< Genesis 29 >

1 Profectus ergo Jacob venit in terram orientalem.
Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 Et vidit puteum in agro, tres quoque greges ovium accubantes juxta eum: nam ex illo adaquabantur pecora, et os ejus grandi lapide claudebatur.
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 Morisque erat ut cunctis ovibus congregatis devolverent lapidem, et refectis gregibus rursum super os putei ponerent.
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 Dixitque ad pastores: Fratres, unde estis? Qui responderunt: De Haran.
Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" They said, "We are from Haran."
5 Quos interrogans, Numquid, ait, nostis Laban filium Nachor? Dixerunt: Novimus.
He said to them, "Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?" They said, "We know him."
6 Sanusne est? inquit. Valet, inquiunt: et ecce Rachel filia ejus venit cum grege suo.
He said to them, "Is it well with him?" They said, "It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep."
7 Dixitque Jacob: Adhuc multum diei superest, nec est tempus ut reducantur ad caulas greges: date ante potum ovibus, et sic eas ad pastum reducite.
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 Qui responderunt: Non possumus, donec omnia pecora congregentur, et amoveamus lapidem de ore putei, ut adaquemus greges.
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 Adhuc loquebantur, et ecce Rachel veniebat cum ovibus patris sui: nam gregem ipsa pascebat.
While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was tending them.
10 Quam cum vidisset Jacob, et sciret consobrinam suam, ovesque Laban avunculi sui, amovit lapidem quo puteus claudebatur.
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 Et adaquato grege, osculatus est eam: et elevata voce flevit,
Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept loudly.
12 et indicavit ei quod frater esset patris sui, et filius Rebeccæ: at illa festinans nuntiavit patri suo.
Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.
13 Qui cum audisset venisse Jacob filium sororis suæ, cucurrit obviam ei: complexusque eum, et in oscula ruens, duxit in domum suam. Auditis autem causis itineris,
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 respondit: Os meum es, et caro mea. Et postquam impleti sunt dies mensis unius,
Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." He lived with him for a month.
15 dixit ei: Num quia frater meus es, gratis servies mihi? dic quid mercedis accipias.
Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be?"
16 Habebat vero duas filias: nomen majoris Lia, minor vero appellabatur Rachel.
Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 Sed Lia lippis erat oculis: Rachel decora facie, et venusto aspectu.
Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
18 Quam diligens Jacob, ait: Serviam tibi pro Rachel filia tua minore, septem annis.
Jacob loved Rachel. He said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."
19 Respondit Laban: Melius est ut tibi eam dem quam alteri viro: mane apud 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 Servivit ergo Jacob pro Rachel septem annis: et videbantur illi pauci dies præ amoris magnitudine.
Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and it seemed only a few days to him because of his love for her.
21 Dixitque ad Laban: Da mihi uxorem meam: quia jam tempus impletum est, ut ingrediar ad illam.
Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed, so that I may sleep with her."
22 Qui vocatis multis amicorum turbis ad convivium, fecit nuptias.
Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and gave a feast.
23 Et vespere Liam filiam suam introduxit ad eum,
It happened in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he slept wit her.
24 dans ancillam filiæ, Zelpham nomine. Ad quam cum ex more Jacob fuisset ingressus, facto mane vidit Liam:
Laban gave Zilpah his female servant to his daughter Leah as a servant.
25 et dixit ad socerum suum: Quid est quod facere voluisti? nonne pro Rachel servivi tibi? quare imposuisti mihi?
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 Respondit Laban: Non est in loco nostro consuetudinis, ut minores ante tradamus ad nuptias.
Laban said, "It is not our custom here to give the younger before the firstborn.
27 Imple hebdomadam dierum hujus copulæ: et hanc quoque dabo tibi pro opere quo serviturus es mihi septem annis aliis.
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 Acquievit placito: et hebdomada transacta, Rachel duxit uxorem:
Then Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
29 cui pater servam Balam tradiderat.
Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his female servant, to be her servant.
30 Tandemque potitus optatis nuptiis, amorem sequentis priori prætulit, serviens apud eum septem annis aliis.
So he slept with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked with him another seven years.
31 Videns autem Dominus quod despiceret Liam, aperuit vulvam ejus, sorore sterili permanente.
The LORD saw that Leah was unloved, so he made her fertile, but Rachel was barren.
32 Quæ conceptum genuit filium, vocavitque nomen ejus Ruben, dicens: Vidit Dominus humilitatem meam: nunc amabit me vir meus.
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 Rursumque concepit et peperit filium, et ait: Quoniam audivit me Dominus haberi contemptui, dedit etiam istum mihi; vocavitque nomen ejus Simeon.
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 Concepitque tertio, et genuit alium filium: dixitque: Nunc quoque copulabitur mihi maritus meus: eo quod pepererim ei tres filios: et idcirco appellavit nomen ejus Levi.
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 Quarto concepit, et peperit filium, et ait: Modo confitebor Domino, et ob hoc vocavit eum Judam: cessavitque parere.
She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, "This time will I praise God." Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

< Genesis 29 >