1 Mose 30
1 Ɛberɛ a Rahel hunuu sɛ ɔne Yakob nwo no, nʼani beree ne nuabaa no. Enti, ɔka kyerɛɛ Yakob sɛ, “Sɛ wo ne me anwo mma a, mɛwu!”
Then Rachel, discerning that she was infertile, envied her sister, and so she said to her husband, “Give me children, otherwise I will die.”
2 Yakob bo fuu Rahel, ma ɔkaa sɛ, “Meyɛ Onyankopɔn? Ɔno na wasi wo yafunu ano.”
Jacob, being angry, responded to her, “Am I in the place of God, who has deprived you of the fruit of your womb?”
3 Ɛnna Rahel ka kyerɛɛ Yakob sɛ, “Mʼafenaa Bilha nie, wo ne no nkɔda, na ɔnwo mma me, na ɛnam ne so ama me nso manya abusua.”
But she said: “I have a handmaid Bilhah. Go in to her, so that she may give birth upon my knees, and I may have sons by her.”
4 Enti, Rahel de nʼafenaa Bilha maa Yakob wareeɛ. Yakob ne no daeɛ.
And she gave him Bilhah in marriage.
5 Ɔnyinsɛn, woo babarima maa Yakob.
And when her husband had gone in to her, she conceived and bore a son.
6 Na Rahel kaa sɛ, “Onyankopɔn adi mʼasɛm ama me. Wate mʼadesrɛ ama me ɔbabarima.” Ne saa enti, ɔtoo no edin Dan a asekyerɛ ne, “Onyankopɔn adi mʼasɛm ama me.”
And Rachel said, “The Lord has judged for me, and he has heeded my voice, giving me a son.” And because of this, she called his name Dan.
7 Rahel afenaa Bilha nyinsɛnee bio, woo ɔbabarima a ɔtɔ so mmienu maa Yakob.
And conceiving again, Bilhah bore another,
8 Na Rahel kaa sɛ, “Me ne me nua Lea adi yɛn ho aperedie na madi nkonim.” Ɛno enti, ɔtoo abɔfra no edin Naftali a asekyerɛ ne, “Mʼakodie.”
about whom Rachel said, “God has compared me with my sister, and I have prevailed.” And she called him Naphtali.
9 Ɛberɛ a Lea hunuu sɛ nʼawoɔ ate kɔ no, ɔno nso de nʼafenaa Silpa maa Yakob wareeɛ.
Leah, perceiving that she had desisted from child-bearing, delivered Zilpah, her handmaid, to her husband.
10 Lea afenaa Silpa woo ɔbabarima maa Yakob.
And she, after having borne a son with difficulty,
11 Na Lea kaa sɛ, “Akrayɛ bɛn nie.” Enti, ɔtoo abɔfra no edin Gad a asekyerɛ ne, “Asi me yie.”
said: “Happiness!” And for this reason, she called his name Gad.
12 Lea afenaa Silpa woo ɔbabarima a ɔtɔ so mmienu maa Yakob.
Likewise, Zilpah bore another.
13 Na Lea kaa sɛ, “Mʼani agye! Afei deɛ, mmaa no bɛfrɛ me anigyeɛ.” Enti, ɔtoo no edin Aser a asekyerɛ ne “Anigyeɛ.”
And Leah said, “This one is for my happiness. Indeed, women will call me blessed.” Because of this, she called him Asher.
14 Ayuotwaberɛ mu ɛda bi, Ruben kɔɔ afuom kɔhunuu afifideɛ bi a wɔfrɛ no dudaim. Ɔde bi brɛɛ ne maame Lea. Rahel ka kyerɛɛ Lea sɛ, “Mesrɛ wo, ma me wo ba no dudaim no bi.”
Then Reuben, going out into the field at the time of the wheat harvest, found mandrakes. These he brought to his mother Leah. And Rachel said, “Give me a portion of your son’s mandrakes.”
15 Nanso, Lea de abufuo buaa sɛ, “Woabɛgye me kunu akyiri no, woresane abɛgye me ba dudaim a ɔde abrɛ me no bi apaa so?” Na Rahel de awerɛhoɔ kaa sɛ, “Ɛyɛ, ɛnneɛ, Yakob mmɛda wo nkyɛn ɛnnɛ anadwo yi, na ma me dudaim no bi.”
She responded, “Does it seem like such a small matter to you, that you have usurped from me my husband, unless you will also take my son’s mandrakes?” Rachel said, “He will sleep with you this night because of your son’s mandrakes.”
16 Enti, ɛda no anwummerɛ a Yakob firi afuom reba no, Lea kɔhyiaa no, ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Ɛsɛ sɛ wobɛda me nkyɛn ɛnnɛ anadwo yi, ɛfiri sɛ, mede me ba dudaim atɔ wo.” Enti, Yakob kɔdaa Lea nkyɛn anadwo no.
And when Jacob returned from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him, and she said, “You will enter to me, because I have hired you for the reward of my son’s mandrakes.” And he slept with her that night.
17 Onyankopɔn tiee Lea mpaeɛbɔ, na ɔnyinsɛn, woo ɔbabarima a ɔtɔ so enum maa Yakob.
And God heard her prayers. And she conceived and bore a fifth son.
18 Na Lea kaa sɛ, “Mede mʼafenaa Silpa maa me kunu Yakob no, Onyankopɔn adom me.” Enti, wɔtoo abɔfra no edin Isakar a asekyerɛ ne “Akyɛdeɛ.”
And she said, “God has given a reward to me, because I gave my handmaid to my husband.” And she called his name Issachar.
19 Lea sane nyinsɛnee bio, na ɔwoo ne babarima a ɔtɔ so nsia maa Yakob.
Conceiving again, Leah bore a sixth son.
20 Enti, Lea kaa sɛ, “Onyankopɔn akyɛ me akyɛdeɛ a ɛsom bo yie. Afei deɛ, manya me kunu anim animuonyam. Ɔde obuo ne anidie bɛma me, ɛfiri sɛ, mawo mmammarima baasia ama no. Enti, ɔtoo abarimaa no edin Sebulon a, asekyerɛ ne Animuonyam.”
And she said: “God has endowed me with a good dowry. And now, at this turn, my husband will be with me, because I have conceived six sons for him.” And therefore she called his name Zebulun.
21 Akyire no, Lea woo ɔbabaa too no edin Dina.
After him, she bore a daughter, named Dinah.
22 Afei, Onyankopɔn kaee Rahel, tiee ne mpaeɛbɔ, buee nʼawotwaa ano.
The Lord, likewise remembering Rachel, heeded her and opened her womb.
23 Rahel nyinsɛne, woo ɔbabarima, na ɔkaa sɛ, “Afei deɛ, Onyankopɔn apepa mʼanimguaseɛ, ama me nso mawo ɔba.”
And she conceived and bore a son, saying, “God has taken away my reproach.”
24 Rahel too ne ba no edin Yosef a asekyerɛ ne “Awurade mfa ɔbabarima baako nka me ho.”
And she called his name Joseph, saying, “The Lord has added to me another son.”
25 Rahel woo Yosef no, ankyɛre na ɛda koro bi, Yakob ka kyerɛɛ Laban sɛ, “Mepɛ sɛ mesane kɔ mʼankasa mʼasase so ne me fie enti, mesrɛ wo, gya me ɛkwan na menkɔ,
But when Joseph was born, Jacob said to his father-in-law: “Release me, so that I may return to my native country and to my land.
26 Fa me yerenom ne me mma a wɔn enti mebɛsom wo no ka ho. Wʼankasa ara wonim ɔsom pa a masom wo.”
Give me my wives, and my children, for whom I have served you, so that I may depart. You know the servitude with which I have served you.”
27 Laban buaa sɛ, “Mesrɛ wo, nkɔ nnya me. Makɔ abisa ahunu sɛ, nhyira dodoɔ a manya yi nyinaa firi te a wote me nkyɛn yi so.”
Laban said to him: “May I find grace in your sight. I have learned by experience that God has blessed me because of you.
28 Laban ka kaa ho sɛ, “Kyerɛ me akatua biara a wobɛgye, na mɛtua.”
Choose your wages, which I will give you.”
29 Yakob buaa Laban sɛ, “Wʼankasa wonim som a masom wo, ne sɛdeɛ mahwɛ wʼanantwie ne wo nnwan ama wɔn ase afɛe afa.
But he responded: “You know how I have served you, and how great your possession became in my hands.
30 Wʼahodeɛ kakra a na wowɔ ɛberɛ a mebaeɛ no, ɛnnɛ, adɔɔso, abu so. Biribiara a meyɛ maa wo no nso, Awurade ahyira so. Na me nso, ɛberɛ bɛn na mɛtumi apɛ biribi de agya mʼabusuafoɔ?”
You had little before I came to you, and now you have achieved riches. And the Lord has blessed you since my arrival. It is just, therefore, that at some time I also should provide for my own house.”
31 Laban bisaa Yakob sɛ, “Akatua ahe na memfa mma wo?” Yakob nso buaa sɛ, “Mma me hwee, na mmom, sɛ wobɛyɛ mʼabisadeɛ baako pɛ yi ama me deɛ a, mɛkɔ so ayɛn wo mmoa no.
And Laban said, “What shall I give to you?” But he said, “I want nothing. But if you will do what I ask, I will feed and guard your sheep again.
32 Ɛnnɛ, ma menkɔhwehwɛ wo mmoa no nyinaa mu, na mennyi odwan biara a ne ho yɛ ntokontrama, odwan ba biara a ɔyɛ tuntum ne abirekyie biara a ɔyɛ ntokontrama. Yeinom na ɛbɛyɛ mʼakatua.
Go around through all your flocks and separate all the sheep of variegated or spotted fleece; and whatever will be darkened or blemished or variegated, as much among the sheep as among the goats, will be my wages.
33 Yei bɛma woahunu sɛ, medi nokorɛ anaa menni nokorɛ. Sɛ wohunu nnwan anaa mmirekyie a wɔyɛ fufuo, na wɔnyɛ ntokontrama wɔ me mmoa no mu a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ mawia wɔn afiri wo deɛ mu.”
And my justice will answer on my behalf tomorrow, when the time of settlement arrives before you. And all that is not variegated or blemished or darkened, as much among the sheep as among the goats, these will prove me to be a thief.”
34 Laban buaa Yakob sɛ, “Ɛyɛ, yɛ no sɛdeɛ woaka no.”
And Laban said, “I hold favor for this request.”
35 Ɛda no ara, Laban yiyii nnwennini a wɔyɛ ntokontrama no nyinaa ne nnwammedeɛ a wɔyɛ ntokontrama no nso; mmoa no mu biara a fufuo wɔ ne ho ne odwan ba biara a ɔyɛ tuntum no, ɔde wɔn kɔmaa ne mmammarima.
And on that day he separated the she-goats, and the sheep, and the he-goats, and the rams with variegations or with blemishes. But every one of the flock which was of one color, that is, of white or of black fleece, he delivered into the hands of his sons.
36 Na Laban mma no faa mmoa no, de wɔn twaa nnansa ɛkwan, firii baabi a na Yakob wɔ hɔ. Saa ɛberɛ no mu, Yakob tenaa hɔ, hwɛɛ Laban nnwan no.
And he established a distance of three days journey between himself and his son-in-law, who pastured the remainder of his flock.
37 Na Yakob faa saa nnua yi: ɔsɛsɛ, ɛdwono ne ɔkyɛnkyɛn mman mono, yiyii ho akamakam, ma ɛkɔtoo dua kwatii no.
Then Jacob, taking green branches of poplar, and almond, and sycamore trees, debarked them in part. And when the bark was pulled off, in the parts that were stripped, there appeared whiteness, yet the parts that were left whole, remained green. And so, in this way the color was made variegated.
38 Afei, ɔde mman mono a wayiyi ho no nyinaa guguu mmoa no adidi nnaka mu, sɛdeɛ ɛba sɛ, mmoa no ba sɛ wɔrebɛnom nsuo no bi a, wɔbɛhunu. Saa ɛberɛ no na anini no foro abereɛ no.
And he placed them in the troughs, where the water was poured out, so that when the flocks had arrived to drink, they would have the branches before their eyes, and in their sight they might conceive.
39 Enti, sɛ mmoa no hyia mu wɔ dua mman ntokontrama no ho, na wɔnyinsɛn na wɔwowo a, wɔn mma no ho yɛ ntokontrama.
And it happened that, in the very heat of joining together, the sheep looked upon the branches, and they bore the blemished and the variegated, those speckled with diverse color.
40 Ɔnam saa ɛkwan yi so yii Laban nnwankuo no mu abereɛ no guu faako, ma ɛkaa anini no. Na ɔmaa wɔne Yakob nnwan a wɔyɛ tuntum no hyiaa mu. Saa ɛkwan yi so na ɔfa gyinaa ne nnwankuo firii Laban deɛ mu.
And Jacob divided the flock, and he set the branches in the troughs before the eyes of the rams. Now whatever was white or black belonged to Laban, but, in truth, the others belonged to Jacob, for the flocks were dispersed among one another.
41 Ɛduru ɛberɛ a nnwammedeɛ a wɔwɔ ahoɔden no pɛ sɛ wɔhyia nnwennini no a, Yakob de mman a wayiyi ho akamakam no gu wɔn anim.
Therefore, when the first to arrive were climbing on the ewes, Jacob placed the branches in the troughs of water before the eyes of the rams and the sheep, so that they might conceive while they were gazing upon them.
42 Nanso, wanyɛ nnwan abereɛ a wɔyɛ mmerɛ no saa. Enti, nnwammaa a wɔnni ahoɔden no bɛyɛɛ Laban dea, ɛnna wɔn a wɔwɔ ahoɔden no nso bɛyɛɛ Yakob dea.
Yet when the late arrivals and the last to conceive were let in, he did not place these. And so those that arrived late became Laban’s, and those that arrived first became Jacob’s.
43 Ɛnam yei so maa Yakob nyaa ne ho tam. Ɔnyaa mmoa, mfenaa, nkoa, nyoma ne mfunumu bebree.
And the man was enriched beyond limit, and he had many flocks, women servants and men servants, camels and donkeys.
