Jacob Arrives at Laban's Home
1 Jacob continued on his way and went toward the land of the East. 2 Suddenly he came upon a well out in the fields with three flocks of sheep lying around it. The flocks were watered from this well, which had a large stone over the opening. 3 Whenever all the flocks came together there, the shepherds would roll the stone back and water them. Then they would put the stone back in place.
4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “My friends, where are you from?”
“From Haran,” they answered.
5 He asked, “Do you know Laban, grandson of Nahor?”
“Yes, we do,” they answered.
6 “Is he well?” he asked.
“He is well,” they answered. “Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with his flock.”
7 Jacob said, “Since it is still broad daylight and not yet time to bring the flocks in, why don't you water them and take them back to pasture?”
8 They answered, “We can't do that until all the flocks are here and the stone has been rolled back; then we will water the flocks.”
9 While Jacob was still talking with them, Rachel arrived with the flock. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel with his uncle Laban's flock, he went to the well, rolled the stone back, and watered the sheep. 11 Then he kissed her and began to cry for joy. 12 He told her, “I am your father's relative, the son of Rebecca.”
She ran to tell her father; 13 and when he heard the news about his nephew Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him and kissed him, and brought him into the house. When Jacob told Laban everything that had happened, 14 Laban said, “Yes, indeed, you are my own flesh and blood.” Jacob stayed there a whole month.
Jacob Serves Laban for Rachel and Leah
15 Laban said to Jacob, “You shouldn't work for me for nothing just because you are my relative. How much pay do you want?” 16 Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger Rachel. 17 Leah had lovely eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18 Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said, “I will work seven years for you, if you will let me marry Rachel.”
19 Laban answered, “I would rather give her to you than to anyone else; stay here with me.” 20 Jacob worked seven years so that he could have Rachel, and the time seemed like only a few days to him, because he loved her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “The time is up; let me marry your daughter.” 22 So Laban gave a wedding feast and invited everyone. 23 But that night, instead of Rachel, he took Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had intercourse with her. ( 24 Laban gave his slave woman Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maid.) 25 Not until the next morning did Jacob discover that it was Leah. He went to Laban and said, “Why did you do this to me? I worked to get Rachel. Why have you tricked me?”
26 Laban answered, “It is not the custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older. 27 Wait until the week's marriage celebrations are over, and I will give you Rachel, if you will work for me another seven years.”
28 Jacob agreed, and when the week of marriage celebrations was over, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. ( 29 Laban gave his slave woman Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid.) 30 Jacob had intercourse with Rachel also, and he loved her more than Leah. Then he worked for Laban another seven years.
The Children Born to Jacob
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was loved less than Rachel, he made it possible for her to have children, but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She said, “The Lord has seen my trouble, and now my husband will love me”; so she named him Reuben. 33 She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “The Lord has given me this son also, because he heard that I was not loved”; so she named him Simeon. 34 Once again she became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She said, “Now my husband will be bound more tightly to me, because I have borne him three sons”; so she named him Levi. 35 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “This time I will praise the Lord”; so she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
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.
