UGenesisi 29
1 UJakobe wasephakamisa inyawo zakhe, waya elizweni labantwana bempumalanga.
Kisha Yakobo akaendelea na safari yake na akafika katika nchi ya watu wa mashariki.
2 Wasebona, khangela-ke, umthombo emmangweni, khangela-ke lapho, imihlambi emithathu yezimvu yayilele kuwo, ngoba kulowomthombo banathisa imihlambi; kwakukhona ilitshe elikhulu emlonyeni womthombo.
Hata alipotazama, akaona kisima kondeni, na, tazama, makundi matatu ya kondoo yalikuwa yamelala kando yake. Kwani kutoka katika hicho wangeyanywesha makundi, na jiwe juu ya mdomo wa kisima lilikuwa kubwa.
3 Njalo yonke imihlambi yabuthelwa khona, sebeligiqile ilitshe lisuka emlonyeni womthombo banathisa izimvu, basebebuyisela ilitshe emlonyeni womthombo endaweni yalo.
Wakati makundi yote yangekusanyika pale, wachungaji wangevingirisha jiwe kutoka katika mdomo wa kisima na kuwanywesha kondoo, na kisha kurudisha jiwe juu ya mdomo wa kisima, mahali pake.
4 UJakobe wasesithi kibo: Bazalwane bami, livela ngaphi? Basebesithi: Sivela eHarani.
Yakobo akawambia, “Ndugu zangu, ninyi mnatokea wapi?” nao wakasema, “Tunatoka Harani.”
5 Wasesithi kibo: Liyamazi yini uLabani indodana kaNahori? Basebesithi: Siyamazi.
Akawambia, “Mnamfahamu Labani mwana wa Nahori?” Wakasema, “Tunamfahamu.”
6 Wasesithi kibo: Uyaphila yini? Basebesithi: Uphilile; khangela-ke, uRasheli indodakazi yakhe, uyeza lezimvu.
Akawambia, “Je hajambo?” Wakasema, “Hajambo, na, tazama pale, Raheli binti yake anakuja na kondoo.”
7 Wasesithi: Khangelani, kusesemini enkulu, kayisiso isikhathi sokuthi izifuyo zibuthaniswe; nathisani izimvu, lihambe lizidlise.
Yakobo akasema, “Tazama, ni mchana. Siyo wakati wa kukusanya kondoo pamoja. Mnapaswa kuwanywesha kondoo na kisha mkaenda na kuwaacha wachunge.”
8 Basebesithi: Singeke, kuze kubuthaniswe imihlambi yonke, bagiqe-ke ilitshe lisuke emlonyeni womthombo; khona sizanathisa izimvu.
Wakamwambia, “Hatuwezi kuwanywesha mpaka makundi yote yakusanyike pamoja. Ndipo wanaume watakapovingirisha jiwe kutoka mlangoni mwa kisima, na ndipo tutakapowanywesha kondoo.”
9 Esakhuluma labo, uRasheli wafika lezimvu, ezingezikayise, ngoba wayengumelusikazi.
Wakati bado Yakobo anaongea nao, Raheli akaja pamoja na kondoo wa babaye, kwani alikuwa akiwachunga.
10 Kwasekusithi uJakobe ebona uRasheli indodakazi kaLabani umalumakhe lezimvu zikaLabani umalumakhe, uJakobe wasondela, waligiqa ilitshe lasuka emlonyeni womthombo, wazinathisa izimvu zikaLabani umalumakhe.
Yakobo alipomwona Raheli, binti wa Labani, kaka wa mamaye, na kondoo wa Labani, kaka wa mama yake, Yakobo akaja juu, akalivingirisha jiwe kutoka mlangoni mwa kisima, na akawanywesha kondoo wa Labani, kaka wa mama yake.
11 UJakobe wasemanga uRasheli, waphakamisa ilizwi lakhe wakhala izinyembezi.
Yakobo akambusu Raheli na akalia kwa sauti.
12 UJakobe wasemazisa uRasheli ukuthi ungumfowabo kayise lokuthi uyindodana kaRebeka. Wasegijima, wamazisa uyise.
Yakobo akamwambia Raheli kwamba alikuwa ni ndugu wa baba yake, na kwamba alikuwa mwana wa Rebeka. Kisha yeye akakimbia kumwambia baba yake.
13 Kwasekusithi uLabani esezwile umbiko kaJakobe indodana kadadewabo, wagijima ukuyamhlangabeza, wamgona, wamanga, wamngenisa endlini yakhe. UJakobe waselandisela uLabani zonke lezizinto.
Labani aliposikia habari kuhusu Yakobo mwana wa dada yake, akaenda kukutana naye, akamkumbatia, akambusu, na kumleta nyumbani kwake. Yakobo akamwambia Labani mambo haya yote.
14 ULabani wasesithi kuye: Isibili ulithambo lami lenyama yami. Wahlala laye inyanga yonke.
Labani akamwambia, “Kwa hakika wewe ni mfupa wangu na nyama yangu.” Kisha Yakobo akakaa naye kama mwezi mmoja.
15 ULabani wasesithi kuJakobe: Njengoba ungumfowethu, usuzangisebenzela mahala yini? Ngitshela ukuthi umholo wakho uzakuba yini?
Kisha Labani akamwambia Yakobo, “Je unitumikie bure kwa kuwa wewe ni ndugu yangu? Niambie, ujira wako utakuwaje?
16 Njalo uLabani wayelamadodakazi amabili, ibizo lenkulu linguLeya lebizo lencinyane linguRasheli.
Basi Labani alikuwa na binti wawili. Jina la mkubwa lilikuwa ni Lea, na jina la mdogo lilikuwa Raheli.
17 Kodwa uLeya wayelamehlo abuthakathaka, kodwa uRasheli wayemuhle ngesimo, njalo wayemuhle ngokukhangeleka.
Macho ya Lea yalikuwa dhaifu, lakini Raheli alikuwa mzuri wa umbo na mwonekano.
18 UJakobe wasemthanda uRasheli. Wathi: Ngizakusebenzela iminyaka eyisikhombisa ngoRasheli indodakazi yakho encane.
Yakobo alimpenda Raheli, hivyo akasema, “Nitakutumikia miaka saba kwa ajili ya Raheli, binti yako mdogo.”
19 ULabani wasesithi: Kungcono ukuthi ngimnike wena kulokuthi ngimnike enye indoda; hlala lami.
Labani akasema, Itakuwa vema kukupa wewe, kuliko kumpa mtu mwingine. Kaa nami.”
20 UJakobe wasemsebenzela uRasheli iminyaka eyisikhombisa; yaba emehlweni akhe njengensuku ezinlutshwana, ngenxa yokumthanda kwakhe.
Hivyo Yakobo akamtumikia kwa miaka saba kwa ajili ya Raheli; nayo ilionekana kwake kama siku chache tu, kwa ajili ya upendo aliokuwa nao kwake.
21 UJakobe wasesithi kuLabani: Ngipha umkami, ngoba insuku zami sezigcwalisekile, ukuthi ngingene kuye.
Kisha Yakobo akamwambia Labani, “Nipe mke wangu, kwani siku zangu zimetimia - ili kwamba nimwoe!
22 ULabani wasebuthanisa wonke amadoda aleyondawo, wenza idili.
Hivyo Labani akawaalika watu wa mahali hapo na kuandaa sherehe.
23 Kwasekusithi kusihlwa wathatha uLeya indodakazi yakhe wamusa kuye, wasengena kuye.
Wakati wa jioni, Labani akamchukua Lea binti yake mkubwa na kumleta kwa Yakobo, aliyelala naye.
24 ULabani wasemnika uZilipa incekukazi yakhe, kuLeya indodakazi yakhe, abe yincekukazi.
Labani akampa mtumishi wake wakike Zilpa kuwa mjakazi wa Lea.
25 Kwasekusithi ekuseni, khangela-ke, nguLeya; ngakho wathi kuLabani: Kuyini lokhu okwenze kimi? Kangimsebenzelanga uRasheli kuwe yini? Pho, ungikhohliseleni?
Ilipofika asubuhi, tazama, kumbe ni Lea! Yakobo akamwambia Labani, “Ni nini hiki ulichonifanyia? Je sikukutumikia kwa ajili ya Raheli? Kwa nini basi umenihadaa?
26 ULabani wasesithi: Kakwenziwa njalo endaweni yakithi ukupha omncinyane ngaphambi kwengqabutho.
Labani akamwambia, “Siyo utamaduni wetu kumtoa bindi mdogo kabla ya mzaliwa wa kwanza.
27 Gcwalisa iviki yalo, besesikunika lalowayana, ngomsebenzi ozawusebenza lami futhi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
Timiza juma la bibi arusi, na tutakupa yule mwingine pia kwa mbadala wa kunitumikia miaka mingine saba.”
28 UJakobe wasesenza njalo; wagcwalisa iviki yalo; wasemnika uRasheli indodakazi yakhe ukuba ngumkakhe.
Yakobo akafanya hivyo, na akatimiza juma la Lea. Kisha Labani akampa Raheli binti yake kuwa mke wake.
29 ULabani wasenika uRasheli indodakazi yakhe uBiliha incekukazi yakhe, abe yincekukazi kuye.
Lakini pia Labani akampa Raheli binti yake Bilha, kuwa mjakazi wake.
30 Wasengena lakuRasheli; wamthanda njalo uRasheli kuloLeya, wasesebenza laye futhi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
Hivyo Yakobo akalala na Raheli, pia, lakini akampenda Raheli zaidi ya Lea. Hivyo Yakobo akamtumikia Labani kwa miaka saba mingine.
31 Lapho iNkosi isibona ukuthi uLeya wayezondwa, yavula isizalo sakhe, kodwa uRasheli wayeyinyumba.
Yahwe akaona kwamba Lea hakupendwa, hivyo akalifungua tumbo lake, lakini Raheli hakuwa na mtoto.
32 ULeya wasethatha isisu, wazala indodana, wayitha ibizo layo uRubeni, ngoba wathi: Ngoba iNkosi ibonile inhlupheko yami; ngakho khathesi indoda yami izangithanda.
Lea akashika mimba na kuzaa mwana, naye akamwita Rubeni. Kwani alisema, “Kwa sababu Yahwe ameliangalia teso langu; bila shaka mme wangu sasa atanipenda.”
33 Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana, wathi: Njengoba iNkosi izwile ukuthi ngiyazondwa, inginike lale; wayitha ibizo layo uSimeyoni.
Kisha akashika mimba tena na kuzaa mwana. Akasema, “Kwa sababu Yahwe amesikia kwamba sipendwi, kwa hiyo amenipa mwana mwingine,” na akamwita Simoni.
34 Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana; wathi: Khathesi ngalesisikhathi indoda yami izazihlanganisa lami, ngoba ngiyizalele amadodana amathathu; ngalokhu wabiza ibizo layo uLevi.
Kisha akashika mimba tena na kuzaa mwana. Akasema, “Wakati huu mme wangu ataungana nami, kwa kuwa nimemzalia wana watatu.” Kwa hiyo akaitwa Lawi.
35 Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana; wathi: Ngalesisikhathi ngizadumisa iNkosi; ngakho wayitha ibizo layo uJuda; wasesima ukuzala.
Akashika mimba tena na kuzaa mwana. Akasema, “Wakati huu nitamsifu Yahwe.” Kwa hiyo akamwita jina lake Yuda; kisha akaacha kuzaa watoto.
