Genesis 48

1 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

1 后来，有人来通知约瑟，说他父亲病了，约瑟就带着两个儿子玛拿西和以法莲去探望父亲。

2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up in bed.

2 雅各听说他儿子约瑟来了，就强撑着从床上坐起来，

3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there He blessed me

3 对约瑟说：“全能的上帝曾经在迦南的路斯向我显现，赐福给我。

4 and told me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you; I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’

4 祂对我说，‘我必使你生养众多，人丁兴旺，并把迦南赐给你的子孙永远作产业。’

5 And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.

5 “我来之前，你在埃及生的两个儿子以法莲和玛拿西都算我的，他们跟吕便和西缅一样是我的。

6 Any children born to you after them shall be yours, and they shall be called by the names of their brothers in the territory they inherit.

6 除了他们以外，你其他子女仍然归你，这些子女可以在他们弟兄的名下继承产业。

7 Now as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way in the land of Canaan, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).

7 我从巴旦回来的路上，拉结死在了迦南，那地方离以法他还有一段路程，我把她葬在通往以法他的路旁。”以法他就是伯利恒。

8 When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”

8 以色列看见约瑟的两个儿子，就问：“他们是谁？”

9 Joseph said to his father, “They are the sons God has given me in this place.” So Jacob said, “Please bring them to me, that I may bless them.”

9 约瑟说：“是上帝在这里赐给我的儿子。”以色列说：“把他们带过来，我要祝福他们。”

10 Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

10 以色列年纪老迈，眼睛昏花，看不清楚。约瑟把儿子带到他面前，他就亲吻他们、拥抱他们。

11 “I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “but now God has let me see your children as well.”

11 以色列对约瑟说：“我以为再也见不到你了，上帝竟然还让我见到了你的儿子！”

12 Then Joseph removed his sons from his father’s knees and bowed facedown.

12 约瑟把两个儿子从以色列的膝上领开，自己向父亲俯伏下拜，

13 And Joseph took both of them—with Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand—and brought them close to him.

13 随后左手牵着玛拿西，右手牵着以法莲，把他们分别领到以色列的右边和左边。

14 But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger; and crossing his hands, he put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.

14 但以色列却两手交叉，把右手放在约瑟次子以法莲的头上，左手放在约瑟长子玛拿西的头上。

15 Then he blessed Joseph and said: “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

15 他祝福约瑟说：“愿我祖先亚伯拉罕和以撒敬拜的上帝，就是牧养我一生直到今天的上帝，

16 the angel who has redeemed me from all harm—may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”

16 救我脱离一切患难的天使，赐福这两个孩子。愿我和我祖先亚伯拉罕及以撒的名字借着他们流传。愿他们在地上子孙兴旺。”

17 When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he was displeased and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s.

17 约瑟见父亲把右手放在以法莲的头上，感到不悦，就把父亲的右手从以法莲的头上挪到玛拿西头上，

18 “Not so, my father!” Joseph said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

18 对父亲说：“父亲，你弄错了，这才是长子，你应该把右手按在他的头上。”

19 But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”

19 他父亲却不同意，说：“我儿啊，我知道，我知道。他必发展成一个强大的民族，但他弟弟将比他更强大，他弟弟的后裔必成为多个民族。”

20 So that day Jacob blessed them and said: “By you shall Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

20 雅各那天祝福他们，说：“以色列人必引用你们的名祝福人，说，‘愿上帝使你们像以法莲和玛拿西一样！’”他把以法莲排在玛拿西前面。

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.

21 以色列对约瑟说：“我快死了，但上帝必与你们同在，带你们回到你们祖先的土地。

22 And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”

22 我要把我用刀和弓从亚摩利人手上夺来的那块地留给你，让你比其他弟兄多得一份。”