UGenesisi 48
1 Kwasekusithi emva kwalezizinto kwathiwa kuJosefa: Khangela, uyihlo uyagula. Wasethatha amadodana akhe amabili laye, uManase loEfrayimi.
After these things were done, it was reported to Joseph that his father was sick. And taking his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim, he went directly to him.
2 Kwasekubikwa kuJakobe ukuthi: Khangela, indodana yakho uJosefa iyeza kuwe. UIsrayeli waseziqinisa wahlala embhedeni.
And it was told to the old man, “Behold, your son Joseph is coming to you.” And being strengthened, he sat up in bed.
3 UJakobe wasesithi kuJosefa: UNkulunkulu uSomandla wabonakala kimi eLuzi elizweni leKhanani, wangibusisa,
And when he had entered to him, he said: “Almighty God appeared to me at Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, and he blessed me.
4 wathi kimi: Khangela, ngizakwenza uzale ngikwandise ngikwenze ube yizizwe ezinengi, nginike inzalo yakho emva kwakho lelilizwe, libe yimfuyo elaphakade.
And he said: ‘I will increase and multiply you, and I will make you influential among the people. And I will give this land to you, and to your offspring after you, as an everlasting possession.’
5 Khathesi-ke, amadodana akho amabili, owawazalelwa elizweni leGibhithe ngingakafiki kuwe eGibhithe, angawami; uEfrayimi loManase njengoRubeni loSimeyoni bazakuba ngabami.
Therefore, your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came here to you, will be mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be treated by me just like Reuben and Simeon.
6 Kodwa izizukulwana zakho ozazizala emva kwabo zizakuba ngezakho; ngebizo labafowabo zizabizwa elifeni lazo.
But the remainder, whom you will conceive after them, will be yours, and they will be called by the name of their brothers among their possessions.
7 Mina-ke, ekusukeni kwami ePadani, uRasheli wafa elami elizweni leKhanani, endleleni, kuselomangwana ukuya eEfrathi, ngasengimngcwaba khona endleleni yeEfrathi, eyiBhethelehema.
As for me, when I came from Mesopotamia, Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the very journey, and it was springtime. And I entered Ephrath and buried her next to the way of Ephrath, which by another name is called Bethlehem.”
8 UIsrayeli wasebona amadodana kaJosefa wathi: Ngobani laba?
Then, seeing his sons, he said to him: “Who are these?”
9 UJosefa wasesithi kuyise: Bangamadodana ami, uNkulunkulu anginika wona lapha. Wasesithi: Ake uwalethe kimi ngiwabusise.
He responded, “They are my sons, whom God gave to me as a gift in this place.” “Bring them to me,” he said, “so that I may bless them.”
10 Njalo amehlo kaIsrayeli ayefiphele ngenxa yobudala, engelakubona. Wasewasondeza kuye, wawanga, wawagona.
For Israel’s eyes were clouded by reason of his great age, and he was unable to see clearly. And when they were placed up against him, he kissed and embraced them.
11 UIsrayeli wasesithi kuJosefa: Ngangingacabanganga ukuthi ngingabona ubuso bakho, kodwa khangela, uNkulunkulu ungibonise lenzalo yakho.
And he said to his son: “I have not been cheated out of seeing you. Moreover, God has shown me your offspring.”
12 UJosefa wasewakhupha emadolweni akhe, wakhothama ngobuso bakhe emhlabathini.
And when Joseph had taken them from his father’s lap, he reverenced prone on the ground.
13 UJosefa wasebathatha bobabili, uEfrayimi ngesandla sakhe sokunene ngakwesokhohlo sikaIsrayeli, loManase ngesandla sakhe sokhohlo ngakwesokunene sikaIsrayeli, wabasondeza kuye.
And he placed Ephraim on his right, that is, towards the left hand of Israel. Yet truly Manasseh was on his left, namely, towards his father’s right hand. And he placed them both up against him.
14 Kodwa uIsrayeli welula isandla sakhe sokunene, wasibeka ekhanda likaEfrayimi, lanxa engomncinyane, lesandla sakhe sokhohlo ekhanda likaManase, eqondisa izandla zakhe esazi, ngoba uManase wayelizibulo.
And he, extending his right hand, placed it over the head of Ephraim, the younger brother, but the left hand was on the head of Manasseh, who was the elder, so that his hands were crossed.
15 Wasembusisa uJosefa wathi: UNkulunkulu abahamba phambi kwakhe obaba oAbrahama loIsaka, uNkulunkulu owangondla kusukela ebukhoneni bami kuze kube lamuhla,
And Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, and he said: “God, in whose sight my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, walked; God, who pastured me from my youth until the present day;
16 ingilosi engihlenge kokubi konke, ibusise abafana; njalo ibizo lami libizwe kubo, lebizo labobaba oAbrahama loIsaka; bande babebanengi phakathi komhlaba.
the Angel, who rescues me from all evils: bless these boys. And let my name be invoked over them, and also the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac. And may they increase into a multitude across the earth.”
17 Kwathi uJosefa esebonile ukuthi uyise ubeke isandla sakhe sokunene ekhanda likaEfrayimi, kwaba kubi emehlweni akhe; wasibamba isandla sikayise ukuze asisuse ekhanda likaEfrayimi asise ekhanda likaManase.
But Joseph, seeing that his father had placed his right hand over the head of Ephraim, took it gravely. And grasping his father’s hand, he tried to lift it from Ephraim’s head and transfer it onto the head of Manasseh.
18 UJosefa wasesithi kuyise: Hayi njalo, baba, ngoba lo ulizibulo; beka isandla sakho sokunene ekhanda lakhe.
And he said to his father: “It should not have come to pass this way, father. For this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand over his head.”
19 Kodwa uyise wala wathi: Ngiyazi, ndodana yami, ngiyazi; laye uzakuba yisizwe, laye uzakuba mkhulu; kanti lanxa kunjalo umfowabo omncinyane uzakuba mkhulu kulaye, lenzalo yakhe izakuba yikugcwala kwezizwe.
But refusing, he said: “I know, my son, I know. And this one, indeed, will be among the people and will be multiplied. But his younger brother will be greater than he. And his offspring will increase among the nations.”
20 Wasebabusisa ngalolosuku esithi: Ngawe uIsrayeli uzabusisa, esithi: UNkulunkulu kakumise njengoEfrayimi lanjengoManase. Wasebeka uEfrayimi phambi kukaManase.
And he blessed them at that time, saying: “In you, Israel will be blessed, and it will be said: ‘May God treat you like Ephraim, and like Manasseh.’” And he established Ephraim before Manasseh.
21 UIsrayeli wasesithi kuJosefa: Khangela, ngiyafa; kodwa uNkulunkulu uzakuba lani, njalo uzalibuyisela elizweni laboyihlo.
And he said to his son Joseph: “See, I am dying, and God will be with you, and he will lead you back to the land of your fathers.
22 Futhi mina ngikunikile isabelo esisodwa okwedlula abafowenu, engasithatha esandleni samaAmori ngenkemba yami langedandili lami.
I give you one part beyond that of your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”
