Genesis 29

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Continuing his journey, Jacob reached the Land of the Easterners.	1 Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east country.
2 And there, out in the open, he saw a well with three flocks of sheep lying beside it; this wel was usedfor watering the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the wel was a large one,	2 And he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep lying by it: for the beasts were watered out of it, and the mouth thereof was closed with a great stone.
3 and only when al the flocks had collected there, did they rol the stone off the mouth of the wel andwater the sheep; then they would replace the stone over the mouth of the wel .	3 And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together to roll away the stone, and after the sheep were watered, to put it on the mouth of the well again.
4 Jacob said to the shepherds, 'Friends, where are you from?' They replied, 'We are from Haran.'	4 And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran.
5 He asked them, 'Do you know Laban son of Nahor?' They replied, 'We do.'	5 And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban the son of Nachor? They said: We know him.
6 Then he asked them, 'Is he wel ?' 'He is,' they replied, 'and here comes his daughter Rachel with theflock.'	6 He said: Is he in health? He is in health, say they: and behold Rachel his daughter cometh with his flock.
7 Then he said, 'But it is stil broad daylight, not the time to round up the animals. Why don't you waterthe sheep and take them back to graze?'	7 And Jacob said: There is yet much day remaining, neither is it time to bring the flocks into the folds again: first give the sheep drink, and so lead them back to feed.
8 To which, they replied, 'We can't, until al the shepherds have assembled to rol the stone off themouth of the well; then we can water the sheep.'	8 They answered: We cannot, till all the cattle be gathered together, and we remove the stone from the well's mouth, that we may water the flocks.
9 He was stil talking to them, when Rachel arrived with her father's flock, for she was a shepherdess.	9 They were yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she fed the flock.
10 As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, his uncle Laban's daughter, with his uncle Laban's flock, he went upand, rolling the stone off the mouth of the wel , watered his uncle Laban's sheep.	10 And when Jacob saw her, and knew her to be his cousin-german, and that they were the sheep of Laban, his uncle: he removed the stone wherewith the well was closed.
11 Jacob then kissed Rachel and burst into tears.	11 And having watered the flock, he kissed her: and lifting up his voice, wept.
12 He told Rachel he was her father's kinsman and Rebekah's son, and she ran to tel her father.	12 And he told her that he was her father's brother, and the son of Rebecca: but she went in haste and told her father.
13 As soon as he heard her speak of his sister's son Jacob, Laban ran to greet him, embraced him,kissed him and took him to his house. Jacob told Laban everything that had happened,	13 Who, when he heard that Jacob his sister's son was come, ran forth to meet him; and embracing him, and heartily kissing him, brought him into his house. And when he had heard the causes of his journey,
14 and Laban said to him, 'You are indeed my bone and flesh!' After Jacob had been staying with himfor a month,	14 He answered: Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after the days of one month were expired,
15 Laban said to Jacob, 'Just because you are my kinsman, why should you work for me for nothing?Tel me what wages you want.'	15 He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.
16 Now Laban had two daughters, the elder named Leah, and the younger Rachel.	16 Now he had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lia: and the younger was called Richel.
17 Leah had lovely eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful,	17 But Lia was blear eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance.
18 and Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel. So his answer was, 'I shal work for you for seven years inexchange for your younger daughter Rachel.'	18 And Jacob being in love with her, said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
19 Laban replied, 'It is better for me to give her to you than to a stranger; stay with me.'	19 Lahan answered: It is better that I give her thee than to another man; stay with me.
20 So Jacob worked for seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like a few days because heloved her so much.	20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his love.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, 'Give me my wife, for my time is up and I should like to go to her.'	21 And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
22 Laban gathered al the people of the place together, and gave a banquet.	22 And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage.
23 But when night came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he slept with her.	23 And at night he brought in Lia his daughter to him,
24 (Laban gave his slave-girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave.)	24 Giving his daughter a handmaid, named Zalpha. Now when Jacob had gone in to her according to custom when morning was come he saw it was Lia:
25 When morning came, it was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, 'What have you done to me? Did I notwork for you for Rachel? Why then have you tricked me?'	25 And he said to his father in law: What is it that thou didst mean to do? did not I serve thee for Rachel? why hast thou deceived me?
26 Laban replied, 'It is not the custom in our place to marry off the younger before the elder.	26 Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to give the younger in marriage first.
27 Finish this marriage week and I shal give you the other one too in return for your working for me foranother seven years.'	27 Make up the week of days of this match: and I will give thee her also, for the service that thou shalt render me other seven years.
28 Jacob agreed and, when he had finished the week, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.	28 He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel:
29 (Laban gave his slave-girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave.)	29 To whom her father gave Bala for her servant.
30 So Jacob slept with Rachel too, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban foranother seven years.	30 And having at length obtained the marriage he wished for, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and served with him other seven years.
31 When Yahweh saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb, while Rachel remained barren.	31 And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
32 Leah conceived and gave birth to a son whom she named Reuben, meaning 'Yahweh has seen mymisery'; and she said, 'Now my husband will love me.'	32 And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction: now my husband will love me.
33 Conceiving again, she gave birth to a son and said, 'Yahweh heard that I was unloved, and so hehas given me this one too'; and she named him Simeon.	33 And again she conceived and bore a son, and said: Because the Lord heard that I was despised, he hath given this also to me: and she called his name Simeon.
34 Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and said, 'This time my husband wil become attachedto me, because I have borne him three sons.' Accordingly, she named him Levi.	34 And she conceived the third time, and bore another son: and said: Now also my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons: and therefore she called hi sname Levi.
35 Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and said, 'Now I shal praise Yahweh!' Accordingly, shenamed him Judah. Then she had no more children.	35 The fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and said: now will I praise the Lord: and for this she called him Juda. And she left bearing.