Genesis 29
1 Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
UJakobe wasephakamisa inyawo zakhe, waya elizweni labantwana bempumalanga.
2 He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well.
Wasebona, khangela-ke, umthombo emmangweni, khangela-ke lapho, imihlambi emithathu yezimvu yayilele kuwo, ngoba kulowomthombo banathisa imihlambi; kwakukhona ilitshe elikhulu emlonyeni womthombo.
3 When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.
Njalo yonke imihlambi yabuthelwa khona, sebeligiqile ilitshe lisuka emlonyeni womthombo banathisa izimvu, basebebuyisela ilitshe emlonyeni womthombo endaweni yalo.
4 “My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
UJakobe wasesithi kibo: Bazalwane bami, livela ngaphi? Basebesithi: Sivela eHarani.
5 “Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
Wasesithi kibo: Liyamazi yini uLabani indodana kaNahori? Basebesithi: Siyamazi.
6 “Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
Wasesithi kibo: Uyaphila yini? Basebesithi: Uphilile; khangela-ke, uRasheli indodakazi yakhe, uyeza lezimvu.
7 “Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”
Wasesithi: Khangelani, kusesemini enkulu, kayisiso isikhathi sokuthi izifuyo zibuthaniswe; nathisani izimvu, lihambe lizidlise.
8 But they replied, “We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”
Basebesithi: Singeke, kuze kubuthaniswe imihlambi yonke, bagiqe-ke ilitshe lisuke emlonyeni womthombo; khona sizanathisa izimvu.
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
Esakhuluma labo, uRasheli wafika lezimvu, ezingezikayise, ngoba wayengumelusikazi.
10 As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.
Kwasekusithi uJakobe ebona uRasheli indodakazi kaLabani umalumakhe lezimvu zikaLabani umalumakhe, uJakobe wasondela, waligiqa ilitshe lasuka emlonyeni womthombo, wazinathisa izimvu zikaLabani umalumakhe.
11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
UJakobe wasemanga uRasheli, waphakamisa ilizwi lakhe wakhala izinyembezi.
12 He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.
UJakobe wasemazisa uRasheli ukuthi ungumfowabo kayise lokuthi uyindodana kaRebeka. Wasegijima, wamazisa uyise.
13 When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened.
Kwasekusithi uLabani esezwile umbiko kaJakobe indodana kadadewabo, wagijima ukuyamhlangabeza, wamgona, wamanga, wamngenisa endlini yakhe. UJakobe waselandisela uLabani zonke lezizinto.
14 Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
ULabani wasesithi kuye: Isibili ulithambo lami lenyama yami. Wahlala laye inyanga yonke.
15 Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
ULabani wasesithi kuJakobe: Njengoba ungumfowethu, usuzangisebenzela mahala yini? Ngitshela ukuthi umholo wakho uzakuba yini?
16 Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
Njalo uLabani wayelamadodakazi amabili, ibizo lenkulu linguLeya lebizo lencinyane linguRasheli.
17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
Kodwa uLeya wayelamehlo abuthakathaka, kodwa uRasheli wayemuhle ngesimo, njalo wayemuhle ngokukhangeleka.
18 Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
UJakobe wasemthanda uRasheli. Wathi: Ngizakusebenzela iminyaka eyisikhombisa ngoRasheli indodakazi yakho encane.
19 Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
ULabani wasesithi: Kungcono ukuthi ngimnike wena kulokuthi ngimnike enye indoda; hlala lami.
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
UJakobe wasemsebenzela uRasheli iminyaka eyisikhombisa; yaba emehlweni akhe njengensuku ezinlutshwana, ngenxa yokumthanda kwakhe.
21 Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”
UJakobe wasesithi kuLabani: Ngipha umkami, ngoba insuku zami sezigcwalisekile, ukuthi ngingene kuye.
22 So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.
ULabani wasebuthanisa wonke amadoda aleyondawo, wenza idili.
23 But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
Kwasekusithi kusihlwa wathatha uLeya indodakazi yakhe wamusa kuye, wasengena kuye.
24 And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
ULabani wasemnika uZilipa incekukazi yakhe, kuLeya indodakazi yakhe, abe yincekukazi.
25 When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”
Kwasekusithi ekuseni, khangela-ke, nguLeya; ngakho wathi kuLabani: Kuyini lokhu okwenze kimi? Kangimsebenzelanga uRasheli kuwe yini? Pho, ungikhohliseleni?
26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.
ULabani wasesithi: Kakwenziwa njalo endaweni yakithi ukupha omncinyane ngaphambi kwengqabutho.
27 Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”
Gcwalisa iviki yalo, besesikunika lalowayana, ngomsebenzi ozawusebenza lami futhi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
28 And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
UJakobe wasesenza njalo; wagcwalisa iviki yalo; wasemnika uRasheli indodakazi yakhe ukuba ngumkakhe.
29 Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
ULabani wasenika uRasheli indodakazi yakhe uBiliha incekukazi yakhe, abe yincekukazi kuye.
30 Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.
Wasengena lakuRasheli; wamthanda njalo uRasheli kuloLeya, wasesebenza laye futhi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
Lapho iNkosi isibona ukuthi uLeya wayezondwa, yavula isizalo sakhe, kodwa uRasheli wayeyinyumba.
32 And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
ULeya wasethatha isisu, wazala indodana, wayitha ibizo layo uRubeni, ngoba wathi: Ngoba iNkosi ibonile inhlupheko yami; ngakho khathesi indoda yami izangithanda.
33 Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” So she named him Simeon.
Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana, wathi: Njengoba iNkosi izwile ukuthi ngiyazondwa, inginike lale; wayitha ibizo layo uSimeyoni.
34 Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.
Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana; wathi: Khathesi ngalesisikhathi indoda yami izazihlanganisa lami, ngoba ngiyizalele amadodana amathathu; ngalokhu wabiza ibizo layo uLevi.
35 And once more she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children.
Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana; wathi: Ngalesisikhathi ngizadumisa iNkosi; ngakho wayitha ibizo layo uJuda; wasesima ukuzala.
