UGenesisi 32
1 UJakhobe laye wahamba ngeyakhe indlela, wasehlangabezwa yizingilosi zikaNkulunkulu.
Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
2 Wathi ezibona uJakhobe wathi, “Leli libandla likaNkulunkulu!” Indawo leyo waseyibiza ngokuthi yiMahanayimi.
When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God.” So he named that place Mahanaim.
3 UJakhobe wathuma izithunywa ukuba zihambe phambili kwakhe kumnewabo u-Esawu elizweni laseSeyiri, ilizwe lika-Edomi.
Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
4 Wazilaya wathi, “Nanku okumele likutsho enkosini yami u-Esawu, ‘Inceku yakho uJakhobe uthi bengihlezi loLabhani njalo ngihlale khona kwaze kwaba khathesi.
He instructed them, “You are to say to my master Esau, ‘Your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now.
5 Ngilenkomo labobabhemi, ngilezimvu, lembuzi, njalo ngilezinceku lezincekukazi. Khathesi-ke sengithumela lelilizwi enkosini yami, ukuze ngithole umusa emehlweni akho.’”
I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and maidservants. I have sent this message to inform my master, so that I may find favor in your sight.’”
6 Kwathi izithunywa sezibuya kuJakhobe zathi, “Sihambile kumfowenu u-Esawu, okwamanje uyeza ukuzokuhlangabeza, ulamadoda angamakhulu amane eza lawo.”
When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you—he and four hundred men with him.”
7 UJakhobe wafikelwa yikwesaba lokukhathazeka okukhulu wasesehlukanisa phakathi abantu ayelabo baba ngamaqembu amabili, wenzenjalo lemihlambini yezimvu leyenkomo lamakamela lawo.
In great fear and distress, Jacob divided his people into two camps, as well as the flocks and herds and camels.
8 Wakhumbula wathi, “Nxa u-Esawu angafika ahlasele elinye iqembu, leloqembu eliseleyo lingahle libaleke.”
He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one camp, then the other camp can escape.”
9 UJakhobe wasekhuleka wathi, “Oh Nkulunkulu kababa u-Abhrahama, Nkulunkulu kababa u-Isaka, Thixo, wena owathi kimi, ‘Buyela elizweni lakini lasezihlotsheni zakho, ngizakwenza uphumelele,’
Then Jacob declared, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, the LORD who told me, ‘Go back to your country and to your kindred, and I will make you prosper,’
10 mina kangiwufanelanga wonke umusa lokuthembeka okutshengise inceku yakho. Ngangiphethe intonga yami zwi mhla ngichapha iJodani leli, kodwa khathesi sengingamaqembu amabili.
I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant. Indeed, with only my staff I came across the Jordan, but now I have become two camps.
11 Ngiyakhuleka ngithi ngisindise esandleni somfowethu u-Esawu, ngoba ngiyesaba ukuthi uzakuza angihlasele, kanye labesifazane labantwababo.
Please deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid that he may come and attack me and the mothers and children with me.
12 Kodwa wena uthe, ‘Ngempela ngizakwenza uphumelele ngenze lezizukulwane zakho zibe njengetshebetshebe lolwandle elingeke labalwa.’”
But You have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper, and I will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, too numerous to count.’”
13 Wahlala khonapho ngalobobusuku, kwathi kulokho ayelakho wakhetha isipho sikamnewabo u-Esawu:
Jacob spent the night there, and from what he had brought with him, he selected a gift for his brother Esau:
14 imbuzikazi ezingamakhulu amabili lempongo ezingamatshumi amabili; izimvu ezinsikazi ezingamakhulu amabili lenqama ezingamatshumi amabili;
200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams,
15 amakamela amasikazi angamatshumi amathathu lamathole awo; amankomokazi angamatshumi amane lenkunzi ezilitshumi; kanye labobabhemi abasikazi abangamatshumi amabili lemiduna yawo elitshumi.
30 milk camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys.
16 Wakugcinisa izisebenzi zakhe konke, umhlambi munye wema wodwa, wathi kuzo izisebenzi zakhe, “Hambani phambi kwami, njalo litshiye ibanga phakathi kwemihlambi.”
He entrusted them to his servants in separate herds and told them, “Go on ahead of me, and keep some distance between the herds.”
17 Lowo owayephambili wamlaya wathi, “Nxa umnewethu u-Esawu ekuhlangabeza afike abuze athi, ‘Ungokabani wena, njalo uya ngaphi, njalo ngezikabani zonke lezizifuyo eziphambi kwakho?’
He instructed the one in the lead, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong, where are you going, and whose animals are these before you?’
18 Ubokuthi, ‘Ngezenceku yakho uJakhobe. Ziyisipho esithunyelwe inkosi yami u-Esawu, laye uyeza nje emuva kwethu.’”
then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift, sent to my lord Esau. And behold, Jacob is behind us.’”
19 Walaya njalo isisebenzi sesibili, lesesithathu lazozonke ezinye ezaziqhuba imihlambi wathi: “Kumele likhulume into efanayo ku-Esawu nxa lihlangana laye.
He also instructed the second, the third, and all those following behind the herds: “When you meet Esau, you are to say the same thing to him.
20 Njalo lingakhohlwa ukuthi, ‘Inceku yakho uJakhobe iyeza ngemva kwethu.’” Ngoba wacabanga wathi: “Ngizamthoba ngezipho lezi engizithumela phambili; nxa sengimbona muva mhlawumbe uzangamukela.”
You are also to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’” For he thought, “I will appease Esau with the gift that is going before me. After that I can face him, and perhaps he will accept me.”
21 Ngakho izipho zikaJakhobe zahanjiswa, zamandulela, kodwa yena wasala ezihonqweni ubusuku bonke.
So Jacob’s gifts went on before him, while he spent the night in the camp.
22 Ngalobobusuku uJakhobe waphakama wathatha omkakhe bobabili, lezincekukazi zakhe zombili kanye lamadodana akhe alitshumi lamunye wawela izibuko likaJabhoki.
During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
23 Esebachaphisile wabuye wachaphisa yonke imfuyo yakhe.
He took them and sent them across the stream, along with all his possessions.
24 Ngakho uJakhobe wasala yedwa, indoda ethile yabindana laye kwaze kwaba semathathakusa.
So Jacob was left all alone, and there a man wrestled with him until daybreak.
25 Leyondoda yathi ngokubona ukuthi kayimehluli uJakhobe, yambamba inyonga, inyonga yakhe yakhumuka elokhu ebindana laleyondoda.
When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck the socket of Jacob’s hip and dislocated it as they wrestled.
26 Indoda yasisithi, “Ngiyekela ngihambe ngoba sokusile.” Kodwa uJakhobe wamphendula wathi, “Kangisoze ngikwekele uhambe ngaphandle kokuthi ungibusise.”
Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27 Indoda yambuza yathi, “Ungubani ibizo lakho na?” Wathi, “NginguJakhobe.”
“What is your name?” the man asked. “Jacob,” he replied.
28 Indoda yasisithi, “Ibizo lakho kalisayikuba nguJakhobe, kodwa u-Israyeli, ngoba ulwe loNkulunkulu kanye labantu wanqoba.”
Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”
29 UJakhobe wathi, “Akungitshele ibizo lakho.” Kodwa waphendula wathi “Ulibuzelani ibizo lami na?” Wasembusisa khonapho.
And Jacob requested, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there.
30 Ngakho uJakhobe wabiza indawo leyo ngokuthi yiPheniyeli esithi, “Kungoba ngimbonile uNkulunkulu ubuso ngobuso, kodwa impilo yami kayilinyazwanga.”
So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, “Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”
31 Ilanga lamphumela esedlula ePheniweli, ehamba eqhugezela ngenxa yenyonga yakhe.
The sun rose above him as he passed by Penuel, and he was limping because of his hip.
32 Ngakho-ke kuze kube lamuhla abako-Israyeli kabayidli inyama elomsipha osuka enyongeni, ngoba inyonga kaJakhobe yenyela eduze lomsipha.
Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon which is at the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was struck near that tendon.
