Genesis
Chapter48
1Sometimeafterward,Josephwasinformed,＂Yourfatherisfailing.＂Sohetookalongwithhimhistwosons,ManassehandEphraim.
这些事以后，有人告诉若瑟说：＂你的父亲病了。＂若瑟遂带了他的两个儿子，默纳协和厄弗辣因同去。
2WhenJacobwastold,＂YoursonJosephhascometoyou,＂heralliedhisstrengthandsatupinbed.
人告诉雅各伯说：＂你儿子若瑟来看你。＂以色列遂勉强由床上坐起。
31JacobthensaidtoJoseph:＂GodAlmightyappearedtomeatLuzinthelandofCanaan,andblessingme,
雅各伯对若瑟说：＂全能者天主曾在客纳罕地路次显现给我，祝福了我，
4hesaid,‘Iwillmakeyoufertileandnumerousandraiseyouintoanassemblyoftribes,andIwillgivethislandtoyourdescendantsafteryouasapermanentpossession.'
对我说：看！我要使你繁殖增多，成为一大民族；我要将这地方赐给你未来的后裔，作为永久的产业。
5Yourtwosons,therefore,whowereborntoyouinthelandofEgyptbeforeIjoinedyouhere,shallbemine;EphraimandManassehshallbemineasmuchasReubenandSimeonaremine.
我未到埃及见你以前，你在埃及国所生的两个儿子，由今起应归于我；厄弗辣因和默纳协属我全如勒乌本和西默盎一样。
6Progenyborntoyouafterthemshallremainyours;buttheirheritageshallberecordedinthenamesoftheirtwobrothers.
在他们以后所生的子女，尽归于你；不过在分产业时，他们应归他们兄弟的名下。
72Idothisbecause,whenIwasreturningfromPaddan,yourmotherRacheldied,tomysorrow,duringthejourneyinCanaan,whilewewerestillashortdistancefromEphrath;andIburiedherthereonthewaytoEphrath(thatis,Bethlehem).＂
当我由帕丹回来时，在离厄弗辣大还有一段路程时，在路上你母亲辣黑耳，就在我的悲痛中死在客纳罕地，我就将她葬在去厄弗辣大，即白冷的路旁。＂
8WhenIsraelsawJoseph'ssons,heasked,＂Whoarethese?＂
以色列看见若瑟的儿子，就问说：＂他们是谁？＂
9＂Theyaremysons,＂Josephansweredhisfather,＂whomGodhasgivenmehere.＂＂Bringthemtome,＂saidhisfather,＂thatImayblessthem.＂
若瑟回答父亲说：＂是天主在此地赐给我的儿子。＂以色列说：＂带他们到我跟前来，我要祝福他们。＂
10(NowIsrael'seyesweredimfromage,andhecouldnotseewell.)WhenJosephbroughthissonsclosetohim,hekissedandembracedthem.
以色列因年老眼目昏花，看不清楚；若瑟遂领他们到他跟前；他就口亲他们，抱住他们。
11ThenIsraelsaidtoJoseph,＂Ineverexpectedtoseeyourfaceagain,andnowGodhasallowedmetoseeyourdescendantsaswell!＂
以色列对若瑟说：＂连见你的面我都没有料到；现今，看，天主还使我见到了你的后裔。＂
12Josephremovedthemfromhisfather'skneesandboweddownbeforehimwithhisfacetotheground.
若瑟遂由他父亲膝间将孩子拉出来，俯伏在地下拜。
13ThenJosephtookthetwo,Ephraimwithhisrighthand,toIsrael'sleft,andManassehwithhislefthand,toIsrael'sright,andledthemtohim.
然后若瑟又领他们两个，右手领厄弗辣因到以色列左边，左手领默纳协到以色列右边，到父亲面前。
14ButIsrael,crossinghishands,putouthisrighthandandlaiditontheheadofEphraim,althoughhewastheyounger,andhislefthandontheheadofManasseh,althoughhewasthefirst-born.
以色列却伸出右手，放在次子厄弗辣因的头上，伸出左手放在长子默纳协的头上，故意交叉着自己的手。
15Thenheblessedthemwiththesewords:＂MaytheGodinwhosewaysmyfathersAbrahamandIsaacwalked,TheGodwhohasbeenmyshepherdfrommybirthtothisday,
遂祝福若瑟说：＂愿我的祖先亚巴郎和依撒格一生与之往来的天主，自我出生直到今日牧育我的天主，
16TheAngelwhohasdeliveredmefromallharm,blesstheseboysThatinthemmynameberecalled,andthenamesofmyfathers,AbrahamandIsaac,Andtheymaybecometeemingmultitudesupontheearth!＂
救我脱离一切祸患的使者，祝福这两个孩童！愿我的名及我祖先亚巴郎和依撒格的名，赖他们流传！愿他们在地上生育繁昌！＂
17WhenJosephsawthathisfatherhadlaidhisrighthandonEphraim'shead,thisseemedwrongtohim;sohetookholdofhisfather'shand,toremoveitfromEphraim'sheadtoManasseh's,
若瑟见他父亲将右手放在厄弗辣因头上，认为不对，便拿起父亲的右手，由厄弗辣因头上，移到默纳协头上，
18saying,＂Thatisnotright,father;theotheroneisthefirst-born;layyourrighthandonhishead!＂
对父亲说：＂阿爸！错了；这个原是长子，应将你的右手放在他头上。＂
19Buthisfatherresisted.＂Iknowit,son,＂hesaid,＂Iknow.Thatonetooshallbecomeatribe,andhetooshallbegreat.Nevertheless,hisyoungerbrothershallsurpasshim,andhisdescendantsshallbecomeamultitudeofnations.＂
他的父亲却拒绝说：＂我知道，我儿！我知道，他也要成为一个民族，他也要昌盛；但他的弟弟却比他更要昌盛，他的后裔要成为一大民族。＂
20Sowhenheblessedthemthatdayandsaid,＂ByyoushallthepeopleofIsraelpronounceblessings;maytheysay,‘GodmakeyoulikeEphraimandManasseh,'＂heplacedEphraimbeforeManasseh.
那一天他又这样祝福他们说：＂以色列将以你们祝福人说：愿天主使你如厄弗辣因和默纳协！＂他又将厄弗辣因放在默纳协前面。
21ThenIsraelsaidtoJoseph:＂Iamabouttodie.ButGodwillbewithyouandwillrestoreyoutothelandofyourfathers.
然后以色列对若瑟说：＂看，我快要死；但天主必与你们同在，必领你们回到你们祖先的地方去。
223Asforme,Igivetoyou,astotheoneabovehisbrothers,Shechem,whichIcapturedfromtheAmoriteswithmyswordandbow.＂
现在我将由阿摩黎人手中，以我的刀剑弓矢夺得的那块山地赐给你，使你比众兄弟多得一分。＂
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Footnotes(注解)
1[3]Luz:anoldernameofBethel(Genesis28:19).
2[7]SinceherearlydeathpreventedRachelfrombearingmorethantwosons,Jacobfeelsjustifiedintreatinghertwograndsonsasiftheywereherownoffspring.
3[22]BoththemeaningoftheHebrewandthehistoricalreferenceinthisverseareobscure.BytakingtheHebrewwordforShechemasacommonnounmeaningshoulderormountainslope,sometranslatorsrendertheverse,＂Igiveyouoneportionmorethanyourbrothers,whichIcaptured＂ThereferencemaybetothecaptureofShechembythesonsofJacob(Genesis34:24-29).ShechemlayneartheborderseparatingthetribalterritoryofManassehfromthatofEphraim(Joshua16:4-9;17:1-2,7).