1 Mose 31
1 Yakob tee sɛ Laban mmabarima no reka se, “Yakob afa yɛn agya ho nneɛma nyinaa. Nʼahonya nyinaa fi yɛn agya nneɛma a wafa no.”
Jacob found out that Laban's sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. All the wealth he has actually came from our father.”
2 Yakob huu sɛ afei de, Laban ntew nʼanim nkyerɛ no sɛ kan no.
Jacob also noticed that Laban was treating him differently to the way he had before.
3 Na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Yakob se, “San kɔ wʼabusuafo ne wo nkurɔfo asase so, na medi wʼakyi.”
The Lord told Jacob, “Go back to the country of your forefathers, to your family home. I will be with you.”
4 Enti Yakob soma ma wɔkɔfrɛɛ ne yerenom Rahel ne Lea se wɔmmra ne nkyɛn wɔ sare no so, faako a ɔne ne nguankuw no wɔ no.
Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah, telling them to come and meet him out in the fields where he was with his flock.
5 Wɔbae no, ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Mahu sɛ afei de, mo agya Laban anim nyɛ me fɛ sɛ kan no, nanso Onyankopɔn a mʼagya Isak som no no ka me ho.
“I've noticed that your father is treating me differently to the way he did before,” he told them. “But the God of my father will be with me.
6 Munim sɛ mayi me yam de mʼahoɔden nyinaa ayɛ adwuma ama mo agya;
You both know very well how hard I worked for your father.
7 nanso mo agya nam asisi kwan so asesa mʼakatua mu mpɛn du. Nanso eyi nyinaa akyi no, Onyankopɔn amma no kwan amma wanyɛ me bɔne.
But he's been cheating me—he's reduced my wages ten times! However, God hasn't let him hurt me.
8 Sɛ ɔka se, ‘Mmoa a wɔn ho yɛ ntokontrama no bɛyɛ wʼakatua,’ na sɛ mmoa no wo a, na wɔawo mma a wɔn ho yɛ ntokontrama. Sɛ ɔka se, ‘Mmoa a wɔn ho yɛ nsensanee no bɛyɛ wʼakatua’ a, na wɔawowo mma a wɔn ho yɛ nsensanee.
If he said, ‘You can have the speckled ones as your wages,’ then the whole flock had speckled young. If he said, ‘You can have the streaked ones as your wages,’ then the whole flock had streaked young.
9 Ɔkwan a Onyankopɔn nam so agye mo agya nsam nyɛmmoa no de wɔn ama me ama mayɛ ɔdefo no ne no.
This is how God took your father's livestock and gave them to me.
10 “Eduu bere a mmoa no hyia mu no, mesoo dae huu sɛ adwennini a wɔforo nguanbere no ho yɛ ntokontrama, nsensanee anaa nsisimu.
During the time the flock was breeding I had a dream where I saw that the male goats mating with the flock were all streaked, speckled, or spotted.
11 Onyankopɔn bɔfo frɛɛ me wɔ dae no mu ka kyerɛɛ me se, ‘Yakob!’ Na migyee so se, ‘Me ni!’
Then in the dream the angel of the Lord spoke to me and said, ‘Jacob!’ I replied, ‘I'm here.’
12 Na ɔsoro abɔfo no ka kyerɛɛ me se, ‘Hwɛ na hu sɛ adwennini a wɔforo nguanbere no nyinaa ho yɛ nsensanee, ntokontrama anaa nsisimu, na mahu ɔkwan a Laban de wo fa so no nyinaa.
He told me, ‘Take a look and you'll see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I've been watching everything that Laban has been doing to you.
13 Mene Onyankopɔn a miyii me ho adi kyerɛɛ wo wɔ Bet-El, faako a wode ɔbo sii hɔ, hwiee ngo guu so, som me, hyɛɛ me bɔ sɛ, wobɛsom me no. Afei, tu fi saa asase yi so ntɛm ara, na san kɔ asase a wɔwoo wo wɔ so no so.’”
I am the God of Bethel, where you poured olive oil on the stone pillar and made a solemn promise to me. Now get ready to leave this land and go back to your homeland.’”
14 Na Rahel ne Lea bisae se, “Enti saa tebea a yɛwɔ mu yi, yɛwɔ kyɛfa bi wɔ yɛn agya agyapade mu ana?
“There's nothing for us to inherit from our father's estate anyway,” Rachel and Leah replied.
15 Yɛn agya mfa yɛn sɛ yɛyɛ ahɔho? Watɔn yɛn, na yɛn ti sika a ogyee no nso, wadi.
“He treats us like foreigners because he sold us to you, and now he's spent all that money.
16 Ɛyɛ nokware turodoo sɛ yɛn agya ahode a Onyankopɔn gyei no nyinaa yɛ yɛn ne yɛn mma dea. Enti biribiara a Onyankopɔn aka akyerɛ wo sɛ yɛ no, yɛ.”
All the wealth that God has taken from him belongs to us and our children, so do whatever God has told you to do!”
17 Na Yakob de ne mma ne ne yerenom tenatenaa yoma so.
So Jacob got ready. He helped his children and his wives onto the camels,
18 Ɔkaa ne mmoa nyinaa, agyapade a wanya nyinaa ne mmoa a onyaa wɔ Paddan-Aram nyinaa dii nʼanim sɛ, ɔrekɔ nʼagya Isak nkyɛn wɔ Kanaan asase so.
and drove all his livestock in front of him. He took with him all his possessions and livestock he'd gained during his time in Paddan-aram, and left to go back to his father in the country of Canaan.
19 Bere a Laban kɔɔ wuram sɛ ɔrekotwitwa ne nguan ho nwi no, Rahel faa nʼakyi kowiaa nʼagya fi abosom.
While Laban was away from home shearing his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father.
20 Yakob daadaa Aramni Laban a wamma wanhu sɛ ɔreguan.
Jacob also deceived Laban the Aramean by not informing him that he was going to run away.
21 Yakob de nʼahode nyinaa guanee. Otwaa Asubɔnten Eufrate, de nʼani kyerɛɛ bepɔw asase Gilead no so.
So Jacob left in a hurry with everything he had, crossed the Euphrates River, and headed towards the hill country of Gilead.
22 Yakob ne nʼabusuafo guanee no, nnansa akyi ansa na Laban tee sɛ wɔkɔ.
Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had run away.
23 Laban faa ne fifo kaa ne ho, de anibere tiw Yakob. Nnanson akyi ansa na ɔkɔtoo Yakob ne ne nkurɔfo no wɔ bepɔw Gilead so.
Taking some of his relatives with him, he chased after Jacob and caught up with him seven days later in the hill country of Gilead.
24 Saa da no ara anadwo, Onyankopɔn yii ne ho adi wɔ dae mu kyerɛɛ Aramni Laban. Ɔka kyerɛɛ no wɔ dae no mu se, “Hwɛ yiye na woankɔka asɛm biara; sɛ ɛyɛ asɛm pa anaa asɛmmɔne ankyerɛ Yakob.”
But during the night God came to Laban in a dream and told him, “Watch what you say to Jacob. Don't try to persuade him to come back, and don't threaten him either.”
25 Bere a Laban ne ne fifo kɔtoo Yakob no, na Yakob asisi ne ntamadan wɔ bepɔw Gilead atifi. Laban ne ne fifo no nso sisii wɔn ntamadan wɔ hɔ.
Jacob had set up his tents in the hill country of Gilead when Laban caught up with him, so Laban and his relatives did the same.
26 Na Laban kɔɔ Yakob nkyɛn kobisaa no se, “Asɛm bɛn na wode adi me yi? Woadaadaa me, akyekyere me mmabea de wɔn reguan te sɛ nnommumfo.
“Why did you deceive me like this?” Laban asked Jacob. “You carried off my daughters as if they were some prisoners captured by the sword!
27 Adɛn nti na wodaadaa me, na wuguan fii me nkyɛn a woankra? Sɛ wokraa me a, anka mɛto wo pon, na mama nnipa abɛbɔ sanku, ato nnwom wɔ aponto no ase, de agya wo kwan.
Why did you run away in secret, trying to trick me? Why didn't you come and tell me? I would have given you a good send-off, a celebration with singing and the music of tambourines and lyres.
28 Woamma mankyiakyia me nenanom ne me mmabea yi nsam annya wɔn kwan mpo. Woadi nkwaseasɛm.
You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye! You've really acted stupidly!
29 Mewɔ tumi sɛ anka meyɛ wo bɔne, nanso nnɛra anadwo, Onyankopɔn a wo agya som no no ka kyerɛɛ me wɔ dae mu se, ‘Hwɛ yiye na woanka asɛm biara, sɛ ɛyɛ asɛm pa anaa asɛmmɔne ankyerɛ Yakob.’
I could really punish you badly, but the God of your father spoke to me last night and told me, ‘Watch what you say to Jacob. Don't try to persuade him to come back, and don't threaten him either.’
30 Esiane sɛ wʼani agyina wʼagya fi nti, na ɛsɛ sɛ wokɔ ara. Na adɛn nti na wuwiaa mʼabosom de kaa wo nneɛma ho?”
Clearly you wanted to leave and go back to your family home, but why did you have to steal my idols?”
31 Yakob buaa Laban se, “Na misuro. Na ɛyɛ me sɛ wode tumi begye wo mmabea no afi me nsam.
“I ran away because I was afraid,” Jacob explained to Laban. “I was worried that you would take your daughters from me by force.
32 Nanso obiara a wubehu wʼabosom no wɔ ne nkyɛn no, ɔsɛ owu. Wʼankasa hwehwɛ sɛ wubehu biribiara a ɛyɛ wo de wɔ me nneɛma yi mu wɔ yɛn nuanom yi anim. Sɛ wuhu biribiara a ɛyɛ wo de a, fa wʼade.” Bere a Yakob kaa saa asɛm yi no, na onnim sɛ Rahel na wawia nʼagya Laban abosom no.
As for your idols, anyone you find who has them will die. You can search everything in the presence of our relatives, and if you find I have anything that belongs to you, you can take it.” (Jacob didn't know that Rachel had stolen the household idols.)
33 Ɛno nti, Laban kɔɔ Yakob, Lea, ne nʼasomfo Bilha ne Silpa ntamadan mu kɔhwehwɛɛ hɔ, nanso wanhu biribiara. Afei, okowuraa Rahel ntamadan mu.
Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, and the two personal maids, but didn't find anything. He left Leah's tent and went into Rachel's tent.
34 Na Rahel awia abosom no de ahyehyɛ ne yoma no agua ase, atena so. Enti Laban kɔhwehwɛɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ Rahel ntamadan no nyinaa mu, nanso wanhu abosom no.
Rachel had put the household idols in a camel's saddlebag and was sitting on it. Laban carefully searched the whole tent but couldn't find them.
35 Rahel ka kyerɛɛ nʼagya se, “Agya, mma wo bo mfuw me sɛ mete hɔ wɔ wʼanim na mennsɔre nnyina hɔ, makɔ afikyiri.” Enti Laban toaa so hwehwɛɛ abosom no ara, nanso wanhu.
She said to her father, “Sir, please don't get upset with me for not standing up in your presence, but I have my period.” He looked everywhere but didn't find the idols.
36 Ɛyɛɛ saa no, Yakob bo fuw Laban yiye, bisaa no se, “Bɔne bɛn na mayɛ? Amumɔyɛsɛm bɛn na madi a ɛno nti, woataa me ara yi?”
Jacob got angry with Laban and confronted him, saying, “What crime am I guilty of? What wrong have I done to you that you've come hunting me down?
37 Wohwehwɛɛ me nneɛma nyinaa mu yi, dɛn ade na wuhuu a ɛyɛ wo ne wo fifo de? Nea wuhuu biara no, fa bɛto gua wɔ me nuanom ne wo nuanom a wɔahyia ha yi nyinaa anim, na wɔnkyerɛ nea ɛyɛ ne de.
You've searched through all my possessions. Did you find anything belonging to you? If you did, bring it out here before my relatives and yours so they can decide who's right!
38 “Mfirihyia aduonu a wo ne me tenae, wo nguan ne wo mmirekyi abere no ampɔmpɔn, na mankum wʼadwennini yi bi amfi wo nguankuw yi mu anwe da.
I've worked for you for these past twenty years. During that time none of your sheep and goats miscarried, and I haven't eaten a single ram from your flock.
39 Mamfa wʼaboa biara a akekaboa bi atetew ne mu ammrɛ wo; wɔn a mmoa kum wɔn no, mʼankasa mehyɛɛ anan mu. Afei sɛ ɛba sɛ wowia wo mmoa no bi, anadwo anaa awia a, woma mitua ka.
If any of them were killed by wild animals, I never even brought you the carcass to prove the loss—I bore the loss myself. But you on the other hand always made me compensate you for any animals that were stolen, whether at night or in broad daylight.
40 Eyi ne tebea a na mewɔ mu: Meyɛɛ wʼadwuma awia maa owia hyee me ne anadwo maa awɔw dee me; nam so maa nna yera fii mʼaniwa mu.
Whether it was sweating in the heat of the day, or freezing in the cold of the night when I couldn't sleep, I went on working for you for twenty years in your home.
41 Tebea a na mewɔ mu mfirihyia aduonu a metenaa wo nkyɛn no nyinaa ni. Mede mfirihyia dunan na ɛyɛɛ adwuma maa wo, de waree wo mmabea baanu no. Na mede mfirihyia asia nso hwɛɛ wo nguan, na wosesaa mʼakatua mpɛn du.
I worked fourteen years for your two daughters, and six more years with your flocks. You reduced my wages ten times!
42 Sɛ ɛnyɛ Onyankopɔn a mʼagya som no, Onyankopɔn a Abraham som no a ɔwɔ mʼafa ne suro a misuro mʼagya Isak a, anka nokware ni, wopam me maa mede me nsa pan kɔe. Nanso Onyankopɔn huu mʼamanehunu ne me nsa ano adwuma nti na nnɛra anadwo ɔkaa wʼanim no.”
If it weren't for the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the awesome God of Isaac, who took care of me, you would have dismissed me with nothing. But God saw my suffering, how hard I worked, and he condemned you last night.”
43 Laban buaa Yakob se, “Mmea no yɛ me mmabea, mmofra no nso yɛ me nenanom, na nguankuw no nso yɛ me nguankuw. Nneɛma a wuhu yi nyinaa yɛ me de. Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na matumi ayɛ mʼankasa me mmabea ne me nenanom bɔne?
Laban replied, “These are my daughters and these are my children and these are my flocks! In fact, everything you see here is mine! However, what can I do now about my daughters and their children?
44 Afei, bra na me ne wo nyɛ apam a ebedi me ne wo ntam adanse. Saa apam no so na yebedi wɔ yɛn asetena nyinaa mu.”
So let's make a solemn agreement between you and I, and it will be a witness to our mutual commitment.”
45 Enti Yakob faa ɔbo de sii hɔ yɛɛ nkaedum.
Jacob took a stone and set it upright as a pillar.
46 Yakob kyerɛɛ ne nuanom no se, “Montase abo!” Enti wɔtasee abo boaa ano, na wɔn nyinaa tenaa ho didii.
Then he told his relatives, “Go and collect some stones.” They all made a pile of stones and then sat beside it to eat a meal.
47 Laban frɛɛ abo kuw no Yegar-Sahaduta a ne nkyerɛase ne Adanse Kuw. Yakob nso frɛɛ saa abo kuw no Gal-Ed, a ne nkyerɛase ne Adanse Kuw saa ara.
Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, while Jacob called it Galeed.
48 Laban kae se, “Abo Kuw yi na edi me ne wo ntam adanse nnɛ!” Ɛno nti na wɔfrɛ no Gal-Ed no.
Laban announced, “This pile of stone serves as a witness between me and you.” This is why it was called Galeed.
49 Na wɔsan frɛ abo nkaedum no nso bio sɛ, “Mispa” efisɛ Laban kae se, “Awurade mmoa yɛn, na sɛ yɛn ntam tetew mpo a, yɛn mu biara bedi saa apam yi so.
It was also called Mizpah, for as Laban said, “May the Lord keep a close eye on both of us when we're not together.
50 Sɛ woanhwɛ me mmabea yi yiye anaasɛ woware mmea foforo ka me mmabea yi ho a, ɛwɔ mu sɛ merenhu, nanso Onyankopɔn de, obehu.”
If you treat my daughters badly or marry more wives in addition to them, God will see what you do even if no one else finds out!”
51 Laban san ka kyerɛɛ Yakob se, “Abo Kuw yi ni. Nkaedum a mede asi me ne wo ntam no nso ni.
Then Laban told Jacob, “Look at this pile of stones and this pillar that I have set up as a memorial of the agreement between you and me.
52 Abo Kuw yi, ne nkaedum yi nyɛ adanse sɛ, me Laban, merentra saa Abo Kuw yi ne nkaedum yi mma baabi a wowɔ mmɛtoa wo. Na wo Yakob nso, worentra saa Abo kuw yi ne nkaedum yi mma baabi a mewɔ mmɛtoa me.
They also act as a witness to our solemn promises to each other: I will not come past them to attack you; and you will not come past them to attack me.
53 Ma Abraham Nyankopɔn ne Nahor Nyankopɔn, wɔn agyanom Nyankopɔn nyɛ otemmufo wɔ me ne wo ntam.” Enti Yakob de nʼagya Isak Nyankopɔn ho suro kaa ntam sɛ, ɔrentra ɔhye no.
May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor—the God of our forefathers—be the one to judge between us in any dispute.” Jacob in turn made his solemn promise in the name of the awesome God of his father Isaac.
54 Yakob bɔɔ Onyankopɔn afɔre wɔ bepɔw no atifi, na ohyiahyiaa ne nnamfonom ma wobedidii. Ɛno akyi no, wɔdaa ne nkyɛn wɔ bepɔw no so.
Then he offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited all his relatives to eat a meal there. They spent the night on the mountain.
55 Laban sɔree anɔpatutuutu few ne nenanom ne ne mmabea no ano, hyiraa wɔn. Na ɔsan nʼakyi kɔɔ ne kurom.
Laban got up early in the morning and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters goodbye. He blessed them, and then left to go back home.
