 30 n[=e]awiste naes n[=a]n waeters[.c]ipe. Th[=a] arn of th[=ae]n [.c]innb[=a]ne of [=a]num t[=e]th waeter; and Samson th[=a] dranc, and his Dryhtne thancode.

Aefter thissum h[=e] f[=e]rde t[=o] Philist[=e]a lande, int[=o] [=a]nre byri[.g] on hiera onwealde, Gaza [.g]e.h[=a]ten. And h[=i]e thaes fae[.g]nodon; 35 be.s[e,]tton th[=a] th[=ae]t h[=u]s the h[=e] inne wunode; woldon hine [.g]e.niman mid th[=ae]m the h[=e] [=u]t [=e]ode on [=ae]rne-mer[.g]en, and hine of.sl[=e]an. Hwaet th[=a] Samson hiera sierwunga under.[.g]eat; and [=a].r[=a]s on middre nihte t[=o].middes his f[=e]ondum, and [.g]e.nam th[=a] burg-[.g]eatu, and [.g]e.baer on his hry[.c][.g]e mid th[=ae]m postum, 40 sw[=a] sw[=a] h[=i]e be.locenu w[=ae]ron, [=u]p t[=o] [=a]nre d[=u]ne t[=o] ufeweardum th[=ae]m cnolle; and [=e]ode sw[=a] or-sorg of hiera [.g]e.sihthum.

Hine be.sw[=a]c sw[=a].th[=e]ah siththan [=a]n w[=i]f, Dalila [.g]e.h[=a]ten, of th[=ae]m h[=ae]thnan folce, sw[=a] thaet h[=e] hiere sae[.g]de, thurh hiere sw[=i]cd[=o]m 45 be.p[=ae]ht, on hw[=ae]m his str[e,]n[.g]tho waes and his wundorlicu miht. Th[=a] h[=ae]thnan Philist[=e]i be.h[=e]ton hiere s[.c]eattas with th[=ae]m the h[=e]o be.swice Samson thone strangan. Th[=a] [=a]scode h[=e]o hine [.g]eorne mid hiere [=o]l[=ae][.c]unge on hw[=ae]m his miht w[=ae]re; and h[=e] hiere andwyrde: '[.G]if ic b[=e]o [.g]e.bunden mid seofon 50 r[=a]pum, of sinum [.g]eworhte, s[=o]na ic b[=e]o [.g]e.wield.' Thaet swicole w[=i]f th[=a] be.[.g]eat th[=a] seofon r[=a]pas, and h[=e] thurh sierwunge sw[=a] wearth [.g]e.bunden. And him man c[=y]thde thaet th[=ae]r c[=o]mon his f[=i]end; th[=a] t[=o].braec h[=e] s[=o]na th[=a] r[=a]pas, sw[=a] sw[=a] h[e,]fel-thr[=ae]das; and thaet w[=i]f nyste on hw[=ae]m his miht 55 waes. H[=e] wearth eft [.g]e.bunden mid eall-n[=i]wum r[=a]pum; and h[=e] th[=a] t[=o].braec, sw[=a] sw[=a] th[=a] [=o]thre.

H[=e]o be.sw[=a]c hine sw[=a].th[=e]ah, thaet h[=e] hiere sae[.g]de aet {78} n[=i]ehstan: 'Ic eom Gode [.g]e.h[=a]lgod fram m[=i]num [.c]ildh[=a]de; and ic naes n[=ae]fre [.g]e.[e,]fsod, ne n[=ae]fre be.scoren; and [.g]if ic b[=e]o 60 be.scoren, thonne b[=e]o ic un-mihti[.g], [=o]thrum mannum [.g]e.l[=i]c;' and h[=e]o l[=e]t th[=a] sw[=a].

H[=e]o th[=a] on sumum dae[.g]e, th[=a] th[=a] h[=e] on sl[=ae]pe lae[.g], for.[.c]earf his seofon loccas, and [=a].weahte hine siththan; th[=a] waes h[=e] sw[=a] unmihti[.g] sw[=a] sw[=a] [=o]thre m[e,]nn. And th[=a] Philist[=e]i 65 [.g]e.f[=e]ngon hine s[=o]na, sw[=a] sw[=a] h[=e]o hine be.l[=ae]wde, and [.g]e.l[=ae]ddon hine on.we[.g]; and h[=e]o haefde thone s[.c]eatt, sw[=a] sw[=a] him [.g]e.wearth.

H[=i]e th[=a] hine [=a].bl[e,]ndon, and [.g]e.bundenne l[=ae]ddon on heardum racent[=e]agum h[=a]m t[=o] hiera byri[.g], and on cwearterne 70 be.lucon t[=o] langre fierste: h[=e]ton hine grindan aet hiera hand-cweorne. Th[=a] w[=e]oxon his loccas and his miht eft on him. And th[=a] Philist[=e]i full.bl[=i]the w[=ae]ron: thancodon hiera Gode, Dagon [.g]e.h[=a]ten, swelce h[=i]e thurh his fultum hiera f[=e]ond [.g]e.wielden. 75

Th[=a] Philist[=e]i th[=a] mi[.c]le feorme [.g]e.worhton, and [.g]e.samnodon h[=i]e on sumre [=u]p-fl[=o]ra, ealle th[=a] h[=e]afod-m[e,]nn, and [=e]ac swelce w[=i]f-m[e,]nn, thr[=e]o th[=u]send manna on mi[.c]elre blisse. And th[=a] th[=a] h[=i]e bl[=i]thost w[=ae]ron, th[=a] b[=ae]don h[=i]e sume thaet Samson m[=o]ste him macian sum gamen; and hine man s[=o]na 80 [.g]e.f[e,]tte mid sw[=i]thlicre w[=a]funge, and h[=e]ton hine standan be.twix tw[=ae]m st[=ae]nenum sw[=e]orum. On th[=ae]m tw[=ae]m sw[=e]orum st[=o]d thaet h[=u]s eall [.g]e.worht. And Samson th[=a] plegode sw[=i]the him aet.foran; and [.g]e.l[=ae]hte th[=a] sw[=e]oras mid sw[=i]thlicre mihte, and sl[=o]g h[=i]e t[=o].gaedre thaet h[=i]e s[=o]na t[=o].burston; and 85 thaet h[=u]s th[=a] [=a].f[=e]oll eall, th[=ae]m folce t[=o] d[=e]athe, and Samson forth mid, sw[=a] thaet h[=e] mi[.c]le m[=a] on his d[=e]athe [=a].cwealde thonne h[=e] [=ae]r cwic dyde.

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