UGenesisi 31
1 UJakhobe wezwa ukuthi amadodana kaLabhani ayesithi, “UJakhobe usethethe konke ubaba ayelakho njalo usezuze yonke inotho ebingekababa.”
But after that he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying: Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s, and being enriched by his substance is become great:
2 Njalo uJakhobe wananzelela ukuthi uLabhani wayengasamphathi njengakuqala.
And perceiving also that Laban’s countenance was not towards him as yesterday and the other day,
3 UThixo wasesithi kuJakhobe, “Buyela elizweni laboyihlo lasezihlotsheni zakho, mina ngizakuba lawe.”
Especially the Lord saying to him: Return into the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee.
4 Ngakho uJakhobe wasethumela ilizwi kuRasheli loLeya ukuthi beze egangeni lapho imihlambi yakhe eyayikhona.
He sent, and called Rachel and Lia into the field, where he fed the flocks,
5 Wathi kubo, “Sengibona ukuthi uyihlo kasangiphathi njengakuqala, kodwa uNkulunkulu kababa ube lami.
And said to them: I see your father’s countenance is not towards me as yesterday and the other day: but the God of my father hath been with me.
6 Liyakwazi ukuthi ngamsebenzela uyihlo ngamandla ami wonke,
And you know that I have served your father to the uttermost of my power.
7 kodwa uyihlo ungidlelezele ngokuguqula umholo wami okwezikhathi ezilitshumi. Kodwa uNkulunkulu kamvumelanga ukuthi angilimaze.
Yea, your father also hath overreached me, and hath changed my wages ten times: and yet God hath not suffered him to hurt me.
8 Kwakusithi angathi, ‘Ezilamabalabala ngezakho, ezomholo,’ imihlambi yonke izale ezimabalabala; kuthi angathi, ‘Ezingamaqamule zizakuba ngumholo wakho,’ yonke imihlambi izale amazinyane angamaqamule.
If at any time he said: The speckled shall be thy wages: all the sheep brought forth speckled: but when he said on the contrary: Thou shalt take all the white ones for thy wages: all the flocks brought forth white ones.
9 Ngaleyondlela uNkulunkulu usethethe imihlambi kayihlo wayipha mina.
And God hath taken your father’s substance, and given it to me.
10 Ngesikhathi sokuxotshwa lokumitha kwemihlambi, ngaba lephupho lapho okwathi ngikhangela ngabona ukuthi impongo ezazixotsha umhlambi zazingamaqamule, kumbe zingamafahlafahla kumbe zilamabala.
For after that time came of the ewes conceiving, I lifted up my eyes, and saw in my sleep that the males which leaped upon the females were of divers colours, and spotted, and speckled.
11 Ingilosi kaNkulunkulu yathi kimi kulelophupho, ‘Jakhobe.’ Ngasabela ngathi, ‘Ngilapha.’
And the angel of God said to me in my sleep: Jacob? And I answered: Here I am.
12 Yathi, ‘Khangela ukuthi zonke impongo ezixotsha umhlambi ngezingamaqamule, ngezingamafahlafahla kumbe ngezilamabala, ngoba ngikubonile konke lokho uLabhani abekwenza kuwe.
And he said: Lift up thy eyes, and see that all the males leaping upon the females, are of divers colours, spotted, and speckled. For I have seen all that Laban hath done to thee.
13 NginguNkulunkulu waseBhetheli, lapho owagcoba khona insika njalo lapho owenza khona isifungo kimi. Suka kulelilizwe khona manje ubuyele elizweni lakini.’”
I am the God of Bethel, where thou didst anoint the stone, and make a vow to me. Now therefore arise, and go out of this land, and return into thy native country.
14 URasheli loLeya baphendula bathi, “Sivele siseselesabelo selifa likababa na?
And Rachel and Lia answered: Have we any thing left among the goods and inheritance of our father’s house?
15 Kasinjengabezizweni kuye na? Kakusikho kodwa ukuthi walobolisa ngathi, kodwa sowakusebenzisa konke esalotsholwa ngakho.
Hath he not counted us as strangers and sold us, and eaten up the price of us?
16 Ngempela yonke inotho uNkulunkulu ayemuka ubaba ngeyethu labantwabethu. Ngakho yenza loba yini uNkulunkulu akutshele yona.”
But God hath taken our father’s riches, and delivered them to us, and to our children: wherefore do all that God hath commanded thee.
17 UJakhobe wasegadisa abantwabakhe labomkakhe emakameleni,
Then Jacob rose up, and having set his children and wives upon camels, went his way.
18 waziqhuba zonke izifuyo zakhe zahamba phambili, kanye lempahla zonke ayezizuzile ePhadani Aramu, esebuyela kuyise u-Isaka elizweni laseKhenani.
And he took all his substance, and flocks, and whatsoever he had gotten in Mesopotamia, and went forward to Isaac his father to the land of Chanaan.
19 Kwathi uLabhani ehambile eyogunda izimvu zakhe, uRasheli weba izithombe zikayise.
At that time Laban was gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole away her father’s idols.
20 Phezu kwalokho uJakhobe wakhohlisa uLabhani umʼAramu ngokungamtsheli ukuthi yena wayesebaleka.
And Jacob would not confess to his father in law that he was flying away.
21 Ngakho wabaleka lakho konke okwakungokwakhe, wachapha umfula iYufrathe, waqonda elizweni lamaqaqa eleGiliyadi.
And when he was gone, together with all that belonged to him, and having passed the river, was going on towards mount Galaad,
22 Ngosuku lwesithathu uLabhani watshelwa ukuthi uJakhobe wayesebalekile.
It was told Laban on the third day that Jacob fled.
23 Wathatha izihlobo zakhe bangena emzileni kaJakhobe okwensuku eziyisikhombisa baze bayambamba elizweni lamaqaqa eleGiliyadi.
And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days; and overtook him in the mount of Galaad.
24 UNkulunkulu weza kuLabhani umʼAramu ephutsheni ebusuku wathi kuye, “Unanzelele ukuthi ungaze watsho lutho kuJakhobe, loba lungoluhle kumbe olubi.”
And he saw in a dream God saying to him: Take heed thou speak not any thing harshly against Jacob.
25 UJakhobe wayemise ithente lakhe elizweni lamaqaqa eGiliyadi eficwa khona nguLabhani, uLabhani laye lezihlobo zakhe bakha izihonqo khonapho.
Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain: and when he with his brethren had overtaken him, he pitched his tent in the same mount of Galaad.
26 Ngakho uLabhani wasesithi kuJakhobe, “Wenzeni manje? Ungikhohlisile, njalo uthumbe amadodakazi ami njengabathunjiweyo empini.
And he said to Jacob: Why hast thou done thus, to carry away, without my knowledge, my daughters, as captives taken with the sword.
27 Kungani ubalekele ngasese wangikhohlisa na? Kungani ungangazisanga ukuze ngikuvalelise ngentokozo langokutshaya izigubhu lamachacho?
Why wouldst thou run away privately and not acquaint me, that I might have brought thee on the way with joy, and with songs, and with timbrels, and with harps?
28 Kawuzange ume ukuthi ngange abazukulu bami lamadodakazi ami ngibavalelise. Wenze into eyibuthutha.
Thou hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and daughters: thou hast done foolishly: and now, indeed,
29 Ngilamandla okukulimaza; kodwa ngobusuku obudluleyo uNkulunkulu kayihlo uthe kimi, ‘Unanzelele ungaze watsho lutho kuJakhobe, loba ngoluhle kumbe ngolubi.’
It is in my power to return thee evil: but the God of your father said to me yesterday: Take heed thou speak not any thing harshly against Jacob.
30 Manje ususukile ngoba ubulangazelela ukubuyela emzini kayihlo. Kodwa kungani webe izithombe zami na?”
Suppose thou didst desire to go to thy friends, and hadst a longing after thy father’s house: why hast thou stolen away my gods?
31 UJakhobe wamphendula uLabhani wathi, “Bengisesaba ukuthi uzangemuka amadodakazi akho ngamandla.
Jacob answered: That I departed unknown to thee, it was for fear lest thou wouldst take away thy daughters by force.
32 Kodwa nxa ufumana loba ngubani olezithombe zakho, kayikuphila. Ake ubone, lezihlobo zakho zikhona, ingabe kulolutho lwakho yini lapha kimi; nxa lukhona, luthathe.” UJakhobe wayengazi ukuthi uRasheli wayezebile izithombe.
But whereas thou chargest me with theft: with whomsoever thou shalt find thy gods, let him be slain before our brethren. Search, and if thou find any of thy things with me, take them away. Now when he said this, he knew not that Rachel had stolen the idols.
33 Ngakho uLabhani wangena ethenteni likaJakhobe lethenteni likaLeya lethenteni lezincekukazi zombili, kodwa kafumananga lutho. Ephuma ethenteni likaLeya, wangena ethenteni likaRasheli.
So Laban went into the tent of Jacob, and of Lia, and of both the handmaids, and found them not. And when he was entered into Rachel’s tent,
34 URasheli wayethethe izithombe lezo, wazifihla phakathi kwesihlalo sekamela lakhe, wasehlala phezu kwazo. ULabhani wabhudula kukho konke okwakusethenteni, katholanga lutho.
She in haste hid the idols under the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them: and when he had searched all the tent, and found nothing,
35 URasheli wathi kuyise, “Ungazondi nkosi yami ukuthi kungani ngingakusukumeli, kungenxa yokuba ngisesikhathini.” Ngakho wabhudula, kodwa akaze azifumana izithombe zangekhaya.
She said: Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise up before thee, because it has now happened to me, according to the custom of women, So his careful search was in vain.
36 UJakhobe wazonda kubi wamthwalisa nzima uLabhani. Wambuza wathi, “Icala lami ngelani? Ngenze sono bani ukuze ungizingele kanje?
And Jacob being angry, said in a chiding manner: For what fault of mine, and for what offence on my part hast thou so hotly pursued me,
37 Njengoba usuziguduzile zonke impahla zami, kuyini osukufumene okungokomuzi wakho na? Kubeke khonapha phambi kwezihlobo zakho lezami batsho okuyikho phakathi kwethu sobabili.
And searched all my household stuff? What hast thou found of all the substance of thy house? lay it here before my brethren, and thy brethren, and let them judge between me and thee.
38 Sengibe lawe okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili. Izimvu zakho lembuzi zakho kazizange ziphunze, njalo kangizange ngizihlabele inqama emihlambini yakho.
Have I therefore been with thee twenty years? thy ewes and goats were not barren, the rams of thy flocks I did not eat:
39 Kangizange ngizokutshengisa izifuyo ezidatshulwe yizilo; yimi engathwala lokho kulahlekelwa ngazihlawula. Njalo wafuna inhlawulo yalezo ezazebiwe emini loba ebusuku.
Neither did I show thee that which the beast had torn, I made good all the damage: whatsoever was lost by theft, thou didst exact it of me:
40 Impilo yami yayinje: ukutshisa kwakungibhaxabula emini, ebusuku umqando ungihaqaze, ubuthongo babaleka emehlweni ami.
Day and night was I parched with heat, and with frost, and sleep departed from my eyes.
41 Kwakunjalo okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili ngisemzini wakho. Ngakusebenzela okweminyaka elitshumi lane ngisebenzela amadodakazi akho womabili njalo okweminyaka eyisithupha ngisebenzela imihlambi yakho, njalo wena waguqula inhlawulo yami okwezikhathi ezilitshumi.
And in this manner have I served thee in thy house twenty years, fourteen for thy daughters, and six for thy flocks: thou hast changed also my wages ten times.
42 Aluba uNkulunkulu kababa, uNkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama langokwesaba kuka-Isaka, ubengelami, ubuzangixotsha nje ngingaphathanga lutho. Kodwa uNkulunkulu ububonile ubunzima bami lokusebenza nzima kwezandla zami, yikho ekukhuzile izolo ebusuku.”
Unless the God of my father Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had stood by me, peradventure now thou hadst sent me away naked: God beheld my affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesterday.
43 ULabhani wamphendula uJakhobe wathi, “Abesifazane ngamadodakazi ami, abantwana ngabantwabami, lemihlambi yimihlambi yami. Kodwa kuyini engingakwenza lamuhla ngala amadodakazi ami, kumbe ngabantwana ababazeleyo na?
Laban answered him: The daughters are mine and the children, and thy flocks, and all things that thou seest are mine: what can I do to my children, and grandchildren?
44 Zwana-ke, kasenze isivumelwano, wena lami, sibe ngufakazi phakathi kwethu.”
Come therefore, let us enter into a league: that it may be for a testimony between me and thee.
45 Ngakho uJakhobe wasethatha ilitshe walimisa laba yinsika.
And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a title:
46 Wasesithi ezihlotsheni zakhe, “Buthelelani amatshe.” Bawathatha amatshe aba yinqwaba, basebedlela khonapho eceleni kwenqwaba.
And he said to his brethren: Bring hither stones. And they gathering stones together, made a heap, and they ate upon it.
47 ULabhani wayibiza ngokuthi yiJegari Sahadutha, uJakhobe yena wathi yiGaledi.
And Laban called it The witness heap: and Jacob, The hillock of testimony: each of them according to the propriety of his language.
48 ULabhani wathi, “Inqwaba le ingufakazi phakathi kwami lawe lamuhla.” Yikho yabizwa ngokuthi yiGaledi.
And Laban said: This heap shall be a witness between me and thee this day, and therefore the name thereof was called Galaad, that is, The witness heap.
49 Yabizwa njalo ngokuthi yiMizipha, ngoba wathi, “Sengathi uThixo angalinda phakathi kwakho lami nxa sikhatshana omunye komunye.
The Lord behold and judge between us when we shall be gone one from the other.
50 Ungaze uphathe kubi amadodakazi ami, loba ungaze uthathe abanye abafazi ngaphandle kwamadodakazi ami, loba kungekho omunye umuntu olathi, khumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungufakazi phakathi kwakho lami.”
If thou afflict my daughters, and if thou bring in other wives over them: none is witness of our speech but God, who is present and beholdeth.
51 ULabhani wathi njalo kuJakhobe, “Nansi inqwaba le, njalo nansi insika engiyimise phakathi kwakho lami.
And he said again to Jacob: Behold, this heap, and the stone which I have set up between me and thee,
52 Inqwaba le ingufakazi, kanye lensika le ingufakazi wokuthi kangisoze ngiyidlule inqwaba le ngize kwelakho icele ngizekonela lokuthi lawe kawuyikudlula kule inqwaba lensika uze kwelami icele uzengonela.
Shall be a witness: this heap, I say, and the stone, be they for a testimony, if either I shall pass beyond it going towards thee, or thou shalt pass beyond it, thinking harm to me.
53 Sengathi uNkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama, loNkulunkulu kaNahori, uNkulunkulu kayise wabo angahlulela phakathi kwethu.” Ngakho uJakhobe wenza isifungo ebizweni likaMesatshwa kayise u-Isaka.
The God of Abraham, and the God of Nachor, the God of their father, judge between us. And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.
54 Wenza umhlatshelo khonapho elizweni lamaqaqa wanxusa izihlobo zakhe ekudleni. Sebedlile, balala khonapho.
And after he had offered sacrifices in the mountain, he called his brethren to eat bread. And when they had eaten, they lodged there:
55 Ekuseni kakhulu ngosuku olulandelayo uLabhani wanga abazukulu bakhe lamadodakazi akhe wababusisa. Wasefulathela wabuyela ekhaya.
But Laban arose in the night, and kissed his sons, and daughters, and blessed them: and returned to his place.
