Jacob Runs from Laban
1 Jacob heard that Laban's sons were complaining, “Jacob is now a rich man, and he got everything he owns from our father.” 2 Jacob also noticed that Laban was not as friendly as he had been before. 3 One day the Lord said, “Jacob, go back to your relatives in the land of your ancestors, and I will be with you.”
4 Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to meet him in the pasture where he kept his sheep, 5 and he told them:
Your father isn't as friendly with me as he used to be, but the God my ancestors worshiped has been on my side. 6 You know that I have worked hard for your father 7 and that he keeps cheating me by changing my wages time after time. But God has protected me. 8 When your father said the speckled sheep would be my wages, all of them were speckled. And when he said the spotted ones would be mine, all of them were spotted. 9 That's how God has taken sheep and goats from your father and given them to me.
10 Once, when the flocks were mating, I dreamed that all the rams were either spotted or speckled. 11 Then God's angel called me by name. I answered, 12 and he said, “Notice that all the rams are either spotted or speckled. I know everything Laban is doing to you, 13 and I am the God you worshiped at Bethel, when you poured olive oil on a rock and made a promise to me. Leave here at once and return to the land where you were born.”
14 Rachel and Leah said to Jacob:
There's nothing left for us to inherit from our father. 15 He treats us like foreigners and has even cheated us out of the bride price that should have been ours. 16 So do whatever God tells you to do. Even the property God took from our father and gave to you really belongs to us and our children.
17 Then Jacob, his wives, and his children got on camels and left 18 northern Syria for the home of his father Isaac in Canaan. Jacob took along all his flocks, herds, and other property.
19 Before Rachel left, she stole the household idols while Laban was out shearing his sheep.
20 Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean by not saying that he intended to leave. 21 When Jacob crossed the Euphrates River and headed for the hill country of Gilead, he took with him everything he owned.
Laban Catches Up with Jacob
22 Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had gone. 23 So he took some of his relatives along and chased after Jacob for seven days, before catching up with him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God appeared to Laban in a dream that night and warned, “Don't say a word to Jacob. Don't make a threat or a promise.”
25 Jacob had set up camp in the hill country of Gilead, when Laban and his relatives came and set up camp in another part of the hill country. Laban went to Jacob 26 and said:
Look what you've done! You've tricked me and run off with my daughters like a kidnapper. 27 Why did you sneak away without telling me? I would have given you a going-away party with singing and with music on tambourines and harps. 28 You didn't even give me a chance to kiss my own grandchildren and daughters goodbye. That was really foolish. 29 I could easily hurt you, but the God your father worshiped has warned me not to make any threats or promises.
30 I can understand why you were eager to return to your father, but why did you have to steal my idols?
31 Jacob answered, “I left secretly because I was afraid you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 If you find that any one of us has taken your idols, I'll have that person killed. Let your relatives be witnesses. Show me what belongs to you, and you can take it back.” Jacob did not realize that Rachel had stolen the household idols.
33 Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, and the two servant women, but did not find the idols. Then he went to Rachel's tent. 34 She had already hidden them in the cushion she used as a saddle and was sitting on it. Laban searched everywhere and did not find them. 35 Rachel said, “Father, please don't be angry with me for not getting up; I'm having my period.” Laban kept on searching, but still did not find the idols.
36 Jacob became very angry and said to Laban:
What have I done wrong? Have I committed some crime? Is that why you hunted me down? 37 After searching through everything I have, did you find anything of yours? If so, put it here, where your relatives and mine can see it. Then we can decide what to do.
38 In all the 20 years that I've worked for you, not one of your sheep or goats has had a miscarriage, and I've never eaten even one of your rams. 39 If a wild animal killed one of your sheep or goats, I paid for it myself. In fact, you demanded the full price, whether the animal was killed during the day or at night. 40 I sweated every day, and I couldn't sleep at night because of the cold.
41 I had to work 14 of these 20 long years to earn your two daughters and another 6 years to buy your sheep and goats. During that time you kept changing my wages. 42 If the fearsome God worshiped by Abraham and my father Isaac had not been on my side, you would have sent me away without a thing. But God saw my hard work, and he knew the trouble I was in, so he helped me. Then last night he told you how wrong you were.
Jacob and Laban Make an Agreement
43 Laban said to Jacob, “Leah and Rachel are my daughters, and their children belong to me. All these sheep you are taking are really mine too. In fact, everything you have belongs to me. But there is nothing I can do to keep my daughters and their children. 44 So I am ready to make an agreement with you, and we will pile up some large rocks here to remind us of the agreement.”
45 After Jacob had set up a large rock, 46 he told his men to get some more rocks and pile them up next to it. Then Jacob and Laban ate a meal together beside the rocks. 47 Laban named the pile of rocks Jegar Sahadutha. But Jacob named it Galeed. 48 Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks will remind us of our agreement.” That's why the place was named Galeed. 49 Laban also said, “This pile of rocks means that the Lord will watch us both while we are apart from each other.” So the place was also named Mizpah.
50 Then Laban said:
If you mistreat my daughters or marry other women, I may not know about it, but remember, God is watching us! 51-52 Both this pile of rocks and this large rock have been set up between us as a reminder. I must never go past them to attack you, and you must never come past them to attack me. 53 My father Nahor, your grandfather Abraham, and their ancestors all worshiped the same God, and he will make sure that we each keep the agreement.
Then Jacob made a promise in the name of the fearsome God his father Isaac had worshiped. 54 Jacob killed an animal and offered it as a sacrifice there on the mountain, and he invited his men to eat with him. After the meal they spent the night on the mountain. 55 Early the next morning, Laban kissed his daughters and his grandchildren goodbye, then he left to go back home.
Yaakuba borita Labani koto
1 Bituŋ Yaakuba naata a moyi Labani dinkewolu be a fo kaŋ ko, “Yaakuba le ye m̀ faamaa la sotofeŋo bee taa. A ye ñiŋ fankoo soto m̀ faamaa la sotofeŋo le to.” 2 Yaakuba naata a je le fanaa ko, Labani ye ñaa siifaa doo le yitandi a la, a maŋ dali ka meŋ yitandi a la. 3 Bituŋ Yaawe* naata a fo Yaakuba ye ko, “Muru i bonsuŋolu la bankoo kaŋ, ka taa i baadiŋolu kaŋ. M be tara la i fee le.”
4 Wo le to Yaakuba ye kiilaa kii ka Raheli kumandi a ye, a niŋ Leya, ì niŋ a ye beŋ kenoo to, a la beeyaŋolu be daameŋ. 5 A ko ì ye ko, “Ŋa a je le ko, ali faamaa ye ñaa siifaa doo le yitandi n na, a maŋ dali ka meŋ yitandi. Bari m faamaa la Alla be m fee le. 6 Ali ye a loŋ ne ko, ŋa dookuwo ke ali faamaa ye niŋ n semboo daŋo bee le la. 7 Wo bee, ali faamaa ye n nakari, a ye n na joo faliŋ siiñaa taŋ. Bari Alla maŋ laa a kaŋ ka kuu jawoo ke noo n na. 8 Niŋ a kumata ko, ‘Beeyaŋ waaree-waarendiŋolu le be ke la i la joo ti,’ beeyaŋolu mennu ka wuluu, bee ka ke waaree-waarendiŋolu le ti. Aduŋ niŋ a kumata fanaa ko, ‘Tompiŋ-tompindiŋolu le be ke la i la joo ti,’ beeyaŋolu mennu ka wuluu, bee ka ke tompiŋ-tompindiŋolu le ti. 9 Alla ye beeyaŋolu taa ali faamaa bulu teŋ ne, a ye ì dii n na. 10 Waati doo, kabiriŋ beeyaŋolu la kosiri waatoo siita, n naata siiboo soto. Ñiŋ siiboo kono, n naata a je ko, beeyaŋ kewolu mennu ka sele beeyaŋ musoolu kaŋ, baalu niŋ saajiyolu, wolu bee mu tompiŋ-tompindiŋolu le ti, aniŋ waaree-waarendiŋolu. 11 Bituŋ Alla la malaayikoo ko n ye siiboo kono ko, ‘Yaakuba,’ n ko a ye ko, ‘M fele jaŋ!’ 12 A ko n ye ko, ‘Santo juubee, i be a je la le ko, kotoŋolu mennu bee be kosiroo la, bee mu tompiŋ-tompindiŋolu le ti, aniŋ waaree-waarendiŋolu. Kaatu ŋa a je le, Labani be meŋ ke kaŋ i la. 13 Nte le mu Alla ti, meŋ fintita i kaŋ Beteli. Jee le mu, i ye tuloo boŋ hakilibulandiraŋ beroo kaŋ, aniŋ dulaa le mu i ye laahidoo taa n ye daameŋ. Saayiŋ, bo ñiŋ bankoo kaŋ, i ye seyi i wuluu bankoo kaŋ.’ ”
14 Bituŋ Raheli niŋ Leya ye a jaabi, ì ko a ye ko, “Muŋ nii le ñanta tara la ntolu ye, m̀ faamaa la feŋo to? Ntolu te feŋ-wo-feŋ ne keetaa la. 15 Fo a maŋ ntolu muta le komeŋ tumarankewolu? A ye ǹ waafi, a naata muru ka wo kodoo domo, meŋ diita ǹ na kuwo kamma. 16 Feŋolu mennu bee Alla ye ì taa m̀ faamaa bulu, mu ntolu le taa ti, aniŋ ǹ diŋolu. Wo to saayiŋ, a ke ko Alla ye a fo i ye ñaameŋ.”
17 Wo le to Yaakuba wulita, a ye a diŋolu niŋ a la musoolu selendi ñonkomoolu kaŋ. 18 A ye a la beeyaŋolu bee kenkeŋ, a ye a la sotofeŋolu bee taa, a ye mennu kafu ñoo ma Padani-Aramu. Bituŋ a ye siloo taa ka taa a faamaa Isiyaaka yaa Kanaani bankoo kaŋ. 19 Labani taata ka a la saajiyolu tiyolu kuntu, Raheli naata a la jalaŋ leseriŋolu suuñaa a kooma.
20 Yaakuba ye Labani Aramunkoo tu kumpoo kono, a maŋ a fo a ye ko, a ka taa le. 21 Bituŋ a ñaamootoo borita teŋ ne, a niŋ a la feŋolu bee. A ye Yufurati Boloŋo teyi, a taata Kileyadi konkotundoo* maafaŋo la.
Labani ye Yaakuba bayindi
22 Yaakuba la boroo tili sabanjaŋ luŋo le mu, Labani naata a moyi ko, Yaakuba borita le. 23 Bituŋ a ye a baadiŋolu taa teŋ ne, a niŋ ì taata ñoo la ka Yaakuba bayindi. Tili woorowulanjaŋ luŋo le mu, a ye Yaakuba soto Kileyadi konkotundoo kaŋ. 24 Bari Alla naata finti Labani Aramunkoo kaŋ suutoo, siiboo kono. A ko a ye ko, “I si i hakiloo tu, i kana hani feŋ fo Yaakuba ye, meŋ si a silandi.” 25 Yaakuba ye a la tiriliisoo* loo Kileyadi konkotundoo le kaŋ, Labani be futa la a ma waatoo meŋ na. Labani niŋ a baadiŋolu fanaalu ye ì la tiriliisoolu loo jee le.
26 Labani ko Yaakuba ye ko, “Ite ye muŋ ne ke? I ye n neenee ka n dimmusoolu samba komeŋ kelejoŋolu. 27 Muŋ ne ye a tinna i borita kulloo kono, ka n neenee, i maŋ sara n na? Tennuŋ m be i bula la le i ye taa kontaanoo kono, ka i bondi niŋ denkiloo la, tambuuroolu aniŋ kontiŋolu. 28 Muŋ ne ye a tinna i maŋ m bula ŋa m mamariŋolu sumbu aniŋ n dimmusoolu, ka sara ñoo la? I ye meŋ ke, a maŋ ke siloo ti. 29 Ŋa semboo soto le ka kuu jawoo ke i la. Bari i faamaa la Alla diyaamuta n ye le ñiŋ suuto tambilaa. A ko n ye ko, ‘I si i hakiloo tu, i kana hani feŋ fo Yaakuba ye, meŋ si a silandi.’ 30 Daliiloo meŋ ye i samba ŋa a loŋ ne, kaatu i faamaa yaa le ye i meeyaa. Bari muŋ ne ye a tinna i ye n na jalaŋ leseriŋolu suuñaa?”
31 Yaakuba ye Labani jaabi ko, “N silata le, kaatu ŋa ñiŋ ne miira ko, i be i dimmusoolu buusi la n na le. 32 Bari i la jalaŋolu jeta moo-wo-moo la karoo la, wo maarii te tu la baluwo to. M̀ baadiŋolu bee ñaa la jaŋ, feŋ coodi jaŋ, i taa mu meŋ ti, i ye a taa.” Bari Yaakuba maŋ a loŋ nuŋ ko, Raheli le ye ñiŋ jalaŋolu suuñaa.
33 Wo le to Labani dunta Yaakuba la tiriliisoo koto, a dunta Leya taa koto, aniŋ jommusu fuloo la tiriliisoo, bari a maŋ ì je. Bituŋ a fintita Leya la tiriliisoo koto, a dunta Raheli taa koto. 34 Wo waatoo la Raheli ye ñiŋ jalaŋolu sika le, a ye ì ke ñonkomoo la kirikewo koto, a siita a kaŋ. Labani ye tiriliisoo dulaa bee moomoo, bari a maŋ ì je. 35 Bituŋ a ko a faamaa ye ko, “Kana kamfaa, n te wuli noo la, kaatu m be kuuroo le la.” A faamaa ye dulaalu bee kisikisi ñaa-wo-ñaa, bari a maŋ ñiŋ jalaŋolu je.
36 Bituŋ Yaakuba jusoo bota baake, a ye a la bataa kuwolu seyinkaŋ, a ko Labani ye ko, “Ŋa muŋ kuu jawu le ke? Ŋa muŋ junube kuu le ke, i ka m bayindi naŋ meŋ na? 37 I ye n na feŋolu kono bee kisikisi le, fo i ye i la feŋ ne je jee baŋ? Niŋ a keta, wo to a yitandi i la moolu niŋ n na moolu ñaa la jaŋ. Ì ye a yitandi, ntolu moo fuloo meŋ be tooñaa kaŋ. 38 N niŋ i tarata ñoo kaŋ ne saayiŋ fo sanji muwaŋ. Ñiŋ waatoo bee kono, hani i la saajiimusoo, waraŋ baamusoo konoo nene maŋ bo, aduŋ n nene maŋ hani i la beeyaŋ kotoŋ kiliŋ suboo ñimi. 39 Niŋ wulakono daafeŋolu ye beeyaŋ meŋ faa, m buka a samba naŋ i yaa, n ka a joo le. Aduŋ feŋ-wo-feŋ suuñaata ñiŋ beeyaŋolu kono, suuto to baŋ, waraŋ tili to, i ka a fo n ye le, a joo. 40 M bataata tiloo la kandoo koto, m bataata suutoo sumayaa kono. Ñiŋ bee keta nte la le, aduŋ jamaa-jamaa m buka suutoo siinoo. 41 Ñiŋ sanji muwaŋo bee kono, n tarata i la maroo le koto. Ŋa dookuwo ke i ye sanji taŋ niŋ naani, i dimmusu fuloo la kuwo kamma, aniŋ sanji wooro, i la beeyaŋolu la kuwo kamma, aduŋ wo bee koolaa, i naata n na joo faliŋ ne siiñaa taŋ. 42 M mama Iburayima la Alla, m faamaa Isiyaaka fanaa silata meŋ na, wo le tarata m fee. Niŋ wo nte, i be m bulu kenseŋo le bula la ŋa taa. Bari Alla ye n na bataa kuwo je le, aniŋ ŋa dookuwo meŋ ke i ye. Bituŋ a ye kiitiyo teyi n niŋ i teema kunuŋ suutoo.”
Labani niŋ Yaakuba ye kambeŋo siti
43 Bituŋ Labani ye Yaakuba jaabi, a ko a ye ko, “Ñiŋ musoolu mu n dimmusoolu le ti, ì diŋolu mu m mamariŋolu le ti, ñiŋ beeyaŋolu fanaalu mu n na beeyaŋolu le ti, aduŋ i ye ñiŋ feŋolu mennu bee je teŋ, mu n taa le ti. Wo to saayiŋ, nte be muŋ ne ke la n dimmusoolu la kuwo to, aniŋ m mamariŋolu, n ñiŋ dimmusoolu ye mennu wuluu? 44 Wo to saayiŋ ŋà kambeŋo siti, wo si ke seedoo ti ǹ teema.”
45 Bituŋ Yaakuba ye beroo taa, a ye a loo samasiŋo ti ka ke hakilibulandiraŋo ti. 46 A ko a la moolu ye ko, “Ali beroolu kafu ñoo ma.” Bituŋ ì ye beroolu kafu ñoo ma, ì ye ì tuŋ ñoo kaŋ. Ì naata domoroo ke bere tuŋo ñiŋ daala. 47 Bituŋ Labani naata a kumandi Yekari-Sahaduta la, bari Yaakuba, wo ye a kumandi Kaleedi le la.
48 Labani ko, “Ñiŋ bere tuŋo le mu seedoo ti bii, nte niŋ ite teema.” Wo le ye a tinna ì ka a kumandi Kaleedi la. 49 Ì ka a kumandi Misipa fanaa la le, kaatu Labani tententa le ka a fo ko, “Allamaa Yaawe ye koroosiri ke ǹ na ñiŋ kuwo to, meŋ be ǹ teema, niŋ ntolu doodoo maŋ tara ñoo kaŋ. 50 Kana n dimmusoolu tilimbaliyaa, waraŋ ka musu doolu futuu ka ì lafaa ì kaŋ. Ǹ niŋ moo-wo-moo le maŋ tara jaŋ, aduŋ i kana ñina ko, Alla le mu ǹ seedoo ti. 51 Bere tuŋo fele, hakilibulandiraŋ beroo fanaa fele, ŋa mennu loo n niŋ i la kambeŋo la kuwo kamma. 52 Ñiŋ tuŋo, a niŋ ñiŋ beroo, wolu bee mu seedoo le ti, aniŋ hakilibulandiraŋo ko, nte te tambi noo la ì la ka naa kuu jawoo ke i la, aduŋ i fanaa te tambi noo la ì la, ka naa kuu jawoo ke m fanaa la. 53 Allamaa Iburayima la Alla, Nahori niŋ ì faa la Alla ye ke ǹ teema kiitiikuntulaa ti.”
Bituŋ Yaakuba naata i kali Alla la, a faamaa Isiyaaka silata meŋ na, 54 a ye beeyaŋo faa konkotundoo ñiŋ kaŋ jee, ka ke sadaa* ti. A ye a baadiŋolu kili ka naa siimaŋo la. Kabiriŋ ì ye domoroo ke, ì naata suutoo laa jee. 55 Soomandaa juunoo, Labani wulita, a ye a mamariŋolu sumbu aniŋ a dimmusoolu, a ye neemoo daani ì ye. Bituŋ a wulita ka seyi suwo kono.
