Genesis 29
1 And so Jacob, setting out, arrived in the eastern land.
Jacob se remit en chemin et alla vers la terre des enfants 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.
II vit un puits dans les champs et là, trois troupeaux de menu bétail étaient couchés à l’entour, car ce puits servait à abreuver les troupeaux. Or la pierre, sur la margelle du puits, était grosse.
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.
Quand tous les troupeaux y étaient réunis, on faisait glisser la pierre de dessus la margelle du puits et l’on abreuvait le bétail, puis on replaçait la pierre sur la margelle du puits.
4 And he said to the shepherds, “Brothers, where are you from?” And they answered. “From Haran.”
Jacob leur dit: "Mes frères, d’où êtes vous?" Ils répondirent: "Nous sommes de Haran."
5 And questioning them, he said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
II leur dit: "Connaissez-vous Laban, fils de Nahor?" Ils répondirent: "Nous le connaissons."
6 He said, “Is he well?” “He is very well,” they said. “And behold, his daughter Rachel approaches with his flock.”
Il leur dit: "Est-il en paix?" Et ils répondirent: "En paix; et voici Rachel, sa fille, qui vient avec son troupeau."
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.”
"Mais," reprit-il, "le jour est encore long, il n’est pas l’heure de faire rentrer le bétail: abreuvez les brebis et les menez 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.”
Ils dirent: "Nous ne saurions, jusqu’à ce que tous les troupeaux soient rassemblés: on déplacera alors la pierre qui couvre l’orifice du puits et nous ferons boire les brebis."
9 They were still speaking, and behold, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep; for she pastured the flock.
Comme il s’entretenait avec eux, Rachel vint avec le troupeau de 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.
Lorsque Jacob vit Rachel, fille de Laban, frère de sa mère et les brebis de ce dernier, il s’avança, fit glisser la pierre de dessus la margelle du puits et fit boire les brebis 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 il éleva la voix en pleurant.
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 parent de son père, qu’il était le fils de Rébecca. Elle courut l’annoncer 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,
Aussitôt que Laban eut appris l’arrivée de Jacob, le fils de sa sœur, il courut au devant de lui, il l’embrassa, le couvrit de baisers et l’emmena dans sa demeure. Jacob raconta à Laban tous ces événements.
14 he responded, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And after the days of one month were completed,
Laban lui dit: "Tu n’es rien moins que mon corps et ma chair!" Et il demeura avec lui un mois durant.
15 he said to him: “Though you are my brother, will you serve me for nothing? Tell me what wages you would accept.”
Alors Laban dit à Jacob: "Quoi! parce que tu es mon parent, tu me servirais gratuitement? Déclare moi quel doit être 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, celui de la cadette Rachel.
17 But while Leah was bleary-eyed, Rachel had an elegant appearance and was attractive to behold.
Léa avait les yeux faibles; 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.”
Jacob avait conçu de l’amour pour Rachel. II 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.”
Laban répondit: "J’Aime mieux te la donner que de la donner à un autre époux: 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.
Jacob servit, pour obtenir Rachel, sept années et elles furent à ses yeux comme quelques jours, tant 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.”
Jacob dit à Laban: "Donne-moi ma femme, car mon temps est accompli et je veux m’unir à elle."
22 And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.
Laban réunit tous les habitants du lieu et donna un festin.
23 And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,
Mais, le soir venu, il prit Léa sa fille et la lui amena et Jacob s’unit à 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.
Laban avait aussi donné Zilpa, son esclave, à Léa, sa fille, comme esclave.
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?”
Or, le matin, il se trouva que c’était Léa; et il dit à Laban: "Que m’as-tu fait là! N’Est ce pas pour Rachel que j’ai servi chez toi? Et pourquoi m’as-tu trompé?"
26 Laban responded, “It is not the practice in this place to give the younger in marriage first.
Laban répondit: "Ce n’est pas l’usage, dans notre pays, de marier la cadette 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.”
Achève la semaine de celle ci et nous te donnerons également celle là en échange du service que tu feras encore chez moi pendant sept autres années."
28 He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.
Ainsi fit Jacob, il acheva la semaine de la première; puis Laban lui accorda Rachel, sa fille, pour épouse.
29 To her, the father had given Bilhah as her servant.
Laban donna, à Rachel sa fille, Bilha, son esclave, pour qu’elle devint la sienne.
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.
Jacob s’unit pareillement à Rachel et persista à aimer Rachel plus que Léa; et il servit encore chez Laban sept autres années.
31 But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
Le Seigneur considéra que Léa était dédaignée et il rendit son sein fécond, tandis que Rachel fut 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.”
Léa conçut et enfanta un fils. Elle le nomma Ruben "parce que, dit elle, le Seigneur a vu mon humiliation, de sorte qu’à présent mon époux 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.
Elle conçut de nouveau et enfanta un fils. Elle dit: "Parce que le Seigneur a entendu que j’étais dédaignée, il m’a accordé aussi celui là." Et elle l’appela 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.
Elle conçut de nouveau et enfanta un fils. Elle dit: "Ah! désormais mon époux me sera attaché, puisque je lui ai donné trois fils." C’Est pourquoi on l’appela 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.
Elle conçut encore et mit au monde un fils et elle dit: "Pour le coup, je rends grâce à l’Éternel!" C’Est pourquoi elle le nomma Juda. Alors elle cessa d’enfanter.
