Genesis 29
1 Therfor Jacob passide forth, and cam in to the eest lond;
Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east.
2 and seiy a pit in the feeld, and thre flockis of scheep restynge bisidis it, for whi scheep weren watrid therof, and the mouth therof was closid with a greet stoon.
He looked, and saw a well in the field, and saw three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. The stone on the well’s mouth was large.
3 And the custom was that whanne alle scheep weren gaderid togidere, thei schulden turne awei the stoon, and whanne the flockis weren fillid thei schulden put it eft on the mouth of the pit.
There all the flocks were gathered. They rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone back on the well’s mouth in its place.
4 And Jacob seide to the scheepherdis, Brithren, of whennus ben ye? Whiche answeriden, Of Aran.
Jacob said to them, “My relatives, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”
5 And he axide hem and seide, Wher ye knowen Laban, the sone of Nachor? Thei seiden, We knowen.
He said to them, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
6 Jacob seide, Is he hool? Thei seiden, He is in good staat; and lo! Rachel, his douytir, cometh with his flok.
He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.”
7 And Jacob seide, Yit myche of the dai is to come, and it is not tyme that the flockis be led ayen to the fooldis; sotheli yyue ye drynk to the scheep, and so lede ye hem ayen to mete.
He said, “Behold, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”
8 Whiche answeriden, We moun not til alle scheep be gederid to gidere, and til we remouen the stoon fro the mouth of the pit to watir the flockis.
They said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth. Then we will water the sheep.”
9 Yit thei spaken, and lo! Rachel cam with the scheep of hir fadir.
While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them.
10 And whanne Jacob seiy hir, and knewe the douytir of his modris brothir, and the scheep of Laban his vncle, he remeuyde the stoon with which the pit was closid;
When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
11 and whanne the flok was watrid, he kisside hir, and he wepte with `vois reisid.
Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
12 And he schewide to hir that he was the brothir of hir fadir, and the sone of Rebecca; and sche hastide, and telde to hir fadir.
Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.
13 And whanne he hadde herd, that Jacob, the sone of his sistir, cam, he ran ayens hym, and he biclippide Jacob and kisside hym, and ledde in to his hows. Forsothe whanne the causis of the iurney weren herd,
When Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.
14 Laban answeride, Thou art my boon and my fleisch. And aftir that the daies of o moneth weren fillid, Laban seide to him,
Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” Jacob stayed with him for a month.
15 `Whethir for thou art my brothir, thou schalt serue me frely? seie thou what mede thou schalt take.
Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?”
16 Forsothe Laban hadde twei douytris, the name of the more was Lya, sotheli the lesse was clepid Rachel;
Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 but Lya was blere iyed, Rachel was of fair face, and semeli in siyt.
Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive.
18 And Jacob louede Rachel, and seide, Y schal serue thee seuene yeer for Rachel thi lesse douytir.
Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
19 Laban answeride, It is betere that Y yyue hir to thee than to anothir man; dwelle thou at me.
Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.”
20 Therfor Jacob seruyde seuene yeer for Rachel; and the daies semyden fewe to hym for the greetnesse of loue.
Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
21 And he seide to Laban, Yyue thou my wijf to me, for the tyme is fillid that Y entre to hir.
Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”
22 And whanne many cumpenyes of freendis weren clepid to the feeste, he made weddyngis,
Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
23 and in the euentid Laban brouyte in to hym Lya his douytir,
In the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob. He went in to her.
24 and yaf an handmaide, Selfa bi name, to the douyter. And whanne Jacob hadde entrid to hir bi custom, whanne the morewtid was maad, he seiy Lya,
Laban gave Zilpah his servant to his daughter Leah for a servant.
25 and seide to his wyues fadir, What is it that thou woldist do? wher Y seruede not thee for Rachel? whi hast thou disseyued me?
In the morning, behold, it was Leah! He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did not I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”
26 Laban answerde, It is not custom in oure place that we yyue first the `lesse douytris to weddyngis;
Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27 fille thou the wouke of daies of this couplyng, and Y schal yyue to thee also this Rachel, for the werk in which thou schalt serue me bi othere seuene yeer.
Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me for seven more years.”
28 Jacob assentide to the couenaunt, and whanne the wouke was passid,
Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
29 he weddide Rachel, to whom the fadir hadde youe Bala seruauntesse.
Laban gave Bilhah, his servant, to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.
30 And at the laste he vside the weddyngis desirid, and settide the loue of the `wijf suynge bifore the former; and he seruede at Laban seuene othere yeer.
He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him seven more years.
31 Forsothe the Lord seiy that he dispiside Lya, and openyde hir wombe while the sistir dwellide bareyn.
The LORD saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
32 And Lia childide a sone conseyued, and clepide his name Ruben, and seide, The Lord seiy my mekenesse; now myn hosebonde schal loue me.
Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, “Because the LORD has looked at my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”
33 And eft sche conseyuede, `and childide a sone, and seide, For the Lord seiy that Y was dispisid, he yaf also this sone to me; and sche clepide his name Symeon.
She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” She named him Simeon.
34 And sche conseyuede the thridde tyme, and childide anothir sone, and she seide also, Now myn hosebonde schal be couplid to me, for Y childide thre sones to him; and therfor sche clepide his name Leuy.
She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.
35 The fourthe tyme sche conseyuede, and childide a sone, and seide, Now I schal knouleche to the Lord; and herfor she clepide his name Judas; and ceesside to childe.
She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
