Genesis 31
1 Jacob found out that Laban's sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. All the wealth he has actually came from our father.”
UJakhobe wezwa ukuthi amadodana kaLabhani ayesithi, “UJakhobe usethethe konke ubaba ayelakho njalo usezuze yonke inotho ebingekababa.”
2 Jacob also noticed that Laban was treating him differently to the way he had before.
Njalo uJakhobe wananzelela ukuthi uLabhani wayengasamphathi njengakuqala.
3 The Lord told Jacob, “Go back to the country of your forefathers, to your family home. I will be with you.”
UThixo wasesithi kuJakhobe, “Buyela elizweni laboyihlo lasezihlotsheni zakho, mina ngizakuba lawe.”
4 Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah, telling them to come and meet him out in the fields where he was with his flock.
Ngakho uJakhobe wasethumela ilizwi kuRasheli loLeya ukuthi beze egangeni lapho imihlambi yakhe eyayikhona.
5 “I've noticed that your father is treating me differently to the way he did before,” he told them. “But the God of my father will be with me.
Wathi kubo, “Sengibona ukuthi uyihlo kasangiphathi njengakuqala, kodwa uNkulunkulu kababa ube lami.
6 You both know very well how hard I worked for your father.
Liyakwazi ukuthi ngamsebenzela uyihlo ngamandla ami wonke,
7 But he's been cheating me—he's reduced my wages ten times! However, God hasn't let him hurt me.
kodwa uyihlo ungidlelezele ngokuguqula umholo wami okwezikhathi ezilitshumi. Kodwa uNkulunkulu kamvumelanga ukuthi angilimaze.
8 If he said, ‘You can have the speckled ones as your wages,’ then the whole flock had speckled young. If he said, ‘You can have the streaked ones as your wages,’ then the whole flock had streaked young.
Kwakusithi angathi, ‘Ezilamabalabala ngezakho, ezomholo,’ imihlambi yonke izale ezimabalabala; kuthi angathi, ‘Ezingamaqamule zizakuba ngumholo wakho,’ yonke imihlambi izale amazinyane angamaqamule.
9 This is how God took your father's livestock and gave them to me.
Ngaleyondlela uNkulunkulu usethethe imihlambi kayihlo wayipha mina.
10 During the time the flock was breeding I had a dream where I saw that the male goats mating with the flock were all streaked, speckled, or spotted.
Ngesikhathi sokuxotshwa lokumitha kwemihlambi, ngaba lephupho lapho okwathi ngikhangela ngabona ukuthi impongo ezazixotsha umhlambi zazingamaqamule, kumbe zingamafahlafahla kumbe zilamabala.
11 Then in the dream the angel of the Lord spoke to me and said, ‘Jacob!’ I replied, ‘I'm here.’
Ingilosi kaNkulunkulu yathi kimi kulelophupho, ‘Jakhobe.’ Ngasabela ngathi, ‘Ngilapha.’
12 He told me, ‘Take a look and you'll see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I've been watching everything that Laban has been doing to you.
Yathi, ‘Khangela ukuthi zonke impongo ezixotsha umhlambi ngezingamaqamule, ngezingamafahlafahla kumbe ngezilamabala, ngoba ngikubonile konke lokho uLabhani abekwenza kuwe.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where you poured olive oil on the stone pillar and made a solemn promise to me. Now get ready to leave this land and go back to your homeland.’”
NginguNkulunkulu waseBhetheli, lapho owagcoba khona insika njalo lapho owenza khona isifungo kimi. Suka kulelilizwe khona manje ubuyele elizweni lakini.’”
14 “There's nothing for us to inherit from our father's estate anyway,” Rachel and Leah replied.
URasheli loLeya baphendula bathi, “Sivele siseselesabelo selifa likababa na?
15 “He treats us like foreigners because he sold us to you, and now he's spent all that money.
Kasinjengabezizweni kuye na? Kakusikho kodwa ukuthi walobolisa ngathi, kodwa sowakusebenzisa konke esalotsholwa ngakho.
16 All the wealth that God has taken from him belongs to us and our children, so do whatever God has told you to do!”
Ngempela yonke inotho uNkulunkulu ayemuka ubaba ngeyethu labantwabethu. Ngakho yenza loba yini uNkulunkulu akutshele yona.”
17 So Jacob got ready. He helped his children and his wives onto the camels,
UJakhobe wasegadisa abantwabakhe labomkakhe emakameleni,
18 and drove all his livestock in front of him. He took with him all his possessions and livestock he'd gained during his time in Paddan-aram, and left to go back to his father in the country of Canaan.
waziqhuba zonke izifuyo zakhe zahamba phambili, kanye lempahla zonke ayezizuzile ePhadani Aramu, esebuyela kuyise u-Isaka elizweni laseKhenani.
19 While Laban was away from home shearing his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father.
Kwathi uLabhani ehambile eyogunda izimvu zakhe, uRasheli weba izithombe zikayise.
20 Jacob also deceived Laban the Aramean by not informing him that he was going to run away.
Phezu kwalokho uJakhobe wakhohlisa uLabhani umʼAramu ngokungamtsheli ukuthi yena wayesebaleka.
21 So Jacob left in a hurry with everything he had, crossed the Euphrates River, and headed towards the hill country of Gilead.
Ngakho wabaleka lakho konke okwakungokwakhe, wachapha umfula iYufrathe, waqonda elizweni lamaqaqa eleGiliyadi.
22 Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had run away.
Ngosuku lwesithathu uLabhani watshelwa ukuthi uJakhobe wayesebalekile.
23 Taking some of his relatives with him, he chased after Jacob and caught up with him seven days later in the hill country of Gilead.
Wathatha izihlobo zakhe bangena emzileni kaJakhobe okwensuku eziyisikhombisa baze bayambamba elizweni lamaqaqa eleGiliyadi.
24 But during the night God came to Laban in a dream and told him, “Watch what you say to Jacob. Don't try to persuade him to come back, and don't threaten him either.”
UNkulunkulu weza kuLabhani umʼAramu ephutsheni ebusuku wathi kuye, “Unanzelele ukuthi ungaze watsho lutho kuJakhobe, loba lungoluhle kumbe olubi.”
25 Jacob had set up his tents in the hill country of Gilead when Laban caught up with him, so Laban and his relatives did the same.
UJakhobe wayemise ithente lakhe elizweni lamaqaqa eGiliyadi eficwa khona nguLabhani, uLabhani laye lezihlobo zakhe bakha izihonqo khonapho.
26 “Why did you deceive me like this?” Laban asked Jacob. “You carried off my daughters as if they were some prisoners captured by the sword!
Ngakho uLabhani wasesithi kuJakhobe, “Wenzeni manje? Ungikhohlisile, njalo uthumbe amadodakazi ami njengabathunjiweyo empini.
27 Why did you run away in secret, trying to trick me? Why didn't you come and tell me? I would have given you a good send-off, a celebration with singing and the music of tambourines and lyres.
Kungani ubalekele ngasese wangikhohlisa na? Kungani ungangazisanga ukuze ngikuvalelise ngentokozo langokutshaya izigubhu lamachacho?
28 You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and daughters goodbye! You've really acted stupidly!
Kawuzange ume ukuthi ngange abazukulu bami lamadodakazi ami ngibavalelise. Wenze into eyibuthutha.
29 I could really punish you badly, but the God of your father spoke to me last night and told me, ‘Watch what you say to Jacob. Don't try to persuade him to come back, and don't threaten him either.’
Ngilamandla okukulimaza; kodwa ngobusuku obudluleyo uNkulunkulu kayihlo uthe kimi, ‘Unanzelele ungaze watsho lutho kuJakhobe, loba ngoluhle kumbe ngolubi.’
30 Clearly you wanted to leave and go back to your family home, but why did you have to steal my idols?”
Manje ususukile ngoba ubulangazelela ukubuyela emzini kayihlo. Kodwa kungani webe izithombe zami na?”
31 “I ran away because I was afraid,” Jacob explained to Laban. “I was worried that you would take your daughters from me by force.
UJakhobe wamphendula uLabhani wathi, “Bengisesaba ukuthi uzangemuka amadodakazi akho ngamandla.
32 As for your idols, anyone you find who has them will die. You can search everything in the presence of our relatives, and if you find I have anything that belongs to you, you can take it.” (Jacob didn't know that Rachel had stolen the household idols.)
Kodwa nxa ufumana loba ngubani olezithombe zakho, kayikuphila. Ake ubone, lezihlobo zakho zikhona, ingabe kulolutho lwakho yini lapha kimi; nxa lukhona, luthathe.” UJakhobe wayengazi ukuthi uRasheli wayezebile izithombe.
33 Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, and the two personal maids, but didn't find anything. He left Leah's tent and went into Rachel's tent.
Ngakho uLabhani wangena ethenteni likaJakhobe lethenteni likaLeya lethenteni lezincekukazi zombili, kodwa kafumananga lutho. Ephuma ethenteni likaLeya, wangena ethenteni likaRasheli.
34 Rachel had put the household idols in a camel's saddlebag and was sitting on it. Laban carefully searched the whole tent but couldn't find them.
URasheli wayethethe izithombe lezo, wazifihla phakathi kwesihlalo sekamela lakhe, wasehlala phezu kwazo. ULabhani wabhudula kukho konke okwakusethenteni, katholanga lutho.
35 She said to her father, “Sir, please don't get upset with me for not standing up in your presence, but I have my period.” He looked everywhere but didn't find the idols.
URasheli wathi kuyise, “Ungazondi nkosi yami ukuthi kungani ngingakusukumeli, kungenxa yokuba ngisesikhathini.” Ngakho wabhudula, kodwa akaze azifumana izithombe zangekhaya.
36 Jacob got angry with Laban and confronted him, saying, “What crime am I guilty of? What wrong have I done to you that you've come hunting me down?
UJakhobe wazonda kubi wamthwalisa nzima uLabhani. Wambuza wathi, “Icala lami ngelani? Ngenze sono bani ukuze ungizingele kanje?
37 You've searched through all my possessions. Did you find anything belonging to you? If you did, bring it out here before my relatives and yours so they can decide who's right!
Njengoba usuziguduzile zonke impahla zami, kuyini osukufumene okungokomuzi wakho na? Kubeke khonapha phambi kwezihlobo zakho lezami batsho okuyikho phakathi kwethu sobabili.
38 I've worked for you for these past twenty years. During that time none of your sheep and goats miscarried, and I haven't eaten a single ram from your flock.
Sengibe lawe okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili. Izimvu zakho lembuzi zakho kazizange ziphunze, njalo kangizange ngizihlabele inqama emihlambini yakho.
39 If any of them were killed by wild animals, I never even brought you the carcass to prove the loss—I bore the loss myself. But you on the other hand always made me compensate you for any animals that were stolen, whether at night or in broad daylight.
Kangizange ngizokutshengisa izifuyo ezidatshulwe yizilo; yimi engathwala lokho kulahlekelwa ngazihlawula. Njalo wafuna inhlawulo yalezo ezazebiwe emini loba ebusuku.
40 Whether it was sweating in the heat of the day, or freezing in the cold of the night when I couldn't sleep, I went on working for you for twenty years in your home.
Impilo yami yayinje: ukutshisa kwakungibhaxabula emini, ebusuku umqando ungihaqaze, ubuthongo babaleka emehlweni ami.
41 I worked fourteen years for your two daughters, and six more years with your flocks. You reduced my wages ten times!
Kwakunjalo okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili ngisemzini wakho. Ngakusebenzela okweminyaka elitshumi lane ngisebenzela amadodakazi akho womabili njalo okweminyaka eyisithupha ngisebenzela imihlambi yakho, njalo wena waguqula inhlawulo yami okwezikhathi ezilitshumi.
42 If it weren't for the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the awesome God of Isaac, who took care of me, you would have dismissed me with nothing. But God saw my suffering, how hard I worked, and he condemned you last night.”
Aluba uNkulunkulu kababa, uNkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama langokwesaba kuka-Isaka, ubengelami, ubuzangixotsha nje ngingaphathanga lutho. Kodwa uNkulunkulu ububonile ubunzima bami lokusebenza nzima kwezandla zami, yikho ekukhuzile izolo ebusuku.”
43 Laban replied, “These are my daughters and these are my children and these are my flocks! In fact, everything you see here is mine! However, what can I do now about my daughters and their children?
ULabhani wamphendula uJakhobe wathi, “Abesifazane ngamadodakazi ami, abantwana ngabantwabami, lemihlambi yimihlambi yami. Kodwa kuyini engingakwenza lamuhla ngala amadodakazi ami, kumbe ngabantwana ababazeleyo na?
44 So let's make a solemn agreement between you and I, and it will be a witness to our mutual commitment.”
Zwana-ke, kasenze isivumelwano, wena lami, sibe ngufakazi phakathi kwethu.”
45 Jacob took a stone and set it upright as a pillar.
Ngakho uJakhobe wasethatha ilitshe walimisa laba yinsika.
46 Then he told his relatives, “Go and collect some stones.” They all made a pile of stones and then sat beside it to eat a meal.
Wasesithi ezihlotsheni zakhe, “Buthelelani amatshe.” Bawathatha amatshe aba yinqwaba, basebedlela khonapho eceleni kwenqwaba.
47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, while Jacob called it Galeed.
ULabhani wayibiza ngokuthi yiJegari Sahadutha, uJakhobe yena wathi yiGaledi.
48 Laban announced, “This pile of stone serves as a witness between me and you.” This is why it was called Galeed.
ULabhani wathi, “Inqwaba le ingufakazi phakathi kwami lawe lamuhla.” Yikho yabizwa ngokuthi yiGaledi.
49 It was also called Mizpah, for as Laban said, “May the Lord keep a close eye on both of us when we're not together.
Yabizwa njalo ngokuthi yiMizipha, ngoba wathi, “Sengathi uThixo angalinda phakathi kwakho lami nxa sikhatshana omunye komunye.
50 If you treat my daughters badly or marry more wives in addition to them, God will see what you do even if no one else finds out!”
Ungaze uphathe kubi amadodakazi ami, loba ungaze uthathe abanye abafazi ngaphandle kwamadodakazi ami, loba kungekho omunye umuntu olathi, khumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungufakazi phakathi kwakho lami.”
51 Then Laban told Jacob, “Look at this pile of stones and this pillar that I have set up as a memorial of the agreement between you and me.
ULabhani wathi njalo kuJakhobe, “Nansi inqwaba le, njalo nansi insika engiyimise phakathi kwakho lami.
52 They also act as a witness to our solemn promises to each other: I will not come past them to attack you; and you will not come past them to attack me.
Inqwaba le ingufakazi, kanye lensika le ingufakazi wokuthi kangisoze ngiyidlule inqwaba le ngize kwelakho icele ngizekonela lokuthi lawe kawuyikudlula kule inqwaba lensika uze kwelami icele uzengonela.
53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor—the God of our forefathers—be the one to judge between us in any dispute.” Jacob in turn made his solemn promise in the name of the awesome God of his father Isaac.
Sengathi uNkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama, loNkulunkulu kaNahori, uNkulunkulu kayise wabo angahlulela phakathi kwethu.” Ngakho uJakhobe wenza isifungo ebizweni likaMesatshwa kayise u-Isaka.
54 Then he offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited all his relatives to eat a meal there. They spent the night on the mountain.
Wenza umhlatshelo khonapho elizweni lamaqaqa wanxusa izihlobo zakhe ekudleni. Sebedlile, balala khonapho.
55 Laban got up early in the morning and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters goodbye. He blessed them, and then left to go back home.
Ekuseni kakhulu ngosuku olulandelayo uLabhani wanga abazukulu bakhe lamadodakazi akhe wababusisa. Wasefulathela wabuyela ekhaya.
