UGenesisi 31

1 Wasesizwa amazwi amadodana kaLabani esithi: UJakobe uthethe konke okukababa; langalokho okwakungokukababa wenza lonke loludumo.

Then heard he the words of the sons of Laban, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that belonged to our father; Yea out of what belonged to our father, hath he made all this wealth.

2 UJakobe wasebona ubuso bukaLabani, futhi khangela, babunganjengamandulo kuye.

And Jacob looked upon the face of Laban, —and lo! it was not with him as afore-time.

3 INkosi yasisithi kuJakobe: Buyela elizweni laboyihlo lezihlotsheni zakho; njalo ngizakuba lawe.

Then said Yahweh unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers and to thy kindred, —that I may be with thee.

4 UJakobe wasethuma wababiza oRasheli loLeya emadlelweni emhlanjini wakhe,

So Jacob sent, and called for Rachel and for Leah, to the field unto his flock;

5 wathi kibo: Ngiyabona ubuso bukayihlo ukuthi kabunjengamandulo kimi; kodwa uNkulunkulu kababa ube lami.

and said to them, Beholding, am I the face of your father, that it is not towards me as aforetime, —nevertheless, the God of my father, hath been with me;

6 Futhi lina liyazi ukuthi ngamandla ami wonke ngimsebenzele uyihlo.

and, ye, know that with all my vigour, have I served your father.

7 Kodwa uyihlo ungikhohlisile, waphendula iholo lami okwezikhathi ezilitshumi, kanti uNkulunkulu kamvumelanga ukwenza okubi kimi.

But, your father, hath deceived me, and hath changed my wages ten times, —yet God hath not suffered him to deal harmfully with 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 thus he saith, The speckled, shall be thy wages, then do all the flock bring forth speckled, —But if thus he saith, The ring-straked, shall be thy wages, then do all the flock bring forth ring-straked.

9 Ngokunjalo uNkulunkulu uthethe izifuyo zikayihlo, wanginika.

So hath God stripped away the herds of your father, and given them to me.

10 Kwasekusithi, ngesikhathi umhlambi umitha, ngaphakamisa amehlo ami ngabona ephutsheni, khangela-ke, izimpongo ezikhwela umhlambi zazingamaqamule, zilamabala, lezizinala.

And it came to pass in the season when the flock were in heat, then lifted I mine eyes and beheld in a dream, —and lo! the he-goats that were leaping upon the flock, were ring-straked speckled and dappled.

11 Ingilosi kaNkulunkulu yasisithi kimi ephutsheni: Jakobe! Ngathi: Khangela ngilapha.

And the messenger of God said unto me in a dream, Jacob! and I said, Behold me!

12 Yasisithi: Ake uphakamise amehlo akho ubone, zonke impongo ezikhwela umhlambi zingamaqamule, zilamabala lezizinala; ngoba ngibonile konke uLabani akwenze kuwe.

Then he said Lift, I pray thee, thine eyes and behold All, the he-goats that are leaping upon the flock are ring-straked, speckled, and dappled, —for I have seen all that Laban, has been doing to thee.

13 NginguNkulunkulu weBhetheli lapho owagcoba khona insika, owathembisa khona isithembiso kimi. Khathesi, vuka, uphume kulelilizwe, ubuyele elizweni lokuzalwa kwakho.

I, am the GOD of Beth-el, where thou didst anoint a pillar, where thou didst vow to me a vow, —Now, rise, go forth out of this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

14 ORasheli loLeya baphendula bathi kuye: Siselesabelo lelifa endlini kababa yini?

Then responded Rachel and Leah, and said to him, —Have we any longer a portion or an inheritance in the house of our father?

15 Kasibalwa njengabezizwe kuye yini? Ngoba wasithengisa, futhi wadla lokudla imali yethu.

Are we not accounted, aliens, to him seeing that having sold us, he hath then gone on devouring, our silver?

16 Ngoba inotho yonke uNkulunkulu ayemuke ubaba ingeyethu leyabantwana bethu; khathesi-ke, konke uNkulunkulu akutsho kuwe, kwenze.

Surely all the riches which God hath stripped off from our father, unto us, it belongeth, and unto our sons, —Now, therefore, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

17 UJakobe wasesukuma, wakhweza amadodana akhe labomkakhe emakameleni;

So Jacob arose, —and mounted his sons and his wives on 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 drave away all his herds and all his goods which he had gathered, the gains he had gained, which he had gathered in Padan-aram; that he might go in unto Isaac his father unto the land of Canaan.

19 Njalo uLabani esehambile ukuyagunda izimvu zakhe, uRasheli weba izithombe uyise ayelazo.

Now, Laban, had gone, to shear his sheep, —so Rachel stole the household gods that belonged to her father,

20 UJakobe wasuka enyenya engananzelelwe kuLabani umSiriya, ngoba kamazisanga ukuthi uyabaleka.

Thus Jacob stole away unawares to Laban, the Syrian, —in that he had not told him that he was about to flee.

21 Wasebaleka, yena lakho konke ayelakho, wasukuma, wachapha umfula, wakhangelisa ubuso bakhe entabeni yeGileyadi.

So he fled, he—and all that he had, and he arose, and passed over the River, —and set his face towards the mountain of Gilead.

22 Kwasekusaziswa uLabani ngosuku lwesithathu ukuthi uJakobe ubalekile.

And it was told Laban, on the third day, —that Jacob had fled.

23 Wasethatha abafowabo kanye laye, waxotshana laye ibanga lensuku eziyisikhombisa, wamfica entabeni yeGileyadi.

So he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him a journey of seven days—and overtook him in the mountain of Gilead.

24 UNkulunkulu wasesiza kuLabani umSiriya ephutsheni lebusuku, wathi kuye: Ziqaphele, hlezi ukhulume loJakobe okuhle kumbe okubi.

And God went in unto Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, —and said to him Take heed to thyself that thou speak not with Jacob either good or bad.

25 ULabani wasemfica uJakobe. Njalo uJakobe wayemise ithente lakhe entabeni; uLabani laye kanye labafowabo bamisa entabeni yeGileyadi.

So then Laban came up with Jacob, —Jacob, having pitched his tent in the mountain, Laban, also, with his brethren pitched in the mountain of Gilead.

26 ULabani wasesithi kuJakobe: Wenzeni, ukuthi usuke unyenye ngingananzelele, uthathe amadodakazi ami ngamandla njengabathunjiweyo ngenkemba?

Then said Laban to Jacob, What hadst thou done, that thou shouldst steal away unawares to me, —and shouldst carry off my daughters, as captives of the sword?

27 Ubalekeleni ngasese, unginyenyela, ungangazisanga, ukuthi ngabe ngikuvalelise ngokuthokoza langengoma, ngesigubhu langechacho?

Wherefore didst thou secretly flee, and rob me, —and didst not tell me, that I might send thee away with rejoicing and with songs, with timbrel and with lyre;

28 Njalo kawungivumelanga ukuthi ngange amadodana ami lamadodakazi ami. Khathesi wenze ubuthutha ngokwenza lokho.

and didst not suffer me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now, hast thou done, foolishly.

29 Kusemandleni esandla sami ukwenza okubi kini; kodwa uNkulunkulu kayihlo ukhulumile kimi ebusuku obudlulileyo wathi: Ziqaphele ukuthi ungakhulumi loJakobe okuhle kumbe okubi.

It is in the power of my hand, to deal with thee for harm, —but the God of your father, last night, spake unto me, saying, Take heed to thyself that thou speak not with Jacob, either good or bad.

30 Khathesi-ke, ukuhamba uhambile, ngoba ngokukhanuka ukhanukile indlu kayihlo; webeleni onkulunkulu bami?

But, now, though thou, didst even take thy journey, because thou, didst sorely long, for the house of thy father, wherefore didst thou steal away my gods?

31 UJakobe wasephendula wathi kuLabani: Ngoba ngesaba, ngoba wathi: Hlezi ungihluthunele amadodakazi akho.

And Jacob answered and said unto Laban, —Because I was afraid, for I said, Lest thou take by force thy daughters from me!

32 Lowo ozathola kuye onkulunkulu bakho kangaphili; phambi kwabafowethu zinanzelelele okungokwakho okukimi, uzithathele. Ngoba uJakobe wayengazi ukuthi uRasheli wayebebile.

He with whom thou find thy gods, shall not live! Before our brethren, note thou for thyself what is with me and take what is thine. Neither did Jacob know that, Rachel, had stolen them.

33 ULabani wasengena ethenteni likaJakobe lethenteni likaLeya, lethenteni lezincekukazi ezimbili, kodwa katholanga. Waphuma ethenteni likaLeya, wangena ethenteni likaRasheli.

Then entered Laban into the tent of Jacob and into the tent of Leah and into the tent of the two handmaids, and found nothing, —then went he forth out of the tent of Leah, and entered into the tent of Rachel.

34 Kodwa uRasheli wayethethe izithombe, wazifaka esikhwameni sesihlalo sekamela, wahlala phezu kwazo. ULabani waphumputha ithente lonke kodwa katholanga.

Now Rachel, had taken the household gods and put them in the basket-saddle of the camel, and taken her seat upon them. And Laban felt about throughout all the tent, and found them not.

35 Wasesithi kuyise: Kalungavuthi ulaka emehlweni enkosi yami ukuthi ngingesukume phambi kwakho, ngoba indlela yabesifazana ikimi. Wabhudula, kodwa kazitholanga izithombe.

And she said unto her father, Let it not be vexing in the eyes of my lord that I cannot rise up at thy presence, for, the way of women, is upon me. So he made search, but found not the household gods,

36 UJakobe wasethukuthela, waphikisana loLabani; uJakobe waphendula wathi kuLabani: Isiphambeko sami siyini, isono sami siyini, ukuthi ungixotshe ngokutshiseka?

And it was vexing to Jacob and he contended with Laban, —and Jacob responded and said to Laban, What was my trespass, what my sin, that thou shouldst have come burning after me?

37 Njengoba usubambabambe kuyo impahla yami yonke, utholeni okwayo impahla yonke yendlu yakho? Ibeke lapha phambi kwabafowethu labafowenu ukuze baqume phakathi kwethu sobabili.

Now that thou hast felt about among all my goods, what hast thou found of the goods of thine own house? Set it out here, right before my brethren and thy brethren, —that they may give sentence betwixt us two.

38 Iminyaka le engamatshumi amabili ngangilawe; izimvukazi zakho lezibhuzikazi zakho kaziphunzanga, lezinqama zemihlambi yakho kangizidlanga.

This twenty years’ time, have, I, been with thee—Thy ewes and thy she-goats, have not cast their young, —And the rams of thy flock, have I not eaten,

39 Ezadatshulwayo kangizilethanga kuwe, mina ngazihlawula; esandleni sami wazibiza, zebiwe emini loba zebiwe ebusuku.

The torn, have I not brought in unto thee—I bare the loss, At my hand, didst thou require it, —Stolen by day, or stolen by night.

40 Nganginjalo emini imbalela yangidla, lamakhaza ebusuku, ubuthongo babaleka emehlweni ami.

Thus have I been—By day, drought hath consumed me, And, frost, by, night, —So that my sleep fled away from mine eyes.

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.

This, hath been my lot twenty years in thy house, —I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, And six years for thy sheep—And thou didst change 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.

But that the God of my father—The God of Abraham, and the Dread of Isaac—Proved to be mine, Surely even now, empty, hadst thou let me go? My humiliation and the wearying toil of my hands, God had seen, And therefore gave sentence 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?

Then responded Laban and said unto Jacob—the daughters, are my daughters, And the sons, are my sons, And the sheep are my sheep, And, all that, thou, beholdest, To me doth it belong! But to my daughters, what can I do to these this day, Or to their sons whom they have borne?

44 Khathesi-ke, woza, asenze isivumelwano, mina lawe, njalo sibe yibufakazi phakathi kwami lawe.

Now, therefore, come on! Let us solemnise a covenant, I and thou, —So shall it be a witness betwixt me and thee.

45 UJakobe wasethatha ilitshe, walimisa laba yinsika.

So Jacob took a stone, —and set it up as a pillar.

46 UJakobe wasesithi kubafowabo: Buthani amatshe. Basebethatha amatshe, benza inqumbi; badla khona phezu kwenqumbi.

Then said Jacob to his brethren—Gather stones. And they took stones and made a heap, —and they did eat there, by the heap.

47 ULabani waseyibiza ngokuthi yiJegari-Sahadutha, kodwa uJakobe wayibiza ngokuthi yiGaledi.

And Laban called it, Jegar-sahadutha, —but, Jacob, called it, Galeed.

48 ULabani wasesithi: Linqwaba iyibufakazi phakathi kwami lawe lamuhla. Ngakho bayitha ibizo layo iGaledi,

Then said Laban: This heap, be witness betwixt me, and thee, to-day. For this cause, is the name thereof called Galeed;

49 leMizipa, ngoba wathi: INkosi kayilinde phakathi kwami lawe, lapho singabonani omunye lomunye.

also, The Watch Tower, as to which it is said, Yahweh watch betwixt me and thee, when we are parted one from another.

50 Uba uhlupha amadodakazi ami, njalo uba uthatha abafazi phezu kwamadodakazi ami, kakulamuntu olathi, bona, uNkulunkulu ungumfakazi phakathi kwami lawe.

If thou oppress my daughters, or if thou take wives besides my daughters, —there may be no man with us—see! God, be witness betwixt me, and thee!

51 ULabani wasesithi kuJakobe: Khangela linqwaba, khangela-ke lensika engiyiphosileyo phakathi kwami lawe.

And Laban said to Jacob—Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have set betwixt me, and thee:

52 Linqwaba kayibe yibufakazi, lensika kayibe yibufakazi, bokuthi mina kangiyikuyidlula linqwaba ngiye kuwe, lawe kawuyikuyidlula linqwaba lalinsika uze kimi ngokubi.

A witness, be this heap, and, a witness, the pillar, —That, I, am not to pass, unto thee, over this heap, And, thou, art not to pass, unto me, over this heap and this pillar for harm.

53 UNkulunkulu kaAbrahama loNkulunkulu kaNahori, kahlulele phakathi kwethu, uNkulunkulu kayise wabo. UJakobe wasefunga ngokwesaba kayise uIsaka.

The Gods of Abraham and the Gods of Nahor judge betwixt us—the Gods of their fathers. And Jacob sware by the Dread of his father Isaac:

54 UJakobe wasehlaba umhlatshelo entabeni, wabiza abafowabo ukuthi badle isinkwa; basebesidla isinkwa, balala entabeni.

and Jacob offered sacrifice in the mountain, and called on his brethren to eat bread. So they did eat bread, and tarried the night in the mountain.

55 ULabani wasevuka ekuseni kakhulu, wanga amadodana akhe lamadodakazi akhe, wawabusisa; uLabani wasehamba wabuyela endaweni yakhe.

And Laban rose up early in the morning, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban went his way and returned to his place.