Genesis 29
1 And so Jacob, setting out, arrived in the eastern land.
Et Jacob se mit en marche, et s’en alla au pays des fils de l’orient.
2 And he saw a well in a field, and also three flocks of sheep reclining near it. For the animals were watered from it, and its mouth was closed with a great stone.
Et il regarda, et voici un puits dans les champs, et voilà trois troupeaux de menu bétail couchés auprès, (car de ce puits-là on abreuvait les troupeaux); et il y avait une grosse pierre sur l’ouverture du puits.
3 And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together, to roll away the stone. And when the flocks had been refreshed, they placed it over the mouth of the well again.
Et tous les troupeaux se rassemblaient là, et on roulait la pierre de dessus l’ouverture du puits, et on abreuvait le bétail; puis on remettait la pierre à sa place, sur l’ouverture du puits.
4 And he said to the shepherds, “Brothers, where are you from?” And they answered. “From Haran.”
Et Jacob leur dit: Mes frères, d’où êtes-vous? Et ils dirent: Nous sommes de Charan.
5 And questioning them, he said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
Et il leur dit: Connaissez-vous Laban, fils de Nakhor? Et ils dirent: Nous le connaissons.
6 He said, “Is he well?” “He is very well,” they said. “And behold, his daughter Rachel approaches with his flock.”
Et il leur dit: Se porte-t-il bien? Et ils dirent: Bien; et voici Rachel, sa fille, qui vient avec le bétail.
7 And Jacob said, “There is still much daylight remaining, and it is not time to return the flocks to the sheepfold. Give the sheep to drink first, and then lead them back to pasture.”
Et il dit: Voici, il est encore grand jour, il n’est pas temps de rassembler les troupeaux; abreuvez le bétail, et allez, faites-le paître.
8 They responded, “We cannot, until all the animals are gathered together and we remove the stone from the mouth of the well, so that we may water the flocks.”
Et ils dirent: Nous ne le pouvons pas, jusqu’à ce que tous les troupeaux soient rassemblés; alors on roule la pierre de dessus l’ouverture du puits, et nous abreuvons le bétail.
9 They were still speaking, and behold, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep; for she pastured the flock.
Comme il parlait encore avec eux, Rachel vint avec le bétail qui était à son père; car elle était bergère.
10 When Jacob had seen her, and he realized that she was his maternal first cousin, and that these were the sheep of his uncle Laban, he removed the stone which closed the well.
Et il arriva, quand Jacob vit Rachel, fille de Laban, frère de sa mère, et le bétail de Laban, frère de sa mère, que Jacob s’approcha, et roula la pierre de dessus l’ouverture du puits, et abreuva le bétail de Laban, frère de sa mère.
11 And having watered the flock, he kissed her. And lifting up his voice, he wept.
Et Jacob embrassa Rachel, et éleva sa voix, et pleura.
12 And he revealed to her that he was a brother of her father, and the son of Rebekah. And so, hurrying, she announced it to her father.
Et Jacob apprit à Rachel qu’il était frère de son père et qu’il était fils de Rebecca; et elle courut le rapporter à son père.
13 And when he had heard that Jacob, his sister’s son, had arrived, he ran to meet him. And embracing him, and kissing him heartily, he brought him into his house. But when he had heard the reasons for his journey,
Et il arriva que, lorsque Laban apprit les nouvelles de Jacob, fils de sa sœur, il courut à sa rencontre, et l’embrassa et lui donna un baiser, et le fit entrer dans sa maison; et [Jacob] raconta à Laban toutes ces choses.
14 he responded, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And after the days of one month were completed,
Et Laban lui dit: Certes, tu es mon os et ma chair. Et il demeura avec lui un mois de temps.
15 he said to him: “Though you are my brother, will you serve me for nothing? Tell me what wages you would accept.”
Et Laban dit à Jacob: Parce que tu es mon frère, me serviras-tu pour rien? Dis-moi quel sera ton salaire?
16 In truth, he had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah; and truly the younger was called Rachel.
Or Laban avait deux filles; le nom de l’aînée était Léa, et le nom de la plus jeune, Rachel.
17 But while Leah was bleary-eyed, Rachel had an elegant appearance and was attractive to behold.
Et Léa avait les yeux délicats; mais Rachel était belle de taille et belle de visage.
18 And Jacob, loving her, said, “I will serve you for seven years, for your younger daughter Rachel.”
Et Jacob aimait Rachel, et il dit: Je te servirai sept ans pour Rachel, ta plus jeune fille.
19 Laban responded, “It is better that I give her to you than to another man; remain with me.”
Et Laban dit: Mieux vaut que je te la donne que de la donner à un autre homme; demeure avec moi.
20 Therefore, Jacob served for seven years for Rachel. And these seemed like only a few days, because of the greatness of love.
Et Jacob servit pour Rachel sept années; et elles furent à ses yeux comme peu de jours, parce qu’il l’aimait.
21 And he said to Laban, “Give my wife to me. For now the time has been fulfilled, so that I may go in to her.”
Et Jacob dit à Laban: Donne-moi ma femme; car mes jours sont accomplis, et je viendrai vers elle.
22 And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.
Et Laban rassembla tous les gens du lieu, et fit un festin.
23 And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,
Et il arriva, le soir, qu’il prit Léa, sa fille, et la lui amena; et il vint vers elle.
24 giving his daughter a handmaid named Zilpah. After Jacob had gone in to her, according to custom, when morning had arrived, he saw Leah.
Et Laban donna Zilpa, sa servante, à Léa, sa fille, pour servante.
25 And he said to his father-in-law, “What is it that you intended to do? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?”
Et il arriva, au matin, que voici, c’était Léa. Et il dit à Laban: Que m’as-tu fait? N’est-ce pas pour Rachel que je t’ai servi? et pourquoi m’as-tu trompé?
26 Laban responded, “It is not the practice in this place to give the younger in marriage first.
Et Laban dit: On ne fait pas ainsi, dans notre lieu, de donner la plus jeune avant l’aînée.
27 Complete a week of days with this mating. And then I will give this one to you also, for the service that you will provide to me for another seven years.”
Accomplis la semaine de celle-ci, et nous te donnerons aussi celle-là, pour le service que tu feras chez moi encore sept autres années.
28 He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.
Et Jacob fit ainsi, et il accomplit la semaine de celle-ci. Et [Laban] lui donna Rachel, sa fille, pour femme.
29 To her, the father had given Bilhah as her servant.
Et Laban donna Bilha, sa servante, à Rachel, sa fille, pour servante.
30 And, having at last obtained the marriage he desired, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and he served with him another seven years.
Et il vint aussi vers Rachel; et il aima aussi Rachel plus que Léa. Et il servit Laban encore sept autres années.
31 But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
Et l’Éternel vit que Léa était haïe, et il ouvrit sa matrice; mais Rachel était stérile.
32 Having conceived, she gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, saying: “The Lord saw my humiliation; now my husband will love me.”
Et Léa conçut, et enfanta un fils, et elle appela son nom Ruben, car elle dit: Parce que l’Éternel a regardé mon affliction; car maintenant mon mari m’aimera.
33 And again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Because the Lord heard that I was treated with contempt, he has also given this one to me.” And she called his name Simeon.
Et elle conçut encore, et enfanta un fils, et dit: Parce que l’Éternel a entendu que j’étais haïe, il m’a donné aussi celui-ci; et elle appela son nom Siméon.
34 And she conceived a third time, and she gave birth to another son, and she said: “Now likewise my husband will unite with me, because I have borne him three sons.” And because of this, she called his name Levi.
Et elle conçut encore, et enfanta un fils, et dit: Maintenant, cette fois, mon mari s’attachera à moi, car je lui ai enfanté trois fils; c’est pourquoi on appela son nom Lévi.
35 A fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Only now will I confess to the Lord.” And for this reason, she called him Judah. And she ceased from child-bearing.
Et elle conçut encore, et enfanta un fils, et dit: Cette fois, je louerai l’Éternel; c’est pourquoi elle appela son nom Juda; et elle cessa d’enfanter.
