Genesis · Chapter 30

[ edit] Seynge forſoþe Rachel þat ſhe was wiþouten fruyt of wombe, enuyede to þe ſiſtir, and ſeide to þe huſboond, Ȝyf to me free childryn, ellis Y ſhal dye. To whom wrooþ Jacob anſweride, Wheþer for a God Y am, þe which haue priuede þee þe fruyt of þi wombe? And ſhe, I haue, ſhe ſeide, a ſeruaunt, Balam, goo yn to hir, þat ſhe bere vpon my kneen, and I haue of hir ſones. And ſhe ȝaue to hym Balam into maryage; þe which, þe man goon yn to hir, conſeyuede, and bare a ſone. And Rachel ſeide, Þe Lord haþ ſhewid me, and he haþ herd my vois, ȝyuynge to me a ſone; and þerfor ſhe clepide þe name of hym Dan.

And eftſones Bala conſeiuinge, bare anoþer, for þe which ſeide Rachel, Þe Lord haþ compariſownd me wiþ my ſiſter, and I haue recouered; and ſhe clepide hym Neptalym. Lya felynge þat ſhe had laft for to bere children, ſhe took to þe huſboond Zelpha, hir handmayden. Þe which aftir conſeyuynge bryngynge forþ a child, ſeide, Gracyouſly; and þerfor ſhe clepide þe name of hym Gad. And Zelpha bare anoþir, and Lya ſeide, Þat for my blisfulnes; forſoþe alle wymmen ſhulen ſey me blisful; þerfor ſhe clepide hym Aſer. And Ruben goon out in tyme of wheet herueſt into þe feeld, fonde mandraggis, þat he brouȝte to Lya, þe moder. And Rachel ſeide, Ȝyue me parte of þe mandraggis of þi ſone.

She anſweride, Ne ſemiþ it to þee a litil, þat þow haſt bifore takun þe huſbond to me, but alſo þe mandraggis of my ſone þow taak? And ſhe, Slep he wiþ þee þis nyȝt for þe mandraggis of þi ſone. And to Jacob comynge aȝen at euen fro þe feeld Lya was goon out into þe aȝencomyng of hym, and ſeiþ, To me, ſhe ſeiþ, þow ſhalt come yn, for þurȝ mede I haue hyryde þee for þe mandraggis of my ſone. He ſlepte wiþ hir þat nyȝt; and God herde þe preiers of hir, and ſhe conſeyuede, and bare þe fift ſone; and ſeiþ, God haþ ȝeuun mede to me, for I haue ȝouun myn handemaiden to my man; and ſhe clepide þe name of hym Yſachar.

Eftſonys Lya conſeyuynge bare þe ſixte ſone, and ſeiþ, Þe Lord haþ enrychide me wiþ a good dower; alſo þis while wiþ me ſhal be myn huſboond, þerþurȝ þat Y haue getun to hym ſixe ſones; and þerfor ſhe clepide þe name of hym Zabulon. After whom ſhe bare a dowȝter, Dyne bi name. And þe Lord, recordid of Rachel, herde hir, and openyde þe wombe of hir. Which conſeyuede, and bare a ſone, ſeiynge, God haþ doon awey my reprofe; and ſhe clepide þe name of hym Joſeph, ſeiynge, Þe Lord adde to me anoþer ſone.

Joſeph forſoþe born, Jacob ſeide to his wyues fader, Lat me þat Y go aȝen into my cuntre, and to my loond. Ȝyue to me wyues, and my free children, for þe whiche I haue ſeruede þee, þat I goo; þow forſoþe haſt knowe þe ſeruyſe þat I haue ſeruyde to þee. Laban ſeide to him, Shal I fynde grace in þi ſiȝt, þurȝ experyens Y haue lernyd for God haþ bliſſid to me for þee; ordeyn þi mede þat Y ȝyue to þee. And he anſweryde, Þou haſt knowe what maner Y haue ſeruede to þee, and þi poſſeſſioun how myche was in myn hondis; a litil þow haddiſt bifore þat I com to þee, and now þow art maad ryche, and God haþ bliſſid to þee at myn yncomyng; þanne it is riȝtful þat ſumtyme alſo Y puruey to myn hows.

And Laban ſeide, What ſhal Y ȝyue to þee? And he ſeiþ, Y wole noþing, but if þow doſt þat I aſke, eft I ſhal feede and kepe þi beeſtis. Turne abowt alle þi flockis, and ſeuer alle þi ſpeckid ſheep, and wiþ ſpeckyd fleſe, and what euere ȝolow, and ſpeckid, and dyuerſe colourid were, as wel in ſheep as in geyt, ſhal be my mede. And my riȝtwiſnes ſhal anſwere to morwe, whan tyme of pleſaunce ſhal come bifore þee; and alle þat weren not dyuerſe, and ſpeckid, and ȝalow, as wel in ſheep as in geyt, of þeft þou ſhalt vndirnym me. And Laban ſeide, Agreede Y haue þat þow aſkiſt. And he ſeuerde þat day þe ſhe geyt, and þe ſheep, and þe hyeȝ geyt, and þe weþeres, dyuerſe and ſpotti.

And al þe flok of o colour, þat is, of whyet or of blak fleſe, he toke in þe hoond of his ſones; and putte a ſpace of þre daies weye bitwix hem and his dowȝtir huſboond, þe whiche fedden þe toþer flockis of hym. Þanne Jacob takynge green popil ȝerdis, and of almanders, and of planes, a parti vnryendide hem; and riendis drawun awey; in þilke þat weren pilde ſemede whytnes, þilke forſoþe þat weren hool dwelten ſtil green, and ſo in þis maner was maad of dyuerſe colour. And he putte hem in þe water trowes, where þe watyr was held out, þat whanne þe flockis weren comen to drynke, bifore þe eyen þei ſhulden han þe ȝerdis, and in þe ſiȝt of hem þei ſhulden conſeyue.

And ſo it was doon þat in þat heet of goynge togidere þe ſheep ſhulden biholde þe ȝerdis, and beere ſpotty, and ſpeckid, and ſpreyned wiþ dyuers colour. And Jacob dyuydide þe flok, and putte þe ȝerdis in þe watyr trowis, bifore þe eyen of þe rammys; forſoþe alle þe whyte and þe blak weren of Laban, þe toþere forſoþe of Jacob, ſeueryd bitwix hem ſilf þe flockis. Þanne whanne þe firſt tyme þe ſheep weren ſteyed vp, Jacob putte þe ȝerdis in þe trowis of watrys, biforn þe eyen of rammys and of ſheep, þat in þe ſiȝt of hem þei ſhulden conſeyue. Whanne forſoþe þe laat comyng togidere of beeſtis weren, and þe laſt conceyuyng tyme, he putte not hem.

And þilke þat weren of þe later tyme ben maad of Laban, and þilke of þe fyrſt tyme of Jacob. And þe man is maad ryche wonder myche, and he hadde manye flockis, handmaydenys, and ſeruauntis, camels, and aſſis.