UGenesisi 31
1 UJakhobe wezwa ukuthi amadodana kaLabhani ayesithi, “UJakhobe usethethe konke ubaba ayelakho njalo usezuze yonke inotho ebingekababa.”
He heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, "Jacob has taken away all that was our father's. From that which was our father's he has gained all this wealth."
2 Njalo uJakhobe wananzelela ukuthi uLabhani wayengasamphathi njengakuqala.
Jacob saw the expression on Laban's face, and look, it was not as it had been.
3 UThixo wasesithi kuJakhobe, “Buyela elizweni laboyihlo lasezihlotsheni zakho, mina ngizakuba lawe.”
Then God said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you."
4 Ngakho uJakhobe wasethumela ilizwi kuRasheli loLeya ukuthi beze egangeni lapho imihlambi yakhe eyayikhona.
Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flock was,
5 Wathi kubo, “Sengibona ukuthi uyihlo kasangiphathi njengakuqala, kodwa uNkulunkulu kababa ube lami.
and said to them, "I see the expression on your father's face, that it is not what it was before. But the God of my father has been with me.
6 Liyakwazi ukuthi ngamsebenzela uyihlo ngamandla ami wonke,
You know that I have served your father with all of my strength.
7 kodwa uyihlo ungidlelezele ngokuguqula umholo wami okwezikhathi ezilitshumi. Kodwa uNkulunkulu kamvumelanga ukuthi angilimaze.
Yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow 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 he said this, 'The speckled will be your wages,' then all the flock bore speckled. If he said this, 'The streaked will be your wages,' then all the flock bore streaked.
9 Ngaleyondlela uNkulunkulu usethethe imihlambi kayihlo wayipha mina.
Thus God has taken away your father's livestock 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 about at the time when the flocks were breeding I looked up and saw in a dream, and look, the male goats which leaped on the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted.
11 Ingilosi kaNkulunkulu yathi kimi kulelophupho, ‘Jakhobe.’ Ngasabela ngathi, ‘Ngilapha.’
The angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob,' and I said, 'Here I am.'
12 Yathi, ‘Khangela ukuthi zonke impongo ezixotsha umhlambi ngezingamaqamule, ngezingamafahlafahla kumbe ngezilamabala, ngoba ngikubonile konke lokho uLabhani abekwenza kuwe.
He said, 'Now lift up your eyes, and look, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.
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 you anointed a standing-stone, where you made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your birth.'"
14 URasheli loLeya baphendula bathi, “Sivele siseselesabelo selifa likababa na?
Rachel and Leah answered 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.
Aren't we regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has used up what was paid for us.
16 Ngempela yonke inotho uNkulunkulu ayemuka ubaba ngeyethu labantwabethu. Ngakho yenza loba yini uNkulunkulu akutshele yona.”
For all the wealth which God has taken away from our father, that is ours and our children's. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do."
17 UJakhobe wasegadisa abantwabakhe labomkakhe emakameleni,
Then Jacob got up and put his sons and his wives on the camels,
18 waziqhuba zonke izifuyo zakhe zahamba phambili, kanye lempahla zonke ayezizuzile ePhadani Aramu, esebuyela kuyise u-Isaka elizweni laseKhenani.
and he took away all his livestock and all his property which he had acquired, including the livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram, to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
19 Kwathi uLabhani ehambile eyogunda izimvu zakhe, uRasheli weba izithombe zikayise.
Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole the idols that belonged to her father.
20 Phezu kwalokho uJakhobe wakhohlisa uLabhani umʼAramu ngokungamtsheli ukuthi yena wayesebaleka.
Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he intended to flee.
21 Ngakho wabaleka lakho konke okwakungokwakhe, wachapha umfula iYufrathe, waqonda elizweni lamaqaqa eleGiliyadi.
So he fled with everything that he had, and he arose and crossed the River, and set out toward the hill country of Gilead.
22 Ngosuku lwesithathu uLabhani watshelwa ukuthi uJakhobe wayesebalekile.
Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.
23 Wathatha izihlobo zakhe bangena emzileni kaJakhobe okwensuku eziyisikhombisa baze bayambamba elizweni lamaqaqa eleGiliyadi.
He took his relatives with him, and pursued after him for seven days, and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.
24 UNkulunkulu weza kuLabhani umʼAramu ephutsheni ebusuku wathi kuye, “Unanzelele ukuthi ungaze watsho lutho kuJakhobe, loba lungoluhle kumbe olubi.”
God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night, and said to him, "Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad."
25 UJakhobe wayemise ithente lakhe elizweni lamaqaqa eGiliyadi eficwa khona nguLabhani, uLabhani laye lezihlobo zakhe bakha izihonqo khonapho.
Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his relatives camped in the hill country of Gilead.
26 Ngakho uLabhani wasesithi kuJakhobe, “Wenzeni manje? Ungikhohlisile, njalo uthumbe amadodakazi ami njengabathunjiweyo empini.
Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken in war?
27 Kungani ubalekele ngasese wangikhohlisa na? Kungani ungangazisanga ukuze ngikuvalelise ngentokozo langokutshaya izigubhu lamachacho?
Why did you flee in secret and deceive me, and not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with joy and singing, with a tambourine and with a lyre.
28 Kawuzange ume ukuthi ngange abazukulu bami lamadodakazi ami ngibavalelise. Wenze into eyibuthutha.
And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly.
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 do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, 'Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.'
30 Manje ususukile ngoba ubulangazelela ukubuyela emzini kayihlo. Kodwa kungani webe izithombe zami na?”
Now you have indeed gone away, because you longed greatly for your father's house. But why have you stolen my gods?"
31 UJakhobe wamphendula uLabhani wathi, “Bengisesaba ukuthi uzangemuka amadodakazi akho ngamandla.
Jacob answered Laban, "Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me 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.
Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, identify what I have that is yours, and take it with you." For Jacob did not know 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.
Laban went into Jacob's tent, into Leah's tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he did not find them. He went 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 idols, put them in the camel's saddle, and sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them.
35 URasheli wathi kuyise, “Ungazondi nkosi yami ukuthi kungani ngingakusukumeli, kungenxa yokuba ngisesikhathini.” Ngakho wabhudula, kodwa akaze azifumana izithombe zangekhaya.
She said to her father, "Do not let my lord be angry that I can't rise up before you; for the manner of women is on me." He searched, but did not find the teraphim.
36 UJakhobe wazonda kubi wamthwalisa nzima uLabhani. Wambuza wathi, “Icala lami ngelani? Ngenze sono bani ukuze ungizingele kanje?
Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, "What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have 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.
Now that you have searched around in all my stuff, did you find anything from all of your household's belongings? Put it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between the two of us.
38 Sengibe lawe okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili. Izimvu zakho lembuzi zakho kazizange ziphunze, njalo kangizange ngizihlabele inqama emihlambini yakho.
These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I haven't eaten the rams of your flocks.
39 Kangizange ngizokutshengisa izifuyo ezidatshulwe yizilo; yimi engathwala lokho kulahlekelwa ngazihlawula. Njalo wafuna inhlawulo yalezo ezazebiwe emini loba ebusuku.
That which was torn by animals I did not bring to you. I bore its loss. You demanded payment from me whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
40 Impilo yami yayinje: ukutshisa kwakungibhaxabula emini, ebusuku umqando ungihaqaze, ubuthongo babaleka emehlweni ami.
I was consumed by the heat during the day and by the frost at night, and sleepless nights.
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.
These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have 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.”
Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the one whom Isaac fears, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my harsh treatment and my hard work, and rebuked you last night."
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 Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine: and what can I do this day to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne?
44 Zwana-ke, kasenze isivumelwano, wena lami, sibe ngufakazi phakathi kwethu.”
So now, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between the two of us." And he said to him, "Look, there is no one with us; see, God is witness between me and you."
45 Ngakho uJakhobe wasethatha ilitshe walimisa laba yinsika.
Jacob took a stone and set it up as a standing-stone.
46 Wasesithi ezihlotsheni zakhe, “Buthelelani amatshe.” Bawathatha amatshe aba yinqwaba, basebedlela khonapho eceleni kwenqwaba.
Jacob said to his relatives, "Gather stones." So they took stones and made a mound. They ate there by the mound.
47 ULabhani wayibiza ngokuthi yiJegari Sahadutha, uJakhobe yena wathi yiGaledi.
Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 ULabhani wathi, “Inqwaba le ingufakazi phakathi kwami lawe lamuhla.” Yikho yabizwa ngokuthi yiGaledi.
Laban said, "This mound is a witness between me and you today." Therefore it was named Galeed
49 Yabizwa njalo ngokuthi yiMizipha, ngoba wathi, “Sengathi uThixo angalinda phakathi kwakho lami nxa sikhatshana omunye komunye.
and Mizpah, for he said, "God watch between me and you, 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 you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us; see, God is witness between me and you."
51 ULabhani wathi njalo kuJakhobe, “Nansi inqwaba le, njalo nansi insika engiyimise phakathi kwakho lami.
Laban said to Jacob, "See this mound, and see the standing-stone, which I have set between me and you.
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.
May this mound be a witness, and the standing-stone be a witness, that I will not pass over this mound to you, and that you will not pass over this mound and this standing-stone to me, to do 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 between us." Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.
54 Wenza umhlatshelo khonapho elizweni lamaqaqa wanxusa izihlobo zakhe ekudleni. Sebedlile, balala khonapho.
Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his relatives to eat the meal. They ate the meal and stayed all night on the mountain.
55 Ekuseni kakhulu ngosuku olulandelayo uLabhani wanga abazukulu bakhe lamadodakazi akhe wababusisa. Wasefulathela wabuyela ekhaya.
Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.
