聖書を読み進めるためのコーナーです。日英対訳の形にしたいと思います。日本語は新共同訳、英語箇所はNew American Bible（米国のカトリック聖書。教皇庁のサイトにも全文掲載）を使っています。問題点が指摘されている最近の改訂版ではありません。Douay Rheims Bibleを使うことも考えましたが、諸般の事情により、こちらの方がよさそうだと私は思いました。英語の勉強用にでもお使いください。
Chapter 30
1
When Rachel saw that she failed to bear children to Jacob, she became envious of her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children or I shall die!"
創世記/ 30章 01節
ラケルは、ヤコブとの間に子供ができないことが分かると、姉をねたむようになり、ヤコブに向かって、「わたしにもぜひ子供を与えてください。与えてくださらなければ、わたしは死にます」と言った。
2
In anger Jacob retorted, "Can I take the place of God, who has denied you the fruit of the womb?"
2:創世記/ 30章 02節
ヤコブは激しく怒って、言った。「わたしが神に代われると言うのか。お前の胎に子供を宿らせないのは神御自身なのだ。」
3
1 She replied, "Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Have intercourse with her, and let her give birth on my knees, so that I too may have offspring, at least through her."
3:創世記/ 30章 03節
ラケルは、「わたしの召し使いのビルハがいます。彼女のところに入ってください。彼女が子供を産み、わたしがその子を膝の上に迎えれば、彼女によってわたしも子供を持つことができます」と言った。
4
2 So she gave him her maidservant Bilhah as a consort, and Jacob had intercourse with her.
4:創世記/ 30章 04節
ラケルはヤコブに召し使いビルハを側女として与えたので、ヤコブは彼女のところに入った。
5
When Bilhah conceived and bore a son,
5:創世記/ 30章 05節
やがて、ビルハは身ごもってヤコブとの間に男の子を産んだ。
6
3 Rachel said, "God has vindicated me; indeed he has heeded my plea and given me a son." Therefore she named him Dan.
6:創世記/ 30章 06節
そのときラケルは、「わたしの訴えを神は正しくお裁き（ディン）になり、わたしの願いを聞き入れ男の子を与えてくださった」と言った。そこで、彼女はその子をダンと名付けた。
7
Rachel's maidservant Bilhah conceived again and bore a second son,
7:創世記/ 30章 07節
ラケルの召し使いビルハはまた身ごもって、ヤコブとの間に二人目の男の子を産んだ。
8
4 and Rachel said, "I engaged in a fateful struggle with my sister, and I prevailed." So she named him Naphtali.
8:創世記/ 30章 08節
そのときラケルは、「姉と死に物狂いの争いをして（ニフタル）、ついに勝った」と言って、その名をナフタリと名付けた。
9
When Leah saw that she had ceased to bear children, she gave her maidservant Zilpah to Jacob as a consort.
9:創世記/ 30章 09節
レアも自分に子供ができなくなったのを知ると、自分の召し使いジルパをヤコブに側女として与えたので、
10
So Jacob had intercourse with Zilpah, and she conceived and bore a son.
10:創世記/ 30章 10節
レアの召し使いジルパはヤコブとの間に男の子を産んだ。
11
5 Leah then said, "What good luck!" So she named him Gad.
11:創世記/ 30章 11節
そのときレアは、「なんと幸運な（ガド）」と言って、その子をガドと名付けた。
12
Then Leah's maidservant Zilpah bore a second son to Jacob;
12:創世記/ 30章 12節
レアの召し使いジルパはヤコブとの間に二人目の男の子を産んだ。
13
6 and Leah said, "What good fortune!" - meaning, "Women call me fortunate." So she named him Asher.
13:創世記/ 30章 13節
そのときレアは、「なんと幸せなこと（アシェル）か。娘たちはわたしを幸せ者と言うにちがいない」と言って、その子をアシェルと名付けた。
14
7 One day, during the wheat harvest, when Reuben was out in the field, he came upon some mandrakes which he brought home to his mother Leah. Rachel asked Leah, "Please let me have some of your son's mandrakes."
14:創世記/ 30章 14節
小麦の刈り入れのころ、ルベンは野原で恋なすびを見つけ、母レアのところへ持って来た。ラケルがレアに、「あなたの子供が取って来た恋なすびをわたしに分けてください」と言うと、
15
Leah replied, "Was it not enough for you to take away my husband, that you must now take my son's mandrakes too?" "Very well, then!" Rachel answered. "In exchange for your son's mandrakes, Jacob may lie with you tonight."
15:創世記/ 30章 15節
レアは言った。「あなたは、わたしの夫を取っただけでは気が済まず、わたしの息子の恋なすびまで取ろうとするのですか。」「それでは、あなたの子供の恋なすびの代わりに、今夜あの人があなたと床を共にするようにしましょう」とラケルは答えた。
16
That evening, when Jacob came home from the fields, Leah went out to meet him. "You are now to come in with me," she told him, "because I have paid for you with my son's mandrakes." So that night he slept with her,
16:創世記/ 30章 16節
夕方になり、ヤコブが野原から帰って来ると、レアは出迎えて言った。「あなたはわたしのところに来なければなりません。わたしは、息子の恋なすびであなたを雇ったのですから。」その夜、ヤコブはレアと寝た。
17
and God heard her prayer; she conceived and bore a fifth son to Jacob.
17:創世記/ 30章 17節
神がレアの願いを聞き入れられたので、レアは身ごもってヤコブとの間に五人目の男の子を産んだ。
18
8 Leah then said, "God has given me my reward for having let my husband have my maidservant"; so she named him Issachar.
18:創世記/ 30章 18節
そのときレアは、「わたしが召し使いを夫に与えたので、神はその報酬（サカル）をくださった」と言って、その子をイサカルと名付けた。
19
Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob;
19:創世記/ 30章 19節
レアはまた身ごもって、ヤコブとの間に六人目の男の子を産んだ。
20
9 and she said, "God has brought me a precious gift. This time my husband will offer me presents, now that I have borne him six sons"; so she named him Zebulun.
20:創世記/ 30章 20節
そのときレアは、「神がすばらしい贈り物をわたしにくださった。今度こそ、夫はわたしを尊敬してくれる（ザバル）でしょう。夫のために六人も男の子を産んだのだから」と言って、その子をゼブルンと名付けた。
21
Finally, she gave birth to a daughter, and she named her Dinah.
創世記/ 30章 21節
その後、レアは女の子を産み、その子をディナと名付けた。
22
Then God remembered Rachel; he heard her prayer and made her fruitful.
22:創世記/ 30章 22節
しかし、神はラケルも御心に留め、彼女の願いを聞き入れその胎を開かれたので、
23
She conceived and bore a son, and she said, "God has removed my disgrace."
23:創世記/ 30章 23節
ラケルは身ごもって男の子を産んだ。そのときラケルは、「神がわたしの恥をすすいでくださった」と言った。
24
10 So she named him Joseph, meaning, "May the LORD add another son to this one for me!"
24:創世記/ 30章 24節
彼女は、「主がわたしにもう一人男の子を加えてくださいますように（ヨセフ）」と願っていたので、その子をヨセフと名付けた。
25
After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban: "Give me leave to go to my homeland.
25:創世記/ 30章 25節
ラケルがヨセフを産んだころ、ヤコブはラバンに言った。「わたしを独り立ちさせて、生まれ故郷へ帰らせてください。
26
Let me have my wives, for whom I served you, and my children, too, that I may depart. You know very well the service that I have rendered you."
26:創世記/ 30章 26節
わたしは今まで、妻を得るためにあなたのところで働いてきたのですから、妻子と共に帰らせてください。あなたのために、わたしがどんなに尽くしてきたか、よくご存じのはずです。」
27
Laban answered him: "If you will please..."I have learned through divination that it is because of you that God has blessed me.
27:創世記/ 30章 27節
「もし、お前さえ良ければ、もっといてほしいのだが。実は占いで、わたしはお前のお陰で、主から祝福をいただいていることが分かったのだ」とラバンは言い、
28
So," he continued, "state what wages you want from me, and I will pay them."
28:創世記/ 30章 28節
更に続けて、「お前の望む報酬をはっきり言いなさい。必ず支払うから」と言った。
29
Jacob replied: "You know what work I did for you and how well your livestock fared under my care;
29:創世記/ 30章 29節
ヤコブは言った。「わたしがどんなにあなたのために尽くし、家畜の世話をしてきたかよくご存じのはずです。
30
the little you had before I came has grown into very much, since the LORD'S blessings came upon you in my company. Therefore I should now do something for my own household as well."
30:創世記/ 30章 30節
わたしが来るまではわずかだった家畜が、今ではこんなに多くなっています。わたしが来てからは、主があなたを祝福しておられます。しかし今のままでは、いつになったらわたしは自分の家を持つことができるでしょうか。」
31
"What should I pay you?" Laban asked. Jacob answered: "You do not have to pay me anything outright. I will again pasture and tend your flock, if you do this one thing for me:
31:創世記/ 30章 31節
「何をお前に支払えばよいのか」とラバンが尋ねると、ヤコブは答えた。「何もくださるには及びません。ただこういう条件なら、もう一度あなたの群れを飼い、世話をいたしましょう。
32
11 go through your whole flock today and remove from it every dark animal among the sheep and every spotted or speckled one among the goats. Only such animals shall be my wages.
32:創世記/ 30章 32節
今日、わたしはあなたの群れを全部見回って、その中から、ぶちとまだらの羊をすべてと羊の中で黒みがかったものをすべて、それからまだらとぶちの山羊を取り出しておきますから、それをわたしの報酬にしてください。
33
In the future, whenever you check on these wages of mine, let my honesty testify against me: any animal in my possession that is not a speckled or spotted goat, or a dark sheep, got there by theft!"
33:創世記/ 30章 33節
明日、あなたが来てわたしの報酬をよく調べれば、わたしの正しいことは証明されるでしょう。山羊の中にぶちとまだらでないものや、羊の中に黒みがかっていないものがあったら、わたしが盗んだものと見なして結構です。」
34
"Very well," agreed Laban. "Let it be as you say."
34:創世記/ 30章 34節
ラバンは言った。「よろしい。お前の言うとおりにしよう。」
35
12 That same day Laban removed the streaked and spotted he-goats and all the speckled and spotted she-goats, all those with some white on them, as well as the fully dark-colored sheep; these he left. . . in charge of his sons.
35:創世記/ 30章 35節
ところが、その日、ラバンは縞やまだらの雄山羊とぶちやまだらの雌山羊全部、つまり白いところが混じっているもの全部とそれに黒みがかった羊をみな取り出して自分の息子たちの手に渡し、
36
Then he put a three days' journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to pasture the rest of Laban's flock.
36:創世記/ 30章 36節
ヤコブがラバンの残りの群れを飼っている間に、自分とヤコブとの間に歩いて三日かかるほどの距離をおいた。
37
Jacob, however, got some fresh shoots of poplar, almond and plane trees, and he made white stripes in them by peeling off the bark down to the white core of the shoots.
37:創世記/ 30章 37節
ヤコブは、ポプラとアーモンドとプラタナスの木の若枝を取って来て、皮をはぎ、枝に白い木肌の縞を作り、
38
The rods that he had thus peeled he then set upright in the watering troughs, so that they would be in front of the animals that drank from the troughs. When the animals were in heat as they came to drink,
38:創世記/ 30章 38節
家畜の群れがやって来たときに群れの目につくように、皮をはいだ枝を家畜の水飲み場の水槽の中に入れた。そして、家畜の群れが水を飲みにやって来たとき、さかりがつくようにしたので、
39
13 the goats mated by the rods, and so they brought forth streaked, speckled and spotted kids.
39:創世記/ 30章 39節
家畜の群れは、その枝の前で交尾して縞やぶちやまだらのものを産んだ。
40
The sheep, on the other hand, Jacob kept apart, and he set these animals to face the streaked or fully dark-colored animals of Laban. Thus he produced special flocks of his own, which he did not put with Laban's flock.
40:創世記/ 30章 40節
また、ヤコブは羊を二手に分けて、一方の群れをラバンの群れの中の縞のものと全体が黒みがかったものとに向かわせた。彼は、自分の群れだけにはそうしたが、ラバンの群れにはそうしなかった。
41
Moreover, whenever the hardier animals were in heat, Jacob would set the rods in the troughs in full view of these animals, so that they mated by the rods;
創世記/ 30章 41節
また、丈夫な羊が交尾する時期になると、ヤコブは皮をはいだ枝をいつも水ぶねの中に入れて群れの前に置き、枝のそばで交尾させたが、
42
but with the weaker animals he would not put the rods there. So the feeble animals would go to Laban, but the sturdy ones to Jacob.
42:創世記/ 30章 42節
弱い羊のときには枝を置かなかった。そこで、弱いのはラバンのものとなり、丈夫なのはヤコブのものとなった。
43
Thus the man grew increasingly prosperous, and he came to own not only large flocks but also male and female servants and camels and asses.
43:創世記/ 30章 43節
こうして、ヤコブはますます豊かになり、多くの家畜や男女の奴隷、それにらくだやろばなどを持つようになった。
1 [3] On my knees: in the ancient Near East, a father would take a newborn child in his lap to signify that he acknowledged it as his own; Rachel uses the ceremony in order to adopt the child and establish her legal rights to it.
2 [4] Consort: The Hebrew word normally means "wife," but here it refers to a wife of secondary rank, who did not have the full legal rights of an ordinary wife.
3 [6] Dan: explained by the term dannanni, "he has vindicated me."
4 [8] Naphtali: explained by the phrase "naptule elohim niptalti," literally, "in a divine wrestling match I have wrestled," perhaps implying the concept of an ordeal; hence the above rendering, I engaged in a fateful struggle.
5 [11] Gad: explained by the Hebrew term begad, literally "in luck," i.e., what good luck!
6 [13] Asher: explained by the term beoshri, literally "in my good fortune." i.e., what good fortune, and by the term ishsheruni "they call me fortunate."
7 [14] Mandrakes: an herb whose root was anciently thought to promote conception. The Hebrew word for mandrakes, dudaim, has erotic connotations, since it sounds like the words daddayim ("breasts") and dodim ("sexual pleasure").
8 [18] Issachar: explained by the terms, sekari, "my reward," and in ⇒ Genesis 30:16, sakor sekartika, literally "I have hired you," i.e., I have paid for you.
9 [20] Zebulun: related to the Akkadian word zubullum, "bridegroom's gift," is explained by the terms, zebadani . . . zebed tob, "he has brought me a precious gift," and yizbeleni, "he will offer me presents."
10 [24] Joseph: explained by the words yosep, "may he add," and in ⇒ Genesis 30:23, asap, "he has removed."
11 [32] Dark . . . sheep . . . spotted or speckled goats: In the Near East the normal color of sheep is light gray, whereas that of goats is uniform dark brown or black. Ordinarily, therefore, Jacob would have received but few animals.
12 [35] By giving the abnormally colored animals to his sons, Laban not only deprived Jacob of his first small wages, but he also designed to prevent in this way the future breeding of such animals in the part of his flock entrusted to Jacob.
13 [39-42] Jacob's stratagem was based on the widespread notion among simple people that visual stimuli can have prenatal effects on the offspring of breeding animals. Thus, the rods on which Jacob had whittled stripes or bands or chevron marks were thought to cause the female goats that looked at them to bear kids with lighter-colored marks on their dark hair, while the gray ewes were thought to bear lambs with dark marks on them simply by visual cross-breeding with the dark goats.
Chapter 30
1
When Rachel saw that she failed to bear children to Jacob, she became envious of her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children or I shall die!"
創世記/ 30章 01節
ラケルは、ヤコブとの間に子供ができないことが分かると、姉をねたむようになり、ヤコブに向かって、「わたしにもぜひ子供を与えてください。与えてくださらなければ、わたしは死にます」と言った。
2
In anger Jacob retorted, "Can I take the place of God, who has denied you the fruit of the womb?"
2:創世記/ 30章 02節
ヤコブは激しく怒って、言った。「わたしが神に代われると言うのか。お前の胎に子供を宿らせないのは神御自身なのだ。」
3
1 She replied, "Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Have intercourse with her, and let her give birth on my knees, so that I too may have offspring, at least through her."
3:創世記/ 30章 03節
ラケルは、「わたしの召し使いのビルハがいます。彼女のところに入ってください。彼女が子供を産み、わたしがその子を膝の上に迎えれば、彼女によってわたしも子供を持つことができます」と言った。
4
2 So she gave him her maidservant Bilhah as a consort, and Jacob had intercourse with her.
4:創世記/ 30章 04節
ラケルはヤコブに召し使いビルハを側女として与えたので、ヤコブは彼女のところに入った。
5
When Bilhah conceived and bore a son,
5:創世記/ 30章 05節
やがて、ビルハは身ごもってヤコブとの間に男の子を産んだ。
6
3 Rachel said, "God has vindicated me; indeed he has heeded my plea and given me a son." Therefore she named him Dan.
6:創世記/ 30章 06節
そのときラケルは、「わたしの訴えを神は正しくお裁き（ディン）になり、わたしの願いを聞き入れ男の子を与えてくださった」と言った。そこで、彼女はその子をダンと名付けた。
7
Rachel's maidservant Bilhah conceived again and bore a second son,
7:創世記/ 30章 07節
ラケルの召し使いビルハはまた身ごもって、ヤコブとの間に二人目の男の子を産んだ。
8
4 and Rachel said, "I engaged in a fateful struggle with my sister, and I prevailed." So she named him Naphtali.
8:創世記/ 30章 08節
そのときラケルは、「姉と死に物狂いの争いをして（ニフタル）、ついに勝った」と言って、その名をナフタリと名付けた。
9
When Leah saw that she had ceased to bear children, she gave her maidservant Zilpah to Jacob as a consort.
9:創世記/ 30章 09節
レアも自分に子供ができなくなったのを知ると、自分の召し使いジルパをヤコブに側女として与えたので、
10
So Jacob had intercourse with Zilpah, and she conceived and bore a son.
10:創世記/ 30章 10節
レアの召し使いジルパはヤコブとの間に男の子を産んだ。
11
5 Leah then said, "What good luck!" So she named him Gad.
11:創世記/ 30章 11節
そのときレアは、「なんと幸運な（ガド）」と言って、その子をガドと名付けた。
12
Then Leah's maidservant Zilpah bore a second son to Jacob;
12:創世記/ 30章 12節
レアの召し使いジルパはヤコブとの間に二人目の男の子を産んだ。
13
6 and Leah said, "What good fortune!" - meaning, "Women call me fortunate." So she named him Asher.
13:創世記/ 30章 13節
そのときレアは、「なんと幸せなこと（アシェル）か。娘たちはわたしを幸せ者と言うにちがいない」と言って、その子をアシェルと名付けた。
14
7 One day, during the wheat harvest, when Reuben was out in the field, he came upon some mandrakes which he brought home to his mother Leah. Rachel asked Leah, "Please let me have some of your son's mandrakes."
14:創世記/ 30章 14節
小麦の刈り入れのころ、ルベンは野原で恋なすびを見つけ、母レアのところへ持って来た。ラケルがレアに、「あなたの子供が取って来た恋なすびをわたしに分けてください」と言うと、
15
Leah replied, "Was it not enough for you to take away my husband, that you must now take my son's mandrakes too?" "Very well, then!" Rachel answered. "In exchange for your son's mandrakes, Jacob may lie with you tonight."
15:創世記/ 30章 15節
レアは言った。「あなたは、わたしの夫を取っただけでは気が済まず、わたしの息子の恋なすびまで取ろうとするのですか。」「それでは、あなたの子供の恋なすびの代わりに、今夜あの人があなたと床を共にするようにしましょう」とラケルは答えた。
16
That evening, when Jacob came home from the fields, Leah went out to meet him. "You are now to come in with me," she told him, "because I have paid for you with my son's mandrakes." So that night he slept with her,
16:創世記/ 30章 16節
夕方になり、ヤコブが野原から帰って来ると、レアは出迎えて言った。「あなたはわたしのところに来なければなりません。わたしは、息子の恋なすびであなたを雇ったのですから。」その夜、ヤコブはレアと寝た。
17
and God heard her prayer; she conceived and bore a fifth son to Jacob.
17:創世記/ 30章 17節
神がレアの願いを聞き入れられたので、レアは身ごもってヤコブとの間に五人目の男の子を産んだ。
18
8 Leah then said, "God has given me my reward for having let my husband have my maidservant"; so she named him Issachar.
18:創世記/ 30章 18節
そのときレアは、「わたしが召し使いを夫に与えたので、神はその報酬（サカル）をくださった」と言って、その子をイサカルと名付けた。
19
Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob;
19:創世記/ 30章 19節
レアはまた身ごもって、ヤコブとの間に六人目の男の子を産んだ。
20
9 and she said, "God has brought me a precious gift. This time my husband will offer me presents, now that I have borne him six sons"; so she named him Zebulun.
20:創世記/ 30章 20節
そのときレアは、「神がすばらしい贈り物をわたしにくださった。今度こそ、夫はわたしを尊敬してくれる（ザバル）でしょう。夫のために六人も男の子を産んだのだから」と言って、その子をゼブルンと名付けた。
21
Finally, she gave birth to a daughter, and she named her Dinah.
創世記/ 30章 21節
その後、レアは女の子を産み、その子をディナと名付けた。
22
Then God remembered Rachel; he heard her prayer and made her fruitful.
22:創世記/ 30章 22節
しかし、神はラケルも御心に留め、彼女の願いを聞き入れその胎を開かれたので、
23
She conceived and bore a son, and she said, "God has removed my disgrace."
23:創世記/ 30章 23節
ラケルは身ごもって男の子を産んだ。そのときラケルは、「神がわたしの恥をすすいでくださった」と言った。
24
10 So she named him Joseph, meaning, "May the LORD add another son to this one for me!"
24:創世記/ 30章 24節
彼女は、「主がわたしにもう一人男の子を加えてくださいますように（ヨセフ）」と願っていたので、その子をヨセフと名付けた。
25
After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban: "Give me leave to go to my homeland.
25:創世記/ 30章 25節
ラケルがヨセフを産んだころ、ヤコブはラバンに言った。「わたしを独り立ちさせて、生まれ故郷へ帰らせてください。
26
Let me have my wives, for whom I served you, and my children, too, that I may depart. You know very well the service that I have rendered you."
26:創世記/ 30章 26節
わたしは今まで、妻を得るためにあなたのところで働いてきたのですから、妻子と共に帰らせてください。あなたのために、わたしがどんなに尽くしてきたか、よくご存じのはずです。」
27
Laban answered him: "If you will please..."I have learned through divination that it is because of you that God has blessed me.
27:創世記/ 30章 27節
「もし、お前さえ良ければ、もっといてほしいのだが。実は占いで、わたしはお前のお陰で、主から祝福をいただいていることが分かったのだ」とラバンは言い、
28
So," he continued, "state what wages you want from me, and I will pay them."
28:創世記/ 30章 28節
更に続けて、「お前の望む報酬をはっきり言いなさい。必ず支払うから」と言った。
29
Jacob replied: "You know what work I did for you and how well your livestock fared under my care;
29:創世記/ 30章 29節
ヤコブは言った。「わたしがどんなにあなたのために尽くし、家畜の世話をしてきたかよくご存じのはずです。
30
the little you had before I came has grown into very much, since the LORD'S blessings came upon you in my company. Therefore I should now do something for my own household as well."
30:創世記/ 30章 30節
わたしが来るまではわずかだった家畜が、今ではこんなに多くなっています。わたしが来てからは、主があなたを祝福しておられます。しかし今のままでは、いつになったらわたしは自分の家を持つことができるでしょうか。」
31
"What should I pay you?" Laban asked. Jacob answered: "You do not have to pay me anything outright. I will again pasture and tend your flock, if you do this one thing for me:
31:創世記/ 30章 31節
「何をお前に支払えばよいのか」とラバンが尋ねると、ヤコブは答えた。「何もくださるには及びません。ただこういう条件なら、もう一度あなたの群れを飼い、世話をいたしましょう。
32
11 go through your whole flock today and remove from it every dark animal among the sheep and every spotted or speckled one among the goats. Only such animals shall be my wages.
32:創世記/ 30章 32節
今日、わたしはあなたの群れを全部見回って、その中から、ぶちとまだらの羊をすべてと羊の中で黒みがかったものをすべて、それからまだらとぶちの山羊を取り出しておきますから、それをわたしの報酬にしてください。
33
In the future, whenever you check on these wages of mine, let my honesty testify against me: any animal in my possession that is not a speckled or spotted goat, or a dark sheep, got there by theft!"
33:創世記/ 30章 33節
明日、あなたが来てわたしの報酬をよく調べれば、わたしの正しいことは証明されるでしょう。山羊の中にぶちとまだらでないものや、羊の中に黒みがかっていないものがあったら、わたしが盗んだものと見なして結構です。」
34
"Very well," agreed Laban. "Let it be as you say."
34:創世記/ 30章 34節
ラバンは言った。「よろしい。お前の言うとおりにしよう。」
35
12 That same day Laban removed the streaked and spotted he-goats and all the speckled and spotted she-goats, all those with some white on them, as well as the fully dark-colored sheep; these he left. . . in charge of his sons.
35:創世記/ 30章 35節
ところが、その日、ラバンは縞やまだらの雄山羊とぶちやまだらの雌山羊全部、つまり白いところが混じっているもの全部とそれに黒みがかった羊をみな取り出して自分の息子たちの手に渡し、
36
Then he put a three days' journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to pasture the rest of Laban's flock.
36:創世記/ 30章 36節
ヤコブがラバンの残りの群れを飼っている間に、自分とヤコブとの間に歩いて三日かかるほどの距離をおいた。
37
Jacob, however, got some fresh shoots of poplar, almond and plane trees, and he made white stripes in them by peeling off the bark down to the white core of the shoots.
37:創世記/ 30章 37節
ヤコブは、ポプラとアーモンドとプラタナスの木の若枝を取って来て、皮をはぎ、枝に白い木肌の縞を作り、
38
The rods that he had thus peeled he then set upright in the watering troughs, so that they would be in front of the animals that drank from the troughs. When the animals were in heat as they came to drink,
38:創世記/ 30章 38節
家畜の群れがやって来たときに群れの目につくように、皮をはいだ枝を家畜の水飲み場の水槽の中に入れた。そして、家畜の群れが水を飲みにやって来たとき、さかりがつくようにしたので、
39
13 the goats mated by the rods, and so they brought forth streaked, speckled and spotted kids.
39:創世記/ 30章 39節
家畜の群れは、その枝の前で交尾して縞やぶちやまだらのものを産んだ。
40
The sheep, on the other hand, Jacob kept apart, and he set these animals to face the streaked or fully dark-colored animals of Laban. Thus he produced special flocks of his own, which he did not put with Laban's flock.
40:創世記/ 30章 40節
また、ヤコブは羊を二手に分けて、一方の群れをラバンの群れの中の縞のものと全体が黒みがかったものとに向かわせた。彼は、自分の群れだけにはそうしたが、ラバンの群れにはそうしなかった。
41
Moreover, whenever the hardier animals were in heat, Jacob would set the rods in the troughs in full view of these animals, so that they mated by the rods;
創世記/ 30章 41節
また、丈夫な羊が交尾する時期になると、ヤコブは皮をはいだ枝をいつも水ぶねの中に入れて群れの前に置き、枝のそばで交尾させたが、
42
but with the weaker animals he would not put the rods there. So the feeble animals would go to Laban, but the sturdy ones to Jacob.
42:創世記/ 30章 42節
弱い羊のときには枝を置かなかった。そこで、弱いのはラバンのものとなり、丈夫なのはヤコブのものとなった。
43
Thus the man grew increasingly prosperous, and he came to own not only large flocks but also male and female servants and camels and asses.
43:創世記/ 30章 43節
こうして、ヤコブはますます豊かになり、多くの家畜や男女の奴隷、それにらくだやろばなどを持つようになった。
1 [3] On my knees: in the ancient Near East, a father would take a newborn child in his lap to signify that he acknowledged it as his own; Rachel uses the ceremony in order to adopt the child and establish her legal rights to it.
2 [4] Consort: The Hebrew word normally means "wife," but here it refers to a wife of secondary rank, who did not have the full legal rights of an ordinary wife.
3 [6] Dan: explained by the term dannanni, "he has vindicated me."
4 [8] Naphtali: explained by the phrase "naptule elohim niptalti," literally, "in a divine wrestling match I have wrestled," perhaps implying the concept of an ordeal; hence the above rendering, I engaged in a fateful struggle.
5 [11] Gad: explained by the Hebrew term begad, literally "in luck," i.e., what good luck!
6 [13] Asher: explained by the term beoshri, literally "in my good fortune." i.e., what good fortune, and by the term ishsheruni "they call me fortunate."
7 [14] Mandrakes: an herb whose root was anciently thought to promote conception. The Hebrew word for mandrakes, dudaim, has erotic connotations, since it sounds like the words daddayim ("breasts") and dodim ("sexual pleasure").
8 [18] Issachar: explained by the terms, sekari, "my reward," and in ⇒ Genesis 30:16, sakor sekartika, literally "I have hired you," i.e., I have paid for you.
9 [20] Zebulun: related to the Akkadian word zubullum, "bridegroom's gift," is explained by the terms, zebadani . . . zebed tob, "he has brought me a precious gift," and yizbeleni, "he will offer me presents."
10 [24] Joseph: explained by the words yosep, "may he add," and in ⇒ Genesis 30:23, asap, "he has removed."
11 [32] Dark . . . sheep . . . spotted or speckled goats: In the Near East the normal color of sheep is light gray, whereas that of goats is uniform dark brown or black. Ordinarily, therefore, Jacob would have received but few animals.
12 [35] By giving the abnormally colored animals to his sons, Laban not only deprived Jacob of his first small wages, but he also designed to prevent in this way the future breeding of such animals in the part of his flock entrusted to Jacob.
13 [39-42] Jacob's stratagem was based on the widespread notion among simple people that visual stimuli can have prenatal effects on the offspring of breeding animals. Thus, the rods on which Jacob had whittled stripes or bands or chevron marks were thought to cause the female goats that looked at them to bear kids with lighter-colored marks on their dark hair, while the gray ewes were thought to bear lambs with dark marks on them simply by visual cross-breeding with the dark goats.
