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An t-seachdain sa chaidh, bha mi a’ bruidhinn mu Shamson. Bha e na nàmhaid do na Philistich. Ghabh e gaol air Delilah. Thug Delilah taic do na Philistich. Fhuair i a-mach gum biodh neart Shamsoin a’ falbh nam biodh fhalt air a ghearradh.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý ’S e sin a thachair. Chuir na Philistich sùilean Shamsoin a-mach. Chuir iad sa phrìosan e.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Bha na Philistich a’ dèanamh gàirdeachas. Bha Samson air a thoirt a-mach às a’ phrìosan airson fearas-chuideachd a dhèanamh. Ach bha fhalt air fàs a-rithist. Bha a neart air tilleadh. Seo na thachair, a rèir a’ Bhìobaill:

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Thuirt Samson … leig dhomh na puist a làimhseachadh air a bheil an taigh na sheasamh a chum gun leig mi mo thaic riutha. A-nise, bha an taigh làn dhaoine agus bhan; agus bha uile thighearnan nam Philisteach an sin; agus bha air mullach an taighe mu thimcheall trì mìle fear agus bean ….

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Agus ghairm Samson air an Tighearn’ agus thuirt e, O Thighearna Dhè, cuimhnich orm … agus neartaich mi … [gus am faigh mi dìoghaltas] air na Philistich ... Agus ghabh Samson grèim don dà phost mheadhanach air an robh an taigh na sheasamh ...

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Agus phut e le uile neart; agus thuit an taigh air na tighearnan agus air an t-sluagh uile a bha ann; agus bha na mairbh a mharbh e aig a bhàs na bu lìonmhoire na iadsan a mharbh e na bheatha.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Bha Samson ainmeil airson a neart. Uaireannan bha daoine a’ dèanamh ceangal eadar clach mhòr agus Samson. Ann an Alba, tha clach mar sin air cnoc siar air Calasraid – Clach Shamsoin no Samson’s Stone. ’S e clach-shiubhail a tha innte. Chaidh a fàgail ann le deigh o chionn fhada.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Ach bha na seann daoine ag ràdh gun robh Samson air mullach beinne – Beinn Lididh no, ’s dòcha Beinn Labhair no Beinn Mhùrlaig Loch Laomainn. Chuir Samson dùbhlan ro fhir làidir na dùthcha. Thilg e a’ chlach astar mòr. Ach cha robh duine sam bith eile làidir gu leòr airson a togail. Agus dh’fhàg sin i far a bheil i chun an latha an-diugh.

Last week, I was speaking about Samson. He was an enemy of the Philistines. He fell in love with Delilah. Delilah aided the Philis-tines. She found out that Samson’s strength would disappear if his hair were cut.

        That’s what happened. The Philistines gouged out Samson’s eyes. They put him in prison.

        The Philistines were rejoicing. Samson was taken out of the prison to provide entertainment. But his hair had grown again. His strength had returned. Here’s what happ-ened, according to the Bible:

        Samson said ... let me put my hands on the posts that support the house so that I can lean against them. Now, the house was full of men and women; and all the rulers of the Philistines were there; and on the roof of the house were around three thousand men and women...

        And Samson called on the Lord and he said, O Lord my God, remember me ... and strengthen me ... [that I might gain revenge] on the Philistines ... And Samson took a hold of the two central posts which were supporting the house.

        And he pushed with all his might; and the house fell on the rulers and on all the people that were there; and the dead that he killed on his death were more numerous than those he killed during his life.

        Samson was famous for his strength. Sometimes people were connecting a large stone with Samson. In Scotland, there is a stone like that on a hill west of Callander – Clach Shamsoin or Samson’s Stone. It’s a glacial erratic. It was left there by ice long ago.

        But the old people were saying that Samson was on a mountain top – Ben Ledi or, perhaps Ben Lawers or Ben Vorlich near Loch Lomond. Samson challenged the strong men of the country. He threw the stone a large distance. But nobody else was strong enough to lift the stone. And that left it where it is to this very day.