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 people 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 look, 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.
Now all the flocks would be gathered there, and they would roll the stone from the well's mouth, and water the sheep, and put the stone again 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 brothers, 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 grandson 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, "Look, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go, pasture 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 can't, until all the flocks are 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 was tending 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;
It happened, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, that Jacob went over 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 wept loudly.
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 brother, 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,
It happened, when Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister's son, that 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." He lived 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 brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should 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 older 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 looked rather plain, but Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
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, and it seemed only a few days to him because of his love 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 time is completed, so that I may sleep with her."
22 And whanne many cumpenyes of freendis weren clepid to the feeste, he made weddyngis,
Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and gave a feast.
23 and in the euentid Laban brouyte in to hym Lya his douytir,
It happened in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he slept wit 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 female servant to his daughter Leah as 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?
It happened in the morning that, look, it was Leah. He said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not work for you to have 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 our custom here 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.
Finish the week of this one, and I will give you the other also in exchange for the work which you are to serve with me for another seven years."
28 Jacob assentide to the couenaunt, and whanne the wouke was passid,
Then 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 to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his female servant, 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.
So he slept with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked with him another seven years.
31 Forsothe the Lord seiy that he dispiside Lya, and openyde hir wombe while the sistir dwellide bareyn.
YHWH saw that Leah was unloved, so he made her fertile, 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 God has looked at my affliction, and given me a son. 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 God has heard that I am unloved, he has therefore given me this son also." So 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 become attached to me, since I have given him three sons." Therefore he was named 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 will I praise God." Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
