Jakubo unoswika ku nzi wa Labani
1 Jakubo kadwilidza gwendo gugwe ngono kanoswika ku shango ye ku bhezhuba. 2 Kati emilidza mesho kabona tshime lakazhaligwa nge bgwe gulugulu ngono kulipoteleka kulilele matanga matatu e pkhwizi ngoti dzakabe dzing'wisiwa ipapo. 3 Kwakabe kuti matanga e pkhwizi asinokubungana wose, balisi bakakunguludza bgwe belidusa pa nlomo we tshime bekong'wisa pkhwizi dzabo. Kudwapo bebgwiliza bgwe mu magalo alo pa nlomo we tshime.
4 Jakubo kabhuzwa balisi kati, “Modwa ngayi bakanyi kwedu?”
Ibo bakadabila beti, “Todwa ku Harani.”
5 Jakubo kabe ebhuzwa eti, “Mungabe muziba Labani nkololo wa Nahori kene?”
Bakadabila beti, “Ee, tonziba.”
6 Ipapo Jakubo kababhuzwa kati, “Unomukazwe kene?”
Bakashandula beti, “Unomuka. Nkololokadzi uwe Rahele wouje waswika ne pkhwizi.”
7 Jakubo kabe eti, “Kutji masikati, atjithu tjikabe tjibaka tje kukubunganya zwithuwo. Ng'wisani pkhwizi mudziyise ku mafulo.”
8 Bakanshandula beti, “Atingadzing'wise kuswikila matanga wose akubungana, bgwe lakunguludziwa kudwa pa nlomo we tshime. Ipapo ndiko kwatingadzing'wisa.”
9 Jakubo kati atjalebeleka nabo, Rahele kaswika ne pkhwizi dza tate babe ngoti wakabe ali nlisikadzi wadzo. 10 Jakubo kati ebona Rahele nkololokadzi wa Labani hazwadzi ya mmeyabe ne pkhwizi dza Labani, kayenda kakunguludza bgwe kalidusa pa nlomo we tshime kang'wisa pkhwizi dza basekulu babe. 11 Ipapo Jakubo kaputa Rahele ngono kamilidza hwi kalila. 12 Kabudza Rahele kati, “Imi ndi gamu la tate babo, ndi nkololo wa Ribeka.”
Rahele kalabuka kanobudza tate babe. 13 Labani kati ehwa ngekwa Jakubo mwana we hazwadzi iye kalabuka kunonshanganidza. Kan'gumbatila kamputa ngono kayenda naye ku nzi uwe. Jakubo kabudza Labani zwithu izwezwi zose. 14 Labani iye kandwa kati, “Iwe u gamu langu, ti lopa ling'ompela.” Jakubo kagala ipapo mwedzi wose.
Jakubo unoshingila Rahele na Liya
15 Labani kadwa Jakubo kati, “Akuzolingisana kuti undishingile usina tjinokubuyila. Ndipo iyo ingabeni?” 16 Labani wakabe ana bakololokadzi bali babili, hwola eyi Liya, ntjetjana eyi Rahele. 17 Liya wakabe ana lidandi mu mesho, koga Rahele akabumbika zwakanaka ali mbuya.
18 Jakubo wakabe eda Rahele. Ndizo kadwa Labani kati, “Ndowomushingila makole ali kutendeka mukondipa Rahele kunlobola.”
19 Labani kadabila eti, “Kwakanaka kuti ndikupe iye pana kuti ndimpe mmwe nthu. Gala nami.” 20 Ndizo Jakubo kashinga makole ali kutendeka kuti apiwe Rahele. Makole iyawa kanga mazhuba asi mangana koga ngoti eda Rahele.
21 Ngono Jakubo kabe eti kuna Labani, “Tjindipani nkadzi wangu nditjishangana naye ngoti tjibaka tjatakadumana tje kunshingila tjapela.” 22 Ndizo Labani kathama bukwe kakoka bathu be bugalo igogo. 23 Koga kwakati kwabe madekwana katola nkololokadzi uwe Liya kan'yisa kuna Jakubo ngono iye kawalilana naye. 24 Labani katola Zilipa nlandakadzi uwe kampa Liya nkololokadzi uwe kube nlandakadzi uwe. 25 Kwakati tjimuka mangwanana Jakubo kabona kuti walala apiwa Liya. Ndizo kabe eti kuna Labani, “Ini ikoku kwamandithamila? Ndakashingila Rahele, ini manditjebela?”
26 Labani kashandula eti, “Ate uli mpanga wedu kulobodza ntjetjana etangila nkuluyi. 27 Pedza tshipi iyeyi ye bukwe gwa iwoyu. Ngono towokupa ntjetjana wanshingilabo mamwe makole ali kutendeka.”
28 Jakubo kashinga saikoko. Kapedza tshipi ana Liya ngono Labani kampa Rahele nkololokadzi uwe kube nkadzi uwe. 29 Labani katola Bhiliha nlandakadzi uwe kampa Rahele nkololokadzi uwe kube nlandakadzi uwe. 30 Jakubo kashanganabo na Rahele ngono kada Rahele kupinda Liya. Jakubo kashingila Labani mamwe makole ali kutendeka.
Kuzwagwa kwe bana ba Jakubo
31 Yahwe bakati bebona kuti Liya aatodiwa, bakampa mbeleko koga Rahele kabe asingawane bana. 32 Liya kazwisenga kawana mwana we tjilisana. Kantumila zina kati Rubheni ngekuti wakati, “Yahwe babona kudziyila kwangu. Nlume wangu utjowondida kwazo.” 33 Kazwisenga kakale kawana mwana we tjilisana ngono kabe eti, “Yahwe bahwa kuti ndoshimiwa ndizo bandipa mbisana iwoyu kakale.” Ngono kantumila kati Simiyoni. 34 Kapapha kazwisenga ngono kati ewana mwana we tjilisana kati, “Ngwenu nlume wangu unowobhatana nami ngoti ndanthamila bakololo batatu.” Ndizo kantumila zina kati Levi. 35 Kazwisenga kakale kawana mwana we tjilisana ngono kabe eti, “Ngwenu ndowokudza Yahwe.” Ndizo kantumila zina eti Juda. Ipapo kamisa kuwana bana.
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!”