Genesis 29
1 Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east country.
Jacob se mit en marche, et s’en alla au pays des fils de l’Orient.
2 And he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep lying by it: for the beasts were watered out of it, and the mouth thereof was closed with a great stone.
Il regarda. Et voici, il y avait un puits dans les champs; et voici, il y avait à côté trois troupeaux de brebis qui se reposaient, car c’était à ce puits qu’on abreuvait les troupeaux. Et la pierre sur l’ouverture du puits était grande.
3 And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together to roll away the stone, and after the sheep were watered, to put it on the mouth of the well again.
Tous les troupeaux se rassemblaient là; on roulait la pierre de dessus l’ouverture du puits, on abreuvait les troupeaux, et l’on remettait la pierre à sa place sur l’ouverture du puits.
4 And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran.
Jacob dit aux bergers: Mes frères, d’où êtes-vous? Ils répondirent: Nous sommes de Charan.
5 And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban the son of Nachor? They said: We know him.
Il leur dit: Connaissez-vous Laban, fils de Nachor? Ils répondirent: Nous le connaissons.
6 He said: Is he in health? He is in health, say they: and behold Rachel his daughter cometh with his flock.
Il leur dit: Est-il en bonne santé? Ils répondirent: Il est en bonne santé; et voici Rachel, sa fille, qui vient avec le troupeau.
7 And Jacob said: There is yet much day remaining, neither is it time to bring the flocks into the folds again: first give the sheep drink, and so lead them back to feed.
Il dit: Voici, il est encore grand jour, et il n’est pas temps de rassembler les troupeaux; abreuvez les brebis, puis allez, et faites-les paître.
8 They answered: We cannot, till all the cattle be gathered together, and we remove the stone from the well’s mouth, that we may water the flocks.
Ils répondirent: Nous ne le pouvons pas, jusqu’à ce que tous les troupeaux soient rassemblés; c’est alors qu’on roule la pierre de dessus l’ouverture du puits, et qu’on abreuve les brebis.
9 They were yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she fed the flock.
Comme il leur parlait encore, survint Rachel avec le troupeau de son père; car elle était bergère.
10 And when Jacob saw her, and knew her to be his cousin-german, and that they were the sheep of Laban, his uncle: he removed the stone wherewith the well was closed.
Lorsque Jacob vit Rachel, fille de Laban, frère de sa mère, et le troupeau de Laban, frère de sa mère, il s’approcha, 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, wept.
Et Jacob baisa Rachel, il éleva la voix et pleura.
12 And he told her that he was her father’s brother, and the son of Rebecca: but she went in haste and told her father.
Jacob apprit à Rachel qu’il était parent de son père, qu’il était fils de Rebecca. Et elle courut l’annoncer à son père.
13 Who, when he heard that Jacob his sister’s son was come, ran forth to meet him; and embracing him, and heartily kissing him, brought him into his house. And when he had heard the causes of his journey,
Dès que Laban eut entendu parler de Jacob, fils de sa sœur, il courut au-devant de lui, il l’embrassa et le baisa, et il le fit venir dans sa maison. Jacob raconta à Laban toutes ces choses.
14 He answered: Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after the days of one month were expired,
Et Laban lui dit: Certainement, tu es mon os et ma chair. Jacob demeura un mois chez Laban.
15 He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.
Puis Laban dit à Jacob: Parce que tu es mon parent, me serviras-tu pour rien? Dis-moi quel sera ton salaire.
16 Now he had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lia: and the younger was called Rachel.
Or, Laban avait deux filles: l’aînée s’appelait Léa, et la cadette Rachel.
17 But Lia was blear eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance.
Léa avait les yeux délicats; mais Rachel était belle de taille et belle de figure.
18 And Jacob being in love with her, said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
Jacob aimait Rachel, et il dit: Je te servirai sept ans pour Rachel, ta fille cadette.
19 Laban answered: It is better that I give her to thee than to another man; stay with me.
Et Laban dit: J’aime mieux te la donner que de la donner à un autre homme. Reste chez moi!
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his love.
Ainsi Jacob servit sept années pour Rachel: et elles furent à ses yeux comme quelques jours, parce qu’il l’aimait.
21 And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
Ensuite Jacob dit à Laban: Donne-moi ma femme, car mon temps est accompli: et j’irai vers elle.
22 And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage.
Laban réunit tous les gens du lieu, et fit un festin.
23 And at night he brought in Lia his daughter to him,
Le soir, il prit Léa, sa fille, et l’amena vers Jacob, qui s’approcha d’elle.
24 Giving his daughter a handmaid, named Zelpha. Now when Jacob had gone in to her according to custom when morning was come he saw it was Lia:
Et Laban donna pour servante à Léa, sa fille, Zilpa, sa servante.
25 And he said to his father in law: What is it that thou didst mean to do? did not I serve thee for Rachel? why hast thou deceived me?
Le lendemain matin, voilà que c’était Léa. Alors Jacob dit à Laban: Qu’est-ce que tu m’as fait? N’est-ce pas pour Rachel que j’ai servi chez toi? Pourquoi m’as-tu trompé?
26 Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to give the younger in marriage first.
Laban dit: Ce n’est point la coutume dans ce lieu de donner la cadette avant l’aînée.
27 Make up the week of days of this match: and I will give thee her also, for the service that thou shalt render me other seven years.
Achève la semaine avec celle-ci, et nous te donnerons aussi l’autre pour le service que tu feras encore chez moi pendant sept nouvelles années.
28 He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel:
Jacob fit ainsi, et il acheva la semaine avec Léa; puis Laban lui donna pour femme Rachel, sa fille.
29 To whom her father gave Bala for her servant.
Et Laban donna pour servante à Rachel, sa fille, Bilha, sa servante.
30 And having at length obtained the marriage he wished for, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and served with him other seven years.
Jacob alla aussi vers Rachel, qu’il aimait plus que Léa; et il servit encore chez Laban pendant sept nouvelles années.
31 And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
L’Éternel vit que Léa n’était pas aimée; et il la rendit féconde, tandis que Rachel était stérile.
32 And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction: now my husband will love me.
Léa devint enceinte, et enfanta un fils, à qui elle donna le nom de Ruben; car elle dit: L’Éternel a vu mon humiliation, et maintenant mon mari m’aimera.
33 And again she conceived and bore a son, and said: Because the Lord heard that I was despised, he hath given this also to me: and she called his name Simeon.
Elle devint encore enceinte, et enfanta un fils, et elle dit: L’Éternel a entendu que je n’étais pas aimée, et il m’a aussi accordé celui-ci. Et elle lui donna le nom de Siméon.
34 And she conceived the third time, and bore another son: and said: Now also my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons: and therefore she called his name Levi.
Elle devint encore enceinte, et enfanta un fils, et elle dit: Pour cette fois, mon mari s’attachera à moi; car je lui ai enfanté trois fils. C’est pourquoi on lui donna le nom de Lévi.
35 The fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and said: now will I praise the Lord: and for this she called him Juda. And she left bearing.
Elle devint encore enceinte, et enfanta un fils, et elle dit: Cette fois, je louerai l’Éternel. C’est pourquoi elle lui donna le nom de Juda. Et elle cessa d’enfanter.
