Liber Genesis, 49

1. vocavit autem Jacob filios suos et ait eis congregamini ut adnuntiem quæ ventura sunt vobis diebus novissimis

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. congregamini et audite filii Jacob audite Israël patrem vestrum

2. Gather yourselves together, and hear, O ye sons of Jacob, hearken to Israel your father:

3. Ruben primogenitus meus tu fortitudo mea et principium doloris mei prior in donis major imperio

3. Ruben, my firstborn, thou art my strength, and the beginning of my sorrow: excelling in gifts, greater in command.

4. effusus es sicut aqua non crescas quia ascendisti cubile patris tui et maculasti stratum ejus

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. Symeon et Levi fratres vasa iniquitatis bellantia

5. Simeon and Levi brethren: vessels of iniquity, waging war.

6. in consilio eorum ne veniat anima mea et in cœtu illorum non sit gloria mea quia in furore suo occiderunt virum et in voluntate sua suffoderunt murum

6. Let not my soul go into their counsel, nor my glory be in their assembly: "be- cause in their fury they slew a man, and in their selfwill they undermined a wall.

7. maledictus furor eorum quia pertinax et indignatio illorum quia dura dividam eos in Jacob et dispergam illos in Israël

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. Juda te laudabunt fratres tui manus tua in cervicibus inimicorum tuorum adorabunt te filii patris tui

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. catulus leonis Juda a præda fili mi ascendisti requiescens accubuisti ut leo et quasi leæna quis suscitabit eum

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. non auferetur sceptrum de Juda et dux de femoribus ejus donec veniat qui mittendus est et ipse erit expectatio gentium

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. ligans ad vineam pullum suum et ad vitem o fili mi asinam suam lavabit vino stolam suam et sanguine uvæ pallium suum

11. 11Tying 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. pulchriores oculi ejus vino et dentes lacte candidiores

12. His eyes are more beautiful than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.

13. Zabulon in litore maris habitabit et in statione navium pertingens usque ad Sidonem

13. Zabulon shall dwell on the sea shore, and in the road of ships, reaching as far as Sidon.

14. Isachar asinus fortis accubans inter terminos

14. Issachar shall be a strong ass lying down between the borders.

15. vidit requiem quod esset bona et terram quod optima et subposuit umerum suum ad portandum factusque est tributis serviens

15.

16. Dan judicabit populum suum sicut et alia tribus Israël

16. Dan shall judge his people like an- other tribe in Israel.

17. fiat Dan coluber in via cerastes in semita mordens ungulas equi ut cadat ascensor ejus retro

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. salutare tuum expectabo Domine

18. I will look for thy salvation, 0 Lord.

19. Gad accinctus prœliabitur ante eum et ipse accingetur retrorsum

19. Gad, being girded, shall fight before him: and he himself shall be girded backward.

20. Aser pinguis panis ejus et præbebit delicias regibus

20. Aser, his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield dainties to kings.

21. Nepthalim cervus emissus et dans eloquia pulchritudinis

21. Nephtali, a hart let loose, and giving words of beauty.

22. filius adcrescens Joseph filius adcrescens et decorus aspectu filiæ discurrerunt super murum

22. Joseph is a growing son, a growing son and comely to behold; the daughters run to and fro upon the wall.

23. sed exasperaverunt eum et jurgati sunt invideruntque illi habentes jacula

23. But they that held darts provoked him, and quarrelled with him, and envied 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. 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. Deus patris tui erit adiutor tuus et Omnipotens benedicet tibi benedictionibus cæli desuper benedictionibus abyssi jacentis deorsum benedictionibus uberum et vulvæ

25.

26. benedictiones patris tui confortatæ sunt benedictionibus patrum ejus donec veniret desiderium collium æternorum fiant in capite Joseph et in vertice nazarei inter fratres suos

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. Beniamin lupus rapax mane comedet prædam et vespere dividet spolia

27. Benjamin a ravenous wolf, in the morning shall eat the prey, and in the evening shall divide the spoil.

28. omnes hii in tribubus Israël duodecim hæc locutus est eis pater suus benedixitque singulis benedictionibus propriis

28. All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: these things their father spoke to them, and he blessed every one, with their proper blessings.

29. et præcepit eis dicens ego congregor ad populum meum sepelite me cum patribus meis in spelunca duplici quæ est in agro Ephron Hetthei

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. contra Mambre in terra Chanaan quam emit Abraham cum agro ab Ephron Hettheo in possessionem sepulchri

30. Over against Mambre in the land of Chanaan, which Abraham bought to- gather with the field of Ephron the Hethite for a possession to bury in.

31. ibi sepelierunt eum et Sarram uxorem ejus ibi sepultus est Isaac cum Rebecca coniuge ibi et Lia condita jacet

31. There they buried him, and Sara his wife: there was Isaac buried with Rebecca his wife: there also Lia doth lie buried.

32. finitisque mandatis quibus filios instruebat collegit pedes suos super lectulum et obiit adpositusque est ad populum suum

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."