Genesi 29
1 Poi Giacobbe si mise in cammino e andò nel paese degli Orientali.
And so Jacob, setting out, arrived in the eastern land.
2 E guardò, e vide un pozzo in un campo; ed ecco tre greggi di pecore, giacenti lì presso; poiché a quel pozzo si abbeveravano i greggi; e la pietra sulla bocca del pozzo era grande.
And he saw a well in a field, and also three flocks of sheep reclining near it. For the animals were watered from it, and its mouth was closed with a great stone.
3 Quivi s’adunavano tutti i greggi; i pastori rotolavan la pietra di sulla bocca del pozzo, abbeveravano le pecore, poi rimettevano al posto la pietra sulla bocca del pozzo.
And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together, to roll away the stone. And when the flocks had been refreshed, they placed it over the mouth of the well again.
4 E Giacobbe disse ai pastori: “Fratelli miei, di dove siete?” E quelli risposero: “Siamo di Charan”.
And he said to the shepherds, “Brothers, where are you from?” And they answered. “From Haran.”
5 Ed egli disse loro: “Conoscete voi Labano, figliuolo di Nahor?” Ed essi: “Lo conosciamo”.
And questioning them, he said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
6 Ed egli disse loro: “Sta egli bene?” E quelli: “Sta bene; ed ecco Rachele, sua figliuola, che viene con le pecore”.
He said, “Is he well?” “He is very well,” they said. “And behold, his daughter Rachel approaches with his flock.”
7 Ed egli disse: “Ecco, è ancora pieno giorno, e non è tempo di radunare il bestiame; abbeverate le pecore e menatele al pascolo”.
And Jacob said, “There is still much daylight remaining, and it is not time to return the flocks to the sheepfold. Give the sheep to drink first, and then lead them back to pasture.”
8 E quelli risposero: “Non possiamo, finché tutti i greggi siano radunati; allora si rotola la pietra di sulla bocca del pozzo, e abbeveriamo le pecore”.
They responded, “We cannot, until all the animals are gathered together and we remove the stone from the mouth of the well, so that we may water the flocks.”
9 Mentr’egli parlava ancora con loro, giunse Rachele con le pecore di suo padre; poich’ella era pastora.
They were still speaking, and behold, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep; for she pastured the flock.
10 E quando Giacobbe vide Rachele figliuola di Labano, fratello di sua madre, e le pecore di Labano fratello di sua madre, s’avvicinò, rotolò la pietra di sulla bocca del pozzo, e abbeverò il gregge di Labano fratello di sua madre.
When Jacob had seen her, and he realized that she was his maternal first cousin, and that these were the sheep of his uncle Laban, he removed the stone which closed the well.
11 E Giacobbe baciò Rachele, alzò la voce, e pianse.
And having watered the flock, he kissed her. And lifting up his voice, he wept.
12 E Giacobbe fe’ sapere a Rachele ch’egli era parente del padre di lei, e ch’era figliuolo di Rebecca. Ed ella corse a dirlo a suo padre.
And he revealed to her that he was a brother of her father, and the son of Rebekah. And so, hurrying, she announced it to her father.
13 E appena Labano ebbe udito le notizie di Giacobbe figliuolo della sua sorella, gli corse incontro, l’abbracciò, lo baciò, e lo menò a casa sua. Giacobbe raccontò a Labano tutte queste cose;
And when he had heard that Jacob, his sister’s son, had arrived, he ran to meet him. And embracing him, and kissing him heartily, he brought him into his house. But when he had heard the reasons for his journey,
14 e Labano gli disse: “Tu sei proprio mie ossa e mia carne!” Ed egli dimorò con lui durante un mese.
he responded, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And after the days of one month were completed,
15 Poi Labano disse a Giacobbe: “Perché sei mio parente dovrai tu servirmi per nulla? Dimmi quale dev’essere il tuo salario”.
he said to him: “Though you are my brother, will you serve me for nothing? Tell me what wages you would accept.”
16 Or Labano aveva due figliuole: la maggiore si chiamava Lea, e la minore Rachele.
In truth, he had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah; and truly the younger was called Rachel.
17 Lea aveva gli occhi delicati, ma Rachele era avvenente e di bell’aspetto.
But while Leah was bleary-eyed, Rachel had an elegant appearance and was attractive to behold.
18 E Giacobbe amava Rachele, e disse a Labano: “Io ti servirò sette anni, per Rachele tua figliuola minore”.
And Jacob, loving her, said, “I will serve you for seven years, for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 E Labano rispose: “E’ meglio ch’io la dia a te che ad un altr’uomo; sta’ con me”.
Laban responded, “It is better that I give her to you than to another man; remain with me.”
20 E Giacobbe servì sette anni per Rachele; e gli parvero pochi giorni, per l’amore che le portava.
Therefore, Jacob served for seven years for Rachel. And these seemed like only a few days, because of the greatness of love.
21 E Giacobbe disse a Labano: “Dammi la mia moglie, poiché il mio tempo è compiuto, ed io andrò da lei”.
And he said to Laban, “Give my wife to me. For now the time has been fulfilled, so that I may go in to her.”
22 Allora Labano radunò tutta la gente del luogo, e fece un convito.
And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.
23 Ma, la sera, prese Lea, sua figliuola, e la menò da Giacobbe, il quale entrò da lei.
And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,
24 E Labano dette la sua serva Zilpa per serva a Lea, sua figliuola.
giving his daughter a handmaid named Zilpah. After Jacob had gone in to her, according to custom, when morning had arrived, he saw Leah.
25 L’indomani mattina, ecco che era Lea. E Giacobbe disse a Labano: “Che m’hai fatto? Non è egli per Rachele ch’io t’ho servito? Perché dunque m’hai ingannato?”
And he said to his father-in-law, “What is it that you intended to do? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?”
26 E Labano rispose: “Non è usanza da noi di dare la minore prima della maggiore. Finisci la settimana di questa;
Laban responded, “It is not the practice in this place to give the younger in marriage first.
27 e ti daremo anche l’altra, per il servizio che presterai da me altri sette anni”.
Complete a week of days with this mating. And then I will give this one to you also, for the service that you will provide to me for another seven years.”
28 Giacobbe fece così, e finì la settimana di quello sposalizio; poi Labano gli dette in moglie Rachele sua figliuola.
He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.
29 E Labano dette la sua serva Bilha per serva a Rachele, sua figliuola.
To her, the father had given Bilhah as her servant.
30 E Giacobbe entrò pure da Rachele, ed anche amò Rachele più di Lea, e servì da Labano altri sette anni.
And, having at last obtained the marriage he desired, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and he served with him another seven years.
31 L’Eterno, vedendo che Lea era odiata, la rese feconda; ma Rachele era sterile.
But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
32 E Lea concepì e partorì un figliuolo, al quale pose nome Ruben; perché disse: “L’Eterno ha veduto la mia afflizione; e ora il mio marito mi amerà”.
Having conceived, she gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, saying: “The Lord saw my humiliation; now my husband will love me.”
33 Poi concepì di nuovo e partorì un figliuolo, e disse: “L’Eterno ha udito ch’io ero odiata, e però m’ha dato anche questo figliuolo”. E lo chiamò Simeone.
And again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Because the Lord heard that I was treated with contempt, he has also given this one to me.” And she called his name Simeon.
34 E concepì di nuovo e partorì un figliuolo, e disse: “Questa volta, il mio marito sarà ben unito a me, poiché gli ho partorito tre figliuoli”. Per questo fu chiamato Levi.
And she conceived a third time, and she gave birth to another son, and she said: “Now likewise my husband will unite with me, because I have borne him three sons.” And because of this, she called his name Levi.
35 E concepì di nuovo e partorì un figliuolo, e disse: “Questa volta celebrerò l’Eterno”. Perciò gli pose nome Giuda. E cessò d’aver figliuoli.
A fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Only now will I confess to the Lord.” And for this reason, she called him Judah. And she ceased from child-bearing.
