UGenesisi 29
1 UJakhobe waseqhubeka ngohambo lwakhe wayafika elizweni labantu bempumalanga.
Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 Wabona khonale umthombo esiqintini, kulemihlambi yezimvu emithathu ilele eduzane kwawo ngoba imihlambi yayinatha khonapho emthonjeni lowo. Ilitshe elalivale umlomo womthombo lalilikhulu.
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 Kwakusithi yonke imihlambi ingabuthana khona, abelusi baligiqe ilitshe balisuse emlonyeni womthombo banathise izimvu. Besebelibuyisela ilitshe endaweni yalo emlonyeni womthombo.
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 UJakhobe wabuza abelusi wathi, “Bafowethu, livela ngaphi?” Baphendula bathi, “Sivela eHarani.”
“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
5 Wathi, “Liyamazi yini uLabhani, umzukulu kaNahori?” Baphendula bathi, “Yebo, siyamazi.”
“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
6 UJakhobe wasebabuza wathi, “Uyaphila yini?” Bathi, “Yebo, uyaphila; nansi indodakazi yakhe uRasheli esiza lezimvu.”
“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
7 Wathi, “Khangelani, ilanga lilokhu lisemini; akukabi yisikhathi sokuthi imihlambi ibuthwe. Zinathiseni izimvu lezi lizibuyisele emadlelweni.”
“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 Baphendula bathi, “Asingeke, ize iqale iqoqane yonke imihlambi, ilitshe beselisuswa emlonyeni womthombo. Besesizinathisa-ke izimvu.”
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 Wathi elokhu esakhuluma labo uRasheli wafika lezimvu zikayise, kalokho wayengumelusi.
While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 UJakhobe wathi ebona uRasheli indodakazi kaLabhani, umnewabo kanina esiza lezimvu zikaLabhani, wahamba wayagiqa ilitshe elalisemlonyeni womthombo wanathisa izimvu zikamalumakhe.
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 UJakhobe wasesanga uRasheli njalo wakhala kakhulu.
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12 Wayesemtshelile uRasheli ukuthi wayeyisihlobo sikayise lokuthi wayeyindodana kaRabheka. Ngakho intombi yagijima yayabikela uyise.
He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.
13 ULabhani wonela ukuwuzwa umbiko ngoJakhobe, indodana kadadewabo, wahle waphuthuma wayamhlangabeza. Wamgona, wamanga, wamletha ngekhaya, lapho uJakhobe amtshela khona izinto lezi.
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 ULabhani wasesithi kuye, “Uyinyama yami legazi lami.” UJakhobe esehlale laye okwenyanga yonke,
Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
15 uLabhani wathi kuye, “Kambe sekungathi ngoba uyisihlobo sami ubusungisebenzela ungaholi lutho? Akungitshele ukuthi umholo wakho ungaba yini?”
Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
16 ULabhani wayelamadodakazi amabili; ibizo lendala lalinguLeya, encinyane inguRasheli.
Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
17 ULeya wayelamehlo abuthakathaka, kodwa uRasheli wayelesimo esibukekayo, emuhle.
Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18 UJakhobe wezwa emthanda uRasheli wasesithi, “Ngizakusebenzela okweminyaka eyisikhombisa ukuze ungiphe indodakazi yakho encane uRasheli.”
Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 ULabhani wathi, “Kungcono ngimuphe wena kulokuba ngimuphe enye indoda. Hlala lapha lami.”
Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
20 UJakhobe waseyisebenza iminyaka eyisikhombisa ukuze azuze uRasheli, kodwa yakhanya ingathi yizinsukwana ezimbalwa kuye ngenxa yothando kuye.
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
21 UJakhobe wasesithi kuLabhani, “Ngipha-ke umkami. Isikhathi sami sesigcwalisekile, sengifuna ukwembatha laye.”
Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”
22 Ngakho uLabhani wasenxusa bonke abantu bendawo wenza idili.
So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.
23 Kodwa kwathi sekusihlwa, wathatha indodakazi yakhe uLeya wamupha uJakhobe, uJakhobe wembatha laye.
But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 ULabhani waphinda wapha uLeya incekukazi yakhe uZilipha ukuba ibe yincekukazi yakhe.
And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
25 Kwathi sokusile, wabona kunguLeya! UJakhobe wathi kuLabhani, “Kuyini lokhu okwenzileyo kimi? Mina ngasebenzela uRasheli, kakunjalo na? Kungani ungikhohlisile?”
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 ULabhani waphendula wathi, “Kakusiwo mkhuba wethu lapha ukwendisa indodakazi encane endala ingakendi.
Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.
27 Qeda iviki yokucola lo omdala; besesikupha lalo omncane njalo ngemva kokumsebenzela eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.”
Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”
28 UJakhobe wenza njalo. Waqeda iviki eloLeya, uLabhani wasemupha indodakazi yakhe uRasheli ukuba ibe ngumkakhe.
And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
29 ULabhani wanika indodakazi yakhe uRasheli incekukazi yakhe uBhiliha ukuba abe yincekukazi yakhe.
Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
30 UJakhobe waselala loRasheli, wamthanda ukwedlula uLeya. Wasesebenzela uLabhani okweminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa njalo.
Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.
31 UThixo wathi ngokubona ukuthi uLeya wayengathandwa, wavula inzalo yakhe, kodwa uRasheli wayeyinyumba.
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 ULeya wathatha isisu wazala indodana. Wamutha ibizo wathi nguRubheni, ngoba wathi, “Kungenxa yokuthi uThixo usebonile ukuhlupheka kwami. Ngempela umkami usezangithanda manje.”
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 Wathatha isisu njalo, wathi esephinde umfana njalo wathi, “Ngoba uThixo wezwa ukuthi kangithandwa, wanginika lo njalo.” Ngakho wamutha wathi nguSimiyoni.
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 Wasithatha njalo isisu, kwathi esezele omunye umfana wathi, “Khathesi-ke umkami usezabambelela kimi ngoba sengimzalele amadodana amathathu.” Yikho wathiwa nguLevi.
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 Waphinda wasithatha isisu, wazuza umfana wathi, “Ngalesisikhathi ngizadumisa uThixo.” Wamutha wathi nguJuda. Wasesima ukuzuza abantwana.
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.
