Genesis 49
1 Vocavit autem Jacob filios suos, et ait eis: Congregamini, ut annuntiem quæ ventura sunt vobis in diebus novissimis.
Then Jacob summoned his sons, and said: "Gather yourselves together so that I may tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.
2 Congregamini, et audite, filii Jacob, audite Israël patrem vestrum:
Assemble yourselves and hear, you sons of Jacob. Listen to Israel, your father.
3 Ruben, primogenitus meus, tu fortitudo mea, et principium doloris mei; prior in donis, major in imperio.
Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, and the the firstfruits of my virility, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
4 Effusus es sicut aqua, non crescas: quia ascendisti cubile patris tui, et maculasti stratum ejus.
Uncontrolled as the waters, you will not have excel, because you went up to your father's bed, you went up and defiled my couch.
5 Simeon et Levi fratres vasa iniquitatis bellantia.
Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are weapons of violence.
6 In consilium eorum non veniat anima mea, et in cœtu illorum non sit gloria mea: quia in furore suo occiderunt virum, et in voluntate sua suffoderunt murum.
May I never enter their council. May my honor never be joined with their assembly. For in their anger they killed men, and for pleasure they hamstrung oxen.
7 Maledictus furor eorum, quia pertinax: et indignatio eorum, quia dura: dividam eos in Jacob, et dispergam eos in Israël.
Cursed be their anger, for it has been fierce, and their fury, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
8 Juda, te laudabunt fratres tui: manus tua in cervicibus inimicorum tuorum, adorabunt te filii patris tui.
Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. Your father's sons will bow down before you.
9 Catulus leonis Juda: ad prædam, fili mi, ascendisti: requiescens accubuisti ut leo, et quasi leæna: quis suscitabit eum?
Judah is a lion's cub. From the prey, my son, you rise up. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, as a lioness. Who will rouse him up?
10 Non auferetur sceptrum de Juda, et dux de femore ejus, donec veniat qui mittendus est, et ipse erit expectatio gentium.
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs. And it is he whom the peoples will obey.
11 Ligans ad vineam pullum suum, et ad vitem, o fili mi, asinam suam, lavabit in vino stolam suam et in sanguine uvæ pallium suum.
Binding his foal to the vine, and his donkey's colt to the choice vine. He will wash his garments in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes.
12 Pulchriores sunt oculi ejus vino, et dentes ejus lacte candidiores.
His eyes will be darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.
13 Zabulon in littore maris habitabit, et in statione navium pertingens usque ad Sidonem.
Zebulun will dwell at the seashore, and he will be a harbor for ships, and his border will be at Sidon.
14 Issachar asinus fortis accubans inter terminos.
Issachar is a strong donkey lying down between the saddlebags.
15 Vidit requiem, quod esset bona et terram, quod optima: et supposuit humerum suum ad portandum, factusque est tributis serviens.
When he sees a good resting place, that the land is pleasant, he will bend his back to the burden, and become a slave doing forced labor.
16 Dan judicabit populum suum sicut et alia tribus in Israël.
Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Fiat Dan coluber in via, cerastes in semita, mordens ungulas equi, ut cadat ascensor ejus retro.
Dan will be a serpent on the road, a viper by the path, that bites the horse's heels so that his rider falls backward.
18 Salutare tuum expectabo, Domine.
I wait for your salvation, God.
19 Gad, accinctus præliabitur ante eum: et ipse accingetur retrorsum.
Gad will be attacked by raiders, but he will raid at their heels.
20 Aser, pinguis panis ejus, et præbebit delicias regibus.
Asher's food will be rich, and he will provide royal delicacies.
21 Nephthali, cervus emissus, et dans eloquia pulchritudinis.
Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.
22 Filius accrescens Joseph, filius accrescens et decorus aspectu: filiæ discurrerunt super murum.
Joseph is a fruitful son, a fruitful son by a spring. His branches run over a wall.
23 Sed exasperaverunt eum et jurgati sunt, invideruntque illi habentes jacula.
The archers will attack him with bitterness, and shoot at him, and harass him.
24 Sedit in forti arcus ejus, et dissoluta sunt vincula brachiorum et manuum illius per manus potentis Jacob: inde pastor egressus est, lapis Israël.
Yet his bow will remain steady, and his arms will be made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
25 Deus patris tui erit adjutor tuus, et omnipotens benedicet tibi benedictionibus cæli desuper, benedictionibus abyssi jacentis deorsum, benedictionibus uberum et vulvæ.
by the God of your father, who will help you, and El Shaddai, who will bless you with blessings of the sky above, blessings of the deep that lies below, and blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 Benedictiones patris tui confortatæ sunt benedictionibus patrum ejus, donec veniret desiderium collium æternorum: fiant in capite Joseph, et in vertice Nazaræi inter fratres suos.
The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, and the bounty of the everlasting hills. They will be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of the prince among his brothers.
27 Benjamin lupus rapax, mane comedat prædam, et vespere dividet spolia.
Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he will devour the prey, and at evening he will divide the plunder."
28 Omnes hi in tribubus Israël duodecim: hæc locutus est eis pater suus, benedixitque singulis benedictionibus propriis.
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He blessed each one with his own individual blessing.
29 Et præcepit eis, dicens: Ego congregor ad populum meum: sepelite me cum patribus meis in spelunca duplici quæ est in agro Ephron Hethæi,
Then he instructed them, and said to them, "I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hethite,
30 contra Mambre in terra Chanaan, quam emit Abraham cum agro ab Ephron Hethæo in possessionem sepulchri.
in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field from Ephron the Hethite as a burial place.
31 Ibi sepelierunt eum, et Saram uxorem ejus: ibi sepultus est Isaac cum Rebecca conjuge sua: ibi et Lia condita jacet.
There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah. There they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and there I buried Leah.
The field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the sons of Heth."
33 Finitisque mandatis quibus filios instruebat, collegit pedes suos super lectulum, et obiit: appositusque est ad populum suum.
When Jacob finished instructing his sons, he drew his legs up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.
