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:

Postquam autem audivit verba filiorum Laban dicentium: Tulit Jacob omnia quæ fuerunt patris nostri, et de illius facultate ditatus, factus est inclytus:

Meanwhile, Laban’s sons were complaining, Our father has been robbed of all his goods by Jacob, who has become rich at his expense.

And perceiving also that Laban’s countenance was not towards him as yesterday and the other day,

animadvertit quoque faciem Laban, quod non esset erga se sicut heri et nudiustertius,

Jacob was aware of this; he found, too, that Laban looked on him more coldly than hitherto.

Especially the Lord saying to him: Return into the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee.

maxime dicente sibi Domino: Revertere in terram patrum tuorum, et ad generationem tuam, eroque tecum.

But what moved him most was that the Lord had bidden him, Return to the land of thy fathers, to thy own kindred, and I will be with thee.

He sent, and called Rachel and Lia into the field, where he fed the flocks,

Misit, et vocavit Rachel et Liam in agrum, ubi pascebat greges,

So he sent word to Rachel and Lia to meet him on the pasture-ground where he was feeding his flocks,

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.

dixitque eis: Video faciem patris vestri quod non sit erga me sicut heri et nudiustertius: Deus autem patris mei fuit mecum.

and said to them, I find that your father looks on me more coldly than hitherto; and all because the God of my father has prospered me.

And you know that I have served your father to the uttermost of my power.

Et ipsæ nostis quod totis viribus meis servierim patri vestro.

You know well that I have worked for your father with all my might,

Yea, your father also hath overreached me, and hath changed my wages ten times: and yet God hath not suffered him to hurt me.

Sed et pater vester circumvenit me et mutavit mercedem meam decem vicibus: et tamen non dimisit eum Deus ut noceret mihi.

whereas he has defrauded me, altering, time and again, his bargain with me; it was only God’s mercy that prevented him doing me an injury.

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.

Si quando dixit: Variæ erunt mercedes tuæ: pariebant omnes oves varios fœtus; quando vero e contrario, ait: Alba quæque accipies pro mercede: omnes greges alba pepererunt.

As it was, whenever he said, The speckled beasts shall be thy wages, it was to speckled lambs that all my ewes gave birth; when he changed about, and said, Thou shalt have all the white lambs for thy pay, all my flocks bore white.

And God hath taken your father’s substance, and given it to me.

Tulitque Deus substantiam patris vestri, et dedit mihi.

That is how God has taken away your father’s wealth and given it to me.

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 divers colours, and spotted, and speckled.

Postquam enim conceptus ovium tempus advenerat, levavi oculos meos, et vidi in somnis ascendentes mares super feminas, varios et maculosos, et diversorum colorum.

I had a dream at the time when my ewes were mating; as I looked round, I could see none but speckled and spotted and blotched rams coupling with the ewes.

And the angel of God said to me in my sleep: Jacob? And I answered: Here I am.

Dixitque angelus Dei ad me in somnis: Jacob? Et ego respondi: Adsum.

And in my dream, an angel of God called me by name, and when I answered, I am here, at thy command,

And he said: Lift up thy eyes, and see that all the males leaping upon the females, are of divers colours, spotted, and speckled. For I have seen all that Laban hath done to thee.

Qui ait: Leva oculos tuos, et vide universos masculos ascendentes super feminas, varios, maculosos, atque respersos. Vidi enim omnia quæ fecit tibi Laban.

he said, Look about thee, and mark well that all the sires coupling with the dams are speckled, spotted, or blotched; that is because I have taken good note of all Laban’s dealings with thee.

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.

Ego sum Deus Bethel, ubi unxisti lapidem, et votum vovisti mihi. Nunc ergo surge, et egredere de terra hac, revertens in terram nativitatis tuæ.

I am the God who dwells at Bethel, where thou didst anoint the stone, and didst take a vow to me. It is time for thee, now, to bestir thyself, to leave this country, and go back to the country of thy birth.

And Rachel and Lia answered: Have we any thing left among the goods and inheritance of our father’s house?

Responderuntque Rachel et Lia: Numquid habemus residui quidquam in facultatibus et hæreditate domus patris nostri?

Why, answered Rachel and Lia, we have no reversion left to us in all our father’s wealth and possessions.

Hath he not counted us as strangers and sold us, and eaten up the price of us?

nonne quasi alienas reputavit nos, et vendidit, comeditque pretium nostrum?

He has treated us as if we were no kindred of his, putting us up for sale, and keeping the price for himself.

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.

Sed Deus tulit opes patris nostri, et eas tradidit nobis, ac filiis nostris: unde omnia quæ præcepit tibi Deus, fac.

And now, it seems, God has taken away our father’s wealth from him, and given it to us and to our children. Why then, do as the Lord has bidden thee.

Then Jacob rose up, and having set his children and wives upon camels, went his way.

Surrexit itaque Jacob, et impositis liberis ac conjugibus suis super camelos, abiit.

Upon this, Jacob waited no longer; he mounted his children and wives on the camels, and set out on his journey;

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.

Tulitque omnem substantiam suam, et greges, et quidquid in Mesopotamia acquisierat, pergens ad Isaac patrem suum in terram Chanaan.

taking with him all his possessions, his cattle and all the wealth he had gained in Mesopotamia; he would return to his father Isaac, and the land of Chanaan.

At that time Laban was gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole away her father’s idols.

Eo tempore ierat Laban ad tondendas oves, et Rachel furata est idola patris sui.

Meanwhile, in the absence of her father Laban, who had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole his household gods from him.

And Jacob would not confess to his father in law that he was flying away.

Noluitque Jacob confiteri socero suo quod fugeret.

Jacob had given his father-in-law no warning of his flight,

And when he was gone, together with all that belonged to him, and having passed the river, was going on towards mount Galaad,

Cumque abiisset tam ipse quam omnia quæ juris sui erant, et amne transmisso pergeret contra montem Galaad,

and it was not till he and all that belonged to him had gone away, and crossed the Euphrates, and were making for the hills of Galaad,

It was told Laban on the third day that Jacob fled.

nuntiatum est Laban die tertio quod fugeret Jacob.

that a message came to Laban, three days too late, Jacob has fled.

And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days; and overtook him in the mount of Galaad.

Qui, assumptis fratribus suis, persecutus est eum diebus septem: et comprehendit eum in monte Galaad.

So now he took his kinsmen with him and gave chase; and he had been on the road seven days before he overtook him on the hills of Galaad.

And he saw in a dream God saying to him: Take heed thou speak not any thing harshly against Jacob.

Viditque in somnis dicentem sibi Deum: Cave ne quidquam aspere loquaris contra Jacob.

Here, in his sleep, he had a vision of God warning him, Have a care thou dost not speak to Jacob harshly.

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.

Jamque Jacob extenderat in monte tabernaculum: cumque ille consecutus fuisset eum cum fratribus suis, in eodem monte Galaad fixit tentorium.

Jacob had already pitched his tent on the hills, and now Laban, coming up with his kinsmen in pursuit, encamped in these same hills of Galaad.

And he said to Jacob: Why hast thou done thus, to carry away, without my knowledge, my daughters, as captives taken with the sword.

Et dixit ad Jacob: Quare ita egisti, ut clam me abigeres filias meas quasi captivas gladio?

What meanest thou, he asked Jacob, by thus tricking me, and carrying off my daughters as if they were prisoners of war?

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?

cur ignorante me fugere voluisti, nec indicare mihi, ut prosequerer te cum gaudio, et canticis, et tympanis, et citharis?

Why wouldst thou run away when my back was turned, instead of warning me of it, so that I could have sped thee on thy way with good cheer, with singing, and music of timbrel and harp?

Thou hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and daughters: thou hast done foolishly: and now, indeed,

Non es passus ut oscularer filios meos et filias: stulte operatus es: et nunc quidem

But no, thou wouldst not even let me part from my own grandsons and daughters with a kiss. This was a rash act of thine, and see where it has brought thee.

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 thing harshly against Jacob.

valet manus mea reddere tibi malum: sed Deus patris vestri heri dixit mihi: Cave ne loquaris contra Jacob quidquam durius.

Thou art in my power, and I could repay the injury if I would; but the God who protects thy father’s race warned me yesterday, Have a care thou dost not speak harshly to Jacob.

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?

Esto, ad tuos ire cupiebas, et desiderio erat tibi domus patris tui: cur furatus es deos meos?

Thou wert hastening to return to thy own kindred? Thou wert longing for thy home? Tell me then, why hast thou carried away my household gods with thee?

Jacob answered: That I departed unknown to thee, it was for fear lest thou wouldst take away thy daughters by force.

Respondit Jacob: Quod inscio te profectus sum, timui ne violenter auferres filias tuas.

To this Jacob answered, If I left thee unawares, it was because I was afraid thou wouldst rob me of thy daughters by violence.

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.

Quod autem furti me arguis: apud quemcumque inveneris deos tuos, necetur coram fratribus nostris: scrutare, quidquid tuorum apud me inveneris, et aufer. Hæc dicens, ignorabat quod Rachel furata esset idola.

But as for thy charge of theft, whoever is found with these gods of thine in his possession shall pay for it with his life. Make search in the presence of thy kinsmen and mine, and take away with thee all thou findest here that belongs to thee. Of Rachel’s carrying off the images, Jacob knew nothing.

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,

Ingressus itaque Laban tabernaculum Jacob, et Liæ, et utriusque famulæ, non invenit. Cumque intrasset tentorium Rachelis,

So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and Lia’s, and the tents of both the serving-women, but found nothing. At last he came to Rachel’s tent;

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,

illa festinans abscondit idola subter stramenta cameli, et sedit desuper: scrutantique omne tentorium, et nihil invenienti,

and Rachel, who had quickly hidden the images among the harness of her camel, now sat down upon the harness. As her father looked in vain all through the tent,

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.

ait: Ne irascatur dominus meus quod coram te assurgere nequeo: quia juxta consuetudinem feminarum nunc accidit mihi: sic delusa sollicitudo quærentis est.

she said, Forgive me, sir, if I do not rise to greet thee; the common lot of women has come upon me; and so the anxious search came to nothing.

And Jacob being angry, said in a chiding manner: For what fault of mine, and for what offence on my part hast thou so hotly pursued me,

Tumensque Jacob, cum jurgio ait: Quam ob culpam meam, et ob quod peccatum meum sic exarsisti post me,

And now Jacob broke out into angry reproaches against Laban. For what fault, what guilt of mine, hast thou so hotly pursued me,

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.

et scrutatus es omnem supellectilem meam? quid invenisti de cuncta substantia domus tuæ? pone hic coram fratribus meis, et fratribus tuis, et judicent inter me et te.

and made this search of all my goods? What treasure hast thou found here, of all the treasures in thy house? Bring it out here, before my brethren and thine, and let them judge between us.

Have I therefore been with thee twenty years? thy ewes and goats were not barren, the rams of thy flocks I did not eat:

Idcirco viginti annis fui tecum? oves tuæ et capræ steriles non fuerunt, arietes gregis tui non comedi:

Was it for this that I spent twenty years in thy service? All that time, thy ewes and she-goats were never barren, no wether lamb of thine did I take for my own eating.

Neither did I shew thee that which the beast had torn, I made good all the damage: whatsoever was lost by theft, thou didst exact it of me:

nec captum a bestia ostendi tibi, ego damnum omne reddebam: quidquid furto peribat, a me exigebas:

If wild beasts preyed on them, I made good the damage, instead of bringing it to shew thee; I must needs give account to thee of all that was lost by theft.

Day and night was I parched with heat, and with frost, and sleep departed from my eyes.

die noctuque æstu urebar, et gelu, fugiebatque somnus ab oculis meis.

Burning heat by day, and biting frost at nights, till my eye-lids lost the power of sleep;

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.

Sicque per viginti annos in domo tua servivi tibi, quatuordecim pro filiabus, et sex pro gregibus tuis: immutasti quoque mercedem meam decem vicibus.

thus it was that I spent twenty years as a servant in thy household, fourteen years for thy daughters, and six for thy flocks; time and again thou didst alter thy bargain with me.

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.

Nisi Deus patris mei Abraham, et timor Isaac affuisset mihi, forsitan modo nudum me dimisisses: afflictionem meam et laborem manuum mearum respexit Deus, et arguit te heri.

Why, if the God of my father Abraham, the God before whom Isaac trembles, had not prospered me, thou wouldst have sent me away penniless; as it is, God has taken account of my wretchedness, and the toil these hands have borne; that is why he gave thee, yesterday, his warning.

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?

Respondit ei Laban: Filiæ meæ et filii, et greges tui, et omnia quæ cernis, mea sunt: quid possum facere filiis et nepotibus meis?

And Laban answered, These are my daughters, these boys are mine, as thy flocks, and all thou seest before thee, are mine; something I must do to protect my own daughters, my own grandchildren.

Come therefore, let us enter into a league: that it may be for a testimony between me and thee.

Veni ergo, et ineamus fœdus, ut sit in testimonium inter me et te.

Come, let us make a covenant, which shall stand on record between us.

And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a title:

Tulit itaque Jacob lapidem, et erexit illum in titulum:

So Jacob took a stone, and set it up there as a monument;

And he said to his brethren: Bring hither stones. And they gathering stones together, made a heap, and they ate upon it.

dixitque fratribus suis: Afferte lapides. Qui congregantes fecerunt tumulum, comederuntque super eum:

he said, too, to his kinsmen, Bring stones here. And they gathered stones, and made them into a heap; and over that heap they took food together.

And Laban called it The witness heap: and Jacob, The hillock of testimony; each of them according to the propriety of his language.

quem vocavit Laban Tumulum testis: et Jacob, Acervum testimonii, uterque juxta proprietatem linguæ suæ.

Laban called it the Cairn of Record, and Jacob called it the Witness-heap, each according to the usage of his own tongue.

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.

Dixitque Laban: Tumulus iste erit testis inter me et te hodie, et idcirco appellatum est nomen ejus Galaad, id est, Tumulus testis.

Laban had said Let this heap bear record of our covenant to-day; that is how it came to be called Galaad, the Witness-heap.

The Lord behold and judge between us when we shall be gone one from the other.

Intueatur et judicet Dominus inter nos quando recesserimus a nobis,

Let the Lord keep watch, he said, and see justice done between us, when our ways have parted.

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.

si afflixeris filias meas, et si introduxeris alias uxores super eas: nullus sermonis nostri testis est absque Deo, qui præsens respicit.

If thou dost treat these daughters of mine amiss, and bringest home other wives instead of them, there will be no one else to bear witness of what we have said, but God will bear witness; he is here to see us.

And he said again to Jacob: Behold this heap, and the stone which I have set up between me and thee,

Dixitque rursus ad Jacob: En tumulus hic, et lapis quem erexi inter me et te,

He said further to Jacob, Look at this heap, this stone which I have set up between us;

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.

testis erit: tumulus, inquam, iste et lapis sint in testimonium, si aut ego transiero illum pergens ad te, aut tu præterieris, malum mihi cogitans.

these shall be witnesses, heap and stone shall be there to accuse us, if I pass by them on my way to thee, or thou on thy way to me, with harmful intent.

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.

Deus Abraham, et Deus Nachor, judicet inter nos, Deus patris eorum. Juravit ergo Jacob per timorem patris sui Isaac:

May the God who is Abraham’s God and Nachor’s, the God of their common father see justice done between us. Then Jacob swore by the God his father Isaac held in reverence,

And after he had offered sacrifices in the mountain, he called his brethren to eat bread. And when they had eaten, they lodged there:

immolatisque victimis in monte, vocavit fratres suos ut ederent panem. Qui cum comedissent, manserunt ibi:

and summoned his kinsmen, when sacrifice had been done on the hill, to take food there. So they took their meal, and remained there,

But Laban arose in the night, and kissed his sons, and daughters, and blessed them: and returned to his place.

Laban vero de nocte consurgens, osculatus est filios, et filias suas, et benedixit illis: reversusque est in locum suum.

while Laban rose up at daybreak, kissed his grandsons and his two daughters, and blessed them, and went back to his home.