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.
And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, three flocks of sheep lying there by it. — For out of that well they watered the flocks. And the stone upon the well's mouth was great.
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 thither were all the flocks gathered; and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone back upon the well's mouth in its place. —
4 And Jacob seide to the scheepherdis, Brithren, of whennus ben ye? Whiche answeriden, Of Aran.
And Jacob said unto them: 'My brethren, whence are ye?' And they said: 'Of Haran are we.'
5 And he axide hem and seide, Wher ye knowen Laban, the sone of Nachor? Thei seiden, We knowen.
And he said unto them: 'Know ye Laban the son of Nahor?' And 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.
And he said unto them: 'Is it well with him?' And they said: 'It is well; and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh 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.
And he said: 'Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together; water ye 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.
And they said: 'We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we 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 tended 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;
And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that 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.
And 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.
And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son; and 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,
And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he 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,
And Laban said to him: 'Surely thou art my bone and my flesh.' And he abode with him the space of a month.
15 `Whethir for thou art my brothir, thou schalt serue me frely? seie thou what mede thou schalt take.
And Laban said unto Jacob: 'Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?'
16 Forsothe Laban hadde twei douytris, the name of the more was Lya, sotheli the lesse was clepid Rachel;
Now 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.
And Leah's eyes were weak; but Rachel was of beautiful form and fair to look upon.
18 And Jacob louede Rachel, and seide, Y schal serue thee seuene yeer for Rachel thi lesse douytir.
And Jacob loved Rachel; and he 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.
And Laban said: 'It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man; abide with me.'
20 Therfor Jacob seruyde seuene yeer for Rachel; and the daies semyden fewe to hym for the greetnesse of loue.
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
21 And he seide to Laban, Yyue thou my wijf to me, for the tyme is fillid that Y entre to hir.
And Jacob said unto Laban: 'Give me my wife, for my days are filled, that I may go in unto her.'
22 And whanne many cumpenyes of freendis weren clepid to the feeste, he made weddyngis,
And 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,
And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto 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,
And Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid unto his daughter Leah for a handmaid.
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 it came to pass in the morning that, behold, it was Leah; and he said to Laban: 'What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?'
26 Laban answerde, It is not custom in oure place that we yyue first the `lesse douytris to weddyngis;
And Laban said: 'It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the first-born.
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.
Fulfil the week of this one, and we will give thee the other also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.'
28 Jacob assentide to the couenaunt, and whanne the wouke was passid,
And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week; and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife.
29 he weddide Rachel, to whom the fadir hadde youe Bala seruauntesse.
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid.
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 he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
31 Forsothe the Lord seiy that he dispiside Lya, and openyde hir wombe while the sistir dwellide bareyn.
And 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.
And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said: 'Because the LORD hath looked upon 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.
And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said: 'Because the LORD hath heard that I am hated, He hath therefore given me this son also.' 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 again, and bore a son; and said: 'Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons.' Therefore was his name 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.
And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she said: 'This time will I praise the LORD.' Therefore she called his name Judah; and she left off bearing.
