Génesis 31

1 Oyó Jacob las palabras de los hijos de Labán, que decían: “Jacob se ha apoderado de todo lo que era de nuestro padre, y con la hacienda de nuestro padre ha adquirido toda esta riqueza.”

Someone told Jacob that Laban’s sons were complaining and saying, “Jacob has become very rich by taking everything [HYP] that belonged to our father.”

2 Jacob observó también el rostro de Labán y vio que no era para él como antes.

And Jacob noticed that Laban was not acting friendly toward him as he had done before.

3 Dijo, pues, Yahvé a Jacob: “Vuélvete a la tierra de tus padres y a tu parentela, y Yo estaré contigo.”

Then Yahweh said to Jacob, “Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will help you there.”

4 Entonces Jacob envió llamar a Raquel y a Lía al campo, donde estaban sus rebaños,

So Jacob sent a message to Rachel and Leah, telling them to come out to the pastures where his flocks of sheep and goats were.

5 y le dijo “Veo que el rostro de vuestro padre no es para mí como antes, mas el Dios de mi padre ha estado conmigo.

When they arrived, he said to them, “I see that your father does not act friendly toward me as he did previously. But God, whom my father worshiped, has helped me.

6 Como sabéis he servido a vuestro padre con todas mis fuerzas;

You two know that I have worked very hard for your father,

7 pero vuestro padre se ha burlado de mí, cambiando diez veces mi salario, aunque Dios no le ha permitido dañarme.

but many times [HYP] he has cheated me by decreasing my wages. But God has not allowed him to harm me.

8 Si él decía: ‘Las ovejas salpicas serán tu salario’, todas las ovejas parían crías salpicadas. Y se decía: ‘Las listadas serán tu salario’, todas las ovejas parían crías listadas.

When Laban said, ‘The speckled animals are the ones that I will give you to be your wages,’ then all the animals gave birth to young ones that were speckled. When he changed and said, ‘The ones that have black and white stripes on them will be your wages,’ then all the animals gave birth to young ones that were striped.

9 De esta suerte Dios ha quitado la hacienda de vuestro padre y me la ha entregado a mí.

In that way, God has taken away the livestock that belonged to your father and has given them to me.

10 Al tiempo que las ovejas entraban en calor, alcé mis ojos y vi en sueños que los machos que cubrían el ganado eran listados, salpicados y manchados,

“One time, when the animals were mating, I had a dream. In my dream I [looked up and was surprised to] see that some of the male goats that were mating with the female goats had black and white stripes on them, some were speckled, and some were spotted.

11 Y me dijo el Ángel de Dios en sueño: ‘¡Jacob!’, a lo cual yo respondí: ‘Heme aquí.’

An angel who was sent by God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob!’ I replied, ‘I am here!’

12 Y dijo Él: ‘Alza los ojos, y verás que todos los machos que cubren el ganado son listados, salpicados y manchados, porque he visto todo lo que te ha hecho Labán.

He said to me, ‘Look up and you will see that all the male goats that are mating have black and white stripes on them, or are speckled or spotted. This is happening because I have seen all that Laban has done to you.

13 Yo soy el Dios de Betel, donde ungiste un monumento, y donde me hiciste un voto. Ahora, pues, levántate, sal de esta tierra, y vuelve al país de tu nacimiento.”

I am God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you set up a stone to show that the place was holy, and you poured [olive] oil on the stone and made a solemn promise to me. So now leave this land immediately, and return to the land where you were born.’”

14 Respondieron Raquel y Lía, diciéndole: “¿Tenemos acaso todavía alguna parte y herencia en la casa de nuestro padre?

Rachel and Leah replied, “Our father will not give us anything more when he dies [RHQ].

15 ¿No nos ha tratado como extranjeras?, pues nos vendió, y se comió por completo nuestro dinero.

He treats us as though we were foreigners [RHQ]! [Your working for him all these years was like a payment] that you gave him as a price for us, but we will not inherit any of that money that he got as a price for us. He has spent it all!

16 Mas ahora toda la riqueza que Dios ha quitado a nuestro padre, es nuestra y de nuestros hijos. Haz, pues, cuanto te ha dicho Dios.”

Surely all of the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you to do!”

17 Se levantó entonces Jacob, hizo subir a sus hijos y a sus mujeres sobre los camellos,

Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels.

18 y llevándose todo su ganado, y toda su hacienda que había adquirido, los bienes que había ganado en Mesopotamia, y se fue a Isaac, su padre, al país de Canaán.

He made all his livestock go ahead of him. Besides the livestock, he took along all the other things that he had acquired while living in Paddan-Aram. And they prepared to return to his father Isaac, in the Canaan region.

19 Labán había ido a esquilar sus ovejas. Entre tanto robó Raquel los terafim que tenía su padre,

Before they left, while Laban was shearing his sheep, Rachel stole the [small wooden] idols [that were in her father’s tent].

20 y Jacob engañó a Labán, arameo, no comunicándole su huída.

Furthermore, Jacob deceived Laban, who belonged to the Aram people-group, by not telling him that they were planning to leave.

21 Pues huyó con todo lo que era suyo, y levantándose pasó el río, y se encaminó hacia las montañas de Galaad.

So Jacob and his family fled with all their possessions, and they crossed the Euphrates River, and then started traveling south toward the hilly Gilead region.

22 Al tercer día recibió Labán la noticia de que Jacob había escapado.

On the third day after they left, someone told Laban that Jacob and his family had left.

23 Entonces tomó a sus hermanos consigo, y persiguiéndolo durante siete días, le dio alcance en la montaña de Galaad.

So he took some of his relatives with him and started to pursue Jacob. They continued walking for seven days.

24 Mas Dios se llegó a Labán, arameo, en sueño durante la noche y le dijo: “Guárdate de decir a Jacob cosa alguna, sea buena, sea mala.”

Then God appeared to Laban in a dream at night, and said to him, “When you catch up to Jacob, be sure that you do not say anything at all [HYP] to him in an angry manner!”

25 Alcanzó, pues Labán a Jacob, cuando este tenía fijadas sus tiendas en el monte, y acampó también Labán, con sus hermanos, en el monte de Galaad.

The next day, by the time Laban caught up with Jacob, Jacob and his household had set up their tents in the hilly Gilead region. So Laban and his relatives set up their tents there, too.

26 Y dijo Labán a Jacob: “¿Qué es lo que has hecho? Me engañaste y te has llevado a mis hijas como cautivas de guerra.

Then Laban went to Jacob and said to him, “Why have you done this? You have deceived me by carrying away my daughters as though you had captured them in a war [MTY]!

27 ¿Por qué escapaste secretamente, engañándome, y no me avisaste? Te habría despedido con alegría y cantos, con tamboriles y cítaras.

Why did you run away and deceive me? Why did you not tell me that you were going to leave, so that we could have rejoiced and sung while people played music on tambourines and harps before I said ‘goodbye’ to you?

28 Ni siquiera me has dejado besar a mis hijos y a mis hijas. De veras, has obrado neciamente.

(You did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye before they left!/Why did you not allow me to kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye before they left?) [RHQ] What you have done was foolish!

29 Está en mi mano el haceros mal; pero el Dios de vuestro padre me habló anoche, diciendo: ‘Guárdate de decir a Jacob cosa alguna, sea buena, sea mala.’

My relatives and I have the power to harm you, but last night the God whom your father worships said to me in a dream, ‘Be sure that you do not say anything at all to Jacob in an angry way.’

30 Mas ya que has partido, porque tanto deseabas ir a la casa de tu padre, ¿por qué has robado mis dioses?”

Now, I know you have left because you long to go back home. But why did you steal my [wooden] idols?”

31 Contestó Jacob, y dijo a Labán: “Tuve miedo, pues pensaba que tal vez me quitarías tus hijas.

Jacob replied to Laban, saying, “I did not tell you that we were planning to leave, because I was afraid. I thought that [if I told you], you would forcefully take your daughters away from me.

32 En cuanto a tus dioses, aquel en cuyo poder los encuentres, que muera. En presencia de nuestros hermanos haz tus pesquisas, y en caso que tengo yo algo, llévatelo.” Pues Jacob no sabía que Raquel los había robado.

But if you find anyone here who has your wooden idols, we will execute that person. While our relatives are watching, search for yourself to see if there is anything that belongs to you that is here with me. If you find anything, you can take it!” When Jacob said that, he did not know that Rachel had stolen the wooden idols.

33 Entró entonces Labán en la tienda de Jacob, y en la tienda de Lía, y en la tienda de las dos siervas, y no halló nada. Salió de la tienda de Lía, y entró en la tienda de Raquel.

Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and then into Leah’s tent, and then into the tents of the two female slaves and searched for the idols, but he did not find them. After he left their tents, he entered Rachel’s tent.

34 Mas Raquel había tomado los terafim y los había metido en la albarda del camello, sentándose encima, y a Labán que registró toda la tienda, sin encontrar nada,

But Rachel had previously taken the idols and put them in the saddle of a camel, and she was sitting on the saddle. So when Laban searched all over for them inside Rachel’s tent, he did not find them.

35 le dijo: “No se irrite mi señor si no puedo levantarme delante de ti; porque estoy con la costumbre de las mujeres.” De manera que él, a pesar de escudriñarlo (todo), no halló los terafim.

Rachel said to her father, “Do not be angry with me, sir, but I cannot get up in your presence [to show respect for you], because I am having my monthly menstrual period. [EUP]” So when Laban searched some more, he did not find the [wooden] idols.

36 Entonces Jacob, montado en cólera, recriminó a Labán; y tomando Jacob la palabro dijo a Labán: “¿Cuál es mi crimen, y cuál mi pecado, para que tanto te enardezcas en mi persecución?

Then Jacob became angry. He rebuked Laban, saying, “What crime did I commit? For what sin that I committed have you pursued me?

37 Después de registrar todo mi equipaje, ¿qué has hallado de todos los objetos de tu casa? Ponlo aquí delante de mis hermanos y de tus hermanos, y sean ellos jueces entre nosotros dos.

Now you have searched through all my possessions, and what did you find from all these possessions that belongs to you? Put it here in front of my relatives and your relatives, so that they can decide who is right, you or me!

38 Hace veinte años que estoy contigo, y tus ovejas y tus cabras no han abortado, y no me he comido los carneros de tu rebaño.

I was with you for 20 years. In all that time, your sheep and goats have (not miscarried/always given birth to animals safely). I have not [killed and] eaten any rams from your flocks.

39 Lo destrozado no te lo he mostrado, pues yo mismo pagaba el daño; y lo robado de noche y lo robado de día de mi mano lo reclamabas.

When one of your animals was attacked and mauled/killed by a wild animal, I did not bring it to you. I replaced the dead animal with a living one of my own animals. Whenever one of your animals was stolen, during the day or during the night, you demanded that I replace it with one of my own animals.

40 De día me consumía el calor, y de noche el frío, y huía el sueño de mis ojos.

I suffered from the heat during the day and from the cold at night. I was often not even able to sleep [PRS]!

41 Esta ha sido mi suerte por veinte años en tu casa. Catorce años te he servido por tus dos hijas, y seis años por tu rebaño; y diez veces has cambiado mi salario.

I lived in your household for 20 years. I worked for you for 14 years to buy your two daughters, and for six more years to buy some of your sheep and goats. During that time, you changed and reduced my wages many times [HYP].

42 Si el Dios de mi padre, el Dios de Abrahán y el Temor de Isaac, no hubiera estado conmigo, me habrías ahora despedido con las manos vacías. Mas Dios ha visto mi aflicción, y el trabajo de mis manos; y Él (te) recriminó la noche pasada.”

If God, the one whom my grandfather Abraham worshiped and before whom my father Isaac trembled in fear, had not been with me and helped me, you would have sent me away (with nothing in my hands/owning nothing)! But God saw how much I was suffering and how hard I was working, so last night he told you that what you have done to me was wrong.”

43 Respondiendo dijo Labán a Jacob: “Las hijas, hijas mías son, los hijos son hijos míos y los rebaños, rebaños míos; y todo cuanto ves, mío es. Mas ¿qué puedo hacer hoy a estas mis hijas, o a sus hijos que ellas han dado a luz?

Laban replied, “These two women are my daughters, and their children are my grandchildren, and the animals are my animals. Everything you see here is mine [HYP]! But what can I do today to keep my daughters or the children they have given birth to [RHQ]?

44 Ahora, ven, pues, pactemos alianza, yo y tú, que será para testimonio entre los dos.”

I cannot do anything in order to keep them, so hey, we should make a peace agreement, you and I, and do something that will remind us about our agreement.”

45 Tomó entonces Jacob una piedra, y la erigió en monumento.

So Jacob took a [large] stone and set it on its end.

46 Y dijo Jacob a sus hermanos: “Recoged piedras.” Y recogieron piedras e hicieron un montón; y comieron allí sobre aquel montón.

Then Jacob said to his relatives, “You also gather some stones.” So they gathered some rocks and put them in a heap, and they ate some food there near the heap.

47 Labán lo llamó “Jegar-Sahaduta”, y Jacob lo llamó “Galaad”.

Laban gave the heap the Aramaic name Jegar-Sahadutha, [which means ‘rock-pile to remind us’, ] but Jacob gave the rock-pile the Hebrew name Galeed, [which has the same meaning].

48 Y dijo Labán: “Este majano sea hoy testigo entre mí y entre ti” Por eso se le dio el nombre de Galaad,

Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks we have put here today will help us to remember our agreement.” That is why Jacob called it Galeed.

49 y también de Masfá, porque dijo: “¡Vele Yahvé sobre nosotros dos, cuando nos hallemos separados el uno del otro!

They also named the place Mizpah, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘watchtower’, ] because Laban said, “We will ask Yahweh to watch you and me while we are separated from each other, [so that we do not try to harm each other].

50 Si tu maltratas a mis hijas, o si tomas otras mujeres, además de mis hijas, estará entre nosotros no un hombre; mira, es Dios quien estará como testigo entre los dos.”

If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take other women to be your wives, even if no one tells me about it, don’t forget that God sees what you and I are doing!”

51 Y siguió diciendo Labán a Jacob: “He aquí este majano, y he aquí este monumento que he erigido entre mí y entre ti;

Laban also said to Jacob, “You see this large stone and this pile of rocks that we have set up to be between us.

52 este majano sea testigo, y testigo sea este monumento de que yo no pasaré este majano yendo contra ti, y de que tú no pasarás este majano y este monumento yendo contra mí para hacerme mal.

Both this pile of rocks and this large stone will remind us, that I will not go past these rocks to harm you, and you will not go past these rocks to harm me.

53 El Dios de Abrahán, el Dios de Nacor y el Dios de sus padres sea juez entre nosotros”. Y Jacob juró por el Temor de su padre Isaac.

We will ask the God whom [your grandfather] Abraham and [his father] Nahor worshiped to punish [MTY] either one of us, [if we harm the other one].” So Jacob solemnly promised to do what they said in their peace agreement. And he asked God, the one before whom his father Isaac trembled, to listen to what they promised.

54 Luego ofreció Jacob un sacrificio en el monte e invitó a sus hermanos a comer. Comieron, pues, y pasaron la noche en el monte.

He offered a sacrifice to God there in the hilly area, and he invited his relatives to eat with him. After they had eaten, they slept there that night.

55 A la mañana se levantó Labán muy temprano, besó a sus hijos y a sus hijas y los bendijo; luego se puso en camino para volver a su lugar.

The next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters [goodbye] and asked God to bless them. Then he [and his men] left them and returned home.