UGenesisi 31
1 Wasesizwa amazwi amadodana kaLabani esithi: UJakobe uthethe konke okukababa; langalokho okwakungokukababa wenza lonke loludumo.
Jacob heard Laban’s sons’ words, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s. He has obtained all this wealth from that which was our father’s.”
2 UJakobe wasebona ubuso bukaLabani, futhi khangela, babunganjengamandulo kuye.
Jacob saw the expression on Laban’s face, and, behold, it was not towards him as before.
3 INkosi yasisithi kuJakobe: Buyela elizweni laboyihlo lezihlotsheni zakho; njalo ngizakuba lawe.
The LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
4 UJakobe wasethuma wababiza oRasheli loLeya emadlelweni emhlanjini wakhe,
Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock,
5 wathi kibo: Ngiyabona ubuso bukayihlo ukuthi kabunjengamandulo kimi; kodwa uNkulunkulu kababa ube lami.
and said to them, “I see the expression on your father’s face, that it is not towards me as before; but the God of my father has been with me.
6 Futhi lina liyazi ukuthi ngamandla ami wonke ngimsebenzele uyihlo.
You know that I have served your father with all of my strength.
7 Kodwa uyihlo ungikhohlisile, waphendula iholo lami okwezikhathi ezilitshumi, kanti uNkulunkulu kamvumelanga ukwenza okubi kimi.
Your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God didn’t allow him to 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, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore speckled. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore streaked.
9 Ngokunjalo uNkulunkulu uthethe izifuyo zikayihlo, wanginika.
Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock, and given them to me.
10 Kwasekusithi, ngesikhathi umhlambi umitha, ngaphakamisa amehlo ami ngabona ephutsheni, khangela-ke, izimpongo ezikhwela umhlambi zazingamaqamule, zilamabala, lezizinala.
During mating season, I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which leapt on the flock were streaked, speckled, and grizzled.
11 Ingilosi kaNkulunkulu yasisithi kimi ephutsheni: Jakobe! Ngathi: Khangela ngilapha.
The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’
12 Yasisithi: Ake uphakamise amehlo akho ubone, zonke impongo ezikhwela umhlambi zingamaqamule, zilamabala lezizinala; ngoba ngibonile konke uLabani akwenze kuwe.
He said, ‘Now lift up your eyes, and behold, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled, for I have seen all that Laban does 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 anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return to the land of your birth.’”
14 ORasheli loLeya baphendula bathi kuye: Siselesabelo lelifa endlini kababa yini?
Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?
15 Kasibalwa njengabezizwe kuye yini? Ngoba wasithengisa, futhi wadla lokudla imali yethu.
Aren’t we considered as foreigners by him? For he has sold us, and has also used up our money.
16 Ngoba inotho yonke uNkulunkulu ayemuke ubaba ingeyethu leyabantwana bethu; khathesi-ke, konke uNkulunkulu akutsho kuwe, kwenze.
For all the riches which God has taken away from our father are ours and our children’s. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”
17 UJakobe wasesukuma, wakhweza amadodana akhe labomkakhe emakameleni;
Then Jacob rose up, and set 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 he took away all his livestock, and all his possessions which he had gathered, including the livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram, to go to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan.
19 Njalo uLabani esehambile ukuyagunda izimvu zakhe, uRasheli weba izithombe uyise ayelazo.
Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep; and Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father’s.
20 UJakobe wasuka enyenya engananzelelwe kuLabani umSiriya, ngoba kamazisanga ukuthi uyabaleka.
Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, in that he didn’t tell him that he was running away.
21 Wasebaleka, yena lakho konke ayelakho, wasukuma, wachapha umfula, wakhangelisa ubuso bakhe entabeni yeGileyadi.
So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, passed over the River, and set his face towards the mountain of Gilead.
22 Kwasekusaziswa uLabani ngosuku lwesithathu ukuthi uJakobe ubalekile.
Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.
23 Wasethatha abafowabo kanye laye, waxotshana laye ibanga lensuku eziyisikhombisa, wamfica entabeni yeGileyadi.
He took his relatives with him, and pursued him seven days’ journey. He overtook him in the mountain of Gilead.
24 UNkulunkulu wasesiza kuLabani umSiriya ephutsheni lebusuku, wathi kuye: Ziqaphele, hlezi ukhulume loJakobe okuhle kumbe okubi.
God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.”
25 ULabani wasemfica uJakobe. Njalo uJakobe wayemise ithente lakhe entabeni; uLabani laye kanye labafowabo bamisa entabeni yeGileyadi.
Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gilead.
26 ULabani wasesithi kuJakobe: Wenzeni, ukuthi usuke unyenye ngingananzelele, uthathe amadodakazi ami ngamandla njengabathunjiweyo ngenkemba?
Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword?
27 Ubalekeleni ngasese, unginyenyela, ungangazisanga, ukuthi ngabe ngikuvalelise ngokuthokoza langengoma, ngesigubhu langechacho?
Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp;
28 Njalo kawungivumelanga ukuthi ngange amadodana ami lamadodakazi ami. Khathesi wenze ubuthutha ngokwenza lokho.
and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you 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 hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’
30 Khathesi-ke, ukuhamba uhambile, ngoba ngokukhanuka ukhanukile indlu kayihlo; webeleni onkulunkulu bami?
Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?”
31 UJakobe wasephendula wathi kuLabani: Ngoba ngesaba, ngoba wathi: Hlezi ungihluthunele amadodakazi akho.
Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should 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.
Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 ULabani wasengena ethenteni likaJakobe lethenteni likaLeya, lethenteni lezincekukazi ezimbili, kodwa katholanga. Waphuma ethenteni likaLeya, wangena ethenteni likaRasheli.
Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he didn’t find them. He went out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.
34 Kodwa uRasheli wayethethe izithombe, wazifaka esikhwameni sesihlalo sekamela, wahlala phezu kwazo. ULabani waphumputha ithente lonke kodwa katholanga.
Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt around all the tent, but didn’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, “Don’t let my lord be angry that I can’t rise up before you; for I’m having my period.” He searched, but didn’t find the teraphim.
36 UJakobe wasethukuthela, waphikisana loLabani; uJakobe waphendula wathi kuLabani: Isiphambeko sami siyini, isono sami siyini, ukuthi ungixotshe ngokutshiseka?
Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued 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 you have felt around in all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two.
38 Iminyaka le engamatshumi amabili ngangilawe; izimvukazi zakho lezibhuzikazi zakho kaziphunzanga, lezinqama zemihlambi yakho kangizidlanga.
“These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not cast their young, and I haven’t eaten the rams of your flocks.
39 Ezadatshulwayo kangizilethanga kuwe, mina ngazihlawula; esandleni sami wazibiza, zebiwe emini loba zebiwe ebusuku.
That which was torn of animals, I didn’t bring to you. I bore its loss. Of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
40 Nganginjalo emini imbalela yangidla, lamakhaza ebusuku, ubuthongo babaleka emehlweni ami.
This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my 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.
These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed 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.
Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked 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 answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine! What can I do today to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne?
44 Khathesi-ke, woza, asenze isivumelwano, mina lawe, njalo sibe yibufakazi phakathi kwami lawe.
Now come, let’s make a covenant, you and I. Let it be for a witness between me and you.”
45 UJakobe wasethatha ilitshe, walimisa laba yinsika.
Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
46 UJakobe wasesithi kubafowabo: Buthani amatshe. Basebethatha amatshe, benza inqumbi; badla khona phezu kwenqumbi.
Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap.
47 ULabani waseyibiza ngokuthi yiJegari-Sahadutha, kodwa uJakobe wayibiza ngokuthi yiGaledi.
Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 ULabani wasesithi: Linqwaba iyibufakazi phakathi kwami lawe lamuhla. Ngakho bayitha ibizo layo iGaledi,
Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you today.” Therefore it was named Galeed
49 leMizipa, ngoba wathi: INkosi kayilinde phakathi kwami lawe, lapho singabonani omunye lomunye.
and Mizpah, for he said, “The LORD watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another.
50 Uba uhlupha amadodakazi ami, njalo uba uthatha abafazi phezu kwamadodakazi ami, kakulamuntu olathi, bona, uNkulunkulu ungumfakazi phakathi kwami lawe.
If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, no man is with us; behold, God is witness between me and you.”
51 ULabani wasesithi kuJakobe: Khangela linqwaba, khangela-ke lensika engiyiphosileyo phakathi kwami lawe.
Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap, and see the pillar, which I have set between me and you.
52 Linqwaba kayibe yibufakazi, lensika kayibe yibufakazi, bokuthi mina kangiyikuyidlula linqwaba ngiye kuwe, lawe kawuyikuyidlula linqwaba lalinsika uze kimi ngokubi.
May this heap be a witness, and the pillar be a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.
53 UNkulunkulu kaAbrahama loNkulunkulu kaNahori, kahlulele phakathi kwethu, uNkulunkulu kayise wabo. UJakobe wasefunga ngokwesaba kayise uIsaka.
The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac.
54 UJakobe wasehlaba umhlatshelo entabeni, wabiza abafowabo ukuthi badle isinkwa; basebesidla isinkwa, balala entabeni.
Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed all night in the mountain.
55 ULabani wasevuka ekuseni kakhulu, wanga amadodana akhe lamadodakazi akhe, wawabusisa; uLabani wasehamba wabuyela endaweni yakhe.
Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.
