UGenesisi 29
1 UJakhobe waseqhubeka ngohambo lwakhe wayafika elizweni labantu bempumalanga.
Then Jacob went on 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 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 Kwakusithi yonke imihlambi ingabuthana khona, abelusi baligiqe ilitshe balisuse emlonyeni womthombo banathise izimvu. Besebelibuyisela ilitshe endaweni yalo emlonyeni womthombo.
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 UJakhobe wabuza abelusi wathi, “Bafowethu, livela ngaphi?” Baphendula bathi, “Sivela eHarani.”
Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" They said, "We are from Haran."
5 Wathi, “Liyamazi yini uLabhani, umzukulu kaNahori?” Baphendula bathi, “Yebo, siyamazi.”
He said to them, "Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?" They said, "We know him."
6 UJakhobe wasebabuza wathi, “Uyaphila yini?” Bathi, “Yebo, uyaphila; nansi indodakazi yakhe uRasheli esiza lezimvu.”
He said to them, "Is it well with him?" They said, "It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep."
7 Wathi, “Khangelani, ilanga lilokhu lisemini; akukabi yisikhathi sokuthi imihlambi ibuthwe. Zinathiseni izimvu lezi lizibuyisele emadlelweni.”
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 Baphendula bathi, “Asingeke, ize iqale iqoqane yonke imihlambi, ilitshe beselisuswa emlonyeni womthombo. Besesizinathisa-ke izimvu.”
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 Wathi elokhu esakhuluma labo uRasheli wafika lezimvu zikayise, kalokho wayengumelusi.
While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was tending them.
10 UJakhobe wathi ebona uRasheli indodakazi kaLabhani, umnewabo kanina esiza lezimvu zikaLabhani, wahamba wayagiqa ilitshe elalisemlonyeni womthombo wanathisa izimvu zikamalumakhe.
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 UJakhobe wasesanga uRasheli njalo wakhala kakhulu.
Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept loudly.
12 Wayesemtshelile uRasheli ukuthi wayeyisihlobo sikayise lokuthi wayeyindodana kaRabheka. Ngakho intombi yagijima yayabikela uyise.
Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son. 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.
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 ULabhani wasesithi kuye, “Uyinyama yami legazi lami.” UJakhobe esehlale laye okwenyanga yonke,
Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." He lived with him for a month.
15 uLabhani wathi kuye, “Kambe sekungathi ngoba uyisihlobo sami ubusungisebenzela ungaholi lutho? Akungitshele ukuthi umholo wakho ungaba yini?”
Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be?"
16 ULabhani wayelamadodakazi amabili; ibizo lendala lalinguLeya, encinyane inguRasheli.
Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 ULeya wayelamehlo abuthakathaka, kodwa uRasheli wayelesimo esibukekayo, emuhle.
Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
18 UJakhobe wezwa emthanda uRasheli wasesithi, “Ngizakusebenzela okweminyaka eyisikhombisa ukuze ungiphe indodakazi yakho encane uRasheli.”
Jacob loved Rachel. He said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."
19 ULabhani wathi, “Kungcono ngimuphe wena kulokuba ngimuphe enye indoda. Hlala lapha lami.”
Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me."
20 UJakhobe waseyisebenza iminyaka eyisikhombisa ukuze azuze uRasheli, kodwa yakhanya ingathi yizinsukwana ezimbalwa kuye ngenxa yothando kuye.
Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and it seemed only a few days to him because of his love for her.
21 UJakhobe wasesithi kuLabhani, “Ngipha-ke umkami. Isikhathi sami sesigcwalisekile, sengifuna ukwembatha laye.”
Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed, so that I may sleep with her."
22 Ngakho uLabhani wasenxusa bonke abantu bendawo wenza idili.
Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and gave a feast.
23 Kodwa kwathi sekusihlwa, wathatha indodakazi yakhe uLeya wamupha uJakhobe, uJakhobe wembatha laye.
It happened in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he slept wit her.
24 ULabhani waphinda wapha uLeya incekukazi yakhe uZilipha ukuba ibe yincekukazi yakhe.
Laban gave Zilpah his female servant to his daughter Leah as a servant.
25 Kwathi sokusile, wabona kunguLeya! UJakhobe wathi kuLabhani, “Kuyini lokhu okwenzileyo kimi? Mina ngasebenzela uRasheli, kakunjalo na? Kungani ungikhohlisile?”
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 ULabhani waphendula wathi, “Kakusiwo mkhuba wethu lapha ukwendisa indodakazi encane endala ingakendi.
Laban said, "It is not our custom here to give the younger before the firstborn.
27 Qeda iviki yokucola lo omdala; besesikupha lalo omncane njalo ngemva kokumsebenzela eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.”
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 UJakhobe wenza njalo. Waqeda iviki eloLeya, uLabhani wasemupha indodakazi yakhe uRasheli ukuba ibe ngumkakhe.
Then Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
29 ULabhani wanika indodakazi yakhe uRasheli incekukazi yakhe uBhiliha ukuba abe yincekukazi yakhe.
Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his female servant, to be her servant.
30 UJakhobe waselala loRasheli, wamthanda ukwedlula uLeya. Wasesebenzela uLabhani okweminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa njalo.
So he slept with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked with him another seven years.
31 UThixo wathi ngokubona ukuthi uLeya wayengathandwa, wavula inzalo yakhe, kodwa uRasheli wayeyinyumba.
Jehovah saw that Leah was unloved, so he made her fertile, 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.”
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 Wathatha isisu njalo, wathi esephinde umfana njalo wathi, “Ngoba uThixo wezwa ukuthi kangithandwa, wanginika lo njalo.” Ngakho wamutha wathi nguSimiyoni.
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 Wasithatha njalo isisu, kwathi esezele omunye umfana wathi, “Khathesi-ke umkami usezabambelela kimi ngoba sengimzalele amadodana amathathu.” Yikho wathiwa nguLevi.
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 Waphinda wasithatha isisu, wazuza umfana wathi, “Ngalesisikhathi ngizadumisa uThixo.” Wamutha wathi nguJuda. Wasesima ukuzuza abantwana.
She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, "This time will I praise God." Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
