Mwanzo 30

1 Raheli alipoona kwamba hamzalii Yakobo watoto, Raheli akamwonea wivu dada yake. Akamwambia Yakobo, “Nipe watoto, sivyo nitakufa.”

When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.

2 Hasira ya Yakobo ikawaka juu ya Raheli. Akasema, “Mimi ni badala ya Mungu, aliyekuzuilia usipate watoto?

Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”

3 Akasema, “Tazama, kuna mjakazi wangu Bilha. Lala naye, hivyo aweze kuzaa watoto magotini pangu, nami nitapata watoto kwake.

Then she said, “Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Sleep with her, that she may bear children for me, so that through her I too can build a family.”

4 Hivyo akampa Bilha mjakazi kama mke wake, na Yakobo akalala naye.

So Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife, and he slept with her,

5 Bilha akashika mimba na kumzalia Yakobo mwana.

and Bilhah conceived and bore him a son.

6 Kisha Raheli akasema, “Mungu ameamua kwa faida yangu. Ameyasikiliza maombi yangu na kunipa mwana.” Kwa sababu hiyo akamwita jina lake Dani

Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; He has heard my plea and given me a son.” So she named him Dan.

7 Bilha, mjakazi wa Raheli, akashika mimba tena na kumzalia Yakobo mwana wa pili.

And Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.

8 Raheli akasema, “Kwa mashindano yenye nguvu nimeshindana na dada yangu na kushinda.” Akamwita jina lake Naftali.

Then Rachel said, “In my great struggles, I have wrestled with my sister and won.” So she named him Naphtali.

9 Lea alipoona kwamba ameacha kuzaa, akamchukua Zilpa, mjakazi wake, na kumpa Yakobo kama mke wake.

When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife.

10 Zilpa, mjakazi wa Lea, akamzalia Yakobo mwana.

And Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son.

11 Lea akasema, “Hii ni bahati njema!” Hivyo akamwita jina lake Gadi.

Then Leah said, “How fortunate!” So she named him Gad.

12 Kisha Zilpa, mjakazi wa Lea, akamzalia Yakobo mwana wa pili.

When Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son,

13 Lea akasema, “Nina furaha! Kwa maana mabinti wataniita furaha.” Hivyo akamwita jina lake Asheri.

Leah said, “How happy I am! For the women call me happy.” So she named him Asher.

14 Siku za mavuno ya ngano Rubeni akaenda shambani na kuona tunguja. Akazileta kwa mama yake. Kisha Raheli akamwambia Lea, “Nipe baadhi ya tunguja za mwanao.”

Now during the wheat harvest, Reuben went out and found some mandrakes in the field. When he brought them to his mother, Rachel begged Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

15 Lea akamwambia, “Je ni jambo dogo kwako, kumchukua mme wangu? Je na sasa unataka kuchukua tunguja za mwanangu pia? Raheli akasema, “Kisha atalala nawe leo usiku, kwa kubadilishana na tunguja za mwanao.

But Leah replied, “Is it not enough that you have taken away my husband? Now you want to take my son’s mandrakes as well?” “Very well,” said Rachel, “he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.”

16 Jioni Yakobo akaja kutoka uwandani. Lea akaenda kumlaki na kusema, “Leo usiku utalala nami, kwani nimekuajiri kwa tunguja za mwanangu.” Hivyo Yakobo akalala na Lea usiku huo.

When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come with me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night.

17 Mungu akamsikia Lea, na akashika mimba na kumzalia Yakobo mwana wa tano.

And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore a fifth son to Jacob.

18 Lea akasema, “Mungu amenipa ujira wangu, kwa sababu nilimpa mme wangu mjakazi wangu.” Akamwita jina lake Isakari.

Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.

19 Lea akashika mimba tena na kuzaa mwana wa tano kwa Yakobo.

Again Leah conceived and bore a sixth son to Jacob.

20 Lea akasema, “Mungu amenipa zawadi njema. Sasa mme wangu ataniheshimu, kwa sababu nimemzalia wana sita.” Akamwita jina lake Zabuloni.

“God has given me a good gift,” she said. “This time my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” And she named him Zebulun.

21 Baadaye akazaa binti na kumwita jina lake Dina.

After that, Leah gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.

22 Mungu akamkumbuka Raheli na kumsikiliza. Akampa kushika mimba.

Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb,

23 Akashika mimba na kuzaa mwana. Akasema, “Mungu ameiondoa aibu yangu.”

and she conceived and gave birth to a son. “God has taken away my shame,” she said.

24 Akamwita jina lake Yusufu, akisema, Yahwe ameniongeza mwana mwingine.”

She named him Joseph, and said, “May the LORD add to me another son.”

25 Baada ya Raheli kumzaa Yusufu, Yakobo akamwambia Labani, “Niache niande, ili kwamba niende nyumbani kwetu na katika nchi yangu.

Now after Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way so I can return to my homeland.

26 Nipe wake zangu na watoto wangu niliokutumikia kwa ajili yao, na uniache niondoke, kwani unafahamu nilivyokutumikia.

Give me my wives and children for whom I have served you, that I may go on my way. You know how hard I have worked for you.”

27 Labani akamwambia, “Ikiwa nimepata kibali machoni pako, subiri, kwa sababu nimejifunza kwa kutumia uaguzi kwamba Yahwe amenibariki kwa ajili yako.”

But Laban replied, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”

28 Kisha akasema, “Taja ujira wako, nami nitalipa.”

And he added, “Name your wages, and I will pay them.”

29 Yakobo akamwambia, “Unajua nilivyokutumikia, na jinsi ambavyo mifugo wako wamekuwa nami.

Then Jacob answered, “You know how I have served you and how your livestock have thrived under my care.

30 Kwani walikuwa wachache kabla sijaja, na wameongezeka kwa wingi. Popote nilipokutumikia Mungu amekubariki. Je ni lini mimi nitaandaa kwa ajili ya nyumba yangu pia?”

Indeed, you had very little before my arrival, but now your wealth has increased many times over. The LORD has blessed you wherever I set foot. But now, when may I also provide for my own household?”

31 Hivyo Labani akasema, “Je nikulipe nini? Yakobo akasema, 'Usinipe chochote. Ikiwa utafanya jambo hili kwa ajili yangu, nitawalisha tena kondoo wako na kuwatunza.

“What can I give you?” Laban asked. “You do not need to give me anything,” Jacob replied. “If you do this one thing for me, I will keep on shepherding and keeping your flocks.

32 Niache nipite kati ya kundi lako lote leo, kwa kuondoa kila kondoo mwenye milia na mabaka, na kila kondoo mweusi kati yao, na kati ya wenye mabaka na milia katika mbuzi. Hawa watakuwa ujira wangu.

Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, and every spotted or speckled goat. These will be my wages.

33 Uadilifu wangu utashuhudia kwa ajili yangu hapo baadaye, utakapokuja kuangalia ujira wangu. Kila ambaye hana milia na hana madoa miongoni mwa mbuzi, na mweusi kati ya kondoo, ikiwa wataonekana kwangu, watahesabiwa kuwa wameibwa.”

So my honesty will testify for me when you come to check on my wages in the future. If I have any goats that are not speckled or spotted, or any lambs that are not dark-colored, they will be considered stolen.”

34 Labani akasema, “Nakubali. Na iwe kama yalivyo maneno yako.”

“Agreed,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.”

35 Siku hiyo Labani akaondoa mabeberu yaliyokuwa na milia na madoa, na majike ya mbuzi yaliyokuwa na milia na madoa, kila aliyekuwa mweupe, na weusi wote katika mbuzi, akawakabidhi katika mikono ya wanaye.

That very day Laban removed all the streaked or spotted male goats and every speckled or spotted female goat—every one that had any white on it—and every dark-colored lamb, and he placed them under the care of his sons.

36 Pia Labani akaweka safari ya siku tatu kati yake na Yakobo. Hivyo Yakobo akabaki kuchunga wale kondoo wa Labani waliosalia.

Then he put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob was shepherding the rest of Laban’s flocks.

37 Yakobo akachukua matawi mabichi yaliyokatwa ya mipopla, mlozi na mwaramoni mbichi akatoa maganda ili michilizi myeupe ionekane, na akaifanya sehemu nyeupe ya ndani ya mti iliyokuwa ndani ya fito ionekane.

Jacob, however, took fresh branches of poplar, almond, and plane trees, and peeled the bark, exposing the white inner wood of the branches.

38 Kisha akaziweka fito alizokuwa amezibambua mbele ya makundi ya kondoo, mbele ya mabirika yakunyweshea walipokuja kunywa maji. Wakashika mimba walipokuja kunywa maji.

Then he set the peeled branches in the watering troughs in front of the flocks coming in to drink. So when the flocks were in heat and came to drink,

39 Wanyama wakapandana mbele ya fito; nao wakazaa watoto wenye milia, mabaka na wenye madoa.

they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.

40 Yakobo akawatenga hawa wanakondoo, lakini akawafanya waliosalia kuelekea wanyama wenye milia na kondoo weusi wote katika kundi la Labani. Kisha akayatenga makundi yake mwenyewe pekee na hakuwaweka pamoja na wale wa Labani.

Jacob set apart the young, but made the rest face the streaked dark-colored sheep in Laban’s flocks. Then he set his own stock apart and did not put them with Laban’s animals.

41 Pindi kondoo wenye nguvu katika kundi walipopandana, Yakobo alilaza fito katika mabirika ya maji mbele ya macho ya kundi, ili kwamba washike mimba kati ya fito.

Whenever the stronger females of the flock were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs, in full view of the animals, so that they would breed in front of the branches.

42 Lakini wakati waliodhaifu walipokuja, hakuweka fito mbele yao. Hivyo wanyama dhaifu wakawa wa Labani, na wenye nguvu wakawa wa Yakobo.

But if the animals were weak, he did not set out the branches. So the weaker animals went to Laban and the stronger ones to Jacob.

43 Mtu huyo akastawi sana. Akawa na kundi kubwa la kondoo, wajakazi na wajoli, ngamia na punda.

Thus Jacob became exceedingly prosperous. He owned large flocks, maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys.