UGenesisi 32
1 UJakhobe laye wahamba ngeyakhe indlela, wasehlangabezwa yizingilosi zikaNkulunkulu.
Likewise, Jacob continued on the journey that he had begun. And the Angels of God met him.
2 Wathi ezibona uJakhobe wathi, “Leli libandla likaNkulunkulu!” Indawo leyo waseyibiza ngokuthi yiMahanayimi.
When he had seen them, he said, “These are the Encampments of God.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim, that is, ‘Encampments.’
3 UJakhobe wathuma izithunywa ukuba zihambe phambili kwakhe kumnewabo u-Esawu elizweni laseSeyiri, ilizwe lika-Edomi.
Then he also sent messengers before him to his brother Esau, in the land of Seir, in the region of Edom.
4 Wazilaya wathi, “Nanku okumele likutsho enkosini yami u-Esawu, ‘Inceku yakho uJakhobe uthi bengihlezi loLabhani njalo ngihlale khona kwaze kwaba khathesi.
And he instructed them, saying: “You shall speak in this way to my lord Esau: ‘Your brother Jacob says these things: “I have sojourned with Laban, and I have been with him until the present day.
5 Ngilenkomo labobabhemi, ngilezimvu, lembuzi, njalo ngilezinceku lezincekukazi. Khathesi-ke sengithumela lelilizwi enkosini yami, ukuze ngithole umusa emehlweni akho.’”
I have oxen, and donkeys, and sheep, and men servants, and women servants. And now I send an ambassador to my lord, 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.”
And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We went to your brother Esau, and behold, he rushes to meet you with four hundred men.”
7 UJakhobe wafikelwa yikwesaba lokukhathazeka okukhulu wasesehlukanisa phakathi abantu ayelabo baba ngamaqembu amabili, wenzenjalo lemihlambini yezimvu leyenkomo lamakamela lawo.
Jacob was very afraid. And in his terror, he divided the people who were with him, likewise the flocks, and the sheep, and the oxen, and the camels, into two companies,
8 Wakhumbula wathi, “Nxa u-Esawu angafika ahlasele elinye iqembu, leloqembu eliseleyo lingahle libaleke.”
saying: “If Esau goes to one company, and strikes it, the other company, which is left behind, will be saved.”
9 UJakhobe wasekhuleka wathi, “Oh Nkulunkulu kababa u-Abhrahama, Nkulunkulu kababa u-Isaka, Thixo, wena owathi kimi, ‘Buyela elizweni lakini lasezihlotsheni zakho, ngizakwenza uphumelele,’
And Jacob said: “God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me: ‘Return to your land, and to the place of your nativity, and I will do well for you.’
10 mina kangiwufanelanga wonke umusa lokuthembeka okutshengise inceku yakho. Ngangiphethe intonga yami zwi mhla ngichapha iJodani leli, kodwa khathesi sengingamaqembu amabili.
I am less than any of your compassions and your truth, which you have fulfilled to your servant. With my staff I crossed over this Jordan. And now I go back with two companies.
11 Ngiyakhuleka ngithi ngisindise esandleni somfowethu u-Esawu, ngoba ngiyesaba ukuthi uzakuza angihlasele, kanye labesifazane labantwababo.
Rescue me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am very afraid of him, lest perhaps he may come and strike down the mother with the sons.
12 Kodwa wena uthe, ‘Ngempela ngizakwenza uphumelele ngenze lezizukulwane zakho zibe njengetshebetshebe lolwandle elingeke labalwa.’”
You did say that you would do well by me, and that you would expand my offspring like the sand of the sea, which, because of its multitude, cannot be numbered.”
13 Wahlala khonapho ngalobobusuku, kwathi kulokho ayelakho wakhetha isipho sikamnewabo u-Esawu:
And when he had slept there that night, he separated, from the things that he had, gifts for his brother Esau:
14 imbuzikazi ezingamakhulu amabili lempongo ezingamatshumi amabili; izimvu ezinsikazi ezingamakhulu amabili lenqama ezingamatshumi amabili;
two hundred she-goats, twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,
15 amakamela amasikazi angamatshumi amathathu lamathole awo; amankomokazi angamatshumi amane lenkunzi ezilitshumi; kanye labobabhemi abasikazi abangamatshumi amabili lemiduna yawo elitshumi.
thirty milking camels with their young, forty cows, and twenty bulls, twenty she-donkeys, and ten of their young.
16 Wakugcinisa izisebenzi zakhe konke, umhlambi munye wema wodwa, wathi kuzo izisebenzi zakhe, “Hambani phambi kwami, njalo litshiye ibanga phakathi kwemihlambi.”
And he sent them by the hands of his servants, each flock separately, and he said to his servants: “Pass before me, and let there be a space between flock and flock.”
17 Lowo owayephambili wamlaya wathi, “Nxa umnewethu u-Esawu ekuhlangabeza afike abuze athi, ‘Ungokabani wena, njalo uya ngaphi, njalo ngezikabani zonke lezizifuyo eziphambi kwakho?’
And he instructed the first, saying: “If you happen to meet my brother Esau, and he questions you: “Whose are you?” or, “Where are you going?” or, “Whose are these which follow you?”
18 Ubokuthi, ‘Ngezenceku yakho uJakhobe. Ziyisipho esithunyelwe inkosi yami u-Esawu, laye uyeza nje emuva kwethu.’”
you shall respond: “Your servant Jacob’s. He has sent them as a gift to my lord Esau. And he is also coming after us.”
19 Walaya njalo isisebenzi sesibili, lesesithathu lazozonke ezinye ezaziqhuba imihlambi wathi: “Kumele likhulume into efanayo ku-Esawu nxa lihlangana laye.
Similarly, he gave orders to the second, and the third, and to all who followed the flocks, saying: “Speak these same words to Esau, when you find him.
20 Njalo lingakhohlwa ukuthi, ‘Inceku yakho uJakhobe iyeza ngemva kwethu.’” Ngoba wacabanga wathi: “Ngizamthoba ngezipho lezi engizithumela phambili; nxa sengimbona muva mhlawumbe uzangamukela.”
And you will add: ‘Your servant Jacob himself also follows after us, for he said: “I will appease him with the gifts that go ahead, and after this, I will see him; perhaps he will be gracious to me.”’”
21 Ngakho izipho zikaJakhobe zahanjiswa, zamandulela, kodwa yena wasala ezihonqweni ubusuku bonke.
And so the gifts went before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.
22 Ngalobobusuku uJakhobe waphakama wathatha omkakhe bobabili, lezincekukazi zakhe zombili kanye lamadodana akhe alitshumi lamunye wawela izibuko likaJabhoki.
And when he had arisen early, he took his two wives, and the same number of handmaids, with his eleven sons, and he crossed over the ford of Jabbok.
23 Esebachaphisile wabuye wachaphisa yonke imfuyo yakhe.
And having delivered over all the things that belonged to him,
24 Ngakho uJakhobe wasala yedwa, indoda ethile yabindana laye kwaze kwaba semathathakusa.
he remained alone. And behold, a man wrestled with him until morning.
25 Leyondoda yathi ngokubona ukuthi kayimehluli uJakhobe, yambamba inyonga, inyonga yakhe yakhumuka elokhu ebindana laleyondoda.
And when he saw that he would not be able to overcome him, he touched the nerve of his thigh, and immediately it withered.
26 Indoda yasisithi, “Ngiyekela ngihambe ngoba sokusile.” Kodwa uJakhobe wamphendula wathi, “Kangisoze ngikwekele uhambe ngaphandle kokuthi ungibusise.”
And he said to him, “Release me, for now the dawn ascends.” He responded, “I will not release you, unless you bless me.”
27 Indoda yambuza yathi, “Ungubani ibizo lakho na?” Wathi, “NginguJakhobe.”
Therefore he said, “What is your name?” He answered, “Jacob.”
28 Indoda yasisithi, “Ibizo lakho kalisayikuba nguJakhobe, kodwa u-Israyeli, ngoba ulwe loNkulunkulu kanye labantu wanqoba.”
But he said, “Your name will not be called Jacob, but Israel; for if you have been strong against God, how much more will you prevail against men?”
29 UJakhobe wathi, “Akungitshele ibizo lakho.” Kodwa waphendula wathi “Ulibuzelani ibizo lami na?” Wasembusisa khonapho.
Jacob questioned him, “Tell me, by what name are you called?” He responded, “Why do you ask my name?” And he blessed him in the same place.
30 Ngakho uJakhobe wabiza indawo leyo ngokuthi yiPheniyeli esithi, “Kungoba ngimbonile uNkulunkulu ubuso ngobuso, kodwa impilo yami kayilinyazwanga.”
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “I have seen God face to face, and my soul has been saved.”
31 Ilanga lamphumela esedlula ePheniweli, ehamba eqhugezela ngenxa yenyonga yakhe.
And immediately the sun rose upon him, after he had crossed beyond Peniel. Yet in truth, he limped on his foot.
32 Ngakho-ke kuze kube lamuhla abako-Israyeli kabayidli inyama elomsipha osuka enyongeni, ngoba inyonga kaJakhobe yenyela eduze lomsipha.
For this reason, the sons of Israel, even to the present day, do not eat the nerve that withered in Jacob’s thigh, because he touched the nerve of his thigh and it was obstructed.
