Genesis 29
1 And so Jacob, setting out, arrived in the eastern land.
Jacob donc se mit en chemin, et s'en alla au pays des Orientaux.
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 un champ, et là-même trois troupeaux de brebis couchées près du puits (car on y 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 quand tous les troupeaux étaient là assemblés, on roulait la pierre de dessus l'ouverture du puits, et on abreuvait les troupeaux; et ensuite on remettait la pierre en son lieu, 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? Ils répondirent: Nous sommes de Caran.
5 And questioning them, he said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
Et il leur dit: Ne connaissez-vous point Laban fils de Nacor? Et 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: Se porte-t-il bien? Ils lui répondirent: Il se porte bien; et voilà Rachel sa fille, qui vient avec le 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.”
Et il dit: Voilà, il est encore grand jour, il n'est pas temps de retirer les troupeaux; abreuvez les troupeaux, et ramenez-les 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 répondirent: Nous ne le pouvons point jusqu'à ce que tous les troupeaux soient assemblés, et qu'on ait oté la pierre de dessus l'ouverture du puits, afin d'abreuver les troupeaux.
9 They were still speaking, and behold, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep; for she pastured the flock.
Et comme il parlait encore avec eux, Rachel arriva 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.
Et il arriva que quand Jacob eut vu Rachel fille de Laban frère de sa mère, et le troupeau de Laban frère de sa mère, il s'approcha et roula la pierre de dessus l'ouverture du puits, et abreuva le troupeau de Laban, frère de sa mère.
11 And having watered the flock, he kissed her. And lifting up his voice, he wept.
Et Jacob baisa Rachel, et élevant sa 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.
Et Jacob apprit à Rachel qu'il était frére de son père, et qu'il était fils de Rébecca; 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 qu'aussitôt que Laban eut appris des nouvelles de Jacob fils de sa sœur, il courut au-devant de lui, l'embrassa, et le baisa, et le fit venir dans sa maison; et [Jacob] récita à Laban tout ce [qui lui était arrivé].
14 he responded, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And after the days of one month were completed,
Et Laban lui dit: Certainement, tu es mon os et ma chair; et il demeura avec lui un mois entier.
15 he said to him: “Though you are my brother, will you serve me for nothing? Tell me what wages you would accept.”
Après quoi Laban dit à Jacob: Me serviras-tu pour rien, parce que tu es mon frère? 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, dont l'aînée s'appelait Léa, et la plus jeune, Rachel.
17 But while Leah was bleary-eyed, Rachel had an elegant appearance and was attractive to behold.
Mais Léa avait les yeux tendres, et Rachel était de belle taille, et belle à voir.
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 répondit: Il vaut mieux que je te la donne que si je la donnais à un autre; 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 donc servit sept ans pour Rachel, qui lui semblèrent 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 mon temps est accompli, et je viendrai vers elle.
22 And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.
Laban donc assembla tous les gens du lieu, et fit un festin.
23 And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,
Mais quand le soir fut venu, il prit Léa sa fille, et l'amena à Jacob, qui 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?”
Mais le matin étant venu, voici, [c'était] Léa. Et il dit à Laban: Qu'est-ce que tu m'as fait? N'ai-je pas servi chez toi pour Rachel? 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: On ne fait pas ainsi en ce 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.”
Achève la semaine de celle-ci, et nous te donnerons aussi l'autre, pour le service que tu feras encore chez moi sept autres années.
28 He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.
Jacob donc fit ainsi, et il acheva la semaine de Léa; et Laban lui donna aussi pour femme Rachel sa fille.
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.
Il vint donc aussi vers Rachel, et il aima plus Rachel que Léa; et il servit encore chez lui sept autres années.
31 But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
Et l'Eternel voyant que Léa était haïe, 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 le nomma Ruben, car elle dit: [C'est] parce que l'Eternel a regardé mon affliction; c'est pourquoi aussi 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.
Elle conçut encore, et enfanta un fils, et dit: Parce que l'Eternel a entendu que j'étais haïe, il m'a aussi donné celui-ci; et elle le nomma 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 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.
Elle conçut encore, et enfanta un fils, et dit: Cette fois je louerai l'Eternel; c'est pourquoi elle appela son nom Juda; et elle ne continua plus d'avoir des enfants.
