1 Mose 29
1 Yakob toaa nʼakwantuo so kɔduruu apueeɛfoɔ asase so.
And so Jacob, setting out, arrived in the eastern land.
2 Asase no so baabi na ɔkɔhunuu abura bi a nnwankuo mmiɛnsa butubutu ho. Ɛfiri sɛ, saa abura no mu nsuo na wɔsa ma nnwan no nom. Na ɛboɔ kɛseɛ 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 Ɛberɛ biara a nnwankuo no bɛboa wɔn ho ano wɔ hɔ no, nnwanhwɛfoɔ no pire ɛboɔ no firi abura no ano ma nnwan no nsuo nom. Sɛ nnwan no nom nsuo no wie a, na nnwanhwɛfoɔ no asane de ɛboɔ 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 sɛ, “Anuanom, mofiri he na mobaa ha?” Wɔbuaa Yakob sɛ, “Yɛfiri Haran.”
And he said to the shepherds, “Brothers, where are you from?” And they answered. “From Haran.”
5 Yakob sane bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Monim Nahor nana Laban anaa?” Nnwanhwɛfoɔ no nso buaa no sɛ, “Aane, yɛnim no.”
And questioning them, he said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
6 Afei, Yakob bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Na ne ho te sɛn?” Wɔbuaa no sɛ, “Ne ho yɛ. Na ne babaa Rahel koraa na ɔne ne nnwan reba yi.”
He said, “Is he well?” “He is very well,” they said. “And behold, his daughter Rachel approaches with his flock.”
7 Yakob kaa sɛ, “Monhwɛ. Owia no ano yɛ den dodo. Ɛberɛ a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔboaboa mmoa no ano nnuruiɛ. Momma wɔn nsuo 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 Nnwanhwɛfoɔ no buaa Yakob sɛ, “Sɛ yɛmmoaboaa nnwan no nyinaa ano, na yɛmpiree ɛboɔ no mfirii abura no ano a, yɛrentumi mma wɔn nsuo 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 odwanhwɛfoɔ no de nʼagya nnwan baa hɔ.
They were still speaking, and behold, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep; for she pastured the flock.
10 Ɛberɛ a Yakob hunuu ne maame nuabarima Laban babaa Rahel ne ne wɔfa Laban nnwan no, ɔkɔpiree ɛboɔ no firii abura no ano. Afei, wɔmaa nnwan no nsuo nomeeɛ.
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 fee Rahel ano, na ɔsuiɛ.
And having watered the flock, he kissed her. And lifting up his voice, he wept.
12 Na Yakob aka akyerɛ Rahel sɛ, ɔno Yakob yɛ Rahel no agya busuani a ɔsane yɛ nʼagya Laban no nuabaa 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 nuabaa Rebeka ba Yakob ho asɛm no, ɔyɛɛ ntɛm kɔhyiaa no. Laban yɛɛ no atuu, fee nʼano, de no baa ne fie, maa Yakob bɔɔ no nʼananteseɛ.
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 sɛ, nokorɛ ni, “woyɛ me busuani.” Na Yakob tenaa Laban nkyɛn bosome.
he responded, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And after the days of one month were completed,
15 Ɛda koro bi, Laban ka kyerɛɛ Yakob sɛ, “Ɛwom sɛ woyɛ me busuani deɛ, nanso ɛno nkyerɛ sɛ, sɛ woyɛ adwuma ma me a ɛnsɛ sɛ metua 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 mmammaa baanu. Na ɔpanin no din de Lea ɛnna 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, ɛnna Rahel yɛ ɔbaa fɛfɛ a nʼanim yɛ nyam yie.
But while Leah was bleary-eyed, Rachel had an elegant appearance and was attractive to behold.
18 Na Yakob dɔ Rahel awadeɛ kwan so, enti ɔka kyerɛɛ Rahel agya Laban sɛ, “Sɛ wode wo babaa kumaa Rahel bɛma me aware a, anka me nso mɛsom wo mfeɛ nson.”
And Jacob, loving her, said, “I will serve you for seven years, for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 Laban kaa sɛ, “Mepene so! Ɛyɛ sɛ mede no bɛma wo aware mmom sene sɛ mede no bɛma obi foforɔ bi a mennim 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 enti, ɔsomm Laban mfeɛ nson, na wanhunu koraa sɛ, wasom akyɛre 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 wieeɛ no, ɔka kyerɛɛ Laban sɛ, “Masom awie enti, 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 enti, Laban too ɛpono kɛseɛ, na ɔtoo nsa frɛɛ nnipa a na ɔne wɔn wɔ hɔ nyinaa baa apontoɔ no ase.
And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.
23 Na ɛduruu anadwo a esum aduru no, Laban de ne babaa Lea kɔmaa Yakob, maa ɔne no daeɛ.
And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,
24 Ɛno akyiri no, Laban de nʼafenawa 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 Adeɛ kyeeɛ no, ɔhunuu sɛ Lea mmom na ɔda nʼakyi. Ɛnna Yakob bisaa Laban sɛ, “Asɛm bɛn na wo ne me adi yi? Ɛnyɛ Rahel enti na mesom wo? Adɛn enti na woadaadaa me sei?”
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 sɛ, “Ɛha deɛ, ɛnyɛ yɛn amanneɛ sɛ yɛde ɔbabaa kumaa ma aware wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔpanin no nwareeɛ.
Laban responded, “It is not the practice in this place to give the younger in marriage first.
27 Ma Lea nni nnawɔtwe wɔ wo nkyɛn, na nnawɔtwe no akyiri no, sɛ wopɛ Rahel ara a, mɛma woasane asom mfirinhyia nson 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 nnawɔtwe. Ɛno akyiri, ɔsomm mfeɛ nson ansa na Laban de ne babaa Rahel nso maa no wareeɛ.
He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.
29 Laban de nʼafenawa Bilha nso maa ne babaa 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 sene Lea. Yakob tenaa Laban nkyɛn, somm no mfirinhyia nson bio sɛdeɛ ɔne no hyehyɛeɛ 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 hunuu sɛ Yakob ani nnye Lea ho no, ɔbuee ne yafunu mu, nanso Rahel deɛ, na ɔnwo.
But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
32 Lea nyinsɛneeɛ, woo ɔbabarima. Ɔtoo no edin Ruben a asekyerɛ ne “Awurade ahunu mmɔborɔ a meyɛ.” Na Lea kaa sɛ, “Awurade ahunu me mmɔbɔ. Nokorɛm, afei na me kunu ani bɛgye 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 ɔsane woo ɔbabarima bio no, ɔkaa sɛ, “Esiane sɛ Awurade hunuu sɛ me kunu ani nnye me ho enti, wasane akyɛ me ɔbabarima bio.” Enti, ɔtoo ne din Simeon a asekyerɛ 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 sane nyinsɛnee bio. Na ɔwoo ɔbabarima bio no, ɔkaa sɛ, “Afei deɛ, me kunu de ne ho bɛfam me ho, ɛfiri sɛ, mawo mmammarima baasa ama no.” Ɛno enti, ɔtoo no edin Lewi a asekyerɛ 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 sane nyinsɛnee. Ɛberɛ a ɔsane woo ɔbabarima bio no, ɔkaa sɛ, “Saa ɛberɛ yi deɛ, mɛkamfo Awurade.” Ɛno enti, ɔtoo no edin Yuda, a asekyerɛ ne “Nkamfoɔ.” Yei akyiri no, ɔhomee awoɔ 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.
