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 a thiki kaandjaLaban
1 Jakob okwa tsikile ondjila ye yokuuzilo. 2 Ohaluka okwa thiki pomuthima gu li melundu pu na iigunda yoonzi dha lala. Iigunda mbika oya li hayi hugilwa momuthima nguka gwa siikilwa nemanya edhigu. 3 Shampa oonzi dhe ya po adhihe, aasita ohayu undula po emanya e taye dhi hugile. Konima ohaye li shuna po ishewe pehala lyalyo.
4 Jakob okwa pula aasita a ti: “Yakwetu, ne oyapeni?”
Oya yamukula ya ti: “OyokuHaran.”
5 Okwa pula a ti: “Laban, omutekulu gwaNahor, omu mu shi?”
Oya yamukula ya ti: “Eeno, otu mu shi.”
6 Okwa pula a ti: “Oku li tuu nawa?”
Oya yamukula ya ti: “Eeno, oku li nawa. Tala, omwana omukadhona Rakel oye ngwiya te ya e na oonzi dhahe.”
7 Jakob okwa ti: “Tala, omutenya natango, nokali shi ethimbo lyokukongolola oonzi. Dhi hugileni, dho dhi ye dhi ka nape.”
8 Oya yamukula ya ti: “Itatu vulu oku shi ninga, manga oonzi adhihe inaadhi gwana po. Opo ihe emanya tali kuthwa po, e tatu dhi hugile.”
9 Jakob manga ta kundathana nayo, Rakel okwa thiki noonzi. 10 Jakob sho a mono Rakel pamwe noonzi dhahekulu Laban, okwa yi komuthima e ta kutha po emanya e te dhi hugile. 11 Nena okwe mu thipi komilungu nokwa lili kenyanyu. 12 Okwe mu hokololele a ti: “Ngame omunezimo lyaho, omuna gwaRebekka.” Rakel okwa matuka, a ka lombwele he. 13 Laban sho u uvu omutekulu gwe Jakob, okwa matuka e ke mu tsakaneke. Okwe mu papatele e te mu thipi komilungu e te mu fala megumbo. Jakob sho a hokololele Laban ayihe ya ningwa po, 14 Laban okwa ti: “Eeno, osho naanaa, ngoye onyama nombinzi yandje.” Jakob okwa kala ko omwedhi.
Jakob ta longele Laban molwaRakel naLea
15 Laban okwa lombwele Jakob a ti: “Nando ngoye omukwetu, ku na okulongela ndje owala. Lombwela ndje kutya ondjambi yoye oyashike.” 16 Laban okwa li e na oyana aakadhona yaali. Edhina lyosheeli oLea, nonkelo oRakel. 17 Lea okwa li e na omeho ga nkundipala, ihe Rakel okwa li omwaanawa a shitika.
18 Jakob okwa li e hole Rakel nokwa ti: “Otandi ku longele omimvo heyali, ngele oto zimine ndje, ndi hokane Rakel.”
19 Laban okwa yamukula a ti: “Oku mu ku pa oku vule oku mu gandja komuntu gulwe; kala pungame.” 20 Jakob okwa longo omimvo heyali, opo a pewe Rakel, nomimvo ndhoka odha li dha fa kuye omasiku gowala omashona ga piti po, oshoka okwa li e mu hole.
21 Nena Jakob okwa ti kuLaban: “Ethimbo lya thiki; pe ndje omukiintu gwandje, ndi mu hokane.” 22 Laban okwa hanga ohango e ta hiya ayehe. 23 Ihe uusiku mbwiyaka Jakob a li e na okupewa Rakel, Laban okwa kutha Lea e te mu pe Jakob, naJakob okwa lala naye. 24 (Laban okwa gandja omupika gwe omukadhona Silpa, a ninge omudhike gwaLea.) 25 Ongula sho kwa shi, Jakob okwa mono kutya nani omuntu oLea. Okwa yi kuLaban e ta ti: “Omolwashike wa ningi ndje ngeyi? Ngame onda longo, ndi pewe Rakel. Omolwashike wa kotokele ndje?”
26 Laban okwa yamukula: “Kagu shi omukalo gwoshilongo shetu okugandja omunona a hokanwe tango, manga omukuluntu e li po. 27 Tegelela owala, omasiku gohango ga kuke, notandi ke ku pa Rakel, ngele oto ka longela ndje ishewe omimvo omikwawo heyali.”
28 Jakob okwa zimine, nomasiku gohango sho ga kuka, Laban okwe mu pe omwana Rakel, a ninge omukadhi. 29 (Laban okwa gandja omupika gwe omukadhona Bilha kuRakel, a ninge omudhike gwe.) 30 Jakob okwa ka lala ishewe naRakel, nokwa li e mu hole unene e vule Lea. Nena okwa longele Laban omimvo omikwawo heyali.
Aana yaJakob
31 Omuwa sho a mono kutya Lea ke holike, okwe mu pe oluvalo, ihe Rakel okwa ningi omuntimbe. 32 Lea okwa ningi omusimba e ta vala omumati e ta ti: “Omuwa okwa mono uukweyi wandje, ngashingeyi omusamane gwandje ota kala e hole ndje.” Lea okwa luka omumati Reuben. 33 Okwa ningi omusimba ishewe e ta vala omumati. Okwa ti: “Omuwa okwa pe ndje omumati nguka, oshoka oku uvu kutya kandi holike.” Okwe mu luka Simeon. 34 Okwa ningi omusimba ishewe e ta vala omumati gulwe. Okwa ti: “Ngashingeyi omusamane gwandje ota kala a kanyatela ndje, oshoka onde mu valele aamati yatatu.” Oye nokwe mu luka Levi. 35 Nena okwa ningi omusimba ishewe e ta vala omumati gulwe. Okwa ti: “Ngashingeyi ote hambelele Omuwa.” Oye nokwe mu luka Juda. Nena okwa hulitha okuvala.
