Jenesis 31
1 Jekọb nụrụ na ụmụ ndị ikom Leban na-asị, “Jekọb ewerechaala ihe niile nna anyị nwere. O sitere nʼihe nna anyị nwere kpata akụnụba ya niile.”
Someone told Jacob that Laban’s sons were complaining and saying, “Jacob has become very rich by taking everything [HYP] that belonged to our father.”
2 Jekọb hụkwara na omume Leban nʼebe ọ nọ adịghịkwa otu ọ dị na mbụ.
And Jacob noticed that Laban was not acting friendly toward him as he had done before.
3 Mgbe ahụ, Onyenwe anyị sịrị Jekọb, “Laghachi nʼala nna gị ha, lakwuru ụmụnna gị, aga m anọnyere gị.”
Then Yahweh said to Jacob, “Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will help you there.”
4 Ya mere, Jekọb ziri Rechel na Lịa ozi ka ha bịakwute ya nʼọhịa ebe ọ nọ na-elekọta igwe anụ ụlọ ya.
So Jacob sent a message to Rachel and Leah, telling them to come out to the pastures where his flocks of sheep and goats were.
5 Ọ sịrị ha, “Ahụla m na omume nna unu nʼebe m nọ adịghịkwa otu ọ dị na mbụ. Ma Chineke nna m ha nọnyeere m.
When they arrived, he said to them, “I see that your father does not act friendly toward me as he did previously. But God, whom my father worshiped, has helped me.
6 Unu maara na eji m ike m niile rụọra nna unu ọrụ.
You two know that I have worked very hard for your father,
7 Ma nna unu ghọgburu m, gbanwee ụgwọ ọrụ m ugboro iri. Otu ọ dị, Chineke ekweghị ka nna unu merụọ m ahụ.
but many times [HYP] he has cheated me by decreasing my wages. But God has not allowed him to harm me.
8 Ọ bụrụ na ọ sị, ‘Ndị tụrụ agwa agwa ga-abụ ụgwọ ọrụ gị,’ mgbe ahụ, igwe anụ ụlọ niile na-amụ ụmụ na-abụ ndị tụrụ agwa. Ma ọ bụrụ na ọ sị, ‘Ndị niile nwere ntụpọ ga-abụ ụgwọ ọrụ gị,’ mgbe ahụ, igwe anụ ụlọ niile na-amụ ụmụ na-enwe ntụpọ ọcha nʼahụ ha.
When Laban said, ‘The speckled animals are the ones that I will give you to be your wages,’ then all the animals gave birth to young ones that were speckled. When he changed and said, ‘The ones that have black and white stripes on them will be your wages,’ then all the animals gave birth to young ones that were striped.
9 Chineke napụrụ nna unu anụ ụlọ ya ma nye m ha.
In that way, God has taken away the livestock that belonged to your father and has given them to me.
10 “Nʼoge ụmụ anụ ụlọ ji atụ ime, eweliri m anya hụ na nrọ na ụmụ mkpi niile na-agba igwe nne ewu bụ ụmụ mkpi ndị tụrụ agwa agwa, ndị nwere akara maọbụ ndị nwere ntụpọ ọcha nʼahụ ha.
“One time, when the animals were mating, I had a dream. In my dream I [looked up and was surprised to] see that some of the male goats that were mating with the female goats had black and white stripes on them, some were speckled, and some were spotted.
11 Mgbe ahụ, mmụọ ozi Chineke sịrị m na nrọ, ‘Jekọb.’ Azara m sị, ‘Lee m nʼebe a.’
An angel who was sent by God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob!’ I replied, ‘I am here!’
12 Ọ sịrị m, ‘Lelie anya gị elu, lee ka ị hụ na mkpi niile na-agba igwe nne ewu ndị a bụ mkpi ndị ahụ tụrụ agwa agwa, ndị nwere akara maọbụ ndị nwere ntụpọ ọcha. Nʼihi na ahụla m ihe niile Leban na-eme gị.
He said to me, ‘Look up and you will see that all the male goats that are mating have black and white stripes on them, or are speckled or spotted. This is happening because I have seen all that Laban has done to you.
13 Mụ onwe m bụ Chineke nke Betel, ebe ị wụkwasịrị mmanụ nʼogidi nkume ahụ, ebe ị kwekwara m nkwa. Ugbu a, kulie, hapụ obodo a, laghachi nʼala a nọ mụọ gị.’”
I am God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you set up a stone to show that the place was holy, and you poured [olive] oil on the stone and made a solemn promise to me. So now leave this land immediately, and return to the land where you were born.’”
14 Rechel na Lịa zara sị ya, “Anyị ka nwere oke nʼihe nketa nʼụlọ nna anyị?
Rachel and Leah replied, “Our father will not give us anything more when he dies [RHQ].
15 Ọ bụghị dịka ndị ọbịa ka ọ gụnyeziri anyị? Nʼihi na o reela anyị, ripịakwa ụgwọ isi anyị.
He treats us as though we were foreigners [RHQ]! [Your working for him all these years was like a payment] that you gave him as a price for us, but we will not inherit any of that money that he got as a price for us. He has spent it all!
16 Nʼezie, akụ ndị ahụ Chineke napụrụ nna anyị bụ nke anyị na nke ụmụ anyị. Ya mere, mee ihe ọbụla Chineke sị gị mee.”
Surely all of the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you to do!”
17 Jekọb biliri, kukwasị ụmụ ya na ndị nwunye ya nʼelu ịnyịnya kamel,
Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels.
18 duru igwe anụ ụlọ ya niile, na ihe ọ kpatara na Padan Aram, lakwuru nna ya Aịzik nʼala Kenan.
He made all his livestock go ahead of him. Besides the livestock, he took along all the other things that he had acquired while living in Paddan-Aram. And they prepared to return to his father Isaac, in the Canaan region.
19 Ka Leban gara ịkpachapụ ajị ụmụ atụrụ ya, Rechel zuuru arụsị ezinaụlọ nna ya.
Before they left, while Laban was shearing his sheep, Rachel stole the [small wooden] idols [that were in her father’s tent].
20 Jekọb ghọkwara Leban onye Aram aghụghọ nʼihi na ọ gwaghị ya na ọ na-agbapụ ọsọ.
Furthermore, Jacob deceived Laban, who belonged to the Aram people-group, by not telling him that they were planning to leave.
21 Ya mere, o buru ihe niile o nwere gbapụ ọsọ, gbafee iyi ukwu Yufretis, chee ihu nʼala ugwu ugwu Gilead.
So Jacob and his family fled with all their possessions, and they crossed the Euphrates River, and then started traveling south toward the hilly Gilead region.
22 Abalị atọ agafeelarị tupu a gwa Leban na Jekọb agbalaala.
On the third day after they left, someone told Laban that Jacob and his family had left.
23 O duuru ndị ikwu ya chụọ Jekọb ọsọ abalị asaa tupu ọ chụkwute ya nʼala ugwu ugwu Gilead.
So he took some of his relatives with him and started to pursue Jacob. They continued walking for seven days.
24 Ma Chineke bịakwutere Leban onye Aram na nrọ nʼabalị sị ya, “Kpachapụ anya gị, hụ na o nweghị ihe ị gwara Jekọb, maọbụ okwu dị mma, maọbụ nke dị njọ.”
Then God appeared to Laban in a dream at night, and said to him, “When you catch up to Jacob, be sure that you do not say anything at all [HYP] to him in an angry manner!”
25 Jekọb amaala ụlọ ikwu ya nʼala ugwu Gilead mgbe Leban chụkwutere ya. Leban na ndị ikwu ya makwara ụlọ ikwu nke ha nʼebe ahụ.
The next day, by the time Laban caught up with Jacob, Jacob and his household had set up their tents in the hilly Gilead region. So Laban and his relatives set up their tents there, too.
26 Leban sịrị Jekọb, “Gịnị bụ ihe a i mere? Ị ghọgbuola m. I burula ụmụ m ndị inyom dịka ndị a dọtara nʼagha?
Then Laban went to Jacob and said to him, “Why have you done this? You have deceived me by carrying away my daughters as though you had captured them in a war [MTY]!
27 Gịnị mere i ji ghọgbuo m, zoro ezo gbapụ? Gịnị mere ị gwaghị m ka m jiri ọṅụ na ịbụ abụ nke ya na ịkpọ ụbọ akwara na iti ịgba so, zilaga gị?
Why did you run away and deceive me? Why did you not tell me that you were going to leave, so that we could have rejoiced and sung while people played music on tambourines and harps before I said ‘goodbye’ to you?
28 Gịnị mere i nyeghị m ohere ka m sutu ụmụ ụmụ m na ụmụ m ndị inyom ọnụ sị ha laa nke ọma? Omume a i mere bụ omume nzuzu.
(You did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye before they left!/Why did you not allow me to kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye before they left?) [RHQ] What you have done was foolish!
29 Enwere m ike merụọ gị ahụ ugbu a, ma Chineke nke nna gị mere ka m hụ ya anya na nrọ nʼabalị gara aga. Ọ dọrọ m aka na ntị sị m, ‘Kpachapụ anya gị hụ na o nweghị ihe ị gwara Jekọb, maọbụ okwu dị mma, maọbụ nke dị njọ.’
My relatives and I have the power to harm you, but last night the God whom your father worships said to me in a dream, ‘Be sure that you do not say anything at all to Jacob in an angry way.’
30 Ugbu a, ị na-ala nʼihi na ọ gụrụ gị agụụ ịlaghachi nʼụlọ nna gị, ma gịnị mere i ji zuru chi m?”
Now, I know you have left because you long to go back home. But why did you steal my [wooden] idols?”
31 Jekọb zara sị Leban, “Nʼihi na m tụrụ egwu, nʼihi na m chere sị na ị ga-eji ike napụ m ụmụ gị ndị inyom a.
Jacob replied to Laban, saying, “I did not tell you that we were planning to leave, because I was afraid. I thought that [if I told you], you would forcefully take your daughters away from me.
32 Ma ọ bụrụ na ị chọta onye ọbụla ji chi gị ndị a, onye ahụ ga-anwụ. Nʼihu ndị ikwu gị ndị a, chọgharịa nʼonwe gị, lee ma ị ga-achọta ihe ọbụla bụ nke gị dị m nʼaka. Ọ bụrụ na ị chọta ya, were ya.” Ma Jekọb amaghị na Rechel zuuru chi ndị ahụ.
But if you find anyone here who has your wooden idols, we will execute that person. While our relatives are watching, search for yourself to see if there is anything that belongs to you that is here with me. If you find anything, you can take it!” When Jacob said that, he did not know that Rachel had stolen the wooden idols.
33 Ya mere, Leban bara nʼụlọ ikwu Jekọb, na nʼime ụlọ ikwu Lịa, na nʼime ụlọ ikwu ndị odibo nwanyị abụọ ya, ma o nweghị ihe ọ chọtara. O sitere nʼụlọ ikwu Lịa pụta baa nʼụlọ ikwu Rechel.
Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and then into Leah’s tent, and then into the tents of the two female slaves and searched for the idols, but he did not find them. After he left their tents, he entered Rachel’s tent.
34 Nʼoge a, Rechel ewerela arụsị ezinaụlọ ndị ahụ tinye ha nʼime akwa e ji anọkwasị nʼelu ịnyịnya kamel nọdụ ọdụ nʼelu ya. Leban chọgharịrị ebe niile nʼime ụlọ ikwu ahụ ma ọ chọtaghị arụsị ezinaụlọ ndị ahụ.
But Rachel had previously taken the idols and put them in the saddle of a camel, and she was sitting on the saddle. So when Laban searched all over for them inside Rachel’s tent, he did not find them.
35 Mgbe ahụ, Rechel gwara nna ya Leban sị, “Biko, ewela iwe nna m ukwu, nʼihi na enweghị m ike ibili ọtọ nʼihu gị. Anọ m nʼọnọdụ ndị inyom na-anọ kwa ọnwa.” Leban chọgharịrị ebe niile, ma ọ hụghị arụsị ezinaụlọ ndị ahụ.
Rachel said to her father, “Do not be angry with me, sir, but I cannot get up in your presence [to show respect for you], because I am having my monthly menstrual period. [EUP]” So when Laban searched some more, he did not find the [wooden] idols.
36 Iwe were Jekọb megide Leban. O ji iwe jụọ Leban sị, “Gịnị bụ njehie m? Gịnị bụ mmehie m mere i ji si otu a na-achụsi m ike?
Then Jacob became angry. He rebuked Laban, saying, “What crime did I commit? For what sin that I committed have you pursued me?
37 Ugbu a, ị chọgharịala nʼibu m niile, gịnị ka ị chọtara bụ nke gị? Wepụta ya nʼihu ndị ikwu gị na nʼihu ndị nke m, ka ha kpeere mụ na gị ikpe.
Now you have searched through all my possessions, and what did you find from all these possessions that belongs to you? Put it here in front of my relatives and your relatives, so that they can decide who is right, you or me!
38 “Iri afọ abụọ ka mụ na gị nọrọ. O nweghị mgbe ime pụrụ ụmụ ewu na atụrụ gị; o nwekwaghị mgbe m riri ebule si nʼigwe anụ ụlọ gị.
I was with you for 20 years. In all that time, your sheep and goats have (not miscarried/always given birth to animals safely). I have not [killed and] eaten any rams from your flocks.
39 O nweghị mgbe m welataara gị anụ ụlọ nke anụ ọhịa dọgburu, kama akwụrụ m ụgwọ ha. I mekwara ka m kwụghachi gị anụ ụlọ ọbụla e zuru nʼohi, maọbụ nʼehihie, maọbụ nʼabalị.
When one of your animals was attacked and mauled/killed by a wild animal, I did not bring it to you. I replaced the dead animal with a living one of my own animals. Whenever one of your animals was stolen, during the day or during the night, you demanded that I replace it with one of my own animals.
40 Nʼime oke anwụ nke ehihie ka m rụụrụ gị ọrụ. Rụọkwara gị ọrụ nʼoge oyi na-atụ, nʼabalị ụra sikwa nʼanya m pụọ.
I suffered from the heat during the day and from the cold at night. I was often not even able to sleep [PRS]!
41 Otu a ka ọ dịrị m iri afọ abụọ m jeere gị ozi. Arụrụ m gị ọrụ afọ iri na anọ maka ụmụ gị ndị inyom abụọ ndị a, afọ isii ka m lekọtara igwe ewu na atụrụ gị. Ị nọkwa nʼime ihe ndị a gbanwee ụgwọ ọrụ m ugboro iri.
I lived in your household for 20 years. I worked for you for 14 years to buy your two daughters, and for six more years to buy some of your sheep and goats. During that time, you changed and reduced my wages many times [HYP].
42 A sị na Chineke m, Chineke Ebraham, onye ahụ a na-atụ egwu nke Aịzik, anọnyereghị m, ị gaara ezilaga m nʼaka efu, agaara m agbara aka laa. Ma Chineke ahụla ịrụsị ọrụ ike m, na nhụju anya m niile, ọ bụ ya mere o ji baara gị mba nʼabalị gara aga.”
If God, the one whom my grandfather Abraham worshiped and before whom my father Isaac trembled in fear, had not been with me and helped me, you would have sent me away (with nothing in my hands/owning nothing)! But God saw how much I was suffering and how hard I was working, so last night he told you that what you have done to me was wrong.”
43 Mgbe ahụ Leban zaghachiri sị Jekọb, “Ndị inyom ndị a bụ ụmụ m. Ụmụaka ndị a bụ ụmụ m. Igwe anụ ụlọ ndị a bụ nke m. Ihe ndị a niile ị na-ahụ anya bụ nke m. Olee otu m ga-esi merụọ ụmụ m, na ụmụ ụmụ m ahụ?
Laban replied, “These two women are my daughters, and their children are my grandchildren, and the animals are my animals. Everything you see here is mine [HYP]! But what can I do today to keep my daughters or the children they have given birth to [RHQ]?
44 Ugbu a, bịa ka anyị gbaa ndụ mụ na gị, ka ọ bụrụ ihe ama nʼetiti anyị.”
I cannot do anything in order to keep them, so hey, we should make a peace agreement, you and I, and do something that will remind us about our agreement.”
45 Ya mere, Jekọb weere otu nkume guzo ya ọtọ dịka ogidi.
So Jacob took a [large] stone and set it on its end.
46 Jekọb gwakwara ndị so ya sị ha, “Tụtụkọta nkume.” Ha tụtụkọtara nkume wụsa ha nʼotu ebe mee ka ọ laa elu. Emesịa, ha nọdụrụ nʼakụkụ nkume ndị ahụ rie nri.
Then Jacob said to his relatives, “You also gather some stones.” So they gathered some rocks and put them in a heap, and they ate some food there near the heap.
47 Leban kpọrọ nkume ndị ahụ Jega-Sahaduta, nʼasụsụ nke ya. Jekọb kpọrọ ya Galeed, nʼasụsụ nke ya.
Laban gave the heap the Aramaic name Jegar-Sahadutha, [which means ‘rock-pile to remind us’, ] but Jacob gave the rock-pile the Hebrew name Galeed, [which has the same meaning].
48 Emesịa, Leban sịrị, “Ka nkume ndị a bụrụ ihe ama nʼetiti mụ na gị taa.” Nke a mere e ji kpọọ ya Galeed.
Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks we have put here today will help us to remember our agreement.” That is why Jacob called it Galeed.
49 A kpọkwara ya Mizpa, nʼihi na Leban sịrị, “Ka Onyenwe anyị bụrụ onye ga-eche mụ na gị nche ịhụ na onye ọbụla nʼime anyị debere ọgbụgba ndụ a, mgbe anyị na-anọghị ibe anyị nso.
They also named the place Mizpah, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘watchtower’, ] because Laban said, “We will ask Yahweh to watch you and me while we are separated from each other, [so that we do not try to harm each other].
50 Ọ bụrụ na i mee ụmụ m ndị inyom ihe ọjọọ, maọbụ lụọ ndị inyom ndị ọzọ tinyere ha, o nweghị onye nʼime anyị ga-amata, ma cheta na Chineke ga-abụ onyeama nʼetiti mụ na gị.”
If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take other women to be your wives, even if no one tells me about it, don’t forget that God sees what you and I are doing!”
51 Leban gwakwara Jekọb sị, “Lee nkume ndị a a wụsara nʼebe a na ogidi m mere ka o guzo nʼetiti mụ na gị.
Laban also said to Jacob, “You see this large stone and this pile of rocks that we have set up to be between us.
52 Nkume ndị a a wụsara bụ akaebe, ogidi a bụkwa ihe ama. Agaghị m agabiga nkume ndị a a wụsara gafeeta nʼakụkụ nke gị ime gị ihe ọjọọ. Gị onwe gị agaghị agabiga nkume ndị a a wụsara na ogidi a gafeeta nʼakụkụ nke m ime m ihe ọjọọ.
Both this pile of rocks and this large stone will remind us, that I will not go past these rocks to harm you, and you will not go past these rocks to harm me.
53 Ka Chineke Ebraham na Chineke Nahọ, Chineke nna ha, bụrụ onye ikpe nʼetiti mụ na gị.” Ya mere Jekọb ji onye ahụ a na-atụ egwu nke nna ya Aịzik ṅụọ iyi.
We will ask the God whom [your grandfather] Abraham and [his father] Nahor worshiped to punish [MTY] either one of us, [if we harm the other one].” So Jacob solemnly promised to do what they said in their peace agreement. And he asked God, the one before whom his father Isaac trembled, to listen to what they promised.
54 Ọ chụrụ aja nʼala ugwu ugwu ahụ, kpọọ ndị ikwu ya niile oriri. Mgbe ha richara nri, ha rahụrụ ụra nʼebe ahụ.
He offered a sacrifice to God there in the hilly area, and he invited his relatives to eat with him. After they had eaten, they slept there that night.
55 Nʼisi ụtụtụ echi ya, Leban biliri sutu ụmụ ya ndị inyom na ụmụ ụmụ ya ọnụ. Ọ gọziri ha, hapụ ha laghachi ụlọ ha.
The next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters [goodbye] and asked God to bless them. Then he [and his men] left them and returned home.
