< Genesis 48 >
1 It came about after these things, that one said to Joseph, “Look, your father is sick.” So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
这事以后,有人告诉约瑟说:“你的父亲病了。”他就带着两个儿子玛拿西和以法莲同去。
2 When Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph has arrived to see you,” Israel gathered strength and sat up in bed.
有人告诉雅各说:“请看,你儿子约瑟到你这里来了。”以色列就勉强在床上坐起来。
3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan. He blessed me
雅各对约瑟说:“全能的 神曾在迦南地的路斯向我显现,赐福与我,
4 and said to me, 'Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you. I will make of you an assembly of nations. I will give this land to your descendants as an everlasting possession.'
对我说:‘我必使你生养众多,成为多民,又要把这地赐给你的后裔,永远为业。’
5 Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, they are mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.
我未到埃及见你之先,你在埃及地所生的以法莲和玛拿西这两个儿子是我的,正如吕便和西缅是我的一样。
6 The children you have after them will be yours; they will be listed under the names of their brothers in their inheritance.
你在他们以后所生的就是你的,他们可以归于他们弟兄的名下得产业。
7 But as for me, when I came from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way, while there was still some distance to go to Ephrath. I buried her there on the way to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).
至于我,我从巴旦来的时候,拉结死在我眼前,在迦南地的路上,离以法他还有一段路程,我就把她葬在以法他的路上(以法他就是伯利恒)。”
8 When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, “Whose are these?”
以色列看见约瑟的两个儿子,就说:“这是谁?”
9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” Israel said, “Bring them to me, that I may bless them.”
约瑟对他父亲说:“这是 神在这里赐给我的儿子。”以色列说:“请你领他们到我跟前,我要给他们祝福。”
10 Now Israel's eyes were failing because of his age, so he could not see. So Joseph brought them near to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.
以色列年纪老迈,眼睛昏花,不能看见。约瑟领他们到他跟前,他就和他们亲嘴,抱着他们。
11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, but God has even allowed me to see your children.”
以色列对约瑟说:“我想不到得见你的面,不料, 神又使我得见你的儿子。”
12 Joseph brought them out from between Israel's knees, and then he bowed with his face to the earth.
约瑟把两个儿子从以色列两膝中领出来,自己就脸伏于地下拜。
13 Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them close to him.
随后,约瑟又拉着他们两个,以法莲在他的右手里,对着以色列的左手,玛拿西在他的左手里,对着以色列的右手,领他们到以色列的跟前。
14 Israel reached out with his right hand and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head. He crossed his hands, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
以色列伸出右手来,按在以法莲的头上(以法莲乃是次子),又剪搭过左手来,按在玛拿西的头上(玛拿西原是长子)。
15 Israel blessed Joseph, saying, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has cared for me to this day,
他就给约瑟祝福说:“愿我祖亚伯拉罕和我父以撒所事奉的 神,就是一生牧养我直到今日的 神,
16 the angel who has protected me from all harm, may he bless these boys. May my name be named in them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. May they grow into a multitude on the earth.”
救赎我脱离一切患难的那使者,赐福与这两个童子。愿他们归在我的名下和我祖亚伯拉罕、我父以撒的名下。又愿他们在世界中生养众多。”
17 When Joseph saw his father place his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.
约瑟见他父亲把右手按在以法莲的头上,就不喜悦,便提起他父亲的手,要从以法莲头上挪到玛拿西的头上。
18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father; for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand upon his head.”
约瑟对他父亲说:“我父,不是这样。这本是长子,求你把右手按在他的头上。”
19 His father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. Yet his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”
他父亲不从,说:“我知道,我儿,我知道。他也必成为一族,也必昌大。只是他的兄弟将来比他还大;他兄弟的后裔要成为多族。”
20 Israel blessed them that day with these words, “The people of Israel will pronounce blessings by your names saying, 'May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh'.” In this way, Israel put Ephraim before Manasseh.
当日就给他们祝福说:“以色列人要指着你们祝福说:‘愿 神使你如以法莲、玛拿西一样。’”于是立以法莲在玛拿西以上。
21 Israel said to Joseph, “See, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and will bring you back to the land of your fathers.
以色列又对约瑟说:“我要死了,但 神必与你们同在,领你们回到你们列祖之地。
22 To you, as one who is above your brothers, I give to you the mountain slope that I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”
并且我从前用弓用刀从亚摩利人手下夺的那块地,我都赐给你,使你比众弟兄多得一分。”