Genesis 49

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 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.	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 Gather together and listen, O sons of Jacob. Listen to Israel, your father.	2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, O ye sons of Jacob, hearken to Israel your father:
3 Reuben, my firstborn, you are my strength and the beginning of my sorrow: first in gifts, greater in authority.	3 Ruben, my firstborn, thou art my strength, and the beginning of my sorrow: excelling in gifts, greater in command.
4 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.	4 Thou art poured out as water, grow thou not: because thou wentest up to thy father's bed, and didst defile his couch.
5 The brothers Simeon and Levi: vessels of iniquity waging war.	5 Simeon and Levi brethren: vessels of iniquity, waging war.
6 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.	6 Let not my soul go into their counsel, nor my glory be in their assembly: because in their fury they slew a man, and in their selfwill they undermined a wall.
7 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.	7 Cursed be their fury, because it was stubborn: and their wrath because it was cruel: I Will divide them in Jacob, and will scatter them in Israel.
8 Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be at the necks of your enemies; the sons of your father will reverence you.	8 Juda, thee shall thy brethren praise: thy hands shall be on the necks of thy enemies: the sons of thy father shall bow down to thee.
9 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?	9 Juda 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 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.	10 The sceptre 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 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.	11 Tying his foal to the vineyard, and his ass, 0 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 Zebulun will live at the seashore and by the outpost of ships, reaching as far as Sidon.	13 Zabulon shall dwell on the sea shore, and in the road of ships, reaching as far as Sidon.
14 Issachar will be a strong donkey, reclining between the borders.	14 Issachar shall be a strong ass lying down between the borders.
15 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.	15 dummy verses inserted by amos
16 Dan will judge his people just like any other tribe in Israel.	16 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.
17 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 I will wait for your salvation, O Lord.	18 Dan shall judge his people like another tribe in Israel.
19 Gad, being girded, will fight before him. And he himself will be girded backward.	19 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.
20 Asher: his bread will be fat, and he will provide delicacies to the kings.	20 I will look for thy salvation, 0 Lord.
21 Naphtali is a stag sent forth, offering words of eloquent beauty.	21 Gad, being girded, shall fight before him: and he himself shall be girded backward.
22 Joseph is a growing son, a growing son and stately to behold; the daughters run back and forth on the wall.	22 Aser, his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield dainties to kings.
23 But those who held darts, provoked him, and they contend with him, and they envied him.	23 Nephtali, a hart let loose, and giving words of beauty.
24 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.	24 Joseph is a growing son, a growing son and comely to behold; the daughters run to and fro upon the wall.
25 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.	25 But they that held darts provoked him, and quarrelled with him, and envied him.
26 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.	26 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.
27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning he will eat the prey, and in the evening he will divide the spoil.”	27 dummy verses inserted by amos
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. These things their father spoke to them, and he blessed each one with their proper blessings.	28 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.
29 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 opposite Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought, along with its field, from Ephron the Hittite, as a possession for burial.	30 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.
31 There they buried him, with his wife Sarah.” And there Isaac was buried with his wife Rebekah. There also Leah lies preserved.	31 Benjamin a ravenous wolf, in the morning shall eat the prey, and in the evening shall divide the spoil.
32 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.	32 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: these things their father spoke to them, and he blessed every one, with their proper blessings.
	33 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,
	34 Over against Mambre in the land of Chanaan, which Abraham bought togather with the field of Ephron the Hethite for a possession to bury in.