1 Mose 29
1 Yakob toaa nʼakwantu so koduu apueifo asase so.
Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east country.
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 the field, and three flocks of sheep lying by it: for the beasts were watered out of it, and the mouth thereof 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 after the sheep were watered, to put it on 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: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran.
5 Yakob san bisaa wɔn se, “Munim Nahor nena Laban ana?” Nguanhwɛfo no nso buaa no se, “Yiw, yenim no.”
And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban the son of Nachor? 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 in health? He is in health, say they: and behold Rachel his daughter cometh 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 yet much day remaining, neither is it time to bring the flocks into the folds again: first give the sheep drink, and so lead them back to feed.
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 answered: We cannot, till all the cattle be gathered together, and we remove the stone from the well’s mouth, 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 yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she fed 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.
And when Jacob saw her, and knew her to be his cousin-german, and that they were the sheep of Laban, his uncle: he removed the stone wherewith the well was closed.
11 Afei, Yakob few Rahel ano, na osui.
And having watered the flock, he kissed her: and lifting up his voice, 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 told her that he was her father’s brother, and the son of Rebecca: but she went in haste and told 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.
Who, when he heard that Jacob his sister’s son was come, ran forth to meet him; and embracing him, and heartily kissing him, brought him into his house. And when he had heard the causes of his journey,
14 Laban ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Woyɛ me dehye.” Na Yakob tenaa Laban nkyɛn ɔsram.
He answered: Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after the days of one month were expired,
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: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.
16 Na Laban wɔ mmabea baanu. Na ɔpanyin no din de Lea na akumaa no nso de Rahel.
Now he had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lia: and the younger was called Rachel.
17 Na Lea aniwa aba yɛ fɛ, na Rahel yɛ ɔbea fɛfɛ a nʼanim yɛ nyam yiye.
But Lia was blear eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance.
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 being in love with her, said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
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 answered: It is better that I give her to thee than to another man; stay 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.
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his 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 me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto 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 invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made 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 Lia his daughter to him,
24 Ɛno akyi no, Laban de nʼafenaa Silpa kaa Lea ho sɛ ɔnkɔsom no.
Giving his daughter a handmaid, named Zelpha. Now when Jacob had gone in to her according to custom when morning was come he saw it was Lia:
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 thou didst mean to do? did not I serve thee for Rachel? why hast thou 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 answered: It is not the custom 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.”
Make up the week of days of this match: and I will give thee her also, for the service that thou shalt render me other 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 yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel:
29 Laban de nʼafenaa Bilha nso maa ne babea Rahel sɛ ɔnkɔsom no.
To whom her father gave Bala for 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 length obtained the marriage he wished for, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and served with him other seven years.
31 Awurade huu sɛ Yakob ani nnye Lea ho no, obuee ne yafunu mu, nanso Rahel de, na ɔnwo.
And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, 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.”
And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction: 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 said: Because the Lord heard that I was despised, he hath given this also 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 the third time, and bore another son: and said: Now also my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons: and therefore 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.
The fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and said: now will I praise the Lord: and for this she called him Juda. And she left bearing.
