Genesisi 29:1-35
29 Ngemva kwalokho, uJakopo waraga nekhambo lakhe waya enarheni yabantu bePumalanga.
2 Wabona umthombo emmangweni kulele nemihlambi emithathu yezimvu eduze kwawo ngombana abelusi bebajayele ukuseza imihlambabo lapho. Bekunelitje elikhulu elivale umthombo loyo.
3 Bekuthi nasele kubuthene yoke imihlambi lapho, kusunduzwe ilitje kusezwe imihlambi, ngemva kwalokho libuyiselwe endawenalo.
4 Nje-ke uJakopo wathi kibo: “Bafowethu, nibuyaphi?” Bathi: “Sibuya eHarana.”+
5 Wathi kibo: “Niyamazi uLabani+ umzukulu kaNarhori?”+ Bathi: “Siyamazi.”
6 Wathi kibo: “Usavukile na?” Bathi: “Iye, usavukile. Nasi indodakazakhe uRarheli+ iza nezimvu!”
7 Ngemva kwalokho, wathi: “Kusese semini. Akukabi sikhathi sokubuthelela imihlambi. Nje-ke sezani izimvu nizise emadlelweni.”
8 Baphendula bathi: “Asikavunyelwa ukwenza njalo bekube kulapho yoke imihlambi seyibuthene bese basunduze ilitje elisemthonjeni, ngemva kwalokho siseze izimvu.”
9 Kuthe asakhuluma nabo, kwafika uRarheli nezimvu zakayise ngombana nguye obekazelusa.
10 UJakopo nakabona uRarheli, indodakazi kamalumakhe uLabani anezimvu zakhe, msinyana watjhidela wasunduza ilitje elisemthonjeni waseza izimvu zakaLabani.
11 Ngemva kwalokho, uJakopo wammanga uRarheli, wakhihla isililo.
12 Watjela uRarheli ukuthi yena usihlobo sakayise nokuthi uyindodana kaRabega. URarheli wagijima wayokutjela uyise.
13 Kuthe uLabani+ nakezwa ngoJakopo indodana kadadwabo, wagijima wayomhlangabeza. Wamgona begodu wammanga wamletha ngendlinakhe. UJakopo watjela uLabani koke okwenzeke kuye.
14 ULabani wathi kuye: “Kwamambala usihlobo sami seengazi.” Wahlala naye inyanga yoke.
15 Nje-ke uLabani wathi kuJakopo: “Ukuthi usihlobo sami+ akutjho ukuthi kufuze ungisebenzele simahla. Ufuna ngikubhadele ngani?”+
16 ULabani gade anamadodakazi amabili. Omkhulu kunguLeya omncani kunguRarheli.+
17 ULeya gade angasimuhle,* uRarheli yena bekanejamo begodu amuhle.
18 UJakopo wathanda uRarheli, nje-ke wathi kuLabani: “Ngizimisele ukukusebenzela iminyaka elikhomba bona unginikele indodakazakho uRarheli.”+
19 ULabani wathi: “Kungcono bona ngimnikele wena kunokobana ngimnikele enye indoda. Hlala nami.”
20 UJakopo wasebenza iminyaka elikhomba bona afumane uRarheli+ kodwana kuye kwaba ngathi malanga ambalwa ngombana bekamthanda.
21 Nje-ke uJakopo wathi kuLabani: “Nginikela umkami ngombana isikhathi esivumelene ngaso sesihlangene, ngivumela ngiye emabhayini naye.”
22 ULabani wenza umnyanya wamema boke abantu abahlala endaweni leyo.
23 Kuthe nasele kurhwaqele wathatha indodakazakhe uLeya wayisa kuJakopo bona alale nayo.
24 ULabani bekanesisebenzi esisikazi igama laso kunguZilipha. Nje-ke wasithatha wasinikela uLeya bona kube sisebenzi sakhe.+
25 Ekuseni uJakopo wabona ukuthi nguLeya! Yeke wathi kuLabani: “Yintobani ongenze yona le? Kghani akhenge na ngikusebenzele bona ngifumane uRarheli? Udlale ngami.”+
26 ULabani wathi: “Akusilisiko lethu bona kwende omncani izibulo lingakendi.
27 Thabela iveke le yoke noLeya. Ngemva kwalokho, ngizokunikela noRarheli nawuzongisebenzela eminye iminyaka elikhomba.”+
28 UJakopo wenza njalo, ngemva kwalokho wamnikela uRarheli bona abe mkakhe.
29 ULabani bekanesinye godu isisebenzi esisikazi igama laso kunguBhilirha,+ wasithatha wasinikela uRarheli bona kube sisebenzi sakhe.+
30 UJakopo walala noRarheli, wamthanda ukudlula uLeya. Wasebenzela uLabani iminyaka eminye elikhomba.+
31 UJehova nakabona ukuthi uLeya akathandwa, wavula isibeletho sakhe+ kodwana uRarheli bekayinyumba.+
32 Nje-ke uLeya waba sidisi wabeletha indodana, wayithiya ngokuthi nguRubeni*+ wathi: “Kungombana uJehova ukubonile ukutlhaga kwami,+ kwanjesi indodami izokuthoma ukungithanda.”
33 Waba sidisi godu wabeletha indodana, wathi: “UJehova ukuzwile ukunghonghoyila kwami ngokuthi angithandwa, nje-ke unginikele nenye.” ULeya wayithiya ngokuthi nguSimiyoni.*+
34 Waba sidisi godu wabeletha indodana, wathi: “Kwanjesi indodami izokunamathela kimi ngombana ngiyibelethele amadodana amathathu.” Yeke wayithiya ngokuthi nguLevi.*+
35 Waba sidisi godu wabeletha indodana, wathi: “Nje ngizokudumisa uJehova.” Yeke wayithiya ngokuthi nguJuda.*+ Ngemva kwalokho, akhenge asabeletha.
Imitlolo Ephasi
^ NgesiHebheru, “bekanganamehlo amahle.”
^ Kutjho ukuthi “Qalani, indodana.”
^ Kutjho “Ukuzwa.”
^ Kutjho “Ukunamathela.”
^ Kutjho ukuthi “Dumisa.”
