創世記 48
1 這些事以後，有人告訴若瑟說：「你的父親病了。」若瑟遂帶了他的兩個兒子，默納協和厄弗辣因同去。
After these things, someone said to Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” He took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
2 人告訴雅各伯說：「你兒子若瑟來看你。」以色列遂勉強由床上坐起。
Someone told Jacob, and said, “Behold, your son Joseph comes to you,” and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed.
3 雅各伯對若瑟說：「全能者天主曾在客納罕地路次顯現給我，祝福了我，
Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
4 對我說：看! 我要使你繁殖增多，成為一大民族；我要將這地方賜給你未來的後裔，作為永久的產業。
and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your offspring after you for an everlasting possession.’
5 我未到埃及見你以前，你在埃及國所生的兩個兒子，由今起應歸於我；厄弗辣因和默納協屬我全如勒烏本和西默盎一樣。
Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, will be mine.
6 在他們以後所生的子女，盡歸於你；不過在分產業時，他們應歸他們兄弟的名下。
Your offspring, whom you become the father of after them, will be yours. They will be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance.
7 當我由帕丹回來時，在離厄弗辣大還有一段路程時，在路上你母親辣黑耳，就在我的悲痛中死在客納罕地，我就將她葬在去厄弗辣大，即白冷的路旁。」
As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).”
8 以色列看見若瑟的兒子，就問說：「他們是誰﹖」
Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”
9 若瑟回答父親說：「是天主在此地賜給我的兒子。」以色列說：「帶他們到我跟前來，我要祝福他們。」
Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” He said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.”
10 以色列因年老眼目昏花，看不清楚；若瑟遂領他們到他跟前；他就口親他們，抱住他們。
Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he couldn’t see well. Joseph brought them near to him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
11 以色列對若瑟說：「連見你的面我都沒有料到；現今，看，天主還使我見到了你的後裔。」
Israel said to Joseph, “I didn’t think I would see your face, and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.”
12 若瑟遂由他父親膝間將孩子拉出來，俯伏在地下拜。
Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
13 然後若瑟又領他們兩個，右手領厄弗辣因到以色列左邊，左手領默納協到以色列右邊，到父親面前。
Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand towards Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand towards Israel’s right hand, and brought them near to him.
14 以色列卻伸出右手，放在次子厄弗辣因的頭上，伸出左手放在長子默納協的頭上，故意交叉著自己的手。
Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
15 遂祝福若瑟說：「願我的祖先亞巴郎和依撒格一生與之往來的天主，自我出生直到今日牧育我的天主，
He blessed Joseph, and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day,
16 救我脫離一切禍患的使者，祝福這兩個孩童! 願我的名及我祖先亞巴郎和依撒格的名，賴他們流傳! 願他們在地上生育繁昌! 」
the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude upon the earth.”
17 若瑟見他父親將右手放在厄弗辣因頭上，認為不對，便拿起父親的右手，由厄弗辣因頭上，移到默納協頭上，
When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.
18 對父親說：「阿爸! 錯了；這個原是長子，應將你的右手放在他頭上。」
Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”
19 他的父親卻拒絕說：「我知道，我兒! 我知道，他也要成為一個民族，他也要昌盛；但他的弟弟卻比他更要昌盛，他的後裔要成為一大民族。」
His father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a multitude of nations.”
20 那一天他又這樣祝福他們說：「以色列將以你們祝福人說：願天主使你如厄弗辣因和默納協!」他又將厄弗辣因放在默納協前面。
He blessed them that day, saying, “Israel will bless in your name, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’” He set Ephraim before Manasseh.
21 然後以色列對若瑟說：「看，我快要死；但天主必與你們同在，必領你們回到你們祖先的地方去。
Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers.
22 現在我將由阿摩黎人手中，以我的刀劍弓矢奪得的那塊山地賜給你，使你比眾兄弟多得一分。」
Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.”
