Genesis 29
1 Therfor Jacob passide forth, and cam in to the eest lond;
Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east country.
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.
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.
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.
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.
4 And Jacob seide to the scheepherdis, Brithren, of whennus ben ye? Whiche answeriden, Of Aran.
And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran.
5 And he axide hem and seide, Wher ye knowen Laban, the sone of Nachor? Thei seiden, We knowen.
And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban the son of Nachor? 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: Is he in health? He is in health, say they: and behold Rachel his daughter cometh with his flock.
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.
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.
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 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.
9 Yit thei spaken, and lo! Rachel cam with the scheep of hir fadir.
They were yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she fed the flock.
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;
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.
11 and whanne the flok was watrid, he kisside hir, and he wepte with `vois reisid.
And having watered the flock, he kissed her: and lifting up his voice, 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.
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.
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,
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,
14 Laban answeride, Thou art my boon and my fleisch. And aftir that the daies of o moneth weren fillid, Laban seide to him,
He answered: Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after the days of one month were expired,
15 `Whethir for thou art my brothir, thou schalt serue me frely? seie thou what mede thou schalt take.
He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.
16 Forsothe Laban hadde twei douytris, the name of the more was Lya, sotheli the lesse was clepid Rachel;
Now he had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lia: and the younger was called Rachel.
17 but Lya was blere iyed, Rachel was of fair face, and semeli in siyt.
But Lia was blear eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance.
18 And Jacob louede Rachel, and seide, Y schal serue thee seuene yeer for Rachel thi lesse douytir.
And Jacob being in love with her, said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
19 Laban answeride, It is betere that Y yyue hir to thee than to anothir man; dwelle thou at me.
Laban answered: It is better that I give her to thee than 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.
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his love.
21 And he seide to Laban, Yyue thou my wijf to me, for the tyme is fillid that Y entre to hir.
And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
22 And whanne many cumpenyes of freendis weren clepid to the feeste, he made weddyngis,
And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage.
23 and in the euentid Laban brouyte in to hym Lya his douytir,
And at night he brought in Lia his daughter to him,
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,
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:
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?
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?
26 Laban answerde, It is not custom in oure place that we yyue first the `lesse douytris to weddyngis;
Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to give the younger in marriage first.
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.
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.
28 Jacob assentide to the couenaunt, and whanne the wouke was passid,
He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel:
29 he weddide Rachel, to whom the fadir hadde youe Bala seruauntesse.
To whom her father gave Bala for 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.
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.
31 Forsothe the Lord seiy that he dispiside Lya, and openyde hir wombe while the sistir dwellide bareyn.
And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained 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.
And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
