1 And Jacob called his sons, and said to them: Come together, that I may shew you the things that shall come to you in the last days.
1 And Jacob called his sons, and said to them: Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you the things that shall befall you in the last days.
2 Come together, and hear you sons of Jacob, hear ye Israel your father.
2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, O ye sons of Jacob, hearken to Israel, your father:
3 Ruben my first-begotten, thou art my strength, & the beginning of my sorrow: former in gifts, greater in Empire.
3 Ruben, my firstborn, thou art my strength, and the beginning of my sorrow; excelling in gifts, greater in command.
4 Thou art poured out as water, increase thou not: because thou didst ascend thy father's bed, and didst defile his couch.
4 Thou art poured out as water, grow thou not; ¹because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed, and didst defile his couch.
5 Simeon and Levi brethren: vessels of iniquity warring.
5 Simeon and Levi brethren: vessels of iniquity waging war.
6 Into their counsel come not my soul, and in their congregation be not my glory: because in their fury they slew a man, and in their willfulness they undermined a wall.
6 Let not my soul go into their counsel, nor my glory be in their assembly: ²because in their fury they slew a man, and in their self will they undermined a wall.
7 Cursed be their fury, because it is stubborn; and their indignation, because it is hard: I will divide them in Jacob, and will disperse them in Israel.
7 Cursed be their fury, because it was stubborn: and their wrath, because it was cruel: ³I will divide them in Jacob, and will scatter them in Israel.
8 Judas, thee thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies: thy father's children shall adore thee.
8 Juda, thee shall thy brethren praise: thy hand shall be on the necks of thy enemies; the sons of thy father shall bow down to thee.
9 Alion's whelp Judas: to the prey my son thou didst ascend: taking thy rest thou didst lie as a lion, and as it were a lioness, who shall raise him up?
9 ⁴Juda is a lion’s whelp: to the prey, my son, thou art gone up: resting thou hast couched as a lion, and as a lioness, who shall rouse him?
10 The Sceptre Shall Not be Taken Away From Judas, And A duke Out of His Thigh, Till he do Come That is to be Sent, And The Same Shall be The Expectation of The Gentiles.
10 ⁵The scepter shall not be taken away from Juda, nor a ruler from his thigh, till he come that is to be sent, and he shall be the expectation of nations.
11 Tying to the vineyard his colt, and to the vine, o my son, his she ass. He shall wash his stole in wine, and in the blood of the grape his cloak.
11 Tying his foal to the vineyard, and his ass, O my son, to the vine. He shall wash his robe in wine, and his garment in the blood of the grape.
12 His eyes are more beautiful than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.
12 His eyes are more beautiful than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.
13 Zabulon shall dwell in the shore of the sea, and in the road of ships reaching as far as Sidon.
13 Zabulon shall dwell on the seashore, and in the road of ships, reaching as far as Sidon.
14 Issachar a strong ass lying at rest between the borders.
14 Issachar shall be a strong ass, lying down between the borders.
15 He saw rest that it was good; and the earth that it was very good: and he put under his shoulder to carry, and became serving under tributes.
15 He saw rest that it was good: and the land that it was excellent: and he bowed his shoulder to carry, and became a servant under tribute.
16 Dan shall judge his own people, as also another tribe in Israel.
16 Dan shall judge his people like another tribe in Israel.
17 Be Dan a snake in the way, a serpent in the path, biting the hoofs of the horse, that his rider may fall backward.
17 Let Dan be a snake in the way, a serpent in the path, that biteth the horse’s heels, that his rider may fall backward.
18 I will expect Thy Salvation o Lord.
18 I will look for thy salvation, O Lord.
19 Gad, the girded shall fight before him: and himself shall be girded backward.
19 Gad, being girded, shall fight before him: and he himself shall be girded backward.
20 Aser, his bread is fat, and he shall give dainties to kings.
20 Aser, his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield dainties to kings.
21 Nephthali, a hart let forth, and giving speeches of beauty.
21 Nephthali, a hart let loose, and giving words of beauty.
22 Joseph a child increasing, increasing and comely to behold: the daughters coursed to and fro upon the wall.
22 ⁶Joseph is a growing son, a growing son and comely to behold: the daughters run to and fro upon the wall;
23 But the dart men did exasperate him, and brawled, and envied him.
23 But they that held darts, provoked him, and quarreled with him, and envied him.
24 His bow sat upon the strong, and the bands of his arms and his hands were dissolved, by the hands of the Mighty of Jacob: thence came forth a pastor, the son of Israel.
24 His bow rested upon the strong, and the bands of his arms and his hands were loosed, by the hands of the mighty one of Jacob: thence he came forth a pastor, the stone of Israel.
25 The God of thy father shall be thy helper, and the Almighty shall bless thee with the blessings of heaven from above, with the blessings of the depth that lieth beneath, with the blessings of the paps and of the womb.
25 The God of thy father shall be thy helper, and the Almighty shall bless thee with the blessings of heaven above, with the blessings of the deep that lieth beneath, with the blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of thy father were strengthened with the blessings of his fathers: until the desire of the eternal hills came: be they upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the Nazarite among his brethren.
26 The blessings of thy father are strengthened with the blessings of his fathers: until the desire of the everlasting hills should come: may they be upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the Nazarite among his brethren.
27 Benjamin a ravening wolf, in the morning shall eat the prey, and in the evening shall divide the spoil.
27 Benjamin a ravenous wolf, in the morning shall eat the prey, and in the evening shall divide the spoil.
28 All these in the tribes of Israel twelve: these things spake their father to them, and he blessed every one, with their proper blessings.
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: these things their father spoke to them, and he blessed everyone with their proper blessings.
29 And he commanded them, saying: I am gathered unto my people: bury you me with my fathers in the double cave, which is in the field of Ephron the Hethite,
29 And he charged them, saying: I am now going to be gathered to my people: bury me with my fathers in the double cave, which is in the field of Ephron the Hethite,
30 Against Mambre in the Land of Chanaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hethite for a possession to bury in.
30 Over against Mambre, in the land of Chanaan,⁷ which Abraham bought together with the field, of Ephron the Hethite, for a possession to bury in.
31 There they buried him, and Sara his wife: there was Isaac buried with Rebecca his wife: there also Lia doth lie buried.
31 There they buried him, and Sara his wife: there was Isaac buried with Rebecca, his wife: there also Lia doth lie buried.
32 And when he had finished the precepts wherewith he instructed his sons, he plucked up his feet upon the bed, and died; and he was put unto his people.
32 And when he had ended the commandments, wherewith he instructed his sons, he drew up his feet upon the bed, and died: and he was gathered to his people.