Genesis 29
1 Profectus ergo Iacob venit in terram Orientalem.
Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 Et vidit puteum in agro, tres quoque greges ovium accubantes iuxta eum: nam ex illo adaquabantur pecora, et os eius grandi lapide claudebatur.
He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well.
3 Morisque erat ut cunctis ovibus congregatis devolverent lapidem, et refectis gregibus rursum super os putei ponerent.
When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.
4 Dixitque ad pastores: Fratres, unde estis? Qui responderunt: De Haran.
“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
5 Quos interrogans, Numquid, ait, nostis Laban filium Nachor? Dixerunt: Novimus.
“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
6 Sanusne est? inquit: Valet, inquiunt: et ecce Rachel filia eius venit cum grege suo.
“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
7 Dixitque Iacob: Adhuc multum diei superest, nec est tempus ut reducantur ad caulas greges: date ante potum ovibus, et sic eas ad pastum reducite.
“Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”
8 Qui responderunt: Non possumus, donec omnia pecora congregentur, et amoveamus lapidem de ore putei, ut adaquemus greges.
But they replied, “We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”
9 Adhuc loquebantur, et ecce Rachel veniebat cum ovibus patris sui: nam gregem ipsa pascebat.
While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 Quam cum vidisset Iacob, et sciret consobrinam suam, ovesque Laban avunculi sui: amovit lapidem quo puteus claudebatur.
As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.
11 Et adaquato grege, osculatus est eam: et elevata voce flevit,
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12 et indicavit ei quod frater esset patris sui, et filius Rebeccae: at illa festinans nunciavit patri suo.
He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.
13 Qui cum audisset venisse Iacob filium sororis suae, occurrit obviam ei: complexusque eum, et in oscula ruens, duxit in domum suam. Auditis autem causis itineris,
When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened.
14 respondit: Os meum es, et caro mea. Et postquam impleti sunt dies mensis unius,
Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
15 dixit ei: Num quia frater meus es, gratis servies mihi? dic quid mercedis accipias.
Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
16 Habebat vero duas filias, nomen maioris Lia: minor vero appellabatur Rachel.
Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
17 Sed Lia lippis erat oculis: Rachel decora facie, et venusto aspectu.
Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18 Quam diligens Iacob, ait: Serviam tibi pro Rachel filia tua minore, septem annis.
Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 Respondit Laban: Melius est ut tibi eam dem quam alteri viro, mane apud me.
Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
20 Servivit ergo Iacob pro Rachel septem annis: et videbantur illi pauci dies prae amoris magnitudine.
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
21 Dixitque ad Laban: Da mihi uxorem meam: quia iam tempus impletum est, ut ingrediar ad illam.
Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”
22 Qui vocatis multis amicorum turbis ad convivium, fecit nuptias.
So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.
23 Et vespere Liam filiam suam introduxit ad eum,
But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 dans ancillam filiae, Zelpham nomine. Ad quam cum ex more Iacob fuisset ingressus, facto mane vidit Lian:
And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
25 et dixit ad socerum suum: Quid est quod facere voluisti? nonne pro Rachel servivi tibi? quare imposuisti mihi?
When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”
26 Respondit Laban: Non est in loco nostro consuetudinis, ut minores ante tradamus ad nuptias.
Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.
27 Imple hebdomadam dierum huius copulae: et hanc quoque dabo tibi pro opere quo serviturus es mihi septem annis aliis.
Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”
28 Acquievit placito: et hebdomada transacta, Rachel duxit uxorem:
And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
29 cui pater servam Balam tradiderat.
Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
30 Tandemque potitus optatis nuptiis, amorem sequentis priori praetulit, serviens apud eum septem annis aliis.
Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.
31 Videns autem Dominus quod despiceret Liam, aperuit vulvam eius, sorore sterili permanente.
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 Quae conceptum genuit filium, vocavitque nomen eius Ruben, dicens: Vidit Dominus humilitatem meam, nunc amabit me vir meus.
And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
33 Rursumque concepit et peperit filium, et ait: Quoniam audivit me Dominus haberi contemptui, dedit etiam istum mihi. vocavitque nomen eius Simeon.
Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” 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 eius, Levi.
Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.
35 Quarto concepit, et peperit filium, et ait: Modo confitebor Domino. et ob hoc vocavit eum, Iudam: cessavitque parere.
And once more she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children.
