Genesis 49
1 vocavit autem Iacob filios suos et ait eis congregamini ut adnuntiem quae ventura sunt vobis diebus novissimis
Then Jacob called his sons, and he said to them: “Gather together, so that I may announce what will happen to you in the last days.
2 congregamini et audite filii Iacob audite Israhel patrem vestrum
Gather together and listen, O sons of Jacob. Listen to Israel, your father.
3 Ruben primogenitus meus tu fortitudo mea et principium doloris mei prior in donis maior imperio
Reuben, my firstborn, you are my strength and the beginning of my sorrow: first in gifts, greater in authority.
4 effusus es sicut aqua non crescas quia ascendisti cubile patris tui et maculasti stratum eius
You are being poured out like water, may you not increase. For you climbed onto your father’s bed, and you defiled his resting place.
5 Symeon et Levi fratres vasa iniquitatis bellantia
The brothers Simeon and Levi: vessels of iniquity waging war.
6 in consilio eorum ne veniat anima mea et in coetu illorum non sit gloria mea quia in furore suo occiderunt virum et in voluntate sua suffoderunt murum
Let not my soul go by their counsel, nor my glory be within their meeting. For in their fury they killed a man, and in their self-will they undermined a wall.
7 maledictus furor eorum quia pertinax et indignatio illorum quia dura dividam eos in Iacob et dispergam illos in Israhel
Cursed be their fury, because it was obstinate, and their indignation, because it was harsh. I will divide them in Jacob, and I will scatter them in Israel.
8 Iuda 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 at the necks of your enemies; the sons of your father will reverence you.
9 catulus leonis Iuda a praeda fili mi ascendisti requiescens accubuisti ut leo et quasi leaena quis suscitabit eum
Judah is a lion’s young. You have gone up to the prey, my son. While resting, you have lain like a lion. And just like a lioness, who would rouse him?
10 non auferetur sceptrum de Iuda et dux de femoribus eius donec veniat qui mittendus est et ipse erit expectatio gentium
The scepter from Judah and the leader from his thigh will not be taken away, until he who will be sent arrives, and he will be the expectation of Gentiles.
11 ligans ad vineam pullum suum et ad vitem o fili mi asinam suam lavabit vino stolam suam et sanguine uvae pallium suum
Tying his young colt to the vineyard, and his donkey, O my son, to the vine, he will wash his robe in wine, and his cloak in the blood of the grape.
12 pulchriores oculi eius vino et dentes lacte candidiores
His eyes are more beautiful than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.
13 Zabulon in litore maris habitabit et in statione navium pertingens usque ad Sidonem
Zebulun will live at the seashore and by the outpost of ships, reaching as far as Sidon.
14 Isachar asinus fortis accubans inter terminos
Issachar will be a strong donkey, reclining between the borders.
15 vidit requiem quod esset bona et terram quod optima et subposuit umerum suum ad portandum factusque est tributis serviens
He saw that rest would be good, and that the land was excellent. And so he bent his shoulder to carry, and he became a servant under tribute.
16 Dan iudicabit populum suum sicut et alia tribus Israhel
Dan will judge his people just like any other tribe in Israel.
17 fiat Dan coluber in via cerastes in semita mordens ungulas equi ut cadat ascensor eius retro
Let Dan be a snake in the way, a viper in the path, biting the hooves of horses, so that his rider may fall backward.
18 salutare tuum expectabo Domine
I will wait for your salvation, O Lord.
19 Gad accinctus proeliabitur ante eum et ipse accingetur retrorsum
Gad, being girded, will fight before him. And he himself will be girded backward.
20 Aser pinguis panis eius et praebebit delicias regibus
Asher: his bread will be fat, and he will provide delicacies to the kings.
21 Nepthalim cervus emissus et dans eloquia pulchritudinis
Naphtali is a stag sent forth, offering words of eloquent beauty.
22 filius adcrescens Ioseph filius adcrescens et decorus aspectu filiae discurrerunt super murum
Joseph is a growing son, a growing son and stately to behold; the daughters run back and forth on the wall.
23 sed exasperaverunt eum et iurgati sunt invideruntque illi habentes iacula
But those who held darts, provoked him, and they contend with him, and they envied him.
24 sedit in forti arcus eius et dissoluta sunt vincula brachiorum et manuum illius per manus potentis Iacob inde pastor egressus est lapis Israhel
His bow sits in strength, and the bands of his arms and hands have been let loose by the hands of the mighty one of Jacob. From there he went forth as a pastor, the stone of Israel.
25 Deus patris tui erit adiutor tuus et Omnipotens benedicet tibi benedictionibus caeli desuper benedictionibus abyssi iacentis deorsum benedictionibus uberum et vulvae
The God of your father will be your helper, and the Almighty will bless you with the blessings of heaven above, with the blessings of the abyss that lies beneath, with the blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 benedictiones patris tui confortatae sunt benedictionibus patrum eius donec veniret desiderium collium aeternorum fiant in capite Ioseph et in vertice nazarei inter fratres suos
The blessings of your father are strengthened by the blessings of his fathers, until the desire of the hills of eternity shall arrive. May they be at the head of Joseph, and at the summit of the Nazarite, among his brothers.
27 Beniamin lupus rapax mane comedet praedam et vespere dividet spolia
Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning he will eat the prey, and in the evening he will divide the spoil.”
28 omnes hii in tribubus Israhel duodecim haec locutus est eis pater suus benedixitque singulis benedictionibus propriis
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. These things their father spoke to them, and he blessed each one with their proper blessings.
29 et praecepit eis dicens ego congregor ad populum meum sepelite me cum patribus meis in spelunca duplici quae est in agro Ephron Hetthei
And he instructed them, saying: “I am being gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the double cave, which is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
30 contra Mambre in terra Chanaan quam emit Abraham cum agro ab Ephron Hettheo in possessionem sepulchri
opposite Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought, along with its field, from Ephron the Hittite, as a possession for burial.
31 ibi sepelierunt eum et Sarram uxorem eius ibi sepultus est Isaac cum Rebecca coniuge ibi et Lia condita iacet
There they buried him, with his wife Sarah.” And there Isaac was buried with his wife Rebekah. There also Leah lies preserved.
33 finitisque mandatis quibus filios instruebat collegit pedes suos super lectulum et obiit adpositusque est ad populum suum
And having finished these commands by which he instructed his sons, he drew his feet onto the bed, and he passed away. And he was gathered to his people.
