Deuteronomy 33
1 This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death.
Hæc est benedictio, qua benedixit Moyses, homo Dei, filiis Israel ante mortem suam.
2 He said: “The LORD came from Sinai and dawned upon us from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran and came with myriads of holy ones, with flaming fire at His right hand.
Et ait: Dominus de Sinai venit, et de Seir ortus est nobis: apparuit de monte Pharan, et cum eo sanctorum millia. In dextera eius ignea lex.
3 Surely You love the people; all the holy ones are in Your hand, and they sit down at Your feet; each receives Your words—
Dilexit populos, omnes sancti in manu illius sunt: et qui appropinquant pedibus eius, accipient de doctrina illius.
4 the law that Moses gave us, the possession of the assembly of Jacob.
Legem præcepit nobis Moyses, hereditatem multitudinis Iacob.
5 So the LORD became King in Jeshurun when the leaders of the people gathered, when the tribes of Israel came together.
Erit apud rectissimum rex, congregatis principibus populi cum tribubus Israel.
6 Let Reuben live and not die, nor his men be few.”
Vivat Ruben, et non moriatur, et sit parvus in numero.
7 And concerning Judah he said: “O LORD, hear the cry of Judah and bring him to his people. With his own hands he defends his cause, but may You be a help against his foes.”
Hæc est Iudæ benedicio: Audi Domine vocem Iudæ, et ad populum suum introduc eum: manus eius pugnabunt pro eo, et adiutor illius contra adversarios eius erit.
8 Concerning Levi he said: “Give Your Thummim to Levi and Your Urim to Your godly one, whom You tested at Massah and contested at the waters of Meribah.
Levi quoque ait: Perfectio tua, et doctrina tua viro sancto tuo, quem probasti in tentatione, et iudicasti ad Aquas contradictionis.
9 He said of his father and mother, ‘I do not consider them.’ He disregarded his brothers and did not know his own sons, for he kept Your word and maintained Your covenant.
Qui dixit patri suo, et matri suæ: Nescio vos; et fratribus suis: Ignoro vos: et nescierunt filios suos. Hi custodierunt eloquium tuum, et pactum tuum servaverunt,
10 He will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your law to Israel; he will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
iudicia tua o Iacob, et legem tuam o Israel: ponent thymiama in furore tuo, et holocaustum super altare tuum.
11 Bless his substance, O LORD, and accept the work of his hands. Smash the loins of those who rise against him, and of his foes so they can rise no more.”
Benedic Domine fortitudini eius, et opera manuum illius suscipe. Percute dorsa inimicorum eius: et qui oderunt eum, non consurgant.
12 Concerning Benjamin he said: “May the beloved of the LORD rest secure in Him; God shields him all day long, and upon His shoulders he rests.”
Et Beniamin ait: Amantissimus Domini habitabit confidenter in eo: quasi in thalamo tota die morabitur, et inter humeros illius requiescet.
13 Concerning Joseph he said: “May his land be blessed by the LORD with the precious dew from heaven above and the deep waters that lie beneath,
Ioseph quoque ait: De benedictione Domini terra eius, de pomis cæli, et rore, atque abysso subiacente,
14 with the bountiful harvest from the sun and the abundant yield of the seasons,
de pomis fructuum solis ac lunæ,
15 with the best of the ancient mountains and the bounty of the everlasting hills,
de vertice antiquorum montium, de pomis collium æternorum:
16 with the choice gifts of the land and everything in it, and with the favor of Him who dwelt in the burning bush. May these rest on the head of Joseph and crown the brow of the prince of his brothers.
et de frugibus terræ, et de plenitudine eius. Benedictio illius, qui apparuit in rubo, veniat super caput Ioseph, et super verticem Nazaræi inter fratres suos.
17 His majesty is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are like those of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even to the ends of the earth. Such are the myriads of Ephraim, and such are the thousands of Manasseh.”
Quasi primogeniti tauri pulchritudo eius, cornua rhinocerotis cornua illius: in ipsis ventilabit Gentes usque ad terminos terræ. Hæ sunt multitudines Ephraim: et hæc millia Manasse.
18 Concerning Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your journeys, and Issachar, in your tents.
Et Zabulon ait: Lætare Zabulon in exitu tuo, et Issachar in tabernaculis tuis.
19 They will call the peoples to a mountain; there they will offer sacrifices of righteousness. For they will feast on the abundance of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand.”
Populos vocabunt ad montem: ibi immolabunt victimas iustitiæ. Qui inundationem maris quasi lac sugent, et thesauros absconditos arenarum.
20 Concerning Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges the domain of Gad! He lies down like a lion and tears off an arm or a head.
Et Gad ait: Benedictus in latitudine Gad: quasi leo requievit, cepitque brachium et verticem.
21 He chose the best land for himself, because a ruler’s portion was reserved for him there. He came with the leaders of the people; he administered the LORD’s justice and His ordinances for Israel.”
Et vidit principatum suum, quod in parte sua doctor esset repositus: qui fuit cum principibus populi, et fecit iustitias Domini, et iudicium suum cum Israel.
22 Concerning Dan he said: “Dan is a lion’s cub, leaping out of Bashan.”
Dan quoque ait: Dan catulus leonis, fluet largiter de Basan.
23 Concerning Naphtali he said: “Naphtali is abounding with favor, full of the blessing of the LORD; he shall take possession of the sea and the south.”
Et Nephthali dixit: Nephthali abundantia perfruetur, et plenus erit benedictionibus Domini: mare et meridiem possidebit.
24 And concerning Asher he said: “May Asher be the most blessed of sons; may he be the most favored among his brothers and dip his foot in oil.
Aser quoque ait: Benedictus in filiis Aser, sit placens fratribus suis, et tingat in oleo pedem suum.
25 May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze, and may your strength match your days.”
Ferrum et æs calceamentum eius. Sicut dies iuventutis tuæ, ita et senectus tua.
26 “There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid, and the clouds in His majesty.
Non est deus alius ut Deus rectissimi: ascensor cæli auxiliator tuus. Magnificentia eius discurrunt nubes,
27 The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He drives out the enemy before you, giving the command, ‘Destroy him!’
habitaculum eius sursum, et subter brachia sempiterna: eiiciet a facie tua inimicum, dicetque: Conterere.
28 So Israel dwells securely; the fountain of Jacob lives untroubled in a land of grain and new wine, where even the heavens drip with dew.
Habitabit Israel confidenter, et solus: oculus Iacob in terra frumenti et vini, cælique caligabunt rore.
29 Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is the shield that protects you, the sword in which you boast. Your enemies will cower before you, and you shall trample their high places.”
Beatus es tu Israel: quis similis tui popule, qui salvaris in Domino? Scutum auxilii tui, et gladius gloriæ tuæ: negabunt te inimici tui, et tu eorum colla calcabis.
