Jakubo unotizha Labani
1 Jakubo kahwa kuti bakololo ba Labani bakabe beti, “Jakubo wakatola tjimwe ne tjimwe tjakabe tjili tja tate bedu. Fumwa yose yaanayo wakaiwana muna zwakabe zwili zwa tate bedu.” 2 Ngono Jakubo kabonabo kuti Labani wakabe asingatjanshathile se kutanga. 3 Ipapo Yahwe bakati kuna Jakubo, “Bgwilila ku shango ya botate babo ne ku makamu awo, ngono imi ndowobe nawe.”
4 Ndizo Jakubo katuma nthu kanodana Rahele na Liya kuti bazhe ku shango kwaakabe efudza zwithuwo zwizwe. 5 Kabadwa kati, “Ndobona kuti tate benyu abatjina hwanano yabagala banayo nami, koga Ndzimu wa tate bangu unami. 6 Moziba kuti ndakashingila tate benyu nge masimba angu wose, 7 koga tate benyu bakanditjebela. Bakashandula mbhayilo wangu kanjinji. Koga Ndzimu auzobaletja bakandithamila tjakabipa. 8 Bakabe beti ha beti, ‘Zwithuwo zwazwagwa zwina mibala ndizo mbhayilo uwo,’ zwithuwo zose zowobe zwizwala bana bana mibala, kene beti, ‘Zwina mizila ndizo mbhayilo uwo,’ zwithuwo zose zowobe zwizwala bana bana mizila. 9 Ndizo wali Ndzimu wakatola zwithuwo zwa tate benyu ukandipa izo.
10 “Mu nsi we zwithuwo zwikwiigwa ndakawolota ndibona phoko dzina mizila ne dzina manjanja ne zwibadzi dzikwiila hadzi. 11 Ntumwa we kudzimu we Ndzimu ukandidana mu hwope ukati, ‘Jakubo’ Adabila nditi, ‘Ndipano.’ 12 Ngono ukabe uti, ‘Linga ubone kuti phoko dzinokwiila hadzi dzina mizila ne manjanja ne zwibadzi ngoti ndabona kose Labani kwaakakuthamila. 13 Ndimi Ndzimu we Bhetele kwawakazhodza bgwe mafuta ukabuya ukatuna kundili. Ndizo ngwenu wali tjibhuda mu shango iyeyi uyende ku shango ya kanyi kwenyu.’ ”
14 Ipapo Rahele na Liya bakashandula beti, “Apa titjina gobe kene thaka mu thundu ya tate bedu kene? 15 Apa abatotitola se bataya kene? Bakatitengesa bakabuya bakashingisa mari wose akatilobola. 16 Fumwa yose iyeyi Ndzimu yawakatolela tate bedu ndiyo yedu ne bana bedu. Ndizo iwe shinga tjawabudziwa nge Ndzimu.”
17 Ipapo Jakubo katathisa bana babe ne bakadzi babe kamela 18 katakula zwithuwo zwizwe zose kasenga thundu yose yaakashaba mu Padani Aramu kuyenda kuna tate babe Isaki ku shango ye Kanana. 19 Labani wakati ayenda kunokera pkhwizi dzidze Rahele kasala ekwiba midzimu ya tate babe. 20 Jakubo wakatjebela Labani we N'aramu nge kusambudza kuti iye woyenda. 21 Katizha kayenda na kose kwaakabe anako katjuluka gwizi gwe Yufuratesi akalinga ku shango ye matuthu ye Giliyadi.
Labani unolonda Jakubo
22 Kwakati kwapinda mazhuba matatu Labani kabudziwa kuti Jakubo wakatizha. 23 Labani katola makamu awe kalonda Jakubo ngono kambhata mu shango ye matuthu ye Giliyadi shule kwe mazhuba ali kutendeka. 24 Kukati busiku Ndzimu ukazha kuna Labani we N'aramu mu hwope ukandwa ukati, “Usitongoleba tjimwe tjakabipa kene tjakanaka kuna Jakubo.” 25 Labani wakabhata Jakubo mu shango ye matuthu ye Giliyadi kwaakabe akotokela ngono na iye kakotokelabo ko.
26 Labani kadwa Jakubo kati, “Ini ikoku kwawathama unditjebela usenga bakololokadzi bangu ubathama se bakadzi batapiwa nge thumo? 27 Ini wakanyeluka utizha unditjebela. Ini usakandibudza kuitila kuti ndikupeleke nge kushatha timba njimbo nge zwilidzo? 28 Ini usandipa tjibaka kuputa bana be bana bangu ne bakololokadzi bangu ndiwonekana nabo? Tjawathama bulengwe koga. 29 Ndina simba le kukuhwisazogwadza koga busiku gwapinda Ndzimu wa tate babo wati kundili, ‘Yela njele kuti usitongoti tjimwe tjakabipa kuna Jakubo.’ 30 Watizha ngoti wakashuba kubgwilila kanyi kwa tate babo, koga wakwibilani midzimu yangu?”
31 Jakubo kashandula Labani eti, “Ndakabe nditja kuti mowodwa mutola bakololokadzi benyu nge simba. 32 Koga ha mungawana mmwe ipapa una midzimu yenyu ngaabulawe. Shakani mu mesho e makamu edu pano mubone kene mowana tjimwe tjingabe tjili tjenyu, amatjiwana mutjitole.” Jakubo wakabe asingazibe kuti Rahele wakabe akwiba midzimu.
33 Ndizo Labani kangina mu nshasha wa Jakubo ne muna wa Liya ne mu mishasha ye balandakadzi babili koga kasiwane tjimwe. Kati ebhuda mu nshasha wa Liya kangina muna wa Rahele. 34 Rahele wakabe atola midzimu iyeyo kailonga mu hwomo ye sale dze kamela kabe egala pezhugwi kwayo. Labani kashaka nshasha wose ngono kasiwane tjimwe. 35 Rahele kadwa tate babe kati, “Musitongo ndigwadzila moyo tate, ngoti musati muswika pandili amilika, ndimu mwedzi.” Labani kashaka ngono kasiwane midzimu iye.
36 Ndizo Jakubo kagwadza moyo ngono kakayikanya Labani. Kabhuzwa Labani eti, “Nlandu wangu ini? Tjibiibi tjandakashinga ndi tjipi tjayita kuti munditobele? 37 Ngono se mashaka mukashakisisa mu thundu yangu yose, mawanani tjenyu? Mu tjibige ipapa mbeli kwe makamu enyu ne angu kuti batisumikilise. 38 Ndakagala namwi makole wose iyawa ali makumi mabili. Pkhwizi hadzi ne mbudzi dzenyu hadzi adzizotongo sodza kakale akuna tjandakatongo bhaya ndija mu zwithuwo zwenyu. 39 Zwithuwo zwenyu zwakabulawa nge zwibandana andizotongo zwizhisa kumuli, ndakazwimisa nge zwangu. Zwakakwibiwa masikati kene busiku, makazwishaka mu ndili. 40 Tjimo tjangu tjakabe tjili etji, masikati ndakabe nditshwa ne zhuba, busiku ndipota, ndisingabone hwope. 41 Kwakabe kwakajalo koga makole wose ali makumi mabili ndigala namwi. Ndakamushingila makole ali gumi lina makole ali manna ndishingila bakololokadzi benyu babili ashinga makole ali tathatu ndakatjengeta zwithuwo zwenyu ngono mukashandula mbhayilo wangu kanjinji. 42 Ha Ndzimu wa tate bangu, Ndzimu wa Abhurahama iwo unothigamigwa ndi Isaki usakabe nami, nge malebeswa mungabe makanditata ndisina tjandakabhata. Koga Ndzimu wakabona kudziyila kwangu ne kushinga kwangu kunolema ngono busiku gwapinda wakamutjemela.”
Tjidumano pakati kwa Jakubo na Labani
43 Labani kashandula Jakubo eti, “Bakololokadzi ibaba nge bangu ne bana ibaba nge bangu ne zwithuwo nge zwangu. Kose kwaunobona nge kwangu. Koga ini tjandingathama ngwenu ngekwe bakololokadzi bangu kene ngekwe bana babakazwala? 44 Ngatithame tjidumano pakati kwangu nawe tjibe tjitendeki pakati kwedu.”
45 Ndizo Jakubo katola bgwe kalimisa kube ikumbuludzo. 46 Jakubo kadwa makamu awe kati, “Kubunganyani mabgwe.” Bakakubunganya mmbumba we mabgwe bakagala kubapa nawo bakaja. 47 Labani kaudana eti Jega Sahaduta, Jakubo iye kaudana Galeedi. 48 Labani kabe eti, “Mmbumba iwoyu tjitendeki pakati kuko nami nasi.” Ndizo wali wakadang'wa kuyi Galeedi. 49 Limwe zina le bgwe ilelo lakabe liyi Mizipha ngoti Labani wakati, “Yahwe ngabatibige zhisho ha tapalalana mmwe ali kwaaliko ne mmwe kwaaliko. 50 Ha ungadziyidza bakololokadzi bangu kene ukalobola bakadzi bamwe nenguba kusina unaswi, kumbula kuti Ndzimu ntendeki pakati kuko nami.” 51 Labani kati kakale kuna Jakubo, “Mmbumba we mabgwe hwoyu ne bgwe yeli landamisa pakati kuko nami. 52 Mmbumba iwoyu we mabgwe tjilakidzo ne bgwe ileli tjilakidzo tjekuti andingapinde mmbumba iwoyu ndipindila ku lubizho gugo kukuthama tjakabipa, nawe aungapinde mmbumba iwoyu upindila ku lubizho gwangu kundithama tjakabipa. 53 Ndzimu wa Abhurahama ne Ndzimu wa Nahori, Ndzimu wa tate babo ngaube ntendeki pakati kwedu.” Ndizo Jakubo katuna ne Ndzimu unothigamigwa ndi Isaki tate babe. 54 Jakubo kabhaya tjibhayilo mu shango ye matuthu ngono kakoka makamu awe ku zojiwa. Bakati basinoja bakapitsha busiku ipapo. 55 Tjimuka mangwanana Labani kaputa bana be bana babe ne bakololokadzi babe kabakombolela. Ngono kamilika kabgwilila kanyi.
Jacob Flees from Laban
1 Jacob heard that Laban's sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. He got all his wealth from what our father owned.” 2 He also saw that Laban was no longer as friendly as he had been earlier. 3 Then the Lord said to him, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives. I will be with you.”
4 So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to meet him in the field where his flocks were. 5 He said to them, “I have noticed that your father is not as friendly toward me as he used to be; but my father's God has been with me. 6 You both know that I have worked for your father with all my strength. 7 Yet he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not let him harm me. 8 Whenever Laban said, ‘The speckled goats shall be your wages,’ all the flocks produced speckled young. When he said, ‘The striped goats shall be your wages,’ all the flocks produced striped young. 9 God has taken flocks away from your father and given them to me.
10 “During the breeding season I had a dream, and I saw that the male goats that were mating were striped, spotted, and speckled. 11 The angel of God spoke to me in the dream and said, ‘Jacob!’ ‘Yes,’ I answered. 12 ‘Look,’ he continued, ‘all the male goats that are mating are striped, spotted, and speckled. I am making this happen because I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you dedicated a stone as a memorial by pouring olive oil on it and where you made a vow to me. Now get ready and go back to the land where you were born.’”
14 Rachel and Leah answered Jacob, “There is nothing left for us to inherit from our father. 15 He treats us like foreigners. He sold us, and now he has spent all the money he was paid for us. 16 All this wealth which God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children. Do whatever God has told you.”
17-18 So Jacob got ready to go back to his father in the land of Canaan. He put his children and his wives on the camels, and drove all his flocks ahead of him, with everything that he had gotten in Mesopotamia. 19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and during his absence Rachel stole the household gods that belonged to her father. 20 Jacob deceived Laban by not letting him know that he was leaving. 21 He took everything he owned and left in a hurry. He crossed the Euphrates River and started for the hill country of Gilead.
Laban Pursues Jacob
22 Three days later Laban was told that Jacob had fled. 23 He took his men with him and pursued Jacob for seven days until he caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 In a dream that night God came to Laban and said to him, “Be careful not to threaten Jacob in any way.” 25 Jacob had set up his camp on a mountain, and Laban set up his camp with his relatives in the hill country of Gilead.
26 Laban said to Jacob, “Why did you deceive me and carry off my daughters like women captured in war? 27 Why did you deceive me and slip away without telling me? If you had told me, I would have sent you on your way with rejoicing and singing to the music of tambourines and harps. 28 You did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters good-bye. That was a foolish thing to do! 29 I have the power to do you harm, but last night the God of your father warned me not to threaten you in any way. 30 I know that you left because you were so anxious to get back home, but why did you steal my household gods?”
31 Jacob answered, “I was afraid, because I thought that you might take your daughters away from me. 32 But if you find that anyone here has your gods, he will be put to death. Here, with our men as witnesses, look for anything that belongs to you and take what is yours.” Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen Laban's gods.
33 Laban went and searched Jacob's tent; then he went into Leah's tent, and the tent of the two slave women, but he did not find his gods. Then he went into Rachel's tent. 34 Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in a camel's saddlebag and was sitting on them. Laban searched through the whole tent, but did not find them. 35 Rachel said to her father, “Do not be angry with me, sir, but I am not able to stand up in your presence; I am having my monthly period.” Laban searched but did not find his household gods.
36 Then Jacob lost his temper. “What crime have I committed?” he asked angrily. “What law have I broken that gives you the right to hunt me down? 37 Now that you have searched through all my belongings, what household article have you found that belongs to you? Put it out here where your men and mine can see it, and let them decide which one of us is right. 38 I have been with you now for twenty years; your sheep and your goats have not failed to reproduce, and I have not eaten any rams from your flocks. 39 Whenever a sheep was killed by wild animals, I always bore the loss myself. I didn't take it to you to show that it was not my fault. You demanded that I make good anything that was stolen during the day or during the night. 40 Many times I suffered from the heat during the day and from the cold at night. I was not able to sleep. 41 It was like that for the whole twenty years I was with you. For fourteen years I worked to win your two daughters—and six years for your flocks. And even then, you changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac, had not been with me, you would have already sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my trouble and the work I have done, and last night he gave his judgment.”
The Agreement between Jacob and Laban
43 Laban answered Jacob, “These young women are my daughters; their children belong to me, and these flocks are mine. In fact, everything you see here belongs to me. But since I can do nothing to keep my daughters and their children, 44 I am ready to make an agreement with you. Let us make a pile of stones to remind us of our agreement.”
45 So Jacob got a stone and set it up as a memorial. 46 He told his men to gather some rocks and pile them up. Then they ate a meal beside the pile of rocks. 47 Laban named it Jegar Sahadutha, while Jacob named it Galeed. 48 Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks will be a reminder for both of us.” That is why that place was named Galeed. 49 Laban also said, “May the Lord keep an eye on us while we are separated from each other.” So the place was also named Mizpah. 50 Laban went on, “If you mistreat my daughters or if you marry other women, even though I don't know about it, remember that God is watching us. 51 Here are the rocks that I have piled up between us, and here is the memorial stone. 52 Both this pile and this memorial stone are reminders. I will never go beyond this pile to attack you, and you must never go beyond it or beyond this memorial stone to attack me. 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor will judge between us.” Then, in the name of the God whom his father Isaac worshiped, Jacob solemnly vowed to keep this promise. 54 He killed an animal, which he offered as a sacrifice on the mountain, and he invited his men to the meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain. 55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters good-bye, and left to go back home.