1 Yakobo anapitiriza ulendo wake kupita ku dziko la anthu a kummawa. 2 Atafika kumeneko anaona chitsime ku busa ndipo panali magulu atatu a nkhosa zitagona pafupi ndi chitsimecho chifukwa nkhosazo zimamwetsedwa madzi ochokera mʼchitsimecho. Pamwamba pa chitsimecho panali mwala waukulu. 3 Amati nkhosa zonse zikasonkhana, abusawo ankagudubuza mwalawo, kuwuchotsa ndi kumwetsa madzi nkhosazo. Kenaka ankawubwezera mwalawo pamalo pake, pakamwa pa chitsimepo.

4 Yakobo anafunsa abusawo kuti, “Abale anga, mwachokera kuti?”

Iwo anayankha, “Tachokera ku Harani.”

5 Iye anawafunsanso kuti, “Kodi Labani, mdzukulu wa Nahori mukumudziwa?”

Iwo anayankha, “Inde tikumudziwa?”

6 Ndipo Yakobo anawafunsanso, “Kodi ali bwino?”

Iwo anati, “Inde ali bwino. Nayu Rakele mwana wake akubwera apoyu ndi nkhosa.”

7 Iye anati, “Taonani, dzuwa likanalipo ndipo nthawi yosonkhanitsa nkhosa sinakwane. Bwanji osazimwetsa madzi nkhosazi.”

8 Iwo anayankha, “Ayi sitingatero. Tidikira mpaka nkhosa zonse zisonkhane. Zikatero, tigubuduza mwalawu kuwuchotsa pamwamba pa chitsimepo, kenaka nʼkuzimwetsa madzi nkhosazo.”

9 Ali chiyankhulire nawo, Rakele anafika ndi nkhosa za abambo ake popeza ndiye amene ankaweta nkhosazo. 10 Yakobo ataona Rakele mwana wa Labani, mlongo wa amayi ake, ali ndi nkhosa za Labani, anapita nawugudubuza mwala uja nazimwetsa madzi nkhosa za amalume akezo. 11 Kenaka Yakobo anapsompsona Rakele nayamba kulira mokweza. 12 Kenaka Yakobo anawuza Rakele kuti iye ndi mwana wa Rebeka, mlongo wa abambo a Rakele uja. Choncho Rakele anathamanga nakawuza abambo ake.

13 Labani atamva za Yakobo, mwana wa mlongo wake, anafulumira kukakumana naye. Anamukupatira napsompsona, napita naye ku nyumba kwake. Yakobo anafotokozera Labani zonse zinachitika. 14 Ndipo, Labani anati kwa iye, “Iwe ndiwe ndithu fupa ndi mnofu wanga.”

Yakobo anakhala ndi Labani mwezi umodzi. 15 Tsono Labani anawuza Yakobo kuti, “Zoona iwe ndi ife ndi abale. Koma suyenera kundigwirira ntchito popanda malipiro. Ndiwuze kuti malipiro ako azikhala wotani?”

16 Tsono Labani anali ndi ana aakazi awiri; dzina la wamkulu linali Leya, ndipo dzina la wamngʼono linali Rakele. 17 Leya anali ndi maonekedwe wofowoka koma Rakele anali wa maonekedwe wokongola kwambiri. 18 Yakobo anakonda Rakele ndipo anati, “Ndidzakugwirirani ntchito kwa zaka zisanu ndi ziwiri chifukwa cha mwana wanu wamngʼono, Rakele.”

19 Labani anati, “Kuli bwino kuti ndimupereke kwa iwe ameneyu kusiyana ndi munthu wina. Khala ndi ine kuno.” 20 Choncho Yakobo anagwira ntchito zaka zisanu ndi ziwiri chifukwa cha Rakele. Koma kwa iye zaka zonsezi zinakhala ngati masiku wochepa chifukwa anamukonda Rakele.

21 Kenaka Yakobo anati kwa Labani, “Nthawi yanga ndakwanitsa, ndipatseni mwana wanu kuti ndimukwatire.”

22 Pamenepo Labani anakonza phwando la ukwati, nayitana anthu onse a pamalopo. 23 Koma pokwana usiku, Labani anatenga mwana wake wamkazi Leya namupatsa Yakobo, ndipo Yakobo anagona naye. 24 Ndipo Labani anapereka wantchito wake wamkazi Zilipa kwa Leya kuti akhale wantchito wake.

25 Pakucha mmawa, Yakobo anaona kuti anagona ndi Leya. Choncho Yakobo anafunsa Labani, “Nʼchiyani mwandichitirachi? Kodi ine sindinakugwirireni ntchito chifukwa cha Rakele? Bwanji mwandinyenga?”

26 Labani anayankha, “Si mwambo wathu kuno kupereka wamngʼono ku banja, wamkulu asanakwatiwe. 27 Yamba watsiriza sabata ya chikondwerero cha ukwati wa Leya; kenaka ndidzakupatsanso Rakele. Koma udzayenera kundigwirira ntchito zaka zisanu ndi ziwiri.”

28 Yakobo anachitadi momwemo. Anamaliza sabata ya chikondwerero cha Leya, ndipo Labani anamupatsa Rakele kuti akhale mkazi wake. 29 Labani anapereka wantchito wake wamkazi Biliha kwa Rakele kuti akhale wantchito wake. 30 Yakobo analowana ndi mkazi wake Rakele, ndipo Yakobo anakonda Rakele kuposa Leya. Ndipo anamugwirira ntchito Labani zaka zina zisanu ndi ziwiri chifukwa cha Rakele.

31 Pamene Mulungu anaona kuti Yakobo sankamukonda Leya kwambiri, Iye analola kuti Leya uja akhale ndi ana, ndi kuti Rakele akhale wosabala. 32 Leya anakhala ndi pathupi ndipo anabereka mwana wamwamuna. Anamutcha Rubeni pakuti anati, “Yehova waona kusauka kwanga. Zoonadi, mwamuna wanga adzandikonda tsopano.”

33 Anakhalanso ndi pathupi ndipo pamene anabereka mwana wamwamuna anati, “Yehova anamva kuti mwamuna wanga sakundikonda, choncho wandipatsanso mwana winayu.” Ndipo anamutcha dzina lake Simeoni.

34 Anatenganso pathupi kachitatu, ndipo pamene anabereka mwana wamwamuna anati, “Pano pokha tidzaphatikana kwambiri ndi mwamuna wanga, chifukwa ndamubalira ana aamuna atatu.” Kotero anamutcha dzina lake Levi.

35 Anatenganso pathupi pena, ndipo pamene anabereka mwana wamwamuna, iye anati, “Nthawi ino ndidzalemekeza Yehova.” Choncho anamutcha Yuda. Kenaka analeka kubereka.