UGenesisi 31
1 Wasesizwa amazwi amadodana kaLabani esithi: UJakobe uthethe konke okukababa; langalokho okwakungokukababa wenza lonke loludumo.
Jacob found out that Laban's sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. All the wealth he has actually came from our father.”
2 UJakobe wasebona ubuso bukaLabani, futhi khangela, babunganjengamandulo kuye.
Jacob also noticed that Laban was treating him differently to the way he had before.
3 INkosi yasisithi kuJakobe: Buyela elizweni laboyihlo lezihlotsheni zakho; njalo ngizakuba lawe.
The Lord told Jacob, “Go back to the country of your forefathers, to your family home. I will be with you.”
4 UJakobe wasethuma wababiza oRasheli loLeya emadlelweni emhlanjini wakhe,
Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah, telling them to come and meet him out in the fields where he was with his flock.
5 wathi kibo: Ngiyabona ubuso bukayihlo ukuthi kabunjengamandulo kimi; kodwa uNkulunkulu kababa ube lami.
“I've noticed that your father is treating me differently to the way he did before,” he told them. “But the God of my father will be with me.
6 Futhi lina liyazi ukuthi ngamandla ami wonke ngimsebenzele uyihlo.
You both know very well how hard I worked for your father.
7 Kodwa uyihlo ungikhohlisile, waphendula iholo lami okwezikhathi ezilitshumi, kanti uNkulunkulu kamvumelanga ukwenza okubi kimi.
But he's been cheating me—he's reduced my wages ten times! However, God hasn't let him hurt me.
8 Kwathi esitsho njalo: Ezilamabala zizakuba liholo lakho, khona umhlambi wonke wazala ezilamabala. Kwathi esitsho njalo: Ezingamaqamule zizakuba liholo lakho, khona umhlambi wonke wazala ezingamaqamule.
If he said, ‘You can have the speckled ones as your wages,’ then the whole flock had speckled young. If he said, ‘You can have the streaked ones as your wages,’ then the whole flock had streaked young.
9 Ngokunjalo uNkulunkulu uthethe izifuyo zikayihlo, wanginika.
This is how God took your father's livestock and gave them to me.
10 Kwasekusithi, ngesikhathi umhlambi umitha, ngaphakamisa amehlo ami ngabona ephutsheni, khangela-ke, izimpongo ezikhwela umhlambi zazingamaqamule, zilamabala, lezizinala.
During the time the flock was breeding I had a dream where I saw that the male goats mating with the flock were all streaked, speckled, or spotted.
11 Ingilosi kaNkulunkulu yasisithi kimi ephutsheni: Jakobe! Ngathi: Khangela ngilapha.
Then in the dream the angel of the Lord spoke to me and said, ‘Jacob!’ I replied, ‘I'm here.’
12 Yasisithi: Ake uphakamise amehlo akho ubone, zonke impongo ezikhwela umhlambi zingamaqamule, zilamabala lezizinala; ngoba ngibonile konke uLabani akwenze kuwe.
He told me, ‘Take a look and you'll see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I've been watching everything that Laban has been doing to you.
13 NginguNkulunkulu weBhetheli lapho owagcoba khona insika, owathembisa khona isithembiso kimi. Khathesi, vuka, uphume kulelilizwe, ubuyele elizweni lokuzalwa kwakho.
I am the God of Bethel, where you poured olive oil on the stone pillar and made a solemn promise to me. Now get ready to leave this land and go back to your homeland.’”
14 ORasheli loLeya baphendula bathi kuye: Siselesabelo lelifa endlini kababa yini?
“There's nothing for us to inherit from our father's estate anyway,” Rachel and Leah replied.
15 Kasibalwa njengabezizwe kuye yini? Ngoba wasithengisa, futhi wadla lokudla imali yethu.
“He treats us like foreigners because he sold us to you, and now he's spent all that money.
16 Ngoba inotho yonke uNkulunkulu ayemuke ubaba ingeyethu leyabantwana bethu; khathesi-ke, konke uNkulunkulu akutsho kuwe, kwenze.
All the wealth that God has taken from him belongs to us and our children, so do whatever God has told you to do!”
17 UJakobe wasesukuma, wakhweza amadodana akhe labomkakhe emakameleni;
So Jacob got ready. He helped his children and his wives onto the camels,
18 waqhuba izifuyo zakhe zonke, layo impahla yakhe yonke abeyizuzile, izifuyo zenzuzo yakhe, ayezizuze ePadani-Arama, ukuze aye kuIsaka uyise elizweni leKhanani.
and drove all his livestock in front of him. He took with him all his possessions and livestock he'd gained during his time in Paddan-aram, and left to go back to his father in the country of Canaan.
19 Njalo uLabani esehambile ukuyagunda izimvu zakhe, uRasheli weba izithombe uyise ayelazo.
While Laban was away from home shearing his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father.
20 UJakobe wasuka enyenya engananzelelwe kuLabani umSiriya, ngoba kamazisanga ukuthi uyabaleka.
Jacob also deceived Laban the Aramean by not informing him that he was going to run away.
21 Wasebaleka, yena lakho konke ayelakho, wasukuma, wachapha umfula, wakhangelisa ubuso bakhe entabeni yeGileyadi.
So Jacob left in a hurry with everything he had, crossed the Euphrates River, and headed towards the hill country of Gilead.
22 Kwasekusaziswa uLabani ngosuku lwesithathu ukuthi uJakobe ubalekile.
Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had run away.
23 Wasethatha abafowabo kanye laye, waxotshana laye ibanga lensuku eziyisikhombisa, wamfica entabeni yeGileyadi.
Taking some of his relatives with him, he chased after Jacob and caught up with him seven days later in the hill country of Gilead.
24 UNkulunkulu wasesiza kuLabani umSiriya ephutsheni lebusuku, wathi kuye: Ziqaphele, hlezi ukhulume loJakobe okuhle kumbe okubi.
But during the night God came to Laban in a dream and told him, “Watch what you say to Jacob. Don't try to persuade him to come back, and don't threaten him either.”
25 ULabani wasemfica uJakobe. Njalo uJakobe wayemise ithente lakhe entabeni; uLabani laye kanye labafowabo bamisa entabeni yeGileyadi.
Jacob had set up his tents in the hill country of Gilead when Laban caught up with him, so Laban and his relatives did the same.
26 ULabani wasesithi kuJakobe: Wenzeni, ukuthi usuke unyenye ngingananzelele, uthathe amadodakazi ami ngamandla njengabathunjiweyo ngenkemba?
“Why did you deceive me like this?” Laban asked Jacob. “You carried off my daughters as if they were some prisoners captured by the sword!
27 Ubalekeleni ngasese, unginyenyela, ungangazisanga, ukuthi ngabe ngikuvalelise ngokuthokoza langengoma, ngesigubhu langechacho?
Why did you run away in secret, trying to trick me? Why didn't you come and tell me? I would have given you a good send-off, a celebration with singing and the music of tambourines and lyres.
28 Njalo kawungivumelanga ukuthi ngange amadodana ami lamadodakazi ami. Khathesi wenze ubuthutha ngokwenza lokho.
You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye! You've really acted stupidly!
29 Kusemandleni esandla sami ukwenza okubi kini; kodwa uNkulunkulu kayihlo ukhulumile kimi ebusuku obudlulileyo wathi: Ziqaphele ukuthi ungakhulumi loJakobe okuhle kumbe okubi.
I could really punish you badly, but the God of your father spoke to me last night and told me, ‘Watch what you say to Jacob. Don't try to persuade him to come back, and don't threaten him either.’
30 Khathesi-ke, ukuhamba uhambile, ngoba ngokukhanuka ukhanukile indlu kayihlo; webeleni onkulunkulu bami?
Clearly you wanted to leave and go back to your family home, but why did you have to steal my idols?”
31 UJakobe wasephendula wathi kuLabani: Ngoba ngesaba, ngoba wathi: Hlezi ungihluthunele amadodakazi akho.
“I ran away because I was afraid,” Jacob explained to Laban. “I was worried that you would take your daughters from me by force.
32 Lowo ozathola kuye onkulunkulu bakho kangaphili; phambi kwabafowethu zinanzelelele okungokwakho okukimi, uzithathele. Ngoba uJakobe wayengazi ukuthi uRasheli wayebebile.
As for your idols, anyone you find who has them will die. You can search everything in the presence of our relatives, and if you find I have anything that belongs to you, you can take it.” (Jacob didn't know that Rachel had stolen the household idols.)
33 ULabani wasengena ethenteni likaJakobe lethenteni likaLeya, lethenteni lezincekukazi ezimbili, kodwa katholanga. Waphuma ethenteni likaLeya, wangena ethenteni likaRasheli.
Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, and the two personal maids, but didn't find anything. He left Leah's tent and went into Rachel's tent.
34 Kodwa uRasheli wayethethe izithombe, wazifaka esikhwameni sesihlalo sekamela, wahlala phezu kwazo. ULabani waphumputha ithente lonke kodwa katholanga.
Rachel had put the household idols in a camel's saddlebag and was sitting on it. Laban carefully searched the whole tent but couldn't find them.
35 Wasesithi kuyise: Kalungavuthi ulaka emehlweni enkosi yami ukuthi ngingesukume phambi kwakho, ngoba indlela yabesifazana ikimi. Wabhudula, kodwa kazitholanga izithombe.
She said to her father, “Sir, please don't get upset with me for not standing up in your presence, but I have my period.” He looked everywhere but didn't find the idols.
36 UJakobe wasethukuthela, waphikisana loLabani; uJakobe waphendula wathi kuLabani: Isiphambeko sami siyini, isono sami siyini, ukuthi ungixotshe ngokutshiseka?
Jacob got angry with Laban and confronted him, saying, “What crime am I guilty of? What wrong have I done to you that you've come hunting me down?
37 Njengoba usubambabambe kuyo impahla yami yonke, utholeni okwayo impahla yonke yendlu yakho? Ibeke lapha phambi kwabafowethu labafowenu ukuze baqume phakathi kwethu sobabili.
You've searched through all my possessions. Did you find anything belonging to you? If you did, bring it out here before my relatives and yours so they can decide who's right!
38 Iminyaka le engamatshumi amabili ngangilawe; izimvukazi zakho lezibhuzikazi zakho kaziphunzanga, lezinqama zemihlambi yakho kangizidlanga.
I've worked for you for these past twenty years. During that time none of your sheep and goats miscarried, and I haven't eaten a single ram from your flock.
39 Ezadatshulwayo kangizilethanga kuwe, mina ngazihlawula; esandleni sami wazibiza, zebiwe emini loba zebiwe ebusuku.
If any of them were killed by wild animals, I never even brought you the carcass to prove the loss—I bore the loss myself. But you on the other hand always made me compensate you for any animals that were stolen, whether at night or in broad daylight.
40 Nganginjalo emini imbalela yangidla, lamakhaza ebusuku, ubuthongo babaleka emehlweni ami.
Whether it was sweating in the heat of the day, or freezing in the cold of the night when I couldn't sleep, I went on working for you for twenty years in your home.
41 Iminyaka le engamatshumi amabili bengisemzini wakho, ngakusebenzela okweminyaka elitshumi lane ngenxa yamadodakazi akho amabili, leminyaka eyisithupha ngenxa yomhlambi wakho; njalo waphendula iholo lami okwezikhathi ezilitshumi.
I worked fourteen years for your two daughters, and six more years with your flocks. You reduced my wages ten times!
42 Ngaphandle kokuthi uNkulunkulu kababa, uNkulunkulu kaAbrahama lokwesaba kukaIsaka ubengelami, isibili khathesi ubuzangixotsha ngize. Inhlupheko zami lomtshikatshika wezandla zami uNkulunkulu ubonile, wakusola izolo ebusuku.
If it weren't for the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the awesome God of Isaac, who took care of me, you would have dismissed me with nothing. But God saw my suffering, how hard I worked, and he condemned you last night.”
43 ULabani wasephendula wathi kuJakobe: Amadodakazi angamadodakazi ami, lamadodana angamadodana ami, lomhlambi ngumhlambi wami, lakho konke okubonayo kungokwami; lemadodakazini ami ngizakwenzani kuwo lamuhla, loba kubantwana bawo abawazeleyo?
Laban replied, “These are my daughters and these are my children and these are my flocks! In fact, everything you see here is mine! However, what can I do now about my daughters and their children?
44 Khathesi-ke, woza, asenze isivumelwano, mina lawe, njalo sibe yibufakazi phakathi kwami lawe.
So let's make a solemn agreement between you and I, and it will be a witness to our mutual commitment.”
45 UJakobe wasethatha ilitshe, walimisa laba yinsika.
Jacob took a stone and set it upright as a pillar.
46 UJakobe wasesithi kubafowabo: Buthani amatshe. Basebethatha amatshe, benza inqumbi; badla khona phezu kwenqumbi.
Then he told his relatives, “Go and collect some stones.” They all made a pile of stones and then sat beside it to eat a meal.
47 ULabani waseyibiza ngokuthi yiJegari-Sahadutha, kodwa uJakobe wayibiza ngokuthi yiGaledi.
Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, while Jacob called it Galeed.
48 ULabani wasesithi: Linqwaba iyibufakazi phakathi kwami lawe lamuhla. Ngakho bayitha ibizo layo iGaledi,
Laban announced, “This pile of stone serves as a witness between me and you.” This is why it was called Galeed.
49 leMizipa, ngoba wathi: INkosi kayilinde phakathi kwami lawe, lapho singabonani omunye lomunye.
It was also called Mizpah, for as Laban said, “May the Lord keep a close eye on both of us when we're not together.
50 Uba uhlupha amadodakazi ami, njalo uba uthatha abafazi phezu kwamadodakazi ami, kakulamuntu olathi, bona, uNkulunkulu ungumfakazi phakathi kwami lawe.
If you treat my daughters badly or marry more wives in addition to them, God will see what you do even if no one else finds out!”
51 ULabani wasesithi kuJakobe: Khangela linqwaba, khangela-ke lensika engiyiphosileyo phakathi kwami lawe.
Then Laban told Jacob, “Look at this pile of stones and this pillar that I have set up as a memorial of the agreement between you and me.
52 Linqwaba kayibe yibufakazi, lensika kayibe yibufakazi, bokuthi mina kangiyikuyidlula linqwaba ngiye kuwe, lawe kawuyikuyidlula linqwaba lalinsika uze kimi ngokubi.
They also act as a witness to our solemn promises to each other: I will not come past them to attack you; and you will not come past them to attack me.
53 UNkulunkulu kaAbrahama loNkulunkulu kaNahori, kahlulele phakathi kwethu, uNkulunkulu kayise wabo. UJakobe wasefunga ngokwesaba kayise uIsaka.
May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor—the God of our forefathers—be the one to judge between us in any dispute.” Jacob in turn made his solemn promise in the name of the awesome God of his father Isaac.
54 UJakobe wasehlaba umhlatshelo entabeni, wabiza abafowabo ukuthi badle isinkwa; basebesidla isinkwa, balala entabeni.
Then he offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited all his relatives to eat a meal there. They spent the night on the mountain.
55 ULabani wasevuka ekuseni kakhulu, wanga amadodana akhe lamadodakazi akhe, wawabusisa; uLabani wasehamba wabuyela endaweni yakhe.
Laban got up early in the morning and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters goodbye. He blessed them, and then left to go back home.
