< UGenesisi 29 >
1 UJakobe wasephakamisa inyawo zakhe, waya elizweni labantwana bempumalanga.
2 Wasebona, khangela-ke, umthombo emmangweni, khangela-ke lapho, imihlambi emithathu yezimvu yayilele kuwo, ngoba kulowomthombo banathisa imihlambi; kwakukhona ilitshe elikhulu emlonyeni womthombo.
3 Njalo yonke imihlambi yabuthelwa khona, sebeligiqile ilitshe lisuka emlonyeni womthombo banathisa izimvu, basebebuyisela ilitshe emlonyeni womthombo endaweni yalo.
4 UJakobe wasesithi kibo: Bazalwane bami, livela ngaphi? Basebesithi: Sivela eHarani.
5 Wasesithi kibo: Liyamazi yini uLabani indodana kaNahori? Basebesithi: Siyamazi.
6 Wasesithi kibo: Uyaphila yini? Basebesithi: Uphilile; khangela-ke, uRasheli indodakazi yakhe, uyeza lezimvu.
7 Wasesithi: Khangelani, kusesemini enkulu, kayisiso isikhathi sokuthi izifuyo zibuthaniswe; nathisani izimvu, lihambe lizidlise.
8 Basebesithi: Singeke, kuze kubuthaniswe imihlambi yonke, bagiqe-ke ilitshe lisuke emlonyeni womthombo; khona sizanathisa izimvu.
9 Esakhuluma labo, uRasheli wafika lezimvu, ezingezikayise, ngoba wayengumelusikazi.
10 Kwasekusithi uJakobe ebona uRasheli indodakazi kaLabani umalumakhe lezimvu zikaLabani umalumakhe, uJakobe wasondela, waligiqa ilitshe lasuka emlonyeni womthombo, wazinathisa izimvu zikaLabani umalumakhe.
11 UJakobe wasemanga uRasheli, waphakamisa ilizwi lakhe wakhala izinyembezi.
12 UJakobe wasemazisa uRasheli ukuthi ungumfowabo kayise lokuthi uyindodana kaRebeka. Wasegijima, wamazisa uyise.
13 Kwasekusithi uLabani esezwile umbiko kaJakobe indodana kadadewabo, wagijima ukuyamhlangabeza, wamgona, wamanga, wamngenisa endlini yakhe. UJakobe waselandisela uLabani zonke lezizinto.
14 ULabani wasesithi kuye: Isibili ulithambo lami lenyama yami. Wahlala laye inyanga yonke.
15 ULabani wasesithi kuJakobe: Njengoba ungumfowethu, usuzangisebenzela mahala yini? Ngitshela ukuthi umholo wakho uzakuba yini?
16 Njalo uLabani wayelamadodakazi amabili, ibizo lenkulu linguLeya lebizo lencinyane linguRasheli.
17 Kodwa uLeya wayelamehlo abuthakathaka, kodwa uRasheli wayemuhle ngesimo, njalo wayemuhle ngokukhangeleka.
18 UJakobe wasemthanda uRasheli. Wathi: Ngizakusebenzela iminyaka eyisikhombisa ngoRasheli indodakazi yakho encane.
19 ULabani wasesithi: Kungcono ukuthi ngimnike wena kulokuthi ngimnike enye indoda; hlala lami.
20 UJakobe wasemsebenzela uRasheli iminyaka eyisikhombisa; yaba emehlweni akhe njengensuku ezinlutshwana, ngenxa yokumthanda kwakhe.
21 UJakobe wasesithi kuLabani: Ngipha umkami, ngoba insuku zami sezigcwalisekile, ukuthi ngingene kuye.
22 ULabani wasebuthanisa wonke amadoda aleyondawo, wenza idili.
23 Kwasekusithi kusihlwa wathatha uLeya indodakazi yakhe wamusa kuye, wasengena kuye.
24 ULabani wasemnika uZilipa incekukazi yakhe, kuLeya indodakazi yakhe, abe yincekukazi.
25 Kwasekusithi ekuseni, khangela-ke, nguLeya; ngakho wathi kuLabani: Kuyini lokhu okwenze kimi? Kangimsebenzelanga uRasheli kuwe yini? Pho, ungikhohliseleni?
26 ULabani wasesithi: Kakwenziwa njalo endaweni yakithi ukupha omncinyane ngaphambi kwengqabutho.
27 Gcwalisa iviki yalo, besesikunika lalowayana, ngomsebenzi ozawusebenza lami futhi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
28 UJakobe wasesenza njalo; wagcwalisa iviki yalo; wasemnika uRasheli indodakazi yakhe ukuba ngumkakhe.
29 ULabani wasenika uRasheli indodakazi yakhe uBiliha incekukazi yakhe, abe yincekukazi kuye.
30 Wasengena lakuRasheli; wamthanda njalo uRasheli kuloLeya, wasesebenza laye futhi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
31 Lapho iNkosi isibona ukuthi uLeya wayezondwa, yavula isizalo sakhe, kodwa uRasheli wayeyinyumba.
32 ULeya wasethatha isisu, wazala indodana, wayitha ibizo layo uRubeni, ngoba wathi: Ngoba iNkosi ibonile inhlupheko yami; ngakho khathesi indoda yami izangithanda.
33 Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana, wathi: Njengoba iNkosi izwile ukuthi ngiyazondwa, inginike lale; wayitha ibizo layo uSimeyoni.
34 Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana; wathi: Khathesi ngalesisikhathi indoda yami izazihlanganisa lami, ngoba ngiyizalele amadodana amathathu; ngalokhu wabiza ibizo layo uLevi.
35 Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana; wathi: Ngalesisikhathi ngizadumisa iNkosi; ngakho wayitha ibizo layo uJuda; wasesima ukuzala.
