Genesis 29
1 Jacob went quickly on his way, and arrived in the land of the eastern people.
UJakobe wasephakamisa inyawo zakhe, waya elizweni labantwana bempumalanga.
2 As he looked around he saw a well in a field with three flocks of sheep lying down beside it, waiting to be given water. A large stone covered the top of the well.
Wasebona, khangela-ke, umthombo emmangweni, khangela-ke lapho, imihlambi emithathu yezimvu yayilele kuwo, ngoba kulowomthombo banathisa imihlambi; kwakukhona ilitshe elikhulu emlonyeni womthombo.
3 The usual practice was that once all the flocks had arrived, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the well and give their sheep water. Then they would put the stone back again.
Njalo yonke imihlambi yabuthelwa khona, sebeligiqile ilitshe lisuka emlonyeni womthombo banathisa izimvu, basebebuyisela ilitshe emlonyeni womthombo endaweni yalo.
4 Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We're from Haran,” they replied.
UJakobe wasesithi kibo: Bazalwane bami, livela ngaphi? Basebesithi: Sivela eHarani.
5 “Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?” he asked. “Yes, we know him,” they replied.
Wasesithi kibo: Liyamazi yini uLabani indodana kaNahori? Basebesithi: Siyamazi.
6 “How is he?” he asked. “He's well,” they replied. “Look! In fact here's his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep right now.”
Wasesithi kibo: Uyaphila yini? Basebesithi: Uphilile; khangela-ke, uRasheli indodakazi yakhe, uyeza lezimvu.
7 “Look, there's still plenty of daylight left,” said Jacob. “It's too early to round up the sheep yet. Why not let them drink so they can go back to grazing?”
Wasesithi: Khangelani, kusesemini enkulu, kayisiso isikhathi sokuthi izifuyo zibuthaniswe; nathisani izimvu, lihambe lizidlise.
8 “We can't do that until all the flocks have arrived,” they told him. “Then we roll away the stone from the well and let the sheep drink.”
Basebesithi: Singeke, kuze kubuthaniswe imihlambi yonke, bagiqe-ke ilitshe lisuke emlonyeni womthombo; khona sizanathisa izimvu.
9 While he was still talking with them Rachel arrived with the flock she was looking after for her father.
Esakhuluma labo, uRasheli wafika lezimvu, ezingezikayise, ngoba wayengumelusikazi.
10 When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, he went over and rolled away the stone from the well so Laban's sheep could drink.
Kwasekusithi uJakobe ebona uRasheli indodakazi kaLabani umalumakhe lezimvu zikaLabani umalumakhe, uJakobe wasondela, waligiqa ilitshe lasuka emlonyeni womthombo, wazinathisa izimvu zikaLabani umalumakhe.
11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept for joy.
UJakobe wasemanga uRasheli, waphakamisa ilizwi lakhe wakhala izinyembezi.
12 (He had told her that he was the son of Laban's brother and Rebekah.) She ran and told her father what had happened.
UJakobe wasemazisa uRasheli ukuthi ungumfowabo kayise lokuthi uyindodana kaRebeka. Wasegijima, wamazisa uyise.
13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob he ran out to meet him. He hugged him and kissed him, and took him home. After Jacob had explained everything to Laban,
Kwasekusithi uLabani esezwile umbiko kaJakobe indodana kadadewabo, wagijima ukuyamhlangabeza, wamgona, wamanga, wamngenisa endlini yakhe. UJakobe waselandisela uLabani zonke lezizinto.
14 Laban told him, “No question about it—you're my own flesh and blood!” Jacob stayed with Laban for a month.
ULabani wasesithi kuye: Isibili ulithambo lami lenyama yami. Wahlala laye inyanga yonke.
15 One day Laban said to him, “You're my relative so you shouldn't be working for me for nothing! Tell me, what should I pay you?”
ULabani wasesithi kuJakobe: Njengoba ungumfowethu, usuzangisebenzela mahala yini? Ngitshela ukuthi umholo wakho uzakuba yini?
16 Laban had two daughters. The older one was Leah, and the younger one was Rachel.
Njalo uLabani wayelamadodakazi amabili, ibizo lenkulu linguLeya lebizo lencinyane linguRasheli.
17 Leah had kind eyes, but Rachel had a shapely figure and beautiful looks.
Kodwa uLeya wayelamehlo abuthakathaka, kodwa uRasheli wayemuhle ngesimo, njalo wayemuhle ngokukhangeleka.
18 Jacob was in love with Rachel so he promised Laban, “I'll do seven years work for you for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
UJakobe wasemthanda uRasheli. Wathi: Ngizakusebenzela iminyaka eyisikhombisa ngoRasheli indodakazi yakho encane.
19 “Well it's better for me to give her to you than anyone else,” Laban replied. “So stay here and work for me.”
ULabani wasesithi: Kungcono ukuthi ngimnike wena kulokuthi ngimnike enye indoda; hlala lami.
20 Jacob worked for Laban for seven years, but to him they seemed like just a few days because he really loved her.
UJakobe wasemsebenzela uRasheli iminyaka eyisikhombisa; yaba emehlweni akhe njengensuku ezinlutshwana, ngenxa yokumthanda kwakhe.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “I've completed the time we agreed. Now give me your daughter to be my wife.”
UJakobe wasesithi kuLabani: Ngipha umkami, ngoba insuku zami sezigcwalisekile, ukuthi ngingene kuye.
22 So Laban organized a wedding banquet and invited everyone around to come.
ULabani wasebuthanisa wonke amadoda aleyondawo, wenza idili.
23 But once it was dark Laban brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her.
Kwasekusithi kusihlwa wathatha uLeya indodakazi yakhe wamusa kuye, wasengena kuye.
24 (Laban also arranged for his servant Zilpah to be Leah's personal maid.)
ULabani wasemnika uZilipa incekukazi yakhe, kuLeya indodakazi yakhe, abe yincekukazi.
25 When morning came, he saw it was Leah! He went to Laban and asked angrily, “What have you done to me? It was for Rachel that I worked for you! Why have you deceived me?”
Kwasekusithi ekuseni, khangela-ke, nguLeya; ngakho wathi kuLabani: Kuyini lokhu okwenze kimi? Kangimsebenzelanga uRasheli kuwe yini? Pho, ungikhohliseleni?
26 “Here we don't give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn,” Laban replied.
ULabani wasesithi: Kakwenziwa njalo endaweni yakithi ukupha omncinyane ngaphambi kwengqabutho.
27 “Finish this week of wedding celebrations and then I'll give you the other daughter as well, as long as you work another seven years for me.”
Gcwalisa iviki yalo, besesikunika lalowayana, ngomsebenzi ozawusebenza lami futhi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
28 Jacob agreed. He finished the week of wedding celebrations for Leah, and then Laban gave Jacob his daughter Rachel as his wife as well.
UJakobe wasesenza njalo; wagcwalisa iviki yalo; wasemnika uRasheli indodakazi yakhe ukuba ngumkakhe.
29 (Laban also arranged for his servant Bilhah to be Rachel's personal maid.)
ULabani wasenika uRasheli indodakazi yakhe uBiliha incekukazi yakhe, abe yincekukazi kuye.
30 So Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban another seven years for Rachel.
Wasengena lakuRasheli; wamthanda njalo uRasheli kuloLeya, wasesebenza laye futhi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
31 The Lord saw that Leah wasn't loved he helped Leah to have children, but not Rachel.
Lapho iNkosi isibona ukuthi uLeya wayezondwa, yavula isizalo sakhe, kodwa uRasheli wayeyinyumba.
32 Leah became pregnant, and had a son she named Reuben, for she said, “The Lord saw how much I was suffering and now my husband will love me!”
ULeya wasethatha isisu, wazala indodana, wayitha ibizo layo uRubeni, ngoba wathi: Ngoba iNkosi ibonile inhlupheko yami; ngakho khathesi indoda yami izangithanda.
33 Then Leah became pregnant again, and had another son. She said, “The Lord has heard that I'm not loved so he gave me this son.” So she named him Simeon.
Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana, wathi: Njengoba iNkosi izwile ukuthi ngiyazondwa, inginike lale; wayitha ibizo layo uSimeyoni.
34 Leah became pregnant for the third time, and had another son. She said, “Finally my husband will be attached to me because now I've given him three sons.” That's why he was named Levi.
Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana; wathi: Khathesi ngalesisikhathi indoda yami izazihlanganisa lami, ngoba ngiyizalele amadodana amathathu; ngalokhu wabiza ibizo layo uLevi.
35 Once again Leah became pregnant and had another son. She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I can really praise the Lord!” After that she had no more children.
Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana; wathi: Ngalesisikhathi ngizadumisa iNkosi; ngakho wayitha ibizo layo uJuda; wasesima ukuzala.
