Deuteronomy 33

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 This is the blessing that Moses, man of God, pronounced over the Israelites before he died.	1 This is the blessing, with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the sons of Israel before his death.
2 He said: Yahweh came from Sinai, from Seir he dawned on us, from Mount Paran blazed forth, Forthem he came, after the mustering at Kadesh, from his zenith as far as the foothil s.	2 And he said: “The Lord went forth from Sinai, and he arose for us from Seir. He appeared from Mount Paran, and thousands of holy ones were with him. The fiery law was in his right hand.
3 You who love the ancestors! Your holy ones are all at your command. At your feet they fell, under yourguidance went swiftly on.	3 He loved the people; all the holy ones are in his hand. And those who approach his feet shall receive from his doctrine.
4 (Moses enjoined a law on us.) The assembly of Jacob comes into its inheritance;	4 Moses instructed us in the law, the inheritance of the multitude of Jacob.
5 there was a king in Jeshurun when the heads of the people foregathered and the tribes of Israel wereal assembled!	5 The king shall have great righteousness, at the gathering of the princes of the people with the tribes of Israel.
6 May Reuben survive and not die out, survive though his men be few!	6 Let Ruben live, and not die, and may he be small in number.”
7 Of Judah he said this: Listen, Yahweh, to the voice of Judah, and bring him back to his people. Thathis hands may defend his rights, come to his help against his foes!	7 This is the blessing of Judah. “Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, and lead him to his people. His hands shall fight for him, and he shall be his helper against his adversaries.”
8 Of Levi he said: To Levi, give your urim, to your faithful one, your thummim, having tested him atMassah, having striven with him at the Waters of Meribah.	8 Likewise, to Levi he said: “Your perfection and your doctrine are for your holy man, whom you have proven by temptation, and whom you have judged at the Waters of Contradiction.
9 Of his father and mother, he says, 'I have not seen them.' He does not acknowledge his brothers, nordoes he know his own children. Yes, they have kept your word, they hold firmly to your covenant.	9 He has said to his father and to his mother, ‘I do not know you,’ and to his brothers, ‘I will disregard you.’ And they have not known their own sons. Such as these have kept your word and have observed your covenant:
10 They wil teach your customs to Jacob, and your Law to Israel. They wil put incense before you andburnt offerings on your altar.	10 your judgments, O Jacob, and your law, O Israel. They shall place incense before your fury and a holocaust upon your altar.
11 Yahweh, bless his worthiness, and accept the actions he performs. Crush the loins of those who riseagainst him and of his foes, so that they rise no more!	11 O Lord, bless his strength, and receive the works of his hands. Strike the backs of his enemies, and do not let those who hate him rise up.”
12 Of Benjamin he said: Beloved of Yahweh, he rests trustful y near him. The Most High protects himday after day and dwel s between his hil sides.	12 And to Benjamin he said: “The most beloved of the Lord will live confidently in him. He shall remain all day long, as if in a bridal chamber, and he shall rest amid her arms.”
13 Of Joseph he said: His land is blessed by Yahweh. For him the best of heaven's dew and of the deepthat lies below,	13 Likewise, to Joseph he said: “His land shall be from the blessing of the Lord, from the fruits of heaven, and from the dew, and from the abyss which lies below,
14 the best of what the sun makes grow, of what springs with every month,	14 from the fruits of the crops under the sun and the moon,
15 the first-fruits of the ancient mountains, the best from the hil s of old	15 from the heights of the ancient mountains, from the fruits of the everlasting hills,
16 the best of the land and al it holds, the favour of him who dwells in the Bush. May the hair grow thickon the head of Joseph, on the brow of the consecrated one among his brothers!	16 and from the fruits of the earth with all its plenitude. May the blessing of him who appeared in the bush, settle upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of the Nazarite among his brothers.
17 First-born of the Bul , his the glory. His horns are the wild ox's horns, with which he gores thepeoples to the very ends of the earth. Such are the myriads of Ephraim, such are the thousands of Manasseh.	17 His excellence is like that of a first-born bull. His horns are like the horns of a rhinoceros; he shall brandish these against the Gentiles, even to the ends of the earth. These are the multitudes of Ephraim, and these the thousands of Manasseh.”
18 Of Zebulun he said: Prosper, Zebulun, in your expeditions, and you, Issachar, in your tents!	18 And to Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, O Zebulun, in your departure, and Issachar, in your tabernacles.
19 On the mountain where the people come to pray they offer upright sacrifices, for they taste the richesof the seas and the treasures hidden in the sands.	19 They shall summon the peoples to the mountain. There, they shall immolate the victims of justice, who feed on the flood of the sea, as if on milk, and on the hidden treasures of the sands.”
20 Of Gad he said: Blessed be he who gives Gad space enough! He lies there like a lioness; he hassavaged arm and face and head.	20 And to Gad he said: “Blessed is Gad in his breadth. He has rested like a lion, and he has seized the arm and the top of the head.
21 Then he took the first portion for himself, saw that there was stored up for him a leader's share. Hehas come at the head of the people, has carried out the saving justice of Yahweh and his judgements on Israel.	21 And he has seen his own pre-eminence, which his teacher has stored up as his portion. He was with the princes of the people, and he accomplished the justices of the Lord, and his judgment with Israel.”
22 Of Dan he said: Dan is a lion cub leaping from Bashan.	22 Likewise, to Dan he said: “Dan is a young lion. He shall flow plentifully from Bashan.”
23 Of Naphtali he said: Naphtali, sated with favours, fil ed with the blessings of Yahweh: the west andsouth are to be his domain.	23 And to Naphtali he said: “Naphtali shall enjoy abundance, and he shall be full of the blessings of the Lord. He shall possess the sea and the Meridian.”
24 Of Asher he said: Most blessed of the sons let Asher be! Let him be the most privileged of hisbrothers and let him bathe his feet in oil!	24 Likewise, to Asher he said: “Let Asher be blessed with sons. Let him be pleasing to his brothers, and let him dip his foot in oil.
25 Be your bolts of iron and of bronze and your security as lasting as your days!	25 His shoe shall be of iron and of brass. As were the days of your youth, so also shall be your old age.
26 No one is like the God of Jeshurun: he rides the heavens to your rescue, rides the clouds in hismajesty!	26 There is no other god like the God of the most righteous one. He who rides upon the heavens is your helper. His magnificence scatters the clouds.
27 The God of old is your refuge, his the eternal arm which here below drives the enemy before you; heit is who says, 'Destroy!'	27 His habitation is above, and the everlasting arms are below. He shall cast out the enemy before your face, and he shall say: ‘Be utterly broken!’
28 Israel rests trustfully. The well-spring of Jacob is chosen out for a land of corn and wine; thereheaven itself rains down dew.	28 Israel shall live in confidence and alone, as the eye of Jacob in a land of grain and of wine; and the heavens shall be misty with dew.
29 Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, O victorious people? Yahweh is the shield that protectsyou and the sword that leads you to triumph. Your enemies wil try to corrupt you, but you yourself wil trample ontheir backs.	29 Blessed are you, O Israel. Who is like you, the people who are saved by the Lord? He is the shield of your assistance and the sword of your glory. Your enemies will refuse to acknowledge you, and so you shall tread upon their necks.”