Thematic Bible: Riddle

The leach has two daughters. Each cry: Give, Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, yes; even four things never say: It is enough! The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that does not say: It is enough.

There are three things that are too wonderful for me, yes, four I do not know: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the middle of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid. Such is the way of an adulterous woman. She eats and wipes her mouth, and says: I have done no wickedness. read more.
Under three things the earth is disquieted, and for four it cannot bear: For a servant when he reigns; and a fool when he is filled with food; For a detestable woman when she is married; and a handmaid who is heir to her mistress. There are four things that are little upon the earth, but they (chakam: teach wisdom) are exceeding wise: The ants are beings that are not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer. The rock badgers are a feeble folk, yet they make their houses in the rocks. The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks. The spider grasps with her hands, and in kings' palaces. There are three things that go well, yes, four go well: A lion is strongest among beasts and does not run from anything. A greyhound, a he goat also and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

Samson said to them: Let me tell you a riddle. If you can tell me the meaning before the seven days of the wedding feast are over, I will give each of you a piece of fine linen and a change of fine clothes. Tell us your riddle, they said: Let us hear it. If you cannot tell me the answer you must give me thirty pieces of fine linen and thirty sets of fine clothes. Tell us the riddle, they said. He said: Out of the eater came something to eat; Out of the strong came something sweet. Three days later they still could not figure out the riddle. read more.
On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife: Trick your husband into telling us what the riddle means. If you do not, we will burn your father's house with you in it. Did you invite us here to rob us? Samson's wife approached him in tears and said: You do not love me! You just hate me! You told my friends a riddle and did not tell me it's meaning! He said: I have not told my father and mother. Why should I tell you? She cried about it for the whole seven days of the feast. She nagged him so that on the seventh day he told her what the riddle meant. Then she told the Philistines. On the seventh day, before Samson went into the bedroom, the men of the city said to him: What could be sweeter than honey? What could be stronger than a lion? Samson replied: If you had not been plowing with my cow, you would not know the answer now.