Genesis 29
1 And so Jacob, setting out, arrived in the eastern land.
Puis, s'étant remis en marche, Jacob s'en alla en la terre d'Orient chez Laban, fils de Bathuel le Syrien, frère de Rébécca, mère de Jacob et d'Esaü.
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.
Il aperçut un puits, dans la plaine et trois troupeaux de brebis, arrêtés près du puits, car c'était là que l'on abreuvait les troupeaux, et il y avait une grande 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.
Lorsque tous les troupeaux étaient rassemblés, les pâtres faisaient rouler la pierre de l'ouverture du puits, et ils donnaient à boire au bétail, puis, ils remettaient la pierre à sa place, au-dessus du puits.
4 And he said to the shepherds, “Brothers, where are you from?” And they answered. “From Haran.”
Et Jacob dit: Frères, d'où êtes-vous? Nous sommes, répondirent-ils, d'Haran.
5 And questioning them, he said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
Il ajouta: Connaissez-vous Laban, petit-fils de Nachor? 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 répondirent il se porte bien; voilà Rachel sa fille, qui vient avec ses brebis.
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.”
Le jour est encore grand, dit Jacob, et ce n'est point l'heure où l'on rassemble les troupeaux; faites donc boire vos brebis et ramenez-les au pâturage.
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 repartirent: Nous ne le pourrons avant la réunion de tous les pâtres; à eux tous, ils détourneront la pierre de l'ouverture du puits, et nous ferons boire notre bétail.
9 They were still speaking, and behold, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep; for she pastured the flock.
Comme il leur parlait encore, Rachel, fille de Laban, les rejoignit avec les brebis de son père, car elle menait paître les brebis de son père.
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 lorsque Jacob vit Rachel, fille de Laban, frère de sa mère, et les brebis de Laban, frère de sa mère, s'étant approché, il détourna la pierre de l'ouverture 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 donna un baiser à Rachel, et, élevant la voix, il 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.
Il apprit à Rachel qu'il était neveu de son père, et fils de Rébécca; aussitôt s'étant mise à courir, elle raconta tout 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,
À peine Laban eut-il entendu le nom de Jacob, fils de sa sœur, qu'il courut à sa rencontre, et l'ayant serré dans ses bras, il le baisa; puis il le conduisit en sa demeure, et Jacob raconta à Laban toutes choses.
14 he responded, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And after the days of one month were completed,
Laban lui dit: Tu es de mes os et de ma chair. Et Jacob resta avec lui tous les jours d'une lune.
15 he said to him: “Though you are my brother, will you serve me for nothing? Tell me what wages you would accept.”
Laban dit ensuite à Jacob: Parce que tu es mon frère, tu ne dois pas me servir gratuitement; dis-moi donc quelle récompense tu veux.
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: I'aînée se nommait Lia, et la plus jeune Rachel.
17 But while Leah was bleary-eyed, Rachel had an elegant appearance and was attractive to behold.
Lia avait les yeux faibles, Rachel était belle de visage et pleine de grâces.
18 And Jacob, loving her, said, “I will serve you for seven years, for your younger daughter Rachel.”
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.”
Mieux vaut, lui dit Laban, la donner à toi qu'à un autre homme; demeure donc avec nous.
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 donc sept années pour Rachel, et les ans furent devant lui comme de courtes journées, à cause de la tendresse qu'il avait pour elle.
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 afin que j'habite avec elle, car les jours sont accomplis.
22 And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.
Lahan réunit tous les hommes du lieu, et il célébra les noces.
23 And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,
Mais, le soir venu, il prit sa fille Lia et l'introduisit auprès de Jacob, qui s'approcha d'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.
Or, Laban donna à sa fille Lia, pour servante, Zelpha, qui lui appartenait.
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?”
Lorsque le matin parut, Jacob reconnut Lia, et il dit à Laban: Pourquoi m'as-tu fait cela; n'est-ce pas pour Rachel que je t'ai servi? 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: Il n'est point d'usage en notre pays 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.”
Achève la semaine de celle-ci, et je le donnerai encore l'autre pour prix des travaux que tu feras ensuite pour moi pendant sept autres années.
28 He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.
Jacob fit ainsi: il acheva la semaine de Lia, et Laban lui donna pour femme sa fille Rachel.
29 To her, the father had given Bilhah as her servant.
Laban donna à sa fille, pour servante, Balla qui lui appartenait.
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 Jacob s'approcha de Rachel; il la chérit plus que Lia, et il servit pour elle sept autres années.
31 But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
Mais le Seigneur ayant vu que Lia était haïe, lui ouvrit les entrailles, tandis que Rachel resta 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 Lia ayant conçu, enfanta à Jacob un fils qu'elle appela Ruben, disant: Le Seigneur a vu mon humiliation, et il m'a donné un fils; maintenant donc 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 derechef, et elle enfanta un second fils, et elle dit: Le Seigneur a entendu que je suis haïe, et il m'a donné encore celui-ci; 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 une troisième fois, et elle enfanta un fils, et elle dit: Désormais mon époux sera avec moi, car je lui ai donné trois fils; à cause de cela elle 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.
Et ayant encore conçu, elle enfanta un fils, et elle dit: Maintenant encore en ceci je louerai le Seigneur; c'est pourquoi elle donna à l'enfant le nom de Juda; puis elle cessa d'enfanter.
