Bible in Basic English
And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.
And Laban said, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here with me.
And Jacob did seven years' work for Rachel; and because of his love for her it seemed to him only a very little time.
Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended.
And Laban got together all the men of the place and gave a feast.
And in the evening he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her.
And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman.
And in the morning Jacob saw that it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What have you done to me? was I not working for you so that I might have Rachel? why have you been false to me?
And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older.
Let the week of the bride-feast come to its end and then we will give you the other in addition, if you will be my servant for another seven years.
And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife.
And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman.
Then Jacob took Rachel as his wife, and his love for her was greater than his love for Leah; and he went on working for Laban for another seven years.
Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved, gave her a child; while Rachel had no children.
And Leah was with child, and gave birth to a son to whom she gave the name Reuben: for she said, The Lord has seen my sorrow; now my husband will have love for me.
Then she became with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Because it has come to the Lord's ears that I am not loved, he has given me this son in addition: and she gave him the name Simeon.
And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Now at last my husband will be united to me, because I have given him three sons: so he was named Levi.
And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son: and she said, This time I will give praise to the Lord: so he was named Judah; after this she had no more children for a time.
— Genesis 29:18-1964, Bible in Basic English
“And Jacob being in love with her, said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel, thy younger daughter. Laban answered: It is better that I give her to thee than to another man; stay with me. So Jacob served seven years for Rachel: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his love. And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage. And at night he brought in Lia, his daughter, to him, Giving his daughter a handmaid, named Zelpha. Now when Jacob had gone in to her according to custom, when morning was come he saw it was Lia. 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? Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to give the younger in marriage first. 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. He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel: To whom her father gave Bala, for her servant. 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. And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren. And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction: now my husband will love me. 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. 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 his name Levi. 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. ”
Then Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother are you to be my servant for nothing? say now, what is your payment to be?
Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
And Leah's eyes were clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form.
And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.
And Laban said, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here with me.
And Jacob did seven years' work for Rachel; and because of his love for her it seemed to him only a very little time.
Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended.
And Laban got together all the men of the place and gave a feast.
And in the evening he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her.
And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman.
And in the morning Jacob saw that it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What have you done to me? was I not working for you so that I might have Rachel? why have you been false to me?
And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older.
Let the week of the bride-feast come to its end and then we will give you the other in addition, if you will be my servant for another seven years.
And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife.
And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman.
Then Jacob took Rachel as his wife, and his love for her was greater than his love for Leah; and he went on working for Laban for another seven years.
Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved, gave her a child; while Rachel had no children.
And Leah was with child, and gave birth to a son to whom she gave the name Reuben: for she said, The Lord has seen my sorrow; now my husband will have love for me.
Then she became with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Because it has come to the Lord's ears that I am not loved, he has given me this son in addition: and she gave him the name Simeon.
And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Now at last my husband will be united to me, because I have given him three sons: so he was named Levi.
And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son: and she said, This time I will give praise to the Lord: so he was named Judah; after this she had no more children for a time.