Genesis - Chapter 29

Verse 1: Wayesesuka uJakobe, waya ezweni labantu basempumalanga.

Verse 2: Wabheka, nanko umthombo endle, nemihlambi emithathu yezimvu ilele ngakuwo, ngokuba kulowo mthombo babephuzisa imihlambi; itshe elalisemlonyeni womthombo lalilikhulu kakhulu.

Verse 3: Kwabuthelwa khona imihlambi yonke, balisusa itshe emlonyeni womthombo, baphuzisa izimvu, balibuyisela itshe emlonyeni womthombo endaweni yalo.

Verse 4: UJakobe wathi kubo: “Bazalwane, nivelaphi na?” Bathi: “SingabakwaHarana.”

Verse 5: Wayesethi kubo: “Niyamazi uLabani indodana kaNahori na?” Bathi: “Siyamazi.”

Verse 6: Wathi kubo: “Usahlezi kahle na?” Bathi: “Uhlezi kahle. Nangu uRaheli indodakazi yakhe; uyeza nezimvu.”

Verse 7: Wathi: “Bheka, kusesemini kakhulu, akusiso isikhathi sokuba zibuthwe izinkomo; phuzisani izimvu, nihambe niziklabise.”

Verse 8: Base bethi: “Singekwenze lokho ingakabuthani imihlambi yonke, balisuse itshe emlonyeni womthombo; yikhona siyakuphuzisa izimvu.”

Verse 9: Esakhuluma nabo, uRaheli wafika nezimvu zikayise, ngokuba wayezalusa.

Verse 10: Kwathi uJakobe ebona uRaheli indodakazi kaLabani uninalume nezimvu zikaLabani uninalume, uJakobe wasondela, wasusa itshe emlonyeni womthombo, waziphuzisa izimvu zikaLabani uninalume.

Verse 11: UJakobe wamanga uRaheli, waphakamisa izwi lakhe, wakhala.

Verse 12: UJakobe wayesemtshela uRaheli ukuthi ungumfowabo kayise nokuthi uyindodana kaRebeka; wagijima, watshela uyise.

Verse 13: Kwathi uLabani esezwe indaba kaJakobe indodana kadadewabo, wagijima ukuyomhlangabeza, wamgona, wamanga, wamngenisa endlini yakhe; wayesetshela uLabani zonke lezi zinto.

Verse 14: ULabani wathi kuye: “Impela uyithambo lami nenyama yami.” Wahlala kuye inyanga yonke.

Verse 15: ULabani wayesethi kuJakobe: “Lokhu ungumfowethu, ubuzakungisebenzela ngeze na? Ngitshele ukuthi umvuzo wakho uyakuba yini na?”

Verse 16: ULabani wayenamadodakazi amabili; igama lenkulu lalinguLeya, igama lencane lalinguRaheli.

Verse 17: Amehlo kaLeya ayebuthakathaka, kepha uRaheli wayemuhle ngesimo, ebukeka kahle.

Verse 18: UJakobe wamthanda uRaheli; wathi: “Ngizakukusebenzela iminyaka eyisikhombisa ngoRaheli indodakazi yakho encane.”

Verse 19: Wayesethi uLabani: “Kuhle ukuba ngimnike wena kunokuba ngimnike enye indoda; hlala kimi.”

Verse 20: UJakobe wayesesebenzela uRaheli iminyaka eyisikhombisa; yayisemehlweni akhe njengezinsuku eziyingcosana nje ngenxa yokumthanda kwakhe.

Verse 21: UJakobe wathi kuLabani: “Nginike umkami, ngokuba izinsuku zami seziphelile, ngize ngingene kuye.”

Verse 22: ULabani wabutha abantu bonke bakuleyo ndawo, wenza idili.

Verse 23: Kepha kwathi kusihlwa wathatha uLeya indodakazi yakhe, wamyisa kuye; wangena kuye.

Verse 24: ULabani wanika indodakazi yakhe uLeya incekukazi yakhe uZilipa, abe yincekukazi yakhe.

Verse 25: Kwathi ekuseni, bheka, kunguLeya; wayesethi kuLabani: “Kuyini lokhu okwenzile kimi na? Angikusebenzelanga ngoRaheli na? Ungikhohliseleni na?”

Verse 26: Wathi uLabani: “Akwenziwa njalo endaweni yakithi ukuba kuganiswe omncane ngaphambi komkhulu.

Verse 27: Qeda isonto lalona, sikuphe nomunye ngomsebenzi osezakuwusebenza kimi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.”

Verse 28: UJakobe wenze njalo, waqeda isonto lakhe; wamupha uRaheli indodakazi yakhe, abe ngumkakhe.

Verse 29: ULabani wanika indodakazi yakhe uRaheli incekukazi yakhe uBiliha, abe yincekukazi yakhe.

Verse 30: Wangena nakuye uRaheli, wathanda uRaheli kakhulu kunoLeya; wayesesebenza kuye eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.

Verse 31: UJehova ebona ukuthi uLeya uyazondwa, wavula isizalo sakhe; kepha uRaheli wayeyinyumba.

Verse 32: ULeya wakhulelwa, wazala indodana, waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uRubeni, ngokuba wathi: “UJehova ubonile ukuhlupheka kwami; manje umyeni wami uyakungithanda.”

Verse 33: Wabuye wakhulelwa, wazala indodana, wathi: “Lokhu uJehova ezwe ukuthi ngiyazondwa, ungiphile nalena futhi,” waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uSimeyoni.

Verse 34: Wabuye wakhulelwa, wazala indodana, wathi: “Manje ngalesi sikhathi umyeni wami uyakunamathela kimi, ngokuba ngimzalele amadodana amathathu,” ngalokho waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uLevi.

Verse 35: Wakhulelwa futhi, wazala indodana, wathi: “Sengiyakumdumisa uJehova,” ngalokho waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uJuda; wayesekhawula ukuzala.