Genesis 29
1 profectus ergo Iacob venit ad terram orientalem
Jacob went quickly on his way, and arrived in the land of the eastern people.
2 et vidit puteum in agro tresque greges ovium accubantes iuxta eum nam ex illo adaquabantur pecora et os eius grandi lapide claudebatur
As he looked around he saw a well in a field with three flocks of sheep lying down beside it, waiting to be given water. A large stone covered the top of the well.
3 morisque erat ut cunctis ovibus congregatis devolverent lapidem et refectis gregibus rursum super os putei ponerent
The usual practice was that once all the flocks had arrived, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the well and give their sheep water. Then they would put the stone back again.
4 dixitque ad pastores fratres unde estis qui responderunt de Haran
Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We're from Haran,” they replied.
5 quos interrogans numquid ait nostis Laban filium Nahor dixerunt novimus
“Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?” he asked. “Yes, we know him,” they replied.
6 sanusne est inquit valet inquiunt et ecce Rahel filia eius venit cum grege suo
“How is he?” he asked. “He's well,” they replied. “Look! In fact here's his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep right now.”
7 dixitque Iacob adhuc multum diei superest nec est tempus ut reducantur ad caulas greges date ante potum ovibus et sic ad pastum eas reducite
“Look, there's still plenty of daylight left,” said Jacob. “It's too early to round up the sheep yet. Why not let them drink so they can go back to grazing?”
8 qui responderunt non possumus donec omnia pecora congregentur et amoveamus lapidem de ore putei ut adaquemus greges
“We can't do that until all the flocks have arrived,” they told him. “Then we roll away the stone from the well and let the sheep drink.”
9 adhuc loquebantur et ecce Rahel veniebat cum ovibus patris sui nam gregem ipsa pascebat
While he was still talking with them Rachel arrived with the flock she was looking after for her father.
10 quam cum vidisset Iacob et sciret consobrinam suam ovesque Laban avunculi sui amovit lapidem quo puteus claudebatur
When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, he went over and rolled away the stone from the well so Laban's sheep could drink.
11 et adaquato grege osculatus est eam elevataque voce flevit
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept for joy.
12 et indicavit ei quod frater esset patris eius et filius Rebeccae at illa festinans nuntiavit patri suo
(He had told her that he was the son of Laban's brother and Rebekah.) She ran and told her father what had happened.
13 qui cum audisset venisse Iacob filium sororis suae cucurrit obviam conplexusque eum et in oscula ruens duxit in domum suam auditis autem causis itineris
As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob he ran out to meet him. He hugged him and kissed him, and took him home. After Jacob had explained everything to Laban,
14 respondit os meum es et caro mea et postquam expleti sunt dies mensis unius
Laban told him, “No question about it—you're my own flesh and blood!” Jacob stayed with Laban for a month.
15 dixit ei num quia frater meus es gratis servies mihi dic quid mercedis accipias
One day Laban said to him, “You're my relative so you shouldn't be working for me for nothing! Tell me, what should I pay you?”
16 habebat vero filias duas nomen maioris Lia minor appellabatur Rahel
Laban had two daughters. The older one was Leah, and the younger one was Rachel.
17 sed Lia lippis erat oculis Rahel decora facie et venusto aspectu
Leah had kind eyes, but Rachel had a shapely figure and beautiful looks.
18 quam diligens Iacob ait serviam tibi pro Rahel filia tua minore septem annis
Jacob was in love with Rachel so he promised Laban, “I'll do seven years work for you for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
19 respondit Laban melius est ut tibi eam dem quam viro alteri mane apud me
“Well it's better for me to give her to you than anyone else,” Laban replied. “So stay here and work for me.”
20 servivit igitur Iacob pro Rahel septem annis et videbantur illi pauci dies prae amoris magnitudine
Jacob worked for Laban for seven years, but to him they seemed like just a few days because he really loved her.
21 dixitque ad Laban da mihi uxorem meam quia iam tempus expletum est ut ingrediar ad eam
Then Jacob said to Laban, “I've completed the time we agreed. Now give me your daughter to be my wife.”
22 qui vocatis multis amicorum turbis ad convivium fecit nuptias
So Laban organized a wedding banquet and invited everyone around to come.
23 et vespere filiam suam Liam introduxit ad eum
But once it was dark Laban brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 dans ancillam filiae Zelpham nomine ad quam cum ex more Iacob fuisset ingressus facto mane vidit Liam
(Laban also arranged for his servant Zilpah to be Leah's personal maid.)
25 et dixit ad socerum quid est quod facere voluisti nonne pro Rahel servivi tibi quare inposuisti mihi
When morning came, he saw it was Leah! He went to Laban and asked angrily, “What have you done to me? It was for Rachel that I worked for you! Why have you deceived me?”
26 respondit Laban non est in loco nostro consuetudinis ut minores ante tradamus ad nuptias
“Here we don't give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn,” Laban replied.
27 imple ebdomadem dierum huius copulae et hanc quoque dabo tibi pro opere quo serviturus es mihi septem annis aliis
“Finish this week of wedding celebrations and then I'll give you the other daughter as well, as long as you work another seven years for me.”
28 adquievit placito et ebdomade transacta Rahel duxit uxorem
Jacob agreed. He finished the week of wedding celebrations for Leah, and then Laban gave Jacob his daughter Rachel as his wife as well.
29 cui pater servam Balam dederat
(Laban also arranged for his servant Bilhah to be Rachel's personal maid.)
30 tandemque potitus optatis nuptiis amorem sequentis priori praetulit serviens apud eum septem annis aliis
So Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban another seven years for Rachel.
31 videns autem Dominus quod despiceret Liam aperuit vulvam eius sorore sterili permanente
The Lord saw that Leah wasn't loved he helped Leah to have children, but not Rachel.
32 quae conceptum genuit filium vocavitque nomen eius Ruben dicens vidit Dominus humilitatem meam nunc amabit me vir meus
Leah became pregnant, and had a son she named Reuben, for she said, “The Lord saw how much I was suffering and now my husband will love me!”
33 rursumque concepit et peperit filium et ait quoniam audivit Dominus haberi me contemptui dedit etiam istum mihi vocavitque nomen illius Symeon
Then Leah became pregnant again, and had another son. She said, “The Lord has heard that I'm not loved so he gave me this son.” So she named him Simeon.
34 concepit tertio et genuit alium dixitque nunc quoque copulabitur mihi maritus meus eo quod pepererim illi tres filios et idcirco appellavit nomen eius Levi
Leah became pregnant for the third time, and had another son. She said, “Finally my husband will be attached to me because now I've given him three sons.” That's why he was named Levi.
35 quarto concepit et peperit filium et ait modo confitebor Domino et ob hoc vocavit eum Iudam cessavitque parere
Once again Leah became pregnant and had another son. She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I can really praise the Lord!” After that she had no more children.
