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 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.