Genesis 29:1-35
29 Emva koko uYakobi waqhubeka nohambo lwakhe, waya kwilizwe labantu baseMpuma.
2 Wabona iqula apho endle, yaye kwakukho nemihlambi emithathu yeegusha eyayibuthise ecaleni kwalo, kuba imihlambi yayidla ngokusezwa kwelo qula. Kwakukho ilitye elikhulu emlonyeni welo qula.
3 Xa ihlanganiselwe apho yonke imihlambi, babeliqengqa ilitye lisuke emlonyeni wequla, baze bayiseze. Emva koko babelibuyisela elo litye endaweni yalo, emlonyeni wequla.
4 UYakobi wathi kubo: “Bantakwethu, nisuka phi?” Bona bathi: “Sivela kwaHaran.”+
5 Wathi: “Niyamazi na uLabhan+ umzukulwana kaNahore?”+ Bathi: “Siyamazi.”
6 Wathi: “Usaphila kodwa?” Bathi bona: “Uphilile. Nanku noRakeli+ intombi yakhe isiza neegusha!”
7 Wathi: “Kusesemini. Ayiloxesha lokuqokelela imihlambi eli. Zisezeni ezi gusha, nize niziyeke zitye.”
8 Bona bathi: “Asivumelekanga ukuba siyenze loo nto de ibe iqokelelwe yonke imihlambi, lize liqengqwe ilitye lisuke emlonyeni wequla. Emva koko singaziseza iigusha.”
9 Wathi esathetha nabo, wafika uRakeli neegusha zikatata wakhe, kuba wayengumalusikazi.
10 Xa uYakobi wabona uRakeli intombi kaLabhan umalume wakhe, neegusha zikaLabhan, wakhawuleza wasondela waliqengqa lasuka ilitye emlonyeni wequla, waza waziseza iigusha zikaLabhan umalume wakhe.
11 Emva koko, uYakobi wamphuza* uRakeli waza wakhala kakhulu.
12 UYakobi wamxelela uRakeli ukuba wayesisizalwana sikatata wakhe* nokuba wayengunyana kaRebheka. URakeli wabaleka wayokuxelela utata wakhe.
13 Wathi uLabhan+ akuxelelwa ngoYakobi unyana kadadewabo, wabaleka wayokumhlangabeza. Wamanga, wamphuza,* wamzisa endlini yakhe. Yena ke wambalisela uLabhan zonke ezi zinto.
14 ULabhan wathi kuye: “Eneneni ulithambo lam nenyama yam.”* Wahlala naye inyanga yonke.
15 ULabhan wathi kuYakobi: “Ngaba uza kundisebenzela ungafumani nto, kuba nje usisizalwana sam?*+ Khawutsho, ufuna ndikubhatale ngantoni?”+
16 ULabhan ke wayeneentombi ezimbini. Endala yayinguLeya, encinci inguRakeli.+
17 Kodwa amehlo kaLeya ayengenamtsalane, yena uRakeli eyinzwakazi enomtsalane nentle kakhulu.
18 UYakobi wayemthanda uRakeli, ngoko wathi: “Ndikulungele ukukusebenzela iminyaka esixhenxe ukuze ndifumane intombi yakho encinci uRakeli.”+
19 ULabhan wathi: “Kungcono ndimnike wena kunokuba ndimnike enye indoda. Qhubeka ke uhlala kunye nam.”
20 UYakobi wasebenza iminyaka esixhenxe ngenxa kaRakeli,+ kodwa kuye yayingathi ziintsuku nje ezimbalwa kuba wayemthanda nyhani.
21 Emva koko uYakobi wathi kuLabhan: “Ndinike umfazi wam, ndabelane naye ngesondo, kuba ndizigqibile iintsuku zam.”
22 ULabhan wabahlanganisa bonke abantu baloo ndawo, waza wenza isidlo esikhulu.
23 Kodwa ngobo busuku, uLabhan wakhetha ukuthatha uLeya intombi yakhe, wamsa kuYakobi ukuze abelane naye ngesondo.
24 ULabhan wanika intombi yakhe uLeya isicakakazi sakhe uZilipa, ukuba abe sisicakakazi sikaLeya.+
25 Ekuseni uYakobi wabona ukuba tyhini nguLeya lo! Wathi kuLabhan: “Yintoni le undenze yona? Bendingakusebenzeli ngenxa kaRakeli na? Undiqhathele ntoni?”+
26 Wathi uLabhan: “Ayenziwa apha into yokunikisa ngentombi encinci isekhona eyamazibulo.
27 Yibhiyozele iveki yalo mfazi. Omnye uza kumnikwa emva kokuba uphinde wandisebenzela eminye iminyaka esixhenxe.”+
28 Wayibhiyozela ke uYakobi iveki yalo mfazi, waza ethubeni uLabhan wamnika uRakeli intombi yakhe, yaba ngumfazi wakhe.
29 ULabhan wanika intombi yakhe uRakeli isicakakazi sakhe uBhiliha,+ ukuba abe sisicakakazi sikaRakeli.+
30 UYakobi wabelana ngesondo noRakeli, yaye wayemthanda ngaphezu koLeya. Wasebenzela uLabhan eminye iminyaka esixhenxe.+
31 Wathi uYehova akubona ukuba uLeya wayengathandwa,* wamenza wakwazi ukukhulelwa,*+ kodwa yena uRakeli wayengafumani bantwana.+
32 Wamitha ke uLeya, wazala unyana, wamthiya igama elinguRubhen,*+ kuba wayesithi: “Kungenxa yokuba uYehova uyibonile inkxwaleko yam,+ yaye ngoku indoda yam iza kundithanda.”
33 Wamitha kwakhona, wazala unyana, wathi: “Kungenxa yokuba uYehova uye wandimamela, kuba ndandingathandwa ngoko wandinika nalo mntwana.” Wamthiya igama elinguSimeyon.*+
34 Waphinda wamitha, wazala unyana waza wathi: “Indoda yam iza kuthi nca kum ngoku, kuba ndiyizalele oonyana abathathu.” Ngoko yena wathiywa igama elinguLevi.*+
35 Waphinda wamitha, wazala unyana, wathi: “Ngoku ndiza kumdumisa uYehova.” Ngoko wamthiya igama elinguYuda.*+ Emva koko wayeka ukuzala.
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Ukuphuza umntu, mhlawumbi esidleleni, kwakuyindlela eqhelekileyo yokubulisa.
^ Ngokoqobo, “wayengumntakwabotata wakhe.”
^ Ukuphuza umntu, mhlawumbi esidleleni, kwakuyindlela eqhelekileyo yokubulisa.
^ Okanye “isizalwana sam segazi.”
^ Ngokoqobo, “ungumntakwethu.”
^ Ngokoqobo, “wayecatshukelwa.”
^ Ngokoqobo, “wasivula isibeleko sakhe.”
^ Othetha ukuthi “Nanku Unyana!”
^ Othetha ukuthi “Ukuviwa.”
^ Othetha ukuthi “Ukunamathela; Ukudibanisa.”
^ Othetha ukuthi “Odunyiswayo; Owokudunyiswa.”
