UGenesisi 29
1 UJakhobe waseqhubeka ngohambo lwakhe wayafika elizweni labantu bempumalanga.
Jacob went quickly on his way, and arrived in the land of the eastern people.
2 Wabona khonale umthombo esiqintini, kulemihlambi yezimvu emithathu ilele eduzane kwawo ngoba imihlambi yayinatha khonapho emthonjeni lowo. Ilitshe elalivale umlomo womthombo lalilikhulu.
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 Kwakusithi yonke imihlambi ingabuthana khona, abelusi baligiqe ilitshe balisuse emlonyeni womthombo banathise izimvu. Besebelibuyisela ilitshe endaweni yalo emlonyeni womthombo.
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 UJakhobe wabuza abelusi wathi, “Bafowethu, livela ngaphi?” Baphendula bathi, “Sivela eHarani.”
Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We're from Haran,” they replied.
5 Wathi, “Liyamazi yini uLabhani, umzukulu kaNahori?” Baphendula bathi, “Yebo, siyamazi.”
“Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?” he asked. “Yes, we know him,” they replied.
6 UJakhobe wasebabuza wathi, “Uyaphila yini?” Bathi, “Yebo, uyaphila; nansi indodakazi yakhe uRasheli esiza lezimvu.”
“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 Wathi, “Khangelani, ilanga lilokhu lisemini; akukabi yisikhathi sokuthi imihlambi ibuthwe. Zinathiseni izimvu lezi lizibuyisele emadlelweni.”
“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 Baphendula bathi, “Asingeke, ize iqale iqoqane yonke imihlambi, ilitshe beselisuswa emlonyeni womthombo. Besesizinathisa-ke izimvu.”
“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 Wathi elokhu esakhuluma labo uRasheli wafika lezimvu zikayise, kalokho wayengumelusi.
While he was still talking with them Rachel arrived with the flock she was looking after for her father.
10 UJakhobe wathi ebona uRasheli indodakazi kaLabhani, umnewabo kanina esiza lezimvu zikaLabhani, wahamba wayagiqa ilitshe elalisemlonyeni womthombo wanathisa izimvu zikamalumakhe.
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 UJakhobe wasesanga uRasheli njalo wakhala kakhulu.
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept for joy.
12 Wayesemtshelile uRasheli ukuthi wayeyisihlobo sikayise lokuthi wayeyindodana kaRabheka. Ngakho intombi yagijima yayabikela uyise.
(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 ULabhani wonela ukuwuzwa umbiko ngoJakhobe, indodana kadadewabo, wahle waphuthuma wayamhlangabeza. Wamgona, wamanga, wamletha ngekhaya, lapho uJakhobe amtshela khona izinto lezi.
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 ULabhani wasesithi kuye, “Uyinyama yami legazi lami.” UJakhobe esehlale laye okwenyanga yonke,
Laban told him, “No question about it—you're my own flesh and blood!” Jacob stayed with Laban for a month.
15 uLabhani wathi kuye, “Kambe sekungathi ngoba uyisihlobo sami ubusungisebenzela ungaholi lutho? Akungitshele ukuthi umholo wakho ungaba yini?”
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 ULabhani wayelamadodakazi amabili; ibizo lendala lalinguLeya, encinyane inguRasheli.
Laban had two daughters. The older one was Leah, and the younger one was Rachel.
17 ULeya wayelamehlo abuthakathaka, kodwa uRasheli wayelesimo esibukekayo, emuhle.
Leah had kind eyes, but Rachel had a shapely figure and beautiful looks.
18 UJakhobe wezwa emthanda uRasheli wasesithi, “Ngizakusebenzela okweminyaka eyisikhombisa ukuze ungiphe indodakazi yakho encane uRasheli.”
Jacob was in love with Rachel so he promised Laban, “I'll do seven years work for you for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
19 ULabhani wathi, “Kungcono ngimuphe wena kulokuba ngimuphe enye indoda. Hlala lapha lami.”
“Well it's better for me to give her to you than anyone else,” Laban replied. “So stay here and work for me.”
20 UJakhobe waseyisebenza iminyaka eyisikhombisa ukuze azuze uRasheli, kodwa yakhanya ingathi yizinsukwana ezimbalwa kuye ngenxa yothando kuye.
Jacob worked for Laban for seven years, but to him they seemed like just a few days because he really loved her.
21 UJakhobe wasesithi kuLabhani, “Ngipha-ke umkami. Isikhathi sami sesigcwalisekile, sengifuna ukwembatha laye.”
Then Jacob said to Laban, “I've completed the time we agreed. Now give me your daughter to be my wife.”
22 Ngakho uLabhani wasenxusa bonke abantu bendawo wenza idili.
So Laban organized a wedding banquet and invited everyone around to come.
23 Kodwa kwathi sekusihlwa, wathatha indodakazi yakhe uLeya wamupha uJakhobe, uJakhobe wembatha laye.
But once it was dark Laban brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 ULabhani waphinda wapha uLeya incekukazi yakhe uZilipha ukuba ibe yincekukazi yakhe.
(Laban also arranged for his servant Zilpah to be Leah's personal maid.)
25 Kwathi sokusile, wabona kunguLeya! UJakhobe wathi kuLabhani, “Kuyini lokhu okwenzileyo kimi? Mina ngasebenzela uRasheli, kakunjalo na? Kungani ungikhohlisile?”
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 ULabhani waphendula wathi, “Kakusiwo mkhuba wethu lapha ukwendisa indodakazi encane endala ingakendi.
“Here we don't give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn,” Laban replied.
27 Qeda iviki yokucola lo omdala; besesikupha lalo omncane njalo ngemva kokumsebenzela eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.”
“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 UJakhobe wenza njalo. Waqeda iviki eloLeya, uLabhani wasemupha indodakazi yakhe uRasheli ukuba ibe ngumkakhe.
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 ULabhani wanika indodakazi yakhe uRasheli incekukazi yakhe uBhiliha ukuba abe yincekukazi yakhe.
(Laban also arranged for his servant Bilhah to be Rachel's personal maid.)
30 UJakhobe waselala loRasheli, wamthanda ukwedlula uLeya. Wasesebenzela uLabhani okweminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa njalo.
So Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban another seven years for Rachel.
31 UThixo wathi ngokubona ukuthi uLeya wayengathandwa, wavula inzalo yakhe, kodwa uRasheli wayeyinyumba.
The Lord saw that Leah wasn't loved he helped Leah to have children, but not Rachel.
32 ULeya wathatha isisu wazala indodana. Wamutha ibizo wathi nguRubheni, ngoba wathi, “Kungenxa yokuthi uThixo usebonile ukuhlupheka kwami. Ngempela umkami usezangithanda manje.”
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 Wathatha isisu njalo, wathi esephinde umfana njalo wathi, “Ngoba uThixo wezwa ukuthi kangithandwa, wanginika lo njalo.” Ngakho wamutha wathi nguSimiyoni.
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 Wasithatha njalo isisu, kwathi esezele omunye umfana wathi, “Khathesi-ke umkami usezabambelela kimi ngoba sengimzalele amadodana amathathu.” Yikho wathiwa nguLevi.
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 Waphinda wasithatha isisu, wazuza umfana wathi, “Ngalesisikhathi ngizadumisa uThixo.” Wamutha wathi nguJuda. Wasesima ukuzuza abantwana.
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.
