1 Mose 29
1 Yakob toaa nʼakwantu so koduu apueifo asase so.
And so Jacob, setting out, arrived in the eastern land.
2 Asase no so baabi na okohuu abura bi a nguankuw abiɛsa butubutuw ho. Efisɛ saa abura no mu nsu na na wɔsaw ma nguan no nom. Na ɔbo kɛse bi na ɛkata abura no so.
And he saw a well in a field, and also three flocks of sheep reclining near it. For the animals were watered from it, and its mouth was closed with a great stone.
3 Bere biara a nguankuw no bɛboa wɔn ho ano wɔ hɔ no, nguanhwɛfo no pirew ɔbo no fi abura no ano ma nguan no nsu nom. Sɛ nguan no nom nsu no wie a, na nguanhwɛfo no asan de ɔbo no akata abura no ano.
And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together, to roll away the stone. And when the flocks had been refreshed, they placed it over the mouth of the well again.
4 Yakob bisaa wɔn se, “Anuanom, mufi he na mobaa ha?” Wobuaa Yakob se, “Yefi Haran.”
And he said to the shepherds, “Brothers, where are you from?” And they answered. “From Haran.”
5 Yakob san bisaa wɔn se, “Munim Nahor nena Laban ana?” Nguanhwɛfo no nso buaa no se, “Yiw, yenim no.”
And questioning them, he said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
6 Na Yakob bisaa wɔn se, “Na ne ho te dɛn?” Wobuaa no se, “Ne ho ye. Na ne babea Rahel koraa na ɔne ne nguan reba yi.”
He said, “Is he well?” “He is very well,” they said. “And behold, his daughter Rachel approaches with his flock.”
7 Yakob kae se, “Monhwɛ. Owia no ano yɛ den dodo. Bere a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔboaboa mmoa no ano nnui. Momma wɔn nsu nnom, na monka wɔn nkɔ wɔn adidibea.”
And Jacob said, “There is still much daylight remaining, and it is not time to return the flocks to the sheepfold. Give the sheep to drink first, and then lead them back to pasture.”
8 Nguanhwɛfo no buaa Yakob se, “Sɛ yɛmmoaboaa nguan no nyinaa ano, na yempirew ɔbo no mfii abura no ano a, yɛrentumi mma wɔn nsu nnom.”
They responded, “We cannot, until all the animals are gathered together and we remove the stone from the mouth of the well, so that we may water the flocks.”
9 Yakob gu so ne wɔn rekasa no ara na Rahel a ɔno nso yɛ oguanhwɛfo no de nʼagya nguan baa hɔ.
They were still speaking, and behold, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep; for she pastured the flock.
10 Bere a Yakob huu ne na nuabarima Laban babea Rahel ne ne wɔfa Laban nguan no, okopirew ɔbo no fii abura no ano. Afei, wɔmaa nguan no nsu nomee.
When Jacob had seen her, and he realized that she was his maternal first cousin, and that these were the sheep of his uncle Laban, he removed the stone which closed the well.
11 Afei, Yakob few Rahel ano, na osui.
And having watered the flock, he kissed her. And lifting up his voice, he wept.
12 Na Yakob aka akyerɛ Rahel se, ɔno Yakob yɛ Rahel no agya busuani a ɔsan yɛ nʼagya Laban no nuabea Rebeka babarima. Enti Rahel tuu mmirika kɔka kyerɛɛ nʼagya.
And he revealed to her that he was a brother of her father, and the son of Rebekah. And so, hurrying, she announced it to her father.
13 Laban tee ne nuabea Rebeka ba Yakob ho asɛm no, ɔyɛɛ ntɛm kohyiaa no. Laban yɛɛ no atuu, few nʼano, de no baa ne fi maa Yakob bɔɔ no nʼanantese.
And when he had heard that Jacob, his sister’s son, had arrived, he ran to meet him. And embracing him, and kissing him heartily, he brought him into his house. But when he had heard the reasons for his journey,
14 Laban ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Woyɛ me dehye.” Na Yakob tenaa Laban nkyɛn ɔsram.
he responded, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And after the days of one month were completed,
15 Da koro bi, Laban ka kyerɛɛ Yakob se, “Ɛwɔ mu sɛ woyɛ me busuani de, nanso ɛno nkyerɛ sɛ, sɛ woyɛ adwuma ma me a ɛnsɛ sɛ mitua wo ka. Kyerɛ me akatua a wopɛ na memfa mma wo.”
he said to him: “Though you are my brother, will you serve me for nothing? Tell me what wages you would accept.”
16 Na Laban wɔ mmabea baanu. Na ɔpanyin no din de Lea na akumaa no nso de Rahel.
In truth, he had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah; and truly the younger was called Rachel.
17 Na Lea aniwa aba yɛ fɛ, na Rahel yɛ ɔbea fɛfɛ a nʼanim yɛ nyam yiye.
But while Leah was bleary-eyed, Rachel had an elegant appearance and was attractive to behold.
18 Na Yakob dɔ Rahel wɔ aware kwan so, nti ɔka kyerɛɛ Rahel agya Laban se, “Sɛ wode wo babea kumaa Rahel bɛma me aware a, anka me nso mɛsom wo mfe ason.”
And Jacob, loving her, said, “I will serve you for seven years, for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 Laban kae se, “Mepene so! Eye sɛ mede no bɛma wo aware mmom sen sɛ mede no bɛma obi foforo bi a minnim no. Enti tena me nkyɛn.”
Laban responded, “It is better that I give her to you than to another man; remain with me.”
20 Esiane ɔdɔ a na Yakob dɔ Rahel nti, ɔsom Laban mfe ason, na wanhu koraa sɛ wasom akyɛ saa. Ɛyɛɛ no sɛ gyama ɔsomee nnansa bi pɛ.
Therefore, Jacob served for seven years for Rachel. And these seemed like only a few days, because of the greatness of love.
21 Yakob som wiee no, ɔka kyerɛɛ Laban se, “Masom awie nti, fa Rahel ma me na menware no.”
And he said to Laban, “Give my wife to me. For now the time has been fulfilled, so that I may go in to her.”
22 Ɛno nti, Laban too pon kɛse, na ɔtoo nsa frɛɛ nnipa a na ɔne wɔn wɔ hɔ nyinaa baa aponto no ase.
And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.
23 Na eduu anadwo a sum aduru no, Laban de ne babea Lea kɔmaa Yakob, maa ɔne no dae.
And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,
24 Ɛno akyi no, Laban de nʼafenaa Silpa kaa Lea ho sɛ ɔnkɔsom no.
giving his daughter a handmaid named Zilpah. After Jacob had gone in to her, according to custom, when morning had arrived, he saw Leah.
25 Ade kyee no, ohuu sɛ Lea mmom na ɔda nʼakyi. Ɛnna Yakob bisaa Laban se, “Asɛm bɛn na wo ne me adi yi? Ɛnyɛ Rahel nti na mesom wo? Adɛn nti na woadaadaa me sɛɛ?”
And he said to his father-in-law, “What is it that you intended to do? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?”
26 Laban buaa Yakob se, “Ɛha de, ɛnyɛ yɛn amanne sɛ yɛde ɔbabea kumaa ma aware wɔ bere a ɔpanyin no nwaree ɛ.
Laban responded, “It is not the practice in this place to give the younger in marriage first.
27 Ma Lea nni nnaawɔtwe wɔ wo nkyɛn, na nnaawɔtwe no akyi no, sɛ wopɛ Rahel ara a, mɛma woasan asom mfirihyia ason bio, na mede no ama wo aware.”
Complete a week of days with this mating. And then I will give this one to you also, for the service that you will provide to me for another seven years.”
28 Yakob penee so ne Lea tenaa nnaawɔtwe. Ɛno akyi no, ɔsom mfe ason ansa na Laban de ne babea Rahel nso maa no waree.
He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.
29 Laban de nʼafenaa Bilha nso maa ne babea Rahel sɛ ɔnkɔsom no.
To her, the father had given Bilhah as her servant.
30 Yakob de ne ho kaa Rahel nso. Na ɔdɔ Rahel sen Lea. Yakob tenaa Laban nkyɛn, som no mfirihyia ason bio sɛnea ɔne no hyehyɛe no.
And, having at last obtained the marriage he desired, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and he served with him another seven years.
31 Awurade huu sɛ Yakob ani nnye Lea ho no, obuee ne yafunu mu, nanso Rahel de, na ɔnwo.
But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
32 Lea nyinsɛn woo ɔbabarima. Ɔtoo no din Ruben a nkyerɛase ne “Awurade ahu mmɔbɔ a meyɛ.” Na Lea kae se, “Awurade ahu me mmɔbɔ. Nokware, afei na me kunu ani begye me ho.”
Having conceived, she gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, saying: “The Lord saw my humiliation; now my husband will love me.”
33 Lea nyinsɛnee bio na ɔsan woo ɔbabarima bio no, ɔkae se, “Esiane sɛ Awurade huu sɛ me kunu ani nnye me ho nti, wasan akyɛ me ɔbabarima bio.” Enti, ɔtoo ne din Simeon a nkyerɛase ne “Awurade ate!”
And again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Because the Lord heard that I was treated with contempt, he has also given this one to me.” And she called his name Simeon.
34 Lea san nyinsɛnee bio. Na ɔwoo ɔbabarima bio no, ɔkae se, “Afei de, me kunu de ne ho bɛfam me ho, efisɛ mawo mmabarima baasa ama no.” Ɛno nti, ɔtoo no din Lewi a nkyerɛase ne “Ahofam.”
And she conceived a third time, and she gave birth to another son, and she said: “Now likewise my husband will unite with me, because I have borne him three sons.” And because of this, she called his name Levi.
35 Lea san nyinsɛnee. Bere a ɔsan woo ɔbabarima bio no, ɔkae se, “Saa bere yi de, mɛkamfo Awurade.” Ɛno nti, ɔtoo no din Yuda, a ne nkyerɛase ne “Nkamfo.” Eyi akyi no, ɔhomee awo so.
A fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Only now will I confess to the Lord.” And for this reason, she called him Judah. And she ceased from child-bearing.
