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.
這事以後，有人告訴約瑟說：「你的父親病了。」他就帶着兩個兒子瑪拿西和以法蓮同去。
2 When Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph has arrived to see you,” Israel gathered strength and sat up in bed.
有人告訴雅各說：「請看，你兒子約瑟到你這裏來了。」以色列就勉強在床上坐起來。
3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan. He blessed me
雅各對約瑟說：「全能的上帝曾在迦南地的路斯向我顯現，賜福與我，
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.'
對我說：『我必使你生養眾多，成為多民，又要把這地賜給你的後裔，永遠為業。』
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.
我未到埃及見你之先，你在埃及地所生的以法蓮和瑪拿西這兩個兒子是我的，正如呂便和西緬是我的一樣。
6 The children you have after them will be yours; they will be listed under the names of their brothers in their inheritance.
你在他們以後所生的就是你的，他們可以歸於他們弟兄的名下得產業。
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).
至於我，我從巴旦來的時候，拉結死在我眼前，在迦南地的路上，離以法他還有一段路程，我就把她葬在以法他的路上（以法他就是伯利恆）。」
8 When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, “Whose are these?”
以色列看見約瑟的兩個兒子，就說：「這是誰？」
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.”
約瑟對他父親說：「這是上帝在這裏賜給我的兒子。」以色列說：「請你領他們到我跟前，我要給他們祝福。」
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.
以色列年紀老邁，眼睛昏花，不能看見。約瑟領他們到他跟前，他就和他們親嘴，抱着他們。
11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, but God has even allowed me to see your children.”
以色列對約瑟說：「我想不到得見你的面，不料，上帝又使我得見你的兒子。」
12 Joseph brought them out from between Israel's knees, and then he bowed with his face to the earth.
約瑟把兩個兒子從以色列兩膝中領出來，自己就臉伏於地下拜。
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.
隨後，約瑟又拉着他們兩個，以法蓮在他的右手裏，對着以色列的左手，瑪拿西在他的左手裏，對着以色列的右手，領他們到以色列的跟前。
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.
以色列伸出右手來，按在以法蓮的頭上（以法蓮乃是次子），又剪搭過左手來，按在瑪拿西的頭上（瑪拿西原是長子）。
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,
他就給約瑟祝福說：「願我祖亞伯拉罕和我父以撒所事奉的上帝，就是一生牧養我直到今日的上帝，
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.”
救贖我脫離一切患難的那使者，賜福與這兩個童子。願他們歸在我的名下和我祖亞伯拉罕、我父以撒的名下。又願他們在世界中生養眾多。」
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.
約瑟見他父親把右手按在以法蓮的頭上，就不喜悅，便提起他父親的手，要從以法蓮頭上挪到瑪拿西的頭上。
18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father; for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand upon his head.”
約瑟對他父親說：「我父，不是這樣。這本是長子，求你把右手按在他的頭上。」
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.”
他父親不從，說：「我知道，我兒，我知道。他也必成為一族，也必昌大。只是他的兄弟將來比他還大；他兄弟的後裔要成為多族。」
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.
當日就給他們祝福說：「以色列人要指着你們祝福說：『願上帝使你如以法蓮、瑪拿西一樣。』」於是立以法蓮在瑪拿西以上。
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.
以色列又對約瑟說：「我要死了，但上帝必與你們同在，領你們回到你們列祖之地。
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.”
並且我從前用弓用刀從亞摩利人手下奪的那塊地，我都賜給你，使你比眾弟兄多得一分。」
