¹Zvino Jakove wakasimudza tsoka dzake, akaenda kunyika yevana vekumabvazuva.

¹Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east.

²Zvino wakaona, tarira, tsime musango, zvino tarira ipapo, mapoka matatu emakwai avete pariri; nekuti patsime iri vaimwisa mapoka; paiva neibwe guru patsime iroro.

²He looked, and behold, a well in the field, and, behold, three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. The stone on the well’s mouth was large.

³Uye ndipapo paiungana mapoka ose; zvino vaikungurutsa ibwe kubva pamuromo wetsime, ndokumwisa makwai, vachidzosera ibwe pamuromo wetsime panzvimbo yaro.

³There all the flocks were gathered. They rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again on the well’s mouth in its place.

⁴Jakove ndokuti kwavari: Hama dza­ngu, munobvepi? Ivo ndokuti: Tinobva kuHarani.

⁴Jacob said to them, “My relatives, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”

⁵Zvino wakati kwavari: Munoziva here Ra­bhani mwanakomana waNahori? Ivo ndokuti: Tinomuziva.

⁵He said to them, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”

⁶Zvino wakati kwavari: Wakafara here? Ivo ndokuti: Wakafara; zvino tarira, Rakeri mukunda wake, unouya nemakwai.

⁶He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.”

⁷Zvino wakati: Tarirai, achiri masikati ma­kuru, haisi nguva yekuti zvipfuwo zviunganidzwe; mwisai makwai, mugonoafudza.

⁷He said, “Behold, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”

⁸Zvino vakati: Hatingagoni kusvikira mapoka ose aunganidzwa, vagokungurusa ibwe pamuromo we­tsime; ndipo patichamwisa makwai.

⁸They said, “We can’t, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth. Then we water the sheep.”

⁹Achiri kutaura navo, Rakeri wakasvika nemakwai ababa vake, nekuti waiva mufudzikadzi.

⁹While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them.

¹⁰Zvino zvakaitika Jako­bho achiona Rakeri mukunda waRabhani hanzvadzi yamai vake nemakwai aRabhani hanzvadzi yamai vake, kuti Jakove wakaswedera, akakungurutsa ibwe kubva pamu­romo wetsime, akamwisa makwai aRa­bhani, hanzvadzi yamai vake.

¹⁰It happened, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

¹¹Jakove ndokutsvoda Rakeri, akasimudza inzwi rake akabudisa misodzi.

¹¹Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

¹²Jakove ndokuudza Rakeri kuti ihama yababa vake, uye kuti mwanakomana waRabheka, ndokumhanya, ndokuudza baba vake.

¹²Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.

¹³Zvino zvakaitika Rabhani anzwa ma­shoko aJakove mwanakomana wehanzvadzi yake, kuti wakamhanya kunomuchingamidza, ndokumumbundikira, ndokumutsvoda, ndokumuisa mumba make. Jakove ndokuudza Rabhani zvinhu izvo zvose.

¹³It happened, when Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, that he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.

¹⁴Rabhani ndokuti kwaari: Zvirokwazvo uri pfupa rangu nenyama yangu. Aka­gara naye mwedzi wose.

¹⁴Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” He lived with him for a month.

¹⁵Zvino Rabhani wakati kuna Jakove: Nekuti uri hama yangu, ungandibatira pachena here? Ndiudze kuti mubayiro wako uchava chii.

¹⁵Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?”

¹⁶Zvino Rabhani wakange ane vakunda vaviri; zita remukuru rakange riri Rea, uye zita remuduku Rakeri.

¹⁶Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

¹⁷Rea wakange ane meso akaneta, asi Rakeri wakange aka­naka kwazvo pachimiro nepachiso.

¹⁷Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive.

¹⁸Zvino Jakove wakada Rakeri. Ndokuti: Ndichakubatirai makore manomwe pamusoro paRakeri, mukunda wenyu muduku.

¹⁸Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”

¹⁹Rabhani ndokuti: Zviri nani kuti ndimupe kwauri pakuti ndimupe umwe murume; gara neni.

¹⁹Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.”

²⁰Jakove ndokubatira Rakeri makore manomwe; asi akava pameso ake semazuva mashoma, nekuda kwekumuda kwake.

²⁰Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.

²¹Jakove ndokuti kuna Rabhani: Ndipei mukadzi wangu, nekuti mazuva angu azadzisika, kuti ndipinde kwaari.

²¹Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”

²²Rabhani ndokuunganidza vanhu vose venzvimbo iyo, ndokuita mabiko.

²²Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

²³Zvino zvakaitika madekwani, kuti wakatora Rea, mukunda wake, ndokumuisa kwaari; iye ndokupinda kwaari.

²³It happened in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him. He went in to her.

²⁴Rabhani ndokupa kumukunda wake Rea Ziripa murandakadzi wake, ave mushandiri wake.

²⁴Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid to his daughter Leah for a handmaid.

²⁵Zvino zvakaitika, kuti mangwanani, tarira, ndiRea; ndokuti kuna Rabhani: Chii ichi chamaita kwandiri? Handina kukubatirai pamusoro paRakeri here? Mandinyengedzererei?

²⁵It happened in the morning that, behold, it was Leah. He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”

²⁶Rabhani ndokuti: Hakunzarwo panzvimbo yekwedu kupa munin'ina kutangira dangwe.

²⁶Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.

²⁷Pedzisa vhiki yeuyu, tigokupa uyuwo pamusoro pebasa rauchabata nenizve mamwe makore manomwe.

²⁷Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me yet seven other years.”

²⁸Jakove ndokuita saizvozvo, ndokuzadzisa vhiki yeuyu; ndokupa kwaari Ra­keri, mukunda wake kuva mukadzi.

²⁸Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.

²⁹Rabhani ndokupa kuna Rakeri Bhiriha murandakadzi wake, ave murandakadzi kwaari.

²⁹Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his handmaid, to be her handmaid.

³⁰Jakove ndokupindawo kuna Rakeri, ndokudawo Rakeri kupfuura Rea, ndokubata pamwe naye mamwe makore manomwezve.

³⁰He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

³¹Kuzoti Jehovha aona kuti Rea waivengwa, wakazarura chibereko chake, asi Rakeri waiva mhanje.

³¹Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

³²Rea ndokubata mimba, ndokubereka mwanakomana, ndokutumidza zita rake kuti Ru­bheni, nekuti wakati: Jehovha wakaona dambudziko rangu; naizvozvo ikozvino murume wangu uchandida.

³²Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, “Because Yahweh has looked at my affliction. For now my husband will love me.”

³³Akabata mimbazve, ndokubereka mwanakomana, ndokuti: Nekuti Jehovha wanzwa kuti ndinovengwa, naizvozvo wandipawo uyu; ndokutumidza zita rake kuti Simioni.

³³She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, “Because Yahweh has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” She named him Simeon.

³⁴Akabata mimbazve, ndokubereka mwanakomana, ndokuti: Ikozvino nguva ino murume wangu achazvibatanidza neni, nekuti ndamuberekera vanakomana vatatu; naizvozvo zita rake rakanzi Revhi.

³⁴She conceived again, and bore a son. Said, “Now this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.

³⁵Zvino wakabata mimbazve, akabereka mwanakomana, ndokuti: Nenguva ino ndicharumbidza Jehovha; naizvozvo wakamutumidza zita rake kuti Judha; aka­mira kubereka.

³⁵She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “This time will I praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.