Genesis 29
1 UJakobe waqhubeka nohambo lwakhe, waze wayofika ezweni labantu basempumalanga.
2 Esabheka, wabona umthombo endle nemihlambi emithathu yezimvu ilele eduze kwawo, ngokuba yayiphuziswa kulowo mthombo. Itshe elalisemlonyeni wawo lalilikhulu kakhulu.
3 Kwakuthi lapho imihlambi isihlangene, abelusi bagingqe itshe emlonyeni womthombo, baphuzise izimvu, bese belibuyisela endaweni yalo, bagibekele ngalo umlomo womthombo.
4 UJakobe wabuza abelusi wathi: “Bafowethu, niliqhamukisaphi na?” Bamphendula bathi: “EHarana.”
5 Wathi kubo: “Niyamazi yini uLabani indodana kaNahori na?” Bathi: “Siyamazi.”
6 Wayesethi kubo: “Ngabe usaphila yini na?” Bathi: “Yebo, usaphila. Nansi indodakazi yakhe uRaheli iza nezimvu.”
7 Wathi kubo: “Ilanga lisaphakeme. Akukabi yisikhathi sokubuyisa imihlambi, phuzisani izimvu bese niyahamba niyoziklabisa edlelweni.”
8 Bathi: “Asikwazi ukwenza lokho, ize imihlambi iphelele yonke, kugingqwe itshe emlonyeni womthombo, bese siyaziphuzisa izimvu.”
9 Esakhuluma nabo uJakobe, kwafika uRaheli nezimvu zikayise, ngokuba nguyena owayezelusa.
10 Kuthe lapho uJakobe embona uRaheli, indodakazi kaLabani, umzala wakhe, nezimvu zikaLabani umalume wakhe, uJakobe wasondela, wagingqa itshe elisusa emlonyeni womthombo, waphuzisa izimvu zikaLabani umalume wakhe.
11 UJakobe wamanga uRaheli, wayesedazuluka ekhala kakhulu ngenxa yokujabula.
12 UJakobe wayesemtshela uRaheli ukuthi uhlobene noyise, ngokuba uyindodana kaRibheka. URaheli wagijima wayobikela uyise.
13 Lapho uLabani ezwa udaba ngomshana wakhe uJakobe, wagijima wayomhlangabeza, wamgona, wamanga, wabuyela naye emzini wakhe. UJakobe wamlandisa uLabani zonke lezo zinto.
14 ULabani wayesethi kuye: “Impela uyithambo lami nenyama yami.” UJakobe wahlala naye inyanga yonke.
15 ULabani wathi kuJakobe: “Uzongisebenzela mahhala yini ngoba uyisihlobo sami na? Ngitshele ukuthi izoba yini inkokhelo yakho na?”
16 ULabani wayenamadodakazi amabili, igama lenkosazana kwakunguLeya, elikathunjana kunguRaheli.
17 ULeya wayenamehlo ayebuthakathaka kanti uRaheli wayemuhle ngesimo ebukeka kahle.
18 UJakobe wamthanda uRaheli, wayesethi kuLabani: “Ngizokukusebenzela iminyaka eyisikhombisa ngoRaheli indodakazi yakho encane.”
19 ULabani wathi: “Kungcono ukuba ngimnike wena kunokuba ngimnike enye indoda. Hlala nami.”
20 UJakobe wasebenza iminyaka eyisikhombisa ukuze aganwe nguRaheli, kodwa ngenxa yothando ayemthanda ngalo uRaheli kwaba sengathi iyizinsuku ezimbalwa.
21 UJakobe wayesethi kuLabani: “Nginike umkami ukuze ngilale naye, ngokuba sesiphelile isikhathi esasivumelene ngaso.”
22 ULabani wabamema bonke abantu bakuleyo ndawo, wenza idili.
23 Kepha kusihlwa wathatha indodakazi yakhe uLeya wayiyisa kuJakobe; uJakobe walala nayo.
24 ULabani wanikela isisebenzi sakhe uZilipha ukuba sibe yisisebenzi sendodakazi yakhe uLeya.
25 Ekuseni wabona ukuthi ubelele noLeya. UJakobe waya kuLabani wathi kuye: “Yini lena oyenze kimi na? Angikusebenzelanga yini ukuze ngithole uRaheli na? Ungikhohliseleni na?”
26 ULabani wathi: “Akwenziwa lokho kuleli lizwe ukuba kuganiswe omncane engakagani omdala.
27 Qeda iviki lalona bese sikunika omunye naye ozomsebenzela kimi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.”
28 UJakobe wenza kanjalo, waqeda iviki enoLeya, uLabani wayesemnika uRaheli, indodakazi yakhe, ukuba abe ngumkakhe.
29 ULabani wanika uRaheli, indodakazi yakhe, isisebenzi sakhe uBhiliha ukuba sibe ngesakhe.
30 UJakobe walala noRaheli, wamthanda kakhulu uRaheli ukwedlula uLeya. Wasebenzela uLabani eminye futhi iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
31 Lapho uSimakade ebona ukuthi uLeya uyisaliwakazi, wamvula isibeletho sakhe, kodwa wasivala esikaRaheli.
32 ULeya wakhulelwa, wazibula ngendodana, wayiqamba igama wathi nguRubeni, ngokuba wathi: “Kungoba uSimakade ulubonile usizi lwami. Impela umyeni wami usezongithanda manje.”
33 Wakhulelwa, wathola enye indodana, wayiqamba igama wathi nguSimeyoni, ngokuba wathi: “Kungoba uSimakade uzwile ukuthi ngiyisaliwakazi, wayesengipha nalena futhi indodana.”
34 Wakhulelwa futhi, wathola indodana, wayiqamba igama wathi nguLevi, ngokuba wathi: “Impela manje umyeni wami uzonamathela kimi, ngoba sengimzalele amadodana amathathu.”
35 Wakhulelwa futhi wathola indodana, wathi: “Manje ngizodumisa uSimakade,” wayiqamba igama wathi nguJuda, wayesema ukuthola abantwana.