Mwanzo 29
1 Kisha Yakobo akaendelea na safari yake na akafika katika nchi ya watu wa mashariki.
Jacob continued on the road [MTY], and he arrived at the land that was east of Canaan.
2 Hata alipotazama, akaona kisima kondeni, na, tazama, makundi matatu ya kondoo yalikuwa yamelala kando yake. Kwani kutoka katika hicho wangeyanywesha makundi, na jiwe juu ya mdomo wa kisima lilikuwa kubwa.
There he [was surprised to] see a well in a field, and three flocks of sheep were lying near the well. It was the well from which shepherds habitually got water for their sheep. There was a large stone covering the top of the well.
3 Wakati makundi yote yangekusanyika pale, wachungaji wangevingirisha jiwe kutoka katika mdomo wa kisima na kuwanywesha kondoo, na kisha kurudisha jiwe juu ya mdomo wa kisima, mahali pake.
When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would work together to roll the stone away from the top of the well and get water for the sheep. When they finished doing that, they would put the stone back in its place over the top of the well.
4 Yakobo akawambia, “Ndugu zangu, ninyi mnatokea wapi?” nao wakasema, “Tunatoka Harani.”
[On that day], Jacob asked the shepherds who were sitting there, “Where are you from?” They replied, “We are from Haran.”
5 Akawambia, “Mnamfahamu Labani mwana wa Nahori?” Wakasema, “Tunamfahamu.”
He asked them, “Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?” They replied, “Yes, we know him.”
6 Akawambia, “Je hajambo?” Wakasema, “Hajambo, na, tazama pale, Raheli binti yake anakuja na kondoo.”
Jacob asked them, “Is Laban well?” They replied, “Yes, he is well. Look! Here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep!”
7 Yakobo akasema, “Tazama, ni mchana. Siyo wakati wa kukusanya kondoo pamoja. Mnapaswa kuwanywesha kondoo na kisha mkaenda na kuwaacha wachunge.”
Jacob said, “Hey! The sun is still high in the sky. It is not time for the flocks to be gathered for nighttime. Give the sheep some water and then take them back to (graze/eat grass) in the pastures!”
8 Wakamwambia, “Hatuwezi kuwanywesha mpaka makundi yote yakusanyike pamoja. Ndipo wanaume watakapovingirisha jiwe kutoka mlangoni mwa kisima, na ndipo tutakapowanywesha kondoo.”
They replied, “No, we cannot do that until all the flocks are gathered here and the stone is removed from the top of the well. After that, we will give water to the sheep.”
9 Wakati bado Yakobo anaongea nao, Raheli akaja pamoja na kondoo wa babaye, kwani alikuwa akiwachunga.
While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep. She was the one who took care of her father’s sheep.
10 Yakobo alipomwona Raheli, binti wa Labani, kaka wa mamaye, na kondoo wa Labani, kaka wa mama yake, Yakobo akaja juu, akalivingirisha jiwe kutoka mlangoni mwa kisima, na akawanywesha kondoo wa Labani, kaka wa mama yake.
When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, who was his mother’s brother, [Jacob was so excited that] he went over and [by himself] rolled away the stone that covered the top of the well, and he got water for his uncle’s sheep.
11 Yakobo akambusu Raheli na akalia kwa sauti.
Then Jacob kissed Rachel [on the cheek], and he cried loudly [because he was so happy].
12 Yakobo akamwambia Raheli kwamba alikuwa ni ndugu wa baba yake, na kwamba alikuwa mwana wa Rebeka. Kisha yeye akakimbia kumwambia baba yake.
Jacob told Rachel that he was one of her father’s relatives, the son of her aunt Rebekah. So she ran and told that to her father.
13 Labani aliposikia habari kuhusu Yakobo mwana wa dada yake, akaenda kukutana naye, akamkumbatia, akambusu, na kumleta nyumbani kwake. Yakobo akamwambia Labani mambo haya yote.
As soon as Laban heard that Jacob, his sister’s son, was there, he ran to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him [on the cheek]. Then he brought him to his home, and Jacob told him all that had happened to him.
14 Labani akamwambia, “Kwa hakika wewe ni mfupa wangu na nyama yangu.” Kisha Yakobo akakaa naye kama mwezi mmoja.
Then Laban said to him, “Truly, you are part of my family!” After Jacob had stayed there and worked for Laban for a month,
15 Kisha Labani akamwambia Yakobo, “Je unitumikie bure kwa kuwa wewe ni ndugu yangu? Niambie, ujira wako utakuwaje?
Laban said to him “(You should not work for me for nothing just because you are a relative of mine!/Why should you work for me for nothing just because you are a relative of mine?) [RHQ] Tell me how much you want me to pay you.”
16 Basi Labani alikuwa na binti wawili. Jina la mkubwa lilikuwa ni Lea, na jina la mdogo lilikuwa Raheli.
Well, Laban had two daughters. The older one was named Leah, and the younger one was named Rachel.
17 Macho ya Lea yalikuwa dhaifu, lakini Raheli alikuwa mzuri wa umbo na mwonekano.
Leah had pretty eyes, but Rachel had a very attractive figure and was beautiful.
18 Yakobo alimpenda Raheli, hivyo akasema, “Nitakutumikia miaka saba kwa ajili ya Raheli, binti yako mdogo.”
Jacob (was in love with/wanted very much to be married to) Rachel, and he said, “I will work for you for seven years. That will be my payment for your letting me marry your younger daughter, Rachel.”
19 Labani akasema, Itakuwa vema kukupa wewe, kuliko kumpa mtu mwingine. Kaa nami.”
Laban replied, “It is better for me to let you marry her than for her to marry some other man!”
20 Hivyo Yakobo akamtumikia kwa miaka saba kwa ajili ya Raheli; nayo ilionekana kwake kama siku chache tu, kwa ajili ya upendo aliokuwa nao kwake.
So Jacob worked for Laban for seven years to get Rachel, but to him it seemed like it was only a few days, because he loved her so much.
21 Kisha Yakobo akamwambia Labani, “Nipe mke wangu, kwani siku zangu zimetimia - ili kwamba nimwoe!
After the seven years were ended, Jacob said to Laban, “Let me marry Rachel now, because the time we agreed upon for me to work for you is ended, and I want to marry her. [EUP]”
22 Hivyo Labani akawaalika watu wa mahali hapo na kuandaa sherehe.
So Laban gathered together all the people who lived in that area and made a feast.
23 Wakati wa jioni, Labani akamchukua Lea binti yake mkubwa na kumleta kwa Yakobo, aliyelala naye.
But that evening, instead of taking Rachel to Jacob, Laban took his older daughter, Leah, to him. But because it was already dark, he could not see that it was Leah and not Rachel, and he had sex [EUP] with her.
24 Labani akampa mtumishi wake wakike Zilpa kuwa mjakazi wa Lea.
(Laban had already given his slave girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid/servant.)
25 Ilipofika asubuhi, tazama, kumbe ni Lea! Yakobo akamwambia Labani, “Ni nini hiki ulichonifanyia? Je sikukutumikia kwa ajili ya Raheli? Kwa nini basi umenihadaa?
The next morning, Jacob was shocked to see that it was Leah who was with him! So he went to Laban [and told him] very angrily, “(What you have done to me is disgusting!/What is this that you have done to me?) [RHQ] I worked for you to get Rachel, did I not? So why did you deceive me?”
26 Labani akamwambia, “Siyo utamaduni wetu kumtoa bindi mdogo kabla ya mzaliwa wa kwanza.
Laban replied, “In this land, it is not our custom to give a younger daughter to be married before we let someone marry our firstborn daughter.
27 Timiza juma la bibi arusi, na tutakupa yule mwingine pia kwa mbadala wa kunitumikia miaka mingine saba.”
After we finish this week of celebration, we will let you marry the younger one also. But in return, you must pay for Rachel by working for me for another seven years.”
28 Yakobo akafanya hivyo, na akatimiza juma la Lea. Kisha Labani akampa Raheli binti yake kuwa mke wake.
So that is what Jacob did. After the week of celebration was ended, Laban gave him his daughter, Rachel, to be his wife.
29 Lakini pia Labani akampa Raheli binti yake Bilha, kuwa mjakazi wake.
Laban gave his slave girl, Bilhah, to Rachel to be her maid/servant.
30 Hivyo Yakobo akalala na Raheli, pia, lakini akampenda Raheli zaidi ya Lea. Hivyo Yakobo akamtumikia Labani kwa miaka saba mingine.
Jacob had sex [EUP] with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than he loved Leah. And Jacob worked for Laban for another seven years.
31 Yahwe akaona kwamba Lea hakupendwa, hivyo akalifungua tumbo lake, lakini Raheli hakuwa na mtoto.
When Yahweh saw that Jacob did not love Leah [very much], he enabled her to become pregnant. But Rachel was not able to become pregnant.
32 Lea akashika mimba na kuzaa mwana, naye akamwita Rubeni. Kwani alisema, “Kwa sababu Yahwe ameliangalia teso langu; bila shaka mme wangu sasa atanipenda.”
Leah gave birth to a son, whom she named Reuben, [which sounds like the Hebrew words that mean ‘Look, a son]!’ She said, “Yahweh has seen that I was miserable, and because of that he has given me a son. Now, surely my husband will love me for giving birth to a son for him.”
33 Kisha akashika mimba tena na kuzaa mwana. Akasema, “Kwa sababu Yahwe amesikia kwamba sipendwi, kwa hiyo amenipa mwana mwingine,” na akamwita Simoni.
Later she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “Because Yahweh has heard that my husband doesn’t love me, he has given me this son, too.” So she named him Simeon, [which means ‘someone who hears’].
34 Kisha akashika mimba tena na kuzaa mwana. Akasema, “Wakati huu mme wangu ataungana nami, kwa kuwa nimemzalia wana watatu.” Kwa hiyo akaitwa Lawi.
Later she became pregnant again, and gave birth to another son. She said, “Now, finally, my husband will hold me close to him.” So she named him Levi, [which means ‘hold close’].
35 Akashika mimba tena na kuzaa mwana. Akasema, “Wakati huu nitamsifu Yahwe.” Kwa hiyo akamwita jina lake Yuda; kisha akaacha kuzaa watoto.
Later she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “(This time/Now) I will praise Yahweh.” So she called his name Judah, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘praise’]. After that, she did not give birth to any more children [for several years].
