Mwanzo 31

1 Basi Yakobo akasikia maneno ya wana wa Labani, wakisema, “Yakobo amechukuwa yote yaliyokuwa ya baba yetu, na ni kutoka katika mali ya baba yetu amepata utajiri wake.”

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 Yakobo akaona mwonekano katika uso wa Labani. Akaona kwamba nia yake imebadilika.

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

3 Kisha Yahwe akamwambia Yakobo, “Rudi katika nchi ya baba zako na ya ndugu zako, nami nitakuwa nawe.”

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

4 Yakobo akatuma kuwaita Raheli na Lea uwandani katika kundi lake la kondoo

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 naye akawambia, “Naona nia ya baba yenu kwangu imebadilika, lakini Mungu wa baba yangu amekuwa nami.

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 Nanyi mnajua kwamba ni kwa nguvu zangu zote nimemtumikia baba yenu.

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

7 Baba yenu amenidanganya na amebadilisha ujira wangu mara kumi, lakini Mungu hakumruhusu kunidhuru.

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

8 Ikiwa alisema, 'Wanyama wenye mabaka watakuwa ujira wako,' ndipo kondoo wote walipozaa watoto wenye mabaka. Na aliposema, wenye milia watakuwa ujira wako,' ndipo kundi lote lilipozaa watoto wenye milia.

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 Kwa njia hii Mungu amemnyang'anya mifugo baba yenu na kunipa mimi.

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

10 Wakati fulani wa majira ya kupandana, niliona katika ndoto mabeberu yaliyowapanda kundi. Mabeberu yalikuwa ya milia, mabaka na madoa.

“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 Malaika wa Mungu akaniambia katika ndoto, 'Yakobo.' Nikasema, 'Mimi hapa.'

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

12 Akasema, 'Inua macho yako uone mabeberu wanaolipanda kundi. Wana milia, madoa na na mabaka, kwani nimeona kila jambo Labani analokutendea.

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 Mimi ni Mungu wa Betheli, mahali ulipoitia nguzo mafuta, mahali uliponitolea nadhiri. Basi sasa inuka na uondoke katika nchi hii na kurudi katika nchi uliyozaliwa.

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 Raheli na Lea wakajibu na kumwambia, “Je kuna sehemu yoyote au urithi wetu katika nyumba ya baba yetu?

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

15 Je hatutendei kama wageni? Kwa maana ametuuza na kwa ujumla ametapanya pesa zetu.

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 Mali zote ambazo sasa Mungu amemnyang'anya baba yetu ni zetu na watoto wetu. Sasa basi, lolote Mungu alilokuambia, fanya.

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 Kisha Yakobo akainuka na kuwapandisha wanawe na wakeze kwenye ngamia.

Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels.

18 Akawaongoza mifugo wake wote mbele yake, pamoja na mali zake zote, wakiwemo wanyama aliowapata huko Padani Aramu. Kisha akaenda kuelekea kwa Isaka baba yake katika nchi ya Kanaani.

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 Labani alipokuwa amekwenda kuwakata manyoya kondoo wake, Raheli akaiba miungu ya nyumba ya baba yake.

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

20 Yakobo pia akamdanganya Labani Mwarami, kwa kutomtaarifu kwamba anaondoka.

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

21 Hivyo akaondoka na vyote alivyokuwa navyo na kwa haraka akavuka mto, na akaenda kuelekea nchi ya vilima ya Gileadi.

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 Siku ya tatu Labani akaambiwa kwamba Yakobo amekimbia.

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

23 Hivyo akawachukua ndugu zake pamoja naye na kumfuatia kwa safari ya siku saba. Akampata katika nchi ya vilima ya Gileadi.

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

24 Basi Mungu akaja kwa Labani Mwarami katika ndoto usiku na kumwambia, “Ujiadhari kumwambia Yakobo jambo lolote liwe jema au baya.”

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 Labani akampata Yakobo. Basi Yakobo alikuwa amepiga hema yake katika nchi ya vilima. Labani pia akapiga kambi pamoja na ndugu zake katika nchi ya kilima ya Gileadi.

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 Labani akamwambia Yakobo, “Umefanya nini, kwamba umewachukua binti zangu kama mateka wa vita?

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 Kwa nini umekimbia kwa siri na kunihadaa kwa kutokuniambia? Ningekuruhusu uondoke kwa sherehe na kwa nyimbo, kwa matari na vinubi.

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 Haukuniacha niwabusu wajukuu wangu na binti zangu kwa kuwaaga. Basi umefanya upumbavu.

(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 Iko katika uwezo wangu kukudhuru, lakini Mungu wa baba yako alisema nami usiku wa leo na kuniambia, 'Jiadhari usimwambie Yakobo neno la heri wala shari.'

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 Na sasa, umeondoka kwa sababu umeitamani sana nyumba ya baba yako. Lakini kwa nini umeiba miungu yangu?

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

31 Yakobo akajibu na kumwambia Labani, “Ni kwa sababu niliogopa na kudhani kuwa ungeninyang'anya binti zako kwa nguvu ndiyo maana nikaondoka kwa siri.

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 Yeyote aliyeiiba miungu yako hataendelea kuishi. Mbele ya ndugu zetu, onesha chochote kilichochako nilichonacho na uchukue.” Kwa maana Yakobo hakujua kwamba Raheli alikuwa ameviiba.

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 Labani akaingia katika hema ya Yakobo, katika hema ya Lea, na katika hema za wale wajakazi wawili, lakini hakuviona. Akatoka katika hema ya Lea na kuingia katika hema ya Raheli.

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 Basi Raheli alikuwa ameichukua miungu ya nyumbani, na kuiweka katika ngozi ya ngamia, na kukaa juu yake. Labani akatafuta katika hema yote, lakini hakuiona.

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 Akamwambia baba yake, “Usikasirike, bwana wangu, kwamba siwezi kusimama mbele yako, kwani nipo katika kipindi changu.” Hivyo akatafuta lakini hakuiona miungu ya nyumbani mwake.

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 Yakobo akakasirika na kuojiana na Labani. Akamwambia, “Kosa langu ni nini? Dhambi yangu ni ipi, hata ukanifuatia kwa ukali?

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

37 Kwa maana umechunguza mali zangu zote. Umeona nini kati ya kitu chochote cha nyumbani mwako? Viweke hapa mbele ya ndugu zetu, ili waamue kati yetu wawili.

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 Kwa miaka ishirini nimekuwa nawe. Kondoo wako na mbuzi wako hawakutoa mimba, wala sikula dume lolote la kondoo katika wanyama wako.

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 Kilichoraruliwa na hayawani sikukuletea. Badala yake, nilichukua upotevu huo, kwamba wameibwa mchana au usiku.

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 Nilikuwepo wakati wote; mchana joto lilinipata, na baridi wakati wa usiku; na sikupata usingizi.

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

41 Miaka hii ishirini nimekuwa katika nyumba yako. Nilikufanyia kazi miaka kumi na nne kwa ajili ya binti zako wawili, na miaka sita kwa ajili ya wanyama wako. Umebadili ujira wangu mara kumi.

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 Isipokuwa Mungu wa baba yangu, Mungu wa Ibrahimu, yule Isaka anayemwofu, amekuwa nami, bila shaka sasa ungenipeleka mikono mitupu. Mungu ameliona teso langu na jinsi nilivyofanya kazi kwa bidii, na hivyo akakukemea usiku wa leo.

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 Labani akajibu na kumwambia Yakobo, “Mabinti hawa ni mabinti zangu, wajukuu ni wajukuu wangu, na wanyama ni wanyama wangu. Yote uyaonayo ni yangu. Lakini nitafanya nini leo kwa hawa binti zangu, au kwa watoto wao waliowazaa?

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 Hivyo sasa, na tufanye agano, wewe nami, na liwe shahidi kati yangu nawe.”

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 Hivyo Yakobo akachukua jiwe na kuliweka kama nguzo.

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

46 Yakobo akawambia ndugu zake, “Kusanyeni mawe.” Hivyo wakachukua mawe na kufanya rundo. Kisha wakala pale kati ya lile rundo.

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 Labani aliliita Yega Saha Dutha, lakini Yakobo akaiita Galeedi

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 Labani akasema, “Rundo hili ni shahidi kati yangu nawe leo.” Kwa hiyo jina lake likaitwa Galedi.

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 Inaitwa pia Mispa, kwa sababu Labani alisema, “Yahwe na atuangalie mimi nawe, tunapokuwa hatuonani.

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 Ikiwa utawatesa binti zangu, au ikiwa utachukua wanawake wengine mbali na binti zangu, japokuwa hakuna mwingine yupo nasi, tazama, Mungu ni shahidi kati yangu nawe.”

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 Labani akamwambia Yakobo, Tazama rundo hili, na tazama nguzo, nililoliweka kati yako nami.

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 Rundo hili ni shahidi, na nguzo ni shahidi, kwamba sitapita rundo hili kuja kwako, na kwamba wewe hautapita rundo hili kuja kwangu, kwa madhara.

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 Mungu wa Ibrahimu, na mungu wa Nahori, miungu ya baba zao, waamue kati yetu.”Yakobo akaapa kwa Hofu ya Isaka baba yake.

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 Yakobo akatoa sadaka juu ya mlima na akawaita ndugu zake kula chakula. Walikula na kukaa usiku kucha juu ya mlima.

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 Labani akaamka asubuhi na mapema, akawabusu wajuu zake na binti zake na kuwabariki. Kisha Labani akaondoka na kurudi kwake.

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.