Genesis 49

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Vocavit autem Jacob filios suos, et ait eis : Congregamini, ut annuntiem quæ ventura sunt vobis in diebus novissimis.	1 Jacob called his sons and said: "Gather around, that I may tell you what is to happen to you in days to come.
2 Congregamini, et audite, filii Jacob, audite Israël patrem vestrum :	2 "Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob, listen to Israel, your father.
3 Ruben, primogenitus meus, tu fortitudo mea, et principium doloris mei ; prior in donis, major in imperio.	3 "You, Reuben, my first-born, my strength and the first fruit of my manhood, excelling in rank and excelling in power!
4 Effusus es sicut aqua, non crescas : quia ascendisti cubile patris tui, et maculasti stratum ejus.	4 Unruly as water, you shall no longer excel, for you climbed into your father's bed and defiled my couch to my sorrow.
5 Simeon et Levi fratres vasa iniquitatis bellantia.	5 "Simeon and Levi, brothers indeed, weapons of violence are their knives.
6 In consilium eorum non veniat anima mea, et in c?tu illorum non sit gloria mea : quia in furore suo occiderunt virum, et in voluntate sua suffoderunt murum.	6 Let not my soul enter their council, or my spirit be joined with their company; For in their fury they slew men, in their willfulness they maimed oxen.
7 Maledictus furor eorum, quia pertinax : et indignatio eorum, quia dura : dividam eos in Jacob, et dispergam eos in Israël.	7 Cursed be their fury so fierce, and their rage so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob, disperse them throughout Israel.
8 Juda, te laudabunt fratres tui : manus tua in cervicibus inimicorum tuorum, adorabunt te filii patris tui.	8 "You, Judah, shall your brothers praise --your hand on the neck of your enemies; the sons of your father shall bow down to you.
9 Catulus leonis Juda : ad prædam, fili mi, ascendisti : requiescens accubuisti ut leo, et quasi leæna : quis suscitabit eum ?	9 Judah, like a lion's whelp, you have grown up on prey, my son. He crouches like a lion recumbent, the king of beasts--who would dare rouse him?
10 Non auferetur sceptrum de Juda, et dux de femore ejus, donec veniat qui mittendus est, et ipse erit expectatio gentium.	10 The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his legs, While tribute is brought to him, and he receives the people's homage.
11 Ligans ad vineam pullum suum, et ad vitem, o fili mi, asinam suam, lavabit in vino stolam suam et in sanguine uvæ pallium suum.	11 He tethers his donkey to the vine, his purebred ass to the choicest stem. In wine he washes his garments his robe in the blood of grapes.
12 Pulchriores sunt oculi ejus vino, et dentes ejus lacte candidiores.	12 His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk.
13 Zabulon in littore maris habitabit, et in statione navium pertingens usque ad Sidonem.	13 "Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore (This means a shore for ships), and his flank shall be based on Sidon.
14 Issachar asinus fortis accubans inter terminos.	14 "Issachar is a rawboned ass, crouching between the saddlebags.
15 Vidit requiem, quod esset bona et terram, quod optima : et supposuit humerum suum ad portandum, factusque est tributis serviens.	15 When he saw how good a settled life was, and how pleasant the country, He bent his shoulder to the burden and became a toiling serf.
16 Dan judicabit populum suum sicut et alia tribus in Israël.	16 "Dan shall achieve justice for his kindred like any other tribe of Israel.
17 Fiat Dan coluber in via, cerastes in semita, mordens ungulas equi, ut cadat ascensor ejus retro.	17 Let Dan be a serpent by the roadside, a horned viper by the path, That bites the horse's heel, so that the rider tumbles backward.
18 Salutare tuum expectabo, Domine.	18 "(I long for your deliverance, O LORD!)
19 Gad, accinctus præliabitur ante eum : et ipse accingetur retrorsum.	19 "Gad shall be raided by raiders, but he shall raid at their heels.
20 Aser, pinguis panis ejus, et præbebit delicias regibus.	20 "Asher's produce is rich, and he shall furnish dainties for kings.
21 Nephthali, cervus emissus, et dans eloquia pulchritudinis.	21 "Naphtali is a hind let loose which brings forth lovely fawns.
22 Filius accrescens Joseph, filius accrescens et decorus aspectu : filiæ discurrerunt super murum.	22 "Joseph is a wild colt ,a wild colt by a spring, a wild ass on a hillside.
23 Sed exasperaverunt eum et jurgati sunt, invideruntque illi habentes jacula.	23 Harrying and attacking, the archers opposed him;
24 Sedit in forti arcus ejus, et dissoluta sunt vincula brachiorum et manuum illius per manus potentis Jacob : inde pastor egressus est, lapis Israël.	24 But each one's bow remained stiff, as their arms were unsteady, By the power of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
25 Deus patris tui erit adjutor tuus, et omnipotens benedicet tibi benedictionibus cæli desuper, benedictionibus abyssi jacentis deorsum, benedictionibus uberum et vulvæ.	25 The God of your father, who helps you, God Almighty, who blesses you, With the blessings of the heavens above, the blessings of the abyss that crouches below, The blessings of breasts and womb,
26 Benedictiones patris tui confortatæ sunt benedictionibus patrum ejus, donec veniret desiderium collium æternorum : fiant in capite Joseph, et in vertice Nazaræi inter fratres suos.	26 the blessings of fresh grain and blossoms, The blessings of the everlasting mountains, the delights of the eternal hills. May they rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.
27 Benjamin lupus rapax, mane comedat prædam, et vespere dividet spolia.	27 "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; mornings he devours the prey, and evenings he distributes the spoils."
28 Omnes hi in tribubus Israël duodecim : hæc locutus est eis pater suus, benedixitque singulis benedictionibus propriis.	28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said about them, as he bade them farewell and gave to each of them an appropriate message.
29 Et præcepit eis, dicens : Ego congregor ad populum meum : sepelite me cum patribus meis in spelunca duplici quæ est in agro Ephron Hethæi,	29 Then he gave them this charge: "Since I am about to be taken to my kindred, bury me with my fathers in the cave that lies in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
30 contra Mambre in terra Chanaan, quam emit Abraham cum agro ab Ephron Hethæo in possessionem sepulchri.	30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, facing on Mamre, in the land of Canaan, the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite for a burial ground.
31 Ibi sepelierunt eum, et Saram uxorem ejus : ibi sepultus est Isaac cum Rebecca conjuge sua : ibi et Lia condita jacet.	31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, and so are Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and there, too, I buried Leah--
32 Finitisque mandatis quibus filios instruebat, collegit pedes suos super lectulum, et obiit : appositusque est ad populum suum.	32 the field and the cave in it that had been purchased from the Hittites."
	33 When Jacob had finished giving these instructions to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and was taken to his kindred.