UGenesisi 31
1 UJakhobe wezwa ukuthi amadodana kaLabhani ayesithi, “UJakhobe usethethe konke ubaba ayelakho njalo usezuze yonke inotho ebingekababa.”
And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that [was] our father’s; and of [that] which [was] our father’s hath he gotten all this glory.
2 Njalo uJakhobe wananzelela ukuthi uLabhani wayengasamphathi njengakuqala.
And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it [was] not toward him as before.
3 UThixo wasesithi kuJakhobe, “Buyela elizweni laboyihlo lasezihlotsheni zakho, mina ngizakuba lawe.”
And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto 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.
And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,
5 Wathi kubo, “Sengibona ukuthi uyihlo kasangiphathi njengakuqala, kodwa uNkulunkulu kababa ube lami.
And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it [is] not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.
6 Liyakwazi ukuthi ngamsebenzela uyihlo ngamandla ami wonke,
And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
7 kodwa uyihlo ungidlelezele ngokuguqula umholo wami okwezikhathi ezilitshumi. Kodwa uNkulunkulu kamvumelanga ukuthi angilimaze.
And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not 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 he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.
9 Ngaleyondlela uNkulunkulu usethethe imihlambi kayihlo wayipha mina.
Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given [them] to me.
10 Ngesikhathi sokuxotshwa lokumitha kwemihlambi, ngaba lephupho lapho okwathi ngikhangela ngabona ukuthi impongo ezazixotsha umhlambi zazingamaqamule, kumbe zingamafahlafahla kumbe zilamabala.
And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle [were] ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.
11 Ingilosi kaNkulunkulu yathi kimi kulelophupho, ‘Jakhobe.’ Ngasabela ngathi, ‘Ngilapha.’
And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, [saying], Jacob: And I said, Here [am] I.
12 Yathi, ‘Khangela ukuthi zonke impongo ezixotsha umhlambi ngezingamaqamule, ngezingamafahlafahla kumbe ngezilamabala, ngoba ngikubonile konke lokho uLabhani abekwenza kuwe.
And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle [are] ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto 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 Beth-el, where thou anointedst the pillar, [and] where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
14 URasheli loLeya baphendula bathi, “Sivele siseselesabelo selifa likababa na?
And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, [Is there] yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?
15 Kasinjengabezizweni kuye na? Kakusikho kodwa ukuthi walobolisa ngathi, kodwa sowakusebenzisa konke esalotsholwa ngakho.
Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.
16 Ngempela yonke inotho uNkulunkulu ayemuka ubaba ngeyethu labantwabethu. Ngakho yenza loba yini uNkulunkulu akutshele yona.”
For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that [is] ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.
17 UJakhobe wasegadisa abantwabakhe labomkakhe emakameleni,
Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
18 waziqhuba zonke izifuyo zakhe zahamba phambili, kanye lempahla zonke ayezizuzile ePhadani Aramu, esebuyela kuyise u-Isaka elizweni laseKhenani.
And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan-aram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
19 Kwathi uLabhani ehambile eyogunda izimvu zakhe, uRasheli weba izithombe zikayise.
And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that [were] her father’s.
20 Phezu kwalokho uJakhobe wakhohlisa uLabhani umʼAramu ngokungamtsheli ukuthi yena wayesebaleka.
And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
21 Ngakho wabaleka lakho konke okwakungokwakhe, wachapha umfula iYufrathe, waqonda elizweni lamaqaqa eleGiliyadi.
So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face [toward] the mount Gilead.
22 Ngosuku lwesithathu uLabhani watshelwa ukuthi uJakhobe wayesebalekile.
And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was 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’ journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
24 UNkulunkulu weza kuLabhani umʼAramu ephutsheni ebusuku wathi kuye, “Unanzelele ukuthi ungaze watsho lutho kuJakhobe, loba lungoluhle kumbe olubi.”
And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
25 UJakhobe wayemise ithente lakhe elizweni lamaqaqa eGiliyadi eficwa khona nguLabhani, uLabhani laye lezihlobo zakhe bakha izihonqo khonapho.
Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
26 Ngakho uLabhani wasesithi kuJakhobe, “Wenzeni manje? Ungikhohlisile, njalo uthumbe amadodakazi ami njengabathunjiweyo empini.
And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives [taken] with the sword?
27 Kungani ubalekele ngasese wangikhohlisa na? Kungani ungangazisanga ukuze ngikuvalelise ngentokozo langokutshaya izigubhu lamachacho?
Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?
28 Kawuzange ume ukuthi ngange abazukulu bami lamadodakazi ami ngibavalelise. Wenze into eyibuthutha.
And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in [so] doing.
29 Ngilamandla okukulimaza; kodwa ngobusuku obudluleyo uNkulunkulu kayihlo uthe kimi, ‘Unanzelele ungaze watsho lutho kuJakhobe, loba ngoluhle kumbe ngolubi.’
It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
30 Manje ususukile ngoba ubulangazelela ukubuyela emzini kayihlo. Kodwa kungani webe izithombe zami na?”
And now, [though] thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, [yet] wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?
31 UJakhobe wamphendula uLabhani wathi, “Bengisesaba ukuthi uzangemuka amadodakazi akho ngamandla.
And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
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.
With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what [is] thine with me, and take [it] to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
33 Ngakho uLabhani wangena ethenteni likaJakhobe lethenteni likaLeya lethenteni lezincekukazi zombili, kodwa kafumananga lutho. Ephuma ethenteni likaLeya, wangena ethenteni likaRasheli.
And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maidservants’ tents; but he found [them] not. Then went he out of Leah’s tent, and 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.
Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found [them] not.
35 URasheli wathi kuyise, “Ungazondi nkosi yami ukuthi kungani ngingakusukumeli, kungenxa yokuba ngisesikhathini.” Ngakho wabhudula, kodwa akaze azifumana izithombe zangekhaya.
And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women [is] upon me. And he searched, but found not the images.
36 UJakhobe wazonda kubi wamthwalisa nzima uLabhani. Wambuza wathi, “Icala lami ngelani? Ngenze sono bani ukuze ungizingele kanje?
And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What [is] my trespass? what [is] my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
37 Njengoba usuziguduzile zonke impahla zami, kuyini osukufumene okungokomuzi wakho na? Kubeke khonapha phambi kwezihlobo zakho lezami batsho okuyikho phakathi kwethu sobabili.
Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set [it] here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.
38 Sengibe lawe okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili. Izimvu zakho lembuzi zakho kazizange ziphunze, njalo kangizange ngizihlabele inqama emihlambini yakho.
This twenty years [have] I [been] with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
39 Kangizange ngizokutshengisa izifuyo ezidatshulwe yizilo; yimi engathwala lokho kulahlekelwa ngazihlawula. Njalo wafuna inhlawulo yalezo ezazebiwe emini loba ebusuku.
That which was torn [of beasts] I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, [whether] stolen by day, or stolen by night.
40 Impilo yami yayinje: ukutshisa kwakungibhaxabula emini, ebusuku umqando ungihaqaze, ubuthongo babaleka emehlweni ami.
[Thus] I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine 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.
Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed 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.”
Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked [thee] yesternight.
43 ULabhani wamphendula uJakhobe wathi, “Abesifazane ngamadodakazi ami, abantwana ngabantwabami, lemihlambi yimihlambi yami. Kodwa kuyini engingakwenza lamuhla ngala amadodakazi ami, kumbe ngabantwana ababazeleyo na?
And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, [These] daughters [are] my daughters, and [these] children [are] my children, and [these] cattle [are] my cattle, and all that thou seest [is] mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?
44 Zwana-ke, kasenze isivumelwano, wena lami, sibe ngufakazi phakathi kwethu.”
Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
45 Ngakho uJakhobe wasethatha ilitshe walimisa laba yinsika.
And Jacob took a stone, and set it up [for] a pillar.
46 Wasesithi ezihlotsheni zakhe, “Buthelelani amatshe.” Bawathatha amatshe aba yinqwaba, basebedlela khonapho eceleni kwenqwaba.
And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
47 ULabhani wayibiza ngokuthi yiJegari Sahadutha, uJakhobe yena wathi yiGaledi.
And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 ULabhani wathi, “Inqwaba le ingufakazi phakathi kwami lawe lamuhla.” Yikho yabizwa ngokuthi yiGaledi.
And Laban said, This heap [is] a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;
49 Yabizwa njalo ngokuthi yiMizipha, ngoba wathi, “Sengathi uThixo angalinda phakathi kwakho lami nxa sikhatshana omunye komunye.
And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
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 shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take [other] wives beside my daughters, no man [is] with us; see, God [is] witness betwixt me and thee.
51 ULabhani wathi njalo kuJakhobe, “Nansi inqwaba le, njalo nansi insika engiyimise phakathi kwakho lami.
And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold [this] pillar, which I have cast betwixt 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.
This heap [be] witness, and [this] pillar [be] witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.
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 Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.
54 Wenza umhlatshelo khonapho elizweni lamaqaqa wanxusa izihlobo zakhe ekudleni. Sebedlile, balala khonapho.
Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.
55 Ekuseni kakhulu ngosuku olulandelayo uLabhani wanga abazukulu bakhe lamadodakazi akhe wababusisa. Wasefulathela wabuyela ekhaya.
And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.
