Genesis 48
1 And so whanne these thingis weren don, it was teld to Joseph, that his fadir was sijk. And he took hise twei sones, Manasses and Effraym, and he disposide to go.
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.
2 And it was seid to the elde man, Lo! thi sone Joseph cometh to thee; which was coumfortid, and sat in the bed.
When Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph has arrived to see you,” Israel gathered strength and sat up in bed.
3 And whanne Joseph entride to hym, he seide, Almyyti God apperide to me in Luza, which is in the lond of Canaan, and blesside me,
Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan. He blessed me
4 and seide, Y schal encreesse and multiplie thee, and Y schal make thee in to cumpanyes of puplis, and Y schal yyue to thee this lond, and to thi seed aftir thee, in to euerlastinge possessioun.
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.'
5 Therfor thi twei sones, that ben borun to thee in the lond of Egipt bifore that Y cam hidir to thee, schulen be myne, Effraym and Manasses as Ruben and Symeon schulen be arettid to me;
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.
6 forsothe the othere whiche thou schalt gendre aftir hem schulen be thine; and thei schulen be clepid bi the name of her britheren in her possessiouns.
The children you have after them will be yours; they will be listed under the names of their brothers in their inheritance.
7 Forsothe whanne Y cam fro Mesopotamye, Rachel was deed to me in the lond of Canaan, in thilke weie; and it was the bigynnyng of somer; and Y entride in to Effrata, and beriede hir bisidis the weie of Effrata, which bi anothir name is clepid Bethleem.
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).
8 Forsothe Jacob seiy the sones of Joseph, and seide to him, Who ben these?
When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, “Whose are these?”
9 He answeride, Thei ben my sones, whiche God yaf to me in this place. Jacob seide, Brynge hem to me that Y blesse hem.
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.”
10 For `the iyen of Israel, dasewiden for greet eelde, and he myyte not se clereli; and he kisside and collide tho children ioyned to hym, and seide to his sone,
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.
11 Y am not defraudid of thi siyt; ferthermore God schewide to me thi seed.
Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, but God has even allowed me to see your children.”
12 And whanne Joseph hadde take hem fro `the fadris lappe, he worschipide lowe to erthe.
Joseph brought them out from between Israel's knees, and then he bowed with his face to the earth.
13 And he sette Effraym on his riyt side, that is, on the lift side of Israel; forsothe he settide Manasses in his lift side, that is, on the riyt side of the fadir; and he ioynede bothe to hym.
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.
14 Which helde forth the riyt hond, and settide on `the heed of Effraym, the lesse brothir; sotheli he settide the left hond on `the heed of Manasses, that was the more thury birthe. Jacob chaungide `the hondes,
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.
15 and blesside his sone Joseph, and seide, God, in whos siyt my fadris Abraham and Isaac yeden; God, that fedith me fro my yong wexynge age til in to present day;
Israel blessed Joseph, saying, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has cared for me to this day,
16 the aungel that delyuerede me fro alle yuelis, blesse thes children, and my name be clepid on hem, and the names of my fadris Abraham and Ysaac; and wexe thei in multitude on erthe.
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.”
17 Forsothe Joseph seiy that his fadir hadde set the riyt hond on the heed of Effraym, and took heuyli, and he enforside to reise the fadris hond takun fro the heed of Effraym, and to bere `ouer on `the heed of Manasses.
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.
18 And he seide to the fadir, Fadir, it acordith not so; for this is the firste gendrid; sette thi riyt hond on the heed `of hym.
Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father; for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand upon his head.”
19 Which forsook and seide, Y woot, my sone, Y woot; and sotheli this child schal be in to puplis, and he schal be multiplied; but his yonger brother schal be more than he, and `his seed schal encreesse in to folkis.
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.”
20 And he blesside hem in that tyme, and seide, Israel schal be blessid in thee, Joseph, and it schal be seid, God do to thee as to Effraym and as to Manasses. And he settide Effraym bifore Manasses;
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.
21 and seide to Joseph, his sone, Lo! Y die, and God schal be with you, and schal lede you ayen to the lond of youre fadris;
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.
22 Y yyue to thee o part ouer thi britheren which Y took fro the hand of Amorei, in my swerd and bowe.
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.”
