Genesis 31

DOUAI-RHEIMS	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 But after that he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying: Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's, and being enriched by his substance is become great:	1 But afterwards, he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and being enlarged by his ability, he has become famous.”
2 And perceiving also that Laban's countenance was not towards him as yesterday and the other day,	2 Likewise, he observed that Laban’s face was not the same toward him as it was yesterday and the day before.
3 Especially the Lord saying to him: Return into the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee.	3 Most importantly, the Lord was saying to him, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your generation, and I will be with you.”
4 He sent, and called Rachel and Lia into the field, where he fed the flocks,	4 He sent and called for Rachel and Leah, in the field where he pastured the flocks,
5 And said to them: I see your father's countenance is not towards me as yesterday and the other day: but the God of my father hath been with me.	5 and he said to them: “I see that your father’s face is not the same toward me as it was yesterday and the day before. But the God of my father has been with me.
6 And you know that I have served your father to the utmost of my power.	6 And you know that I have served your father with all my strength.
7 Yea, your father also hath overreached me, and hath changes my wages ten times: and yet God hath not suffered him to hurt me.	7 Even so, your father has circumvented me, and he has changed my wages ten times. And yet God has not permitted him to harm me.
8 If at any time he said: The speckled shall be thy wages: all the sheep brought forth speckled: but when he said on the contrary: Thou shalt take all the white ones for thy wages: all the flocks brought forth white ones.	8 Whenever he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ all the sheep gave birth to speckled newborns. Yet truly, when he said the contrary, ‘You will take whatever is white for your wages,’ all the flocks gave birth to white ones.
9 And God hath taken your father's substance, and given it to me.	9 And it is God who has taken your father’s substance and given it to me.
10 For after that time came of the ewes conceiving, I lifted up my eyes, and saw in my sleep that the males which leaped upon the females were of diverse colors, and spotted, and speckled.	10 For after the time had arrived for the ewes to conceive, I lifted up my eyes, and I saw in my sleep that the males climbing on the females were of variegated, and spotted, and diverse colors.
11 And the angel of God said to me in my sleep: Jacob? And I answered: Here I am.	11 And the Angel of God said to me in my sleep, ‘Jacob.’ And I responded, ‘Here I am.’
12 And he said: Lift up thy eyes, and see that all the males leaping upon the females, are of divers colors, spotted, and speckled. For I have seen all that Laban hath done to thee.	12 And he said: ‘Lift up your eyes, and see that all the males climbing on the females are variegated, spotted, and also speckled. For I have seen all that Laban has done to you.
13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou didst anoint the stone, and make a vow to me. Now therefore arise, and go out of this land, and return into thy native country.	13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the stone and made a vow to me. Now therefore arise, and depart from this land, returning to the land of your nativity.’ ”
14 And Rachel and Lia answered: Have we anything left among the goods and inheritance of our father's house?	14 And Rachel and Leah responded: “Have we anything left behind among the resources and inheritance of our father’s house?
15 Hath he not counted us as strangers and sold us, and eaten up the price of us?	15 Has he not considered us as foreigners, and sold us, and consumed our price?
16 But God hath taken our father's riches, and delivered them to us, and to our children: wherefore do all that God hath commanded thee.	16 But God has taken our father’s riches and handed these to us and to our sons. Therefore, do all that God has instructed you.”
17 Then Jacob rose up, and having set his children and wives upon camels, went his way.	17 And so Jacob rose up, and having placed the children and his wives upon camels, he went forth.
18 And he took all his substance, and flocks, and whatsoever he had gotten in Mesopotamia, and went forward to Isaac his father to the land of Chanaan.	18 And he took all his substance and flocks, and whatever he had acquired in Mesopotamia, and he journeyed to his father Isaac, in the land of Canaan.
19 At that time Laban was gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole away her father's idols.	19 At that time, Laban had gone to shear the sheep, and so Rachel stole her father’s idols.
20 And Jacob would not confess to his father in law that he was flying away.	20 And Jacob was not willing to confess to his father-in-law that he was fleeing.
21 And when he was gone, together with all that belonged to him, and having passed the river, was going on towards mount Galaad,	21 And when he had gone away with all such things that were justly his, and, having crossed the river, was continuing on toward Mount Gilead,
22 It was told Laban on the third day that Jacob fled.	22 it was reported to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.
23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days; and overtook him in the mount of Galaad.	23 And taking his brothers with him, he pursued him for seven days. And he overtook him at Mount Gilead.
24 And he saw in a dream God saying to him: Take heed thou speak not any thing harshly against Jacob.	24 And he saw in a dream, God saying to him, “Beware that you not speak anything harsh against Jacob.”
25 Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain: and when he with his brethren had overtaken him, he pitched his tent in the same mount of Galaad.	25 And now Jacob had pitched his tent at the mountain. And when he, with his brothers, had overtaken him, he set his tent at the same place at Mount Gilead.
26 And he said to Jacob: Why hast thou done thus, to carry away, without my knowledge, my daughters, as captives taken with the sword.	26 And he said to Jacob: “Why have you acted this way, departing from me in secret, with my daughters like captives of the sword?
27 Why wouldst thou run away privately and not acquaint me, that I might have brought thee on the way with joy, and with songs, and with timbrels, and with harps?	27 Why would you want to flee without my knowledge and without telling me, though I might have led you forward with gladness, and songs, and timbrels, and lyres?
28 Thou hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and daughters: thou hast done foolishly: and now, indeed,	28 You have not permitted me to kiss my sons and daughters. You have acted foolishly. And now, indeed,
29 It is in my power to return thee evil: but the God of your father said to me yesterday: Take heed thou speak not any things harshly against Jacob.	29 my hand has power to repay you with harm. But the God of your father said to me yesterday, ‘Beware that you not speak anything stern against Jacob.’
30 Suppose thou didst desire to go to thy friends, and hadst a longing after thy father's house: why hast thou stolen away my gods?	30 It may be that you desired to go to your own, and that you longed for the house of your father. But why have you stolen my gods?”
31 Jacob answered: That I departed unknown to thee, it was for fear lest thou wouldst take away thy daughters by force.	31 Jacob answered: “I set out, unknown to you, because I feared that you might take away your daughters by violence.
32 But whereas thou chargest me with theft: with whomsoever thou shalt find thy gods, let him be slain before our brethren. Search, and if thou find any of thy things with me, take them away. Now when he said this, he knew not that Rachel had stolen the idols.	32 But, since you accuse me of theft, with whomever you will find your gods, let him be slain in the sight of our brothers. Search; anything of yours that you will find with me, take it away.” Now when he said this, he did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.
33 So Laban went into the tent of Jacob, and of Lia, and of both the handmaids, and found them not. And when he was entered into Rachel's tent,	33 And so Laban, entering the tent of Jacob, and of Leah, and of both the handmaids, did not find them. And when he had entered the tent of Rachel,
34 She in haste hid the idols under the camel's furniture, and sat upon them: and when he had searched all the tent, and found nothing,	34 she quickly hid the idols under the camel’s bedding, and she sat upon them. And when he had searched the entire tent and found nothing,
35 She said: Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise up before thee, because it has now happened to me, according to the custom of women, So his careful search was in vain.	35 she said: “Do not be angry, my lord, that I am unable to rise up in your sight, because it has now happened to me according to the custom of women.” So his careful search was thwarted.
36 And jacob being angry, said in a chiding manner: For what fault of mine, and for what offense on my part hast thou so hotly pursued me,	36 And Jacob, being inflated, said with contention: “For which fault of mine, or for what sin of mine, have you become so enraged against me
37 And searched all my household stuff? What hast thou found of all the substance of thy house? lay it here before my brethren, and thy brethren, and let them judge between me and thee.	37 and searched all the items of my house? What have you found from all the substance of your house? Place it here before my brothers, and your brothers, and let them judge between me and you.
38 Have I therefore been with thee twenty years? thy ewes and goats were not barren, the rams of thy flocks I did not eat:	38 For what reason have I been with you for twenty years? Your ewes and she-goats were not barren; the rams of your flocks I did not consume.
39 Neither did I show thee that which the beast had torn, I made good all the damage: whatsoever was lost by theft, thou didst exact it of me:	39 Neither did I reveal to you what was seized by the wild beast. I replaced all that was damaged. Whatever was lost by theft, you collected it from me.
40 Day and night was I parched with heat, and with frost, and sleep departed from my eyes.	40 Day and night, I was burned by heat and by frost, and sleep fled from my eyes.
41 And in this manner have I served thee in thy house twenty years, fourteen for thy daughters, and six for thy flocks: thou hast changed also my wages ten times.	41 And in this way, for twenty years, I have served you in your house: fourteen for your daughters, and six for your flocks. You have also changed my wages ten times.
42 Unless the God of my father Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had stood by me, peradventure now thou hadst sent me away naked: God beheld my affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesterday.	42 If the God of my father Abraham and the fear of Isaac had not been close to me, perhaps by now you would have sent me away naked. But God looked kindly on my affliction and the labor of my hands, and he rebuked you yesterday.”
43 Laban answered him: The daughters are mine and the children, and thy flocks, and all things that thou seest are mine: what can I do to my children, and grandchildren?	43 Laban answered him: “My daughters and sons, and your flocks, and all that you discern are mine. What can I do to my sons and grandchildren?
44 Come therefore, let us enter into a league: that it may be for a testimony between me and thee.	44 Come, therefore, let us enter into a pact, so that it may be a testimony between me and you.”
45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a title:	45 And so Jacob took a stone, and he set it up as a memorial.
46 And he said to his brethren: Bring hither stones. And they gathering stones together, made a heap, and they ate upon it.	46 And he said to his brothers, “Bring stones.” And they, gathering together stones, made a tomb, and they ate upon it.
47 And Laban called it The witness heap: and Jacob, The hillock of testimony: each of them according to the propriety of his language.	47 And Laban called it, ‘Tomb of Witness,’ and Jacob, ‘Pile of Testimony;’ each of them according to the fitness of his own language.
48 And Laban said: This heap shall be a witness between me and thee this day, and therefore the name thereof was called Galaad, that is, The witness heap.	48 And Laban said: “This tomb will be a witness between me and you this day.” (And for this reason, its name has been called Gilead, that is, ‘Tomb of Witness.’)
49 The Lord behold and judge between us when we shall be gone one from the other.	49 “May the Lord consider and judge between us, when we will have withdrawn from one another.
50 If thou afflict my daughters, and if thou bring in other wives over them: none is witness of our speech but God, who is present and beholdeth.	50 If you afflict my daughters, and if you bring in other wives over them, no one is a witness of our words except God, who understands beforehand.”
51 And he said again to Jacob: Behold, this heap, and the stone which I have set up between me and thee,	51 And again he said to Jacob. “Lo, this tomb and the stone that I have set up between me and you,
52 Shall be a witness: this heap, I say, and the stone, be they for a testimony, if either I shall pass beyond it going towards thee, or thou shalt pass beyond it, thinking harm to me.	52 will be a witness. This tomb,” I say, “and the stone, they are for testimony, in case either I cross beyond it going toward you, or you cross beyond it thinking to harm me.
53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nachor, the God of their father, judge between us. And jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.	53 May the God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Therefore, Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.
54 And after he had offered sacrifices in the mountain, he called his brethren to eat bread. And when they had eaten, they lodged there:	54 And after he had immolated sacrifices on the mountain, he called his brothers to eat bread. And when they had eaten, they lodged there.
55 But laban arose in the night, and kissed his sons, and daughters, and blessed them: and returned to his place.	55 In truth, Laban rose up in the night, and he kissed his sons and daughters, and he blessed them. And he returned to his place.