< Genesis 29 >
1 Jacob continued on the road [MTY], and he arrived at the land that was east of Canaan.
Yakob toaa nʼakwantuo so kɔduruu apueeɛfoɔ asase so.
2 There he [was surprised to] see a well in a field, and three flocks of sheep were lying near the well. It was the well from which shepherds habitually got water for their sheep. There was a large stone covering the top of the well.
Asase no so baabi na ɔkɔhunuu abura bi a nnwankuo mmiɛnsa butubutu ho. Ɛfiri sɛ, saa abura no mu nsuo na wɔsa ma nnwan no nom. Na ɛboɔ kɛseɛ bi na ɛkata abura no so.
3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would work together to roll the stone away from the top of the well and get water for the sheep. When they finished doing that, they would put the stone back in its place over the top of the well.
Ɛberɛ biara a nnwankuo no bɛboa wɔn ho ano wɔ hɔ no, nnwanhwɛfoɔ no pire ɛboɔ no firi abura no ano ma nnwan no nsuo nom. Sɛ nnwan no nom nsuo no wie a, na nnwanhwɛfoɔ no asane de ɛboɔ no akata abura no ano.
4 [On that day], Jacob asked the shepherds who were sitting there, “Where are you from?” They replied, “We are from Haran.”
Yakob bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Anuanom, mofiri he na mobaa ha?” Wɔbuaa Yakob sɛ, “Yɛfiri Haran.”
5 He asked them, “Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?” They replied, “Yes, we know him.”
Yakob sane bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Monim Nahor nana Laban anaa?” Nnwanhwɛfoɔ no nso buaa no sɛ, “Aane, yɛnim no.”
6 Jacob asked them, “Is Laban well?” They replied, “Yes, he is well. Look! Here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep!”
Afei, Yakob bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Na ne ho te sɛn?” Wɔbuaa no sɛ, “Ne ho yɛ. Na ne babaa Rahel koraa na ɔne ne nnwan reba yi.”
7 Jacob said, “Hey! The sun is still high in the sky. It is not time for the flocks to be gathered for nighttime. Give the sheep some water and then take them back to (graze/eat grass) in the pastures!”
Yakob kaa sɛ, “Monhwɛ. Owia no ano yɛ den dodo. Ɛberɛ a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔboaboa mmoa no ano nnuruiɛ. Momma wɔn nsuo nnom, na monka wɔn nkɔ wɔn adidibea.”
8 They replied, “No, we cannot do that until all the flocks are gathered here and the stone is removed from the top of the well. After that, we will give water to the sheep.”
Nnwanhwɛfoɔ no buaa Yakob sɛ, “Sɛ yɛmmoaboaa nnwan no nyinaa ano, na yɛmpiree ɛboɔ no mfirii abura no ano a, yɛrentumi mma wɔn nsuo nnom.”
9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep. She was the one who took care of her father’s sheep.
Yakob gu so ne wɔn rekasa no ara na Rahel a ɔno nso yɛ odwanhwɛfoɔ no de nʼagya nnwan baa hɔ.
10 When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, who was his mother’s brother, [Jacob was so excited that] he went over and [by himself] rolled away the stone that covered the top of the well, and he got water for his uncle’s sheep.
Ɛberɛ a Yakob hunuu ne maame nuabarima Laban babaa Rahel ne ne wɔfa Laban nnwan no, ɔkɔpiree ɛboɔ no firii abura no ano. Afei, wɔmaa nnwan no nsuo nomeeɛ.
11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel [on the cheek], and he cried loudly [because he was so happy].
Afei, Yakob fee Rahel ano, na ɔsuiɛ.
12 Jacob told Rachel that he was one of her father’s relatives, the son of her aunt Rebekah. So she ran and told that to her father.
Na Yakob aka akyerɛ Rahel sɛ, ɔno Yakob yɛ Rahel no agya busuani a ɔsane yɛ nʼagya Laban no nuabaa Rebeka babarima. Enti, Rahel tuu mmirika kɔka kyerɛɛ nʼagya.
13 As soon as Laban heard that Jacob, his sister’s son, was there, he ran to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him [on the cheek]. Then he brought him to his home, and Jacob told him all that had happened to him.
Laban tee ne nuabaa Rebeka ba Yakob ho asɛm no, ɔyɛɛ ntɛm kɔhyiaa no. Laban yɛɛ no atuu, fee nʼano, de no baa ne fie, maa Yakob bɔɔ no nʼananteseɛ.
14 Then Laban said to him, “Truly, you are part of my family!” After Jacob had stayed there and worked for Laban for a month,
Laban ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, nokorɛ ni, “woyɛ me busuani.” Na Yakob tenaa Laban nkyɛn bosome.
15 Laban said to him “(You should not work for me for nothing just because you are a relative of mine!/Why should you work for me for nothing just because you are a relative of mine?) [RHQ] Tell me how much you want me to pay you.”
Ɛda koro bi, Laban ka kyerɛɛ Yakob sɛ, “Ɛwom sɛ woyɛ me busuani deɛ, nanso ɛno nkyerɛ sɛ, sɛ woyɛ adwuma ma me a ɛnsɛ sɛ metua wo ka. Kyerɛ me akatua a wopɛ na memfa mma wo.”
16 Well, Laban had two daughters. The older one was named Leah, and the younger one was named Rachel.
Na Laban wɔ mmammaa baanu. Na ɔpanin no din de Lea ɛnna akumaa no nso de Rahel.
17 Leah had pretty eyes, but Rachel had a very attractive figure and was beautiful.
Na Lea aniwa aba yɛ fɛ, ɛnna Rahel yɛ ɔbaa fɛfɛ a nʼanim yɛ nyam yie.
18 Jacob (was in love with/wanted very much to be married to) Rachel, and he said, “I will work for you for seven years. That will be my payment for your letting me marry your younger daughter, Rachel.”
Na Yakob dɔ Rahel awadeɛ kwan so, enti ɔka kyerɛɛ Rahel agya Laban sɛ, “Sɛ wode wo babaa kumaa Rahel bɛma me aware a, anka me nso mɛsom wo mfeɛ nson.”
19 Laban replied, “It is better for me to let you marry her than for her to marry some other man!”
Laban kaa sɛ, “Mepene so! Ɛyɛ sɛ mede no bɛma wo aware mmom sene sɛ mede no bɛma obi foforɔ bi a mennim no. Enti, tena me nkyɛn.”
20 So Jacob worked for Laban for seven years to get Rachel, but to him it seemed like it was only a few days, because he loved her so much.
Esiane ɔdɔ a na Yakob dɔ Rahel enti, ɔsomm Laban mfeɛ nson, na wanhunu koraa sɛ, wasom akyɛre saa. Ɛyɛɛ no sɛ gyama ɔsomee nnansa bi pɛ.
21 After the seven years were ended, Jacob said to Laban, “Let me marry Rachel now, because the time we agreed upon for me to work for you is ended, and I want to marry her. [EUP]”
Yakob som wieeɛ no, ɔka kyerɛɛ Laban sɛ, “Masom awie enti, fa Rahel ma me na menware no.”
22 So Laban gathered together all the people who lived in that area and made a feast.
Ɛno enti, Laban too ɛpono kɛseɛ, na ɔtoo nsa frɛɛ nnipa a na ɔne wɔn wɔ hɔ nyinaa baa apontoɔ no ase.
23 But that evening, instead of taking Rachel to Jacob, Laban took his older daughter, Leah, to him. But because it was already dark, he could not see that it was Leah and not Rachel, and he had sex [EUP] with her.
Na ɛduruu anadwo a esum aduru no, Laban de ne babaa Lea kɔmaa Yakob, maa ɔne no daeɛ.
24 (Laban had already given his slave girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid/servant.)
Ɛno akyiri no, Laban de nʼafenawa Silpa kaa Lea ho sɛ ɔnkɔsom no.
25 The next morning, Jacob was shocked to see that it was Leah who was with him! So he went to Laban [and told him] very angrily, “(What you have done to me is disgusting!/What is this that you have done to me?) [RHQ] I worked for you to get Rachel, did I not? So why did you deceive me?”
Adeɛ kyeeɛ no, ɔhunuu sɛ Lea mmom na ɔda nʼakyi. Ɛnna Yakob bisaa Laban sɛ, “Asɛm bɛn na wo ne me adi yi? Ɛnyɛ Rahel enti na mesom wo? Adɛn enti na woadaadaa me sei?”
26 Laban replied, “In this land, it is not our custom to give a younger daughter to be married before we let someone marry our firstborn daughter.
Laban buaa Yakob sɛ, “Ɛha deɛ, ɛnyɛ yɛn amanneɛ sɛ yɛde ɔbabaa kumaa ma aware wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔpanin no nwareeɛ.
27 After we finish this week of celebration, we will let you marry the younger one also. But in return, you must pay for Rachel by working for me for another seven years.”
Ma Lea nni nnawɔtwe wɔ wo nkyɛn, na nnawɔtwe no akyiri no, sɛ wopɛ Rahel ara a, mɛma woasane asom mfirinhyia nson bio, na mede no ama wo aware.”
28 So that is what Jacob did. After the week of celebration was ended, Laban gave him his daughter, Rachel, to be his wife.
Yakob penee so ne Lea tenaa nnawɔtwe. Ɛno akyiri, ɔsomm mfeɛ nson ansa na Laban de ne babaa Rahel nso maa no wareeɛ.
29 Laban gave his slave girl, Bilhah, to Rachel to be her maid/servant.
Laban de nʼafenawa Bilha nso maa ne babaa Rahel sɛ ɔnkɔsom no.
30 Jacob had sex [EUP] with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than he loved Leah. And Jacob worked for Laban for another seven years.
Yakob de ne ho kaa Rahel nso. Na ɔdɔ Rahel sene Lea. Yakob tenaa Laban nkyɛn, somm no mfirinhyia nson bio sɛdeɛ ɔne no hyehyɛeɛ no.
31 When Yahweh saw that Jacob did not love Leah [very much], he enabled her to become pregnant. But Rachel was not able to become pregnant.
Awurade hunuu sɛ Yakob ani nnye Lea ho no, ɔbuee ne yafunu mu, nanso Rahel deɛ, na ɔnwo.
32 Leah gave birth to a son, whom she named Reuben, [which sounds like the Hebrew words that mean ‘Look, a son]!’ She said, “Yahweh has seen that I was miserable, and because of that he has given me a son. Now, surely my husband will love me for giving birth to a son for him.”
Lea nyinsɛneeɛ, woo ɔbabarima. Ɔtoo no edin Ruben a asekyerɛ ne “Awurade ahunu mmɔborɔ a meyɛ.” Na Lea kaa sɛ, “Awurade ahunu me mmɔbɔ. Nokorɛm, afei na me kunu ani bɛgye me ho.”
33 Later she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “Because Yahweh has heard that my husband doesn’t love me, he has given me this son, too.” So she named him Simeon, [which means ‘someone who hears’].
Lea nyinsɛnee bio na ɔsane woo ɔbabarima bio no, ɔkaa sɛ, “Esiane sɛ Awurade hunuu sɛ me kunu ani nnye me ho enti, wasane akyɛ me ɔbabarima bio.” Enti, ɔtoo ne din Simeon a asekyerɛ ne “Awurade ate!”
34 Later she became pregnant again, and gave birth to another son. She said, “Now, finally, my husband will hold me close to him.” So she named him Levi, [which means ‘hold close’].
Lea sane nyinsɛnee bio. Na ɔwoo ɔbabarima bio no, ɔkaa sɛ, “Afei deɛ, me kunu de ne ho bɛfam me ho, ɛfiri sɛ, mawo mmammarima baasa ama no.” Ɛno enti, ɔtoo no edin Lewi a asekyerɛ ne “Ahofam.”
35 Later she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “(This time/Now) I will praise Yahweh.” So she called his name Judah, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘praise’]. After that, she did not give birth to any more children [for several years].
Lea sane nyinsɛnee. Ɛberɛ a ɔsane woo ɔbabarima bio no, ɔkaa sɛ, “Saa ɛberɛ yi deɛ, mɛkamfo Awurade.” Ɛno enti, ɔtoo no edin Yuda, a asekyerɛ ne “Nkamfoɔ.” Yei akyiri no, ɔhomee awoɔ so.