Mwanzo 29
1 Kisha Yakobo akaendelea na safari yake na akafika kwenye nchi za mataifa ya mashariki.
Jacob went quickly on his way, and arrived in the land of the eastern people.
2 Huko akaona kisima katika shamba, pamoja na makundi matatu ya kondoo yamelala karibu na kisima hicho kwa sababu walikuwa wanakunywa maji kutoka kwenye kisimani hicho. Jiwe lililokuwa mdomoni mwa kisima lilikuwa kubwa.
As he looked around he saw a well in a field with three flocks of sheep lying down beside it, waiting to be given water. A large stone covered the top of the well.
3 Wakati kondoo wanapokuwa wamekusanyika hapo, wachungaji huvingirisha jiwe hilo kutoka kwenye mdomo wa kisima na kunywesha kondoo. Kisha hulirudisha jiwe mahali pake juu ya mdomo wa kisima.
The usual practice was that once all the flocks had arrived, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the well and give their sheep water. Then they would put the stone back again.
4 Yakobo aliwauliza wachungaji, “Ndugu zangu, ninyi mmetoka wapi?” Wakamjibu, “Tumetoka Harani.”
Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We're from Haran,” they replied.
5 Aliwaambia, “Je, mnamjua Labani, mjukuu wa Nahori?” Wakamjibu, “Ndiyo, tunamfahamu.”
“Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?” he asked. “Yes, we know him,” they replied.
6 Kisha Yakobo akawauliza, “Je, yeye ni mzima?” Wakasema, “Ndiyo, ni mzima, na hapa yuaja Raheli binti yake akiwa na kondoo.”
“How is he?” he asked. “He's well,” they replied. “Look! In fact here's his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep right now.”
7 Akasema, “Tazama, jua bado liko juu, si wakati wa kukusanya mifugo. Nywesheni kondoo na mwarudishe malishoni.”
“Look, there's still plenty of daylight left,” said Jacob. “It's too early to round up the sheep yet. Why not let them drink so they can go back to grazing?”
8 Walijibu, “Haiwezekani, mpaka kondoo wote wakusanyike na jiwe liwe limevingirishwa kutoka mdomo wa kisima. Ndipo tutanywesha kondoo.”
“We can't do that until all the flocks have arrived,” they told him. “Then we roll away the stone from the well and let the sheep drink.”
9 Alipokuwa akizungumza nao, Raheli akaja pamoja na kondoo wa baba yake, kwa maana alikuwa mchunga kondoo.
While he was still talking with them Rachel arrived with the flock she was looking after for her father.
10 Yakobo alipomwona Raheli binti Labani, ndugu wa mama yake, pamoja na kondoo wa Labani, alikwenda na kulivingirisha jiwe kutoka mdomoni mwa kisima na kuwanywesha kondoo wa mjomba wake.
When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, he went over and rolled away the stone from the well so Laban's sheep could drink.
11 Kisha Yakobo akambusu Raheli na akaanza kulia kwa sauti.
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept for joy.
12 Yakobo alikuwa amemwambia Raheli kuwa yeye alikuwa jamaa ya baba yake, na kwamba ni mwana wa Rebeka. Basi Raheli alikimbia na kumweleza baba yake.
(He had told her that he was the son of Laban's brother and Rebekah.) She ran and told her father what had happened.
13 Mara Labani aliposikia habari kuhusu Yakobo, mwana wa ndugu yake, aliharakisha kwenda kumlaki. Akamkumbatia na kumbusu, halafu akamleta nyumbani kwake, kisha Yakobo akamwambia mambo yote.
As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob he ran out to meet him. He hugged him and kissed him, and took him home. After Jacob had explained everything to Laban,
14 Ndipo Labani akamwambia, “Wewe ni nyama yangu na damu yangu mwenyewe.” Baada ya Yakobo kukaa kwa Labani mwezi mzima,
Laban told him, “No question about it—you're my own flesh and blood!” Jacob stayed with Laban for a month.
15 Labani akamwambia, “Kwa vile wewe ni jamaa yangu, ndiyo sababu unifanyie kazi bila ujira? Niambie ujira wako utakuwa nini.”
One day Laban said to him, “You're my relative so you shouldn't be working for me for nothing! Tell me, what should I pay you?”
16 Labani alikuwa na binti wawili, binti mkubwa aliitwa Lea na binti mdogo aliitwa Raheli.
Laban had two daughters. The older one was Leah, and the younger one was Rachel.
17 Lea alikuwa na macho dhaifu, lakini Raheli alikuwa na umbo la kupendeza na mzuri wa sura.
Leah had kind eyes, but Rachel had a shapely figure and beautiful looks.
18 Yakobo akampenda Raheli, akamwambia Labani, “Nitakutumikia kwa miaka saba kwa ajili ya kumpata Raheli binti yako mdogo.”
Jacob was in love with Rachel so he promised Laban, “I'll do seven years work for you for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
19 Labani akasema, “Ni bora zaidi nikupe Raheli kuliko kumpa mtu mwingine yeyote. Kaa pamoja na mimi hapa.”
“Well it's better for me to give her to you than anyone else,” Laban replied. “So stay here and work for me.”
20 Kwa hiyo Yakobo akatumika miaka saba ili kumpata Raheli, lakini ilionekana kwake kama siku chache tu kwa sababu ya upendo wake kwa Raheli.
Jacob worked for Laban for seven years, but to him they seemed like just a few days because he really loved her.
21 Ndipo Yakobo akamwambia Labani, “Nipe mke wangu. Muda wangu umekamilika, nami nataka nikutane naye kimwili.”
Then Jacob said to Laban, “I've completed the time we agreed. Now give me your daughter to be my wife.”
22 Basi Labani akaalika watu wote wa mahali pale na akafanya karamu.
So Laban organized a wedding banquet and invited everyone around to come.
23 Lakini ilipofika jioni, akamchukua Lea binti yake akampa Yakobo, naye Yakobo akakutana naye kimwili.
But once it was dark Laban brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 Naye Labani akamtoa Zilpa, mtumishi wake wa kike, kuwa mtumishi wa Lea, binti yake.
(Laban also arranged for his servant Zilpah to be Leah's personal maid.)
25 Kesho yake asubuhi, Yakobo akagundua kuwa amepewa Lea! Basi Yakobo akamwambia Labani, “Ni jambo gani hili ulilonitendea? Nilikutumikia kwa ajili ya Raheli, sivyo? Kwa nini umenidanganya?”
When morning came, he saw it was Leah! He went to Laban and asked angrily, “What have you done to me? It was for Rachel that I worked for you! Why have you deceived me?”
26 Labani akajibu, “Si desturi yetu kumwoza binti mdogo kabla ya kumwoza binti mkubwa.
“Here we don't give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn,” Laban replied.
27 Maliza juma la arusi ya binti huyu, kisha pia nitakupa huyu binti mdogo, kwa kutumika miaka mingine saba.”
“Finish this week of wedding celebrations and then I'll give you the other daughter as well, as long as you work another seven years for me.”
28 Naye Yakobo akafanya hivyo. Akamaliza juma na Lea, kisha Labani akampa Raheli binti yake kuwa mke wake.
Jacob agreed. He finished the week of wedding celebrations for Leah, and then Laban gave Jacob his daughter Rachel as his wife as well.
29 Labani akamtoa Bilha mtumishi wake wa kike kwa Raheli ili kuwa mtumishi wake.
(Laban also arranged for his servant Bilhah to be Rachel's personal maid.)
30 Pia Yakobo akakutana na Raheli kimwili, naye akampenda Raheli zaidi kuliko Lea. Yakobo akamtumikia Labani kwa miaka mingine saba.
So Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban another seven years for Rachel.
31 Bwana alipoona kwamba Lea hapendwi, akampa watoto, lakini Raheli alikuwa tasa.
The Lord saw that Leah wasn't loved he helped Leah to have children, but not Rachel.
32 Lea akapata mimba akazaa mwana. Akamwita Reubeni, kwa maana alisema, “Ni kwa sababu Bwana ameona huzuni yangu. Hakika mume wangu sasa atanipenda.”
Leah became pregnant, and had a son she named Reuben, for she said, “The Lord saw how much I was suffering and now my husband will love me!”
33 Akapata tena mimba, naye alipozaa mwana, akasema, “Kwa sababu Bwana alisikia kwamba sipendwi, amenipa tena huyu mwana.” Kwa hiyo akamwita Simeoni.
Then Leah became pregnant again, and had another son. She said, “The Lord has heard that I'm not loved so he gave me this son.” So she named him Simeon.
34 Akapata tena mimba, naye alipozaa mwana, akasema, “Sasa afadhali mume wangu ataambatana na mimi, kwa sababu nimemzalia wana watatu.” Kwa hiyo akamwita Lawi.
Leah became pregnant for the third time, and had another son. She said, “Finally my husband will be attached to me because now I've given him three sons.” That's why he was named Levi.
35 Akapata tena mimba, naye alipozaa mwana, akasema, “Wakati huu nitamsifu Bwana.” Kwa hiyo akamwita Yuda. Kisha akaacha kuzaa watoto.
Once again Leah became pregnant and had another son. She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I can really praise the Lord!” After that she had no more children.
