A31 Jacob Flees From Laban Poem by Simple Simon

Laban's sons were saying,
'Jacob took away everything
That belonged to our father.'
Jacob heard this rumour.

Laban was no longer
As friendly as earlier.
Jacob heard God's command,
'Return to your father's land.'

To his wives, he sent word
To meet him in the field,
Where his grazing flocks were,
And they two came there.

He said, 'I feel, your father
Is changed altogether,
And is not as friendly
With me as he used to be.'

'He could not harm me,
As my God is with me.
Ten times, he had cheated me.
He didn't give wages to me.'

'What beasts Laban offered
To my flock, that breed spread;
It is but God's deed,
That my flock increased.'

'God came in my dream,
And for whatever harm
Laban had done to me,
A witness He's with me.'

'He reminded me the memorial,
A stone I kept for Him at Bethel,
On which I poured holy olive oil
And His vow that was eternal.'

His wives replied, 'He sold us.
He spent the money he got for us.
The wealth belongs to us, not him.
We've nothing to get from him.

'Do whatever God told you,
And we’ll follow you.'
To go back to his father's land,
Jacob got ready beforehand.

On camel's back, he put them.
And drove his flocks ahead of him.
Rachel, in the absence of Laban
Got the household Gods stolen.

Jacob took all things he owned.
He left before Laban arrived.
The River Euphrates, he crossed.
And Gilead, the hill-country, he reached.

Laban pursues Jacob

Three days later. Laban heard
That Jacob had from there fled.
For seven days, he pursued
Until he caught him at Gilead.

That night in Laban's dream.
God came and said to him,
'Be careful not to threaten;
Jacob is in my protection.'

Laban told Jacob next day,
'It's not the proper way
To deceive me badly
And go without telling me.'

'You carry off my daughters
Like women captured in wars.
I didn't kiss my grandchildren.
Nor say goodbye to each one.'

'With warm send-off on your way,
I would have sent you any day.
That was a foolish thing you did.
The truth from me you hid.'

'I've the power to harm you,
But I'll not threaten you,
God told me just last night
So, I don't want to fight.'

'You hurry off to your house,
But why steal gods from my house?
Laban checked all the places.
For his gods, but there were no traces.

Inside the camel saddle-bags,
Rachel hid the stolen gods,
And she sat on the camel.
None searched this animal.

'I've committed what crime? '
Jacob shouted and asked him.
'Why are you hunting me down?
By doing this, what is your gain? '

'With you I spent twenty years.
I labored for your flocks' increase.
By day, I suffered from heat
And from cold by the night.'

'I worked hard twenty years,
To win your two daughters,
My wages ten times you changed.
But by God's grace, I managed.'

'God saw the work I've done
The trouble you gave, He has seen.
Last night, He gave His judgment.
In His hands rests the punishment.'

The Agreement between Jacob
and Laban

Laban said, 'These girls
Are my two daughters.
Their children belong to me.
These flocks came from me.'

'In fact, everything here,
Belongs to me, the owner.
But I can't keep them with me.
So, no action lies with me.'

'An agreement, let us make.
To our mutual interest sake.
Here let us pile a stone-stack,
That'll remind us of our talk.'

'Neither me nor you'll cross
This stone-pile and pass
O'er the other side to fight
Any time for each one's right.'

'If you ill treat my daughters,
Or marry other women thereafter,
I may not see this thro' my eyes,
But remember, God is watching us.'

Then, in the name of God,
Whom his father worshipped,
Jacob vowed to keep this promise
Offering the Lord a sacrifice.'

It was like a storm,
That became calm.
Jacob gave a meal
Cooked from animal.

After they had eaten
Quiet in the mountain
They spent the night
Forgetting to fight.

Next morning, it was time
For Laban to go back home.
'Goodbye' to all, he wished,
And steps homeward, he retraced.