Jacob Arrives at Laban's Home
1 As Jacob continued on his way to the east, 2 he looked out in a field and saw a well where shepherds took their sheep for water. Three flocks of sheep were lying around the well, which was covered with a large rock. 3 Shepherds would roll the rock away when all their sheep had gathered there. Then after the sheep had been watered, the shepherds would roll the rock back over the mouth of the well.
4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “Where are you from?”
“We're from Haran,” they answered.
5 Then he asked, “Do you know Nahor's grandson Laban?”
“Yes we do,” they replied.
6 “How is he?” Jacob asked.
“He's fine,” they answered. “And here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
7 Jacob told them, “Look, the sun is still high up in the sky, and it's too early to bring in the rest of the flocks. Water your sheep and take them back to the pasture.”
8 But they replied, “We can't do that until they all get here, and the rock has been rolled away from the well.”
9 While Jacob was still talking with the men, his cousin Rachel came up with her father's sheep. 10 When Jacob saw her and his uncle's sheep, he rolled the rock away and watered the sheep. 11 He then kissed Rachel and started crying because he was so happy. 12 He told her that he was the son of her aunt Rebekah, and she ran and told her father about him.
13 As soon as Laban heard the news, he ran out to meet Jacob. He hugged and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him everything that had happened. 14 Laban said, “You are my nephew, and you are like one of my own family.”
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
After Jacob had been there for a month, 15 Laban said to him, “You shouldn't have to work without pay, just because you are a relative of mine. What do you want me to give you?”
16-17 Laban had two daughters. Leah was older than Rachel, but her eyes didn't sparkle, while Rachel was beautiful and had a good figure. 18 Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he answered, “If you will let me marry Rachel, I'll work seven years for you.”
19 Laban replied, “It's better for me to let you marry Rachel than for someone else to have her. So stay and work for me.” 20 Jacob worked seven years for Laban, but the time seemed like only a few days, because he loved Rachel so much.
21 Jacob said to Laban, “The time is up, and I want to marry Rachel now!” 22 So Laban gave a big feast and invited all their neighbors. 23 But that evening he brought Leah to Jacob, who married her and spent the night with her. 24 Laban also gave Zilpah to Leah as her servant woman.
25 The next morning Jacob found out that he had married Leah, and he asked Laban, “Why did you do this to me? Didn't I work to get Rachel? Why did you trick me?”
26 Laban replied, “In our country the older daughter must get married first. 27 After you spend this week with Leah, you may also marry Rachel. But you will have to work for me another seven years.”
28-30 At the end of the week of celebration, Laban let Jacob marry Rachel, and he gave her his servant woman Bilhah. Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, but he had to work another seven years for Laban.
31 The Lord knew that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, and so he gave children to Leah, but not to Rachel. 32 Leah gave birth to a son and named him Reuben. Then she said, “The Lord has taken away my sorrow. Now my husband will love me more than he does Rachel.” 33 She had a second son and named him Simeon, because she said, “The Lord has heard that my husband doesn't love me.” 34 When Leah's third son was born, she said, “Now my husband will hold me close.” So this son was named Levi. 35 She had one more son and named him Judah, because she said, “I'll praise the Lord!”
Jakob ma vaza konganda ya Laban
1 Jakob arire tja ryama mouyenda we, na i kehi rovandu vokomuhuka. 2 Mokamanga arire tja munu ondjombo mokuti notupanda tutatu tozonḓu, nḓa rara meṋe yayo. Otupanda twi aa tu hirwa mondjombo ndji; nu potjinyo tjayo pa ri ewe enene. 3 Notupanda tji twa wongara mbo atuhe pamwe, imba ovarise otjaave kunguzurire ewe okuriisa po potjinyo tjondjombo, nave hire ozonḓu. Tjazumba otjaave yarura po indi ewe poruveze rwaro rukwao.
4 Jakob arire tja pura ovarise a tja: “Vakwetu, mamu zu pi?”
Nowo ve mu zira ave tja: “Matu zu kOharan.”
5 Neye wa pura nai: “Laban, ondekurona ya Nahor, mu mu i?”
Nowo ve mu zira nave tja: “Ii, tu mu i.”
6 Neye we ve pura a tja: “Eye u ri nawa?”
Nowo ve mu zira ave tja: “Ii, u ri nawa! Nu tara, omusuko we Rahel eye ngo ngu ma yende nambano nozonyanda.”
7 Jakob arire tja tja: “Eyuva ngunda omutenya, nu ngunda karuya rira oruveze rwokuworonganisa ozonyanda. Ze eseye ze nwe, nu mu hinge ze karye.”
8 Nowo va zira ave tja: “Nao kamaatu sora nga otupanda atuhe twozonyanda azehe tji twa worongana. Tjazumba ewe mari isiwa po, okutja otji matu hire ozonyanda.”
9 Jakob ngunda ama hungire puna wo, Rahel arire tja tukuruka nozonyanda zaihe, eye tjinga a ri omurise. 10 Nu Jakob tja munu Rahel, omusuko wongundwe Laban, nozonyanda, arire tja i kondjombo na kunguzura indi ewe okuriisa po potjinyo tjondjombo, na hire ozonyanda. 11 Jakob wa hupita Rahel na utu okurira. 12 Neye wa raera ku Rahel a tja: “Ami owami omuzandu wa Rebeka, nowami omusya waiho.”
Rahel wa tupuka okukaserekarera ku ihe. 13 Nu Laban tja zuva kutja omusya we Jakob u ri mondjira wa tupuka okukemutjakanena, e mu pukata, narire tje mu hupite ne mu hitisa mondjuwo ye. Jakob arire tja serekarerere Laban oviṋa avihe mbya tjitwa. 14 Laban wa tja ku ye: “Tjiri, ove oove onyama nombinḓu yandje omuini.” Nu Jakob wa kara mbo oure womueze auhe.
Jakob ma kara okuungurira Laban kutja a pewe ooRahel na Lea
15 Laban wa pura Jakob a tja: “Ove ko nokusokuungura uriri nokuhina ondjambi mena rokutja oove omusya wandje. Mo vanga ondjambi, ndji ṱeki pi?” 16 Laban wa ri novasuko vevari, erumbi wa ri Lea, nomuangu wa ri Rahel. 17 Nu Lea wa ri nomeho omawa, nungwari Rahel wa ri nombunikiro nomuhapo omuwa.
18 Jakob wa suverere Rahel, nopa tjera nai: “Ami me ku ungurire ozombura hambombari mena romusuko woye ingwi omuangu Rahel.”
19 Nu Laban wa zira nai: “Okokuwa okumuyandja kove pokumuyandja komurumendu wozonganda. Kara puna ami!” 20 Komuhingo mbwi Jakob otja ungura ozombura hambombari kutja a pewe Rahel; noruveze ndwi iyaru munika aayo omayuva ouṱiṱi ku ye, eye tjinga e mu suverere tjinene.
21 Jakob arire tja tja ku Laban: “Oruveze rwa yenene; ndji pa omusuko woye mbi kupe.” 22 Komuhingo mbwi Laban opa tjitira omukandi wongupiro na ṋanga ovandu avehe votjirongo ho. 23 Nungwari ouṱuku mbo eye wa twara Lea ku Jakob moruveze rwa Rahel; nu Jakob wa rara pu ye. 24 Nu Laban wa yandja omukarere we omusuko wena Silpa komuatje we Lea a rire omukarere we omuini. 25 Nomuhuka tji pa tji, Jakob arire tja munu kutja ingwi oLea. Neye opa heera nai ku Laban: “Nambano ove we ndji tjitire tjike nai? Ami hi ku unguririre kutja mbi pewe Rahel are? Nambano ove we ndji wovisire tjike?”
26 Laban arire tja ziri nai: “Kamuhingo wetu okutenga okukupisa omusuko omuangu komurungu werumbi re. 27 Kara uri na ingwi pu pe ṱa omayuva hambombari worukupo; tjazumba otji me ku pe Rahel wina, tji mo ndji ungurire ozombura zarwe hambombari.”
28 Nu Jakob wa tjita nao na kara omayuva hambombari worukupo puna ye. Nu Laban arire tje mu pe omusuko we Rahel a ise po omukazendu we. 29 Laban wa yandja omukarere we omusuko wena ra Bilha komuatje we Rahel a rire omukarere we omuini. 30 Nu Jakob wina otja rara pu Rahel, ne mu suvere pu Lea. Neye wa ungurira Laban ozombura ozongwao hambombari.
Ovanatje va Jakob
31 Muhona tja muna kutja Lea omuyarwandu, ope mu pera orukwato, Rahel ngunda a kara nokuhinovanatje. 32 Nu Lea arire tja rire otjingundi na panduka omuzandu ne mu ruku Ruben; orondu eye tja tja: “Muhona wa ṱondjenda na ami, nambano omurumendu wandje me ndji suvere.” 33 Neye wa rira otjingundi rukwao na panduka omuzandu, na tja: “Orondu Muhona tjinga a zuva kutja mba yarwa, neye ope ndji pera omuzandu ngwi rukwao”, nu we mu ruka Simeon. 34 Neye wa rira otjingundi rukwao, na panduka omuzandu. Neye wa tja: “Nambano otjikando hi omurumendu wandje me ndji suvere, ami tjinga ambe mu pandukire ovazandu vetatu.” Nope mu rukira Levi. 35 Neye wa rira otjingundi rukwao, na panduka omuatje omuzandu; narire tja tja: “Otjikando hi ami me tanga Muhona.” Nope mu rukira Juda. Okuzambo orukwato rwe aru yandere mbo.
