Genesis 49
1 Vocavit autem Iacob filios suos, et ait eis: Congregamini, ut annunciem quae ventura sunt vobis in diebus novissimis.
And Jacob sent for his sons, and said, Come together, all of you, so that I may give you news of your fate in future times.
2 Congregamini, et audite filii Iacob, audite Israel patrem vestrum:
Come near, O sons of Jacob, and give ear to the words of Israel your father.
3 Ruben primogenitus meus, tu fortitudo mea, et principium doloris mei: prior in donis, maior in imperio.
Reuben, you are my oldest son, the first-fruit of my strength, first in pride and first in power:
4 Effusus es sicut aqua, non crescas: quia ascendisti cubile patris tui, et maculasti stratum eius.
But because you were uncontrolled, the first place will not be yours; for you went up to your father's bed, even his bride-bed, and made it unclean.
5 Simeon et Levi fratres: vasa iniquitatis bellantia.
Simeon and Levi are brothers; deceit and force are their secret designs.
6 In consilium eorum non veniat anima mea, et in coetu illorum non sit gloria mea: quia in furore suo occiderunt virum, et in voluntate sua suffoderunt murum.
Take no part in their secrets, O my soul; keep far away, O my heart, from their meetings; for in their wrath they put men to death, and for their pleasure even oxen were wounded.
7 Maledictus furor eorum, quia pertinax: et indignatio eorum, quia dura: dividam eos in Iacob, et dispergam eos in Israel.
A curse on their passion for it was bitter; and on their wrath for it was cruel. I will let their heritage in Jacob be broken up, driving them from their places in Israel.
8 Iuda, te laudabunt fratres tui: manus tua in cervicibus inimicorum tuorum, adorabunt te filii patris tui.
To you, Judah, will your brothers give praise: your hand will be on the neck of your haters; your father's sons will go down to the earth before you.
9 Catulus leonis Iuda: ad praedam fili mi ascendisti: requiescens accubuisti ut leo, et quasi leaena, quis suscitabit eum?
Judah is a young lion; like a lion full of meat you have become great, my son; now he takes his rest like a lion stretched out and like an old lion; by whom will his sleep be broken?
10 NON AUFERETUR sceptrum de Iuda, et dux de femore eius, donec veniat qui mittendus est, et ipse erit expectatio gentium.
The rod of authority will not be taken from Judah, and he will not be without a law-giver, till he comes who has the right to it, and the peoples will put themselves under his rule.
11 Ligans ad vineam pullum suum, et ad vitem, o fili mi, asinam suam. Lavabit in vino stolam suam, et in sanguine uvae pallium suum.
Knotting his ass's cord to the vine, and his young ass to the best vine; washing his robe in wine, and his clothing in the blood of grapes:
12 Pulchriores sunt oculi eius vino, et dentes eius lacte candidiores.
His eyes will be dark with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
13 Zabulon in littore maris habitabit, et in statione navium pertingens usque ad Sidonem.
The resting-place of Zebulun will be by the sea, and he will be a harbour for ships; the edge of his land will be by Zidon.
14 Issachar asinus fortis accubans inter terminos.
Issachar is a strong ass stretched out among the flocks:
15 Vidit requiem quod esset bona: et terram quod optima: et supposuit humerum suum ad portandum, factusque est tributis serviens.
And he saw that rest was good and the land was pleasing; so he let them put weights on his back and became a servant.
16 Dan iudicabit populum suum sicut et alia tribus in Israel.
Dan will be the judge of his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Fiat Dan coluber in via, cerastes in semita, mordens ungulas equi, ut cadat ascensor eius retro.
May Dan be a snake in the way, a horned snake by the road, biting the horse's foot so that the horseman has a fall.
18 SALUTARE tuum expectabo Domine.
I have been waiting for your salvation, O Lord.
19 Gad, accinctus praeliabatur ante eum: et ipse accingetur retrorsum.
Gad, an army will come against him, but he will come down on them in their flight.
20 Aser, pinguis panis eius, et praebebit delicias regibus.
Asher's bread is fat; he gives delicate food for kings.
21 Nephthali, cervus emissus, et dans eloquia pulchritudinis.
Naphtali is a roe let loose, giving fair young ones.
22 Filius accrescens Ioseph, filius accrescens et decorus aspectu: filiae discurrerunt super murum.
Joseph is a young ox, whose steps are turned to the fountain;
23 Sed exasperaverunt eum, et iurgati sunt, invideruntque illi habentes iacula.
He was troubled by the archers; they sent out their arrows against him, cruelly wounding him:
24 Sedit in forti arcus eius, et dissoluta sunt vincula brachiorum et manuum illius per manus potentis Iacob: inde pastor egressus est lapis Israel.
But their bows were broken by a strong one, and the cords of their arms were cut by the Strength of Jacob, by the name of the Stone of Israel:
25 Deus patris tui erit adiutor tuus, et omnipotens benedicet tibi benedictionibus caeli desuper, benedictionibus abyssi iacentis deorsum, benedictionibus huberum et vulvae.
Even by the God of your father, who will be your help, and by the Ruler of all, who will make you full with blessings from heaven on high, blessings of the deep stretched out under the earth, blessings of the breasts and of the fertile body:
26 Benedictiones patris tui confortatae sunt benedictionibus patrum eius: donec veniret desiderium collium aeternorum: fiant in capite Ioseph, et in vertice Nazaraei inter fratres suos.
Blessings of sons, old and young, to the father: blessings of the oldest mountains and the fruit of the eternal hills: let them come on the head of Joseph, on the crown of him who was separate from his brothers.
27 Beniamin lupus rapax, mane comedat praedam, et vespere dividet spolia.
Benjamin is a wolf, searching for meat: in the morning he takes his food, and in the evening he makes division of what he has taken.
28 Omnes hi in tribubus Israel duodecim: haec locutus est eis pater suus, benedixitque singulis benedictionibus propriis.
These are the twelve tribes of Israel: and these are the words their father said to them, blessing them; to every one he gave his blessing.
29 Et praecepit eis, dicens: Ego congregor ad populum meum: sepelite me cum patribus meis in spelunca duplici quae est in agro Ephron Hethaei,
And he gave orders to them, saying, Put me to rest with my people and with my fathers, in the hollow of the rock in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
30 contra Mambre in Terra Chanaan, quam emit Abraham cum agro ab Ephron Hethaeo in possessionem sepulchri.
In the rock in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham got from Ephron the Hittite, to be his resting-place.
31 Ibi sepelierunt eum, et Saram uxorem eius: ibi sepultus est Isaac cum Rebecca coniuge sua: ibi et Lia condita iacet.
There Abraham and Sarah his wife were put to rest, and there they put Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I put Leah to rest.
In the rock in the field which was got for a price from the people of Heth.
33 Finitisque mandatis quibus filios instruebat, collegit pedes suos super lectulum, et obiit: appositusque est ad populum suum.
And when Jacob had come to the end of these words to his sons, stretching himself on his bed, he gave up his spirit, and went the way of his people.
