1 T hen Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather yourselves together so that I may tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.

Entonces Jacob llamó a sus hijos, y dijo: “Reúnanse para que les haga saber lo que les ha de acontecer en los días venideros.

2 G ather together and hear, O sons of Jacob. Listen to your father Israel.

Júntense y oigan, hijos de Jacob, Y escuchen a Israel su padre.

3 “ Reuben, you are my first-born, my power and the beginning of my strength, first in pride and first in power.

Rubén, tú eres mi primogénito, Mi poderío y el principio de mi vigor, Prominente en dignidad y prominente en poder.

4 B ut because you are as wild as water, the first place will not be yours. It is because you went to your father’s bed and made it unclean.

Incontrolable como el agua, no tendrás preeminencia, Porque subiste a la cama de tu padre, Y la profanaste: él subió a mi lecho.

5 “ Simeon and Levi are brothers. They hurt others with their swords.

Simeón y Leví son hermanos; Sus armas instrumentos de violencia.

6 M ay my soul not have a part in their secrets, nor my shining-greatness be joined to them. Because in their anger they killed men and for no reason they hurt cattle.

En su consejo no entre mi alma, A su asamblea no se una mi gloria, Porque en su ira mataron hombres, Y en su terquedad mutilaron bueyes.

7 T heir anger will be punished, for it is bad. Their bad temper will be punished, for it is bad. I will divide them in Jacob and spread them apart in Israel.

Maldita su ira porque es feroz; Y su furor porque es cruel. Los dividiré en Jacob, Y los dispersaré en Israel.

8 “ Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of those who hate you. Your father’s sons will bow down to you.

A ti Judá, te alabarán tus hermanos; Tu mano estará en el cuello de tus enemigos; Se inclinarán a ti los hijos de tu padre.

9 J udah is a young lion. Like a lion full of meat, you have become great, my son. He lies down and sleeps like a lion. And as a lion, who is willing to wake him?

Cachorro de león es Judá; De la presa, hijo mío, has subido. Se agazapa, se echa como león, O como leona, ¿quién lo despertará ?

10 T he right of a ruler will not leave Judah. The ruler’s special stick will not go from between his feet, until Shiloh comes. Then the people will obey Him.

El cetro no se apartará de Judá, Ni la vara de gobernante de entre sus pies, Hasta que venga Siloh, Y a él sea dada la obediencia de los pueblos.

11 H e ties his young donkey to the vine, his donkey’s young one to the best vine. He washes his clothes in wine, his coats in the blood of grapes.

El ata a la vid su pollino, Y a la mejor cepa el hijo de su asna; él lava en vino sus vestiduras, Y en la sangre de las uvas su manto.

12 H is eyes are darker than wine. And his teeth are whiter than milk.

Sus ojos están apagados por el vino, Y sus dientes blancos por la leche.

13 “ Zebulun will live beside the sea and be a safe place for ships. His land will lie beside Sidon.

Zabulón habitará a la orilla del mar; Y él será puerto para naves, Y su límite será hasta Sidón.

14 “ Issachar is a strong donkey lying down between the loads.

Isacar es un asno fuerte, Echado entre los establos.

15 H e saw that a resting place was good and that the land was pleasing. So he made his shoulder ready to carry loads. He let himself be a servant.

Al ver que el lugar de reposo era bueno Y que la tierra era agradable, Inclinó su hombro para cargar, Y llegó a ser esclavo en trabajos forzados.

16 “ Dan will judge his people, as one of the families of Israel.

Dan juzgará a su pueblo, Como una de las tribus de Israel.

17 D an will be a snake in the way, a snake in the road, that bites the horse’s heels so that the man falls off.

Sea Dan serpiente junto al camino, Víbora junto al sendero, Que muerde los talones del caballo, Y cae su jinete hacia atrás.

18 I wait for Your saving power, O Lord.

¡Tu salvación espero, oh Señor!

19 “ A group of soldiers will go against Gad. But he will go against them at their heels.

A Gad salteadores lo asaltarán, Mas él asaltará su retaguardia.

20 “ Asher’s food will be rich. He will give pleasing food to kings.

En cuanto a Aser, su alimento será sustancioso, Y él dará manjares de rey.

21 “ Naphtali is a female deer let loose who gives beautiful young ones.

Neftalí es una cierva en libertad, Que pronuncia palabras hermosas.

22 “ Joseph is a branch with much fruit, a branch with much fruit by a well. It grows over the wall.

Rama fecunda es José, Rama fecunda junto a un manantial; Sus vástagos se extienden sobre el muro.

23 T he men fought against him with their bows. They sent arrows toward him and made it hard for him.

Los arqueros lo atacaron con furor, Lo asaetearon y lo hostigaron;

24 B ut his bow did not shake. His arms were made strong by the hands of the Powerful One of Jacob, by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

Pero su arco permaneció firme Y sus brazos fueron ágiles Por las manos del Poderoso de Jacob (de allí es el Pastor, la Roca de Israel ),

25 b y the God of your father Who helps you, and by the All-powerful Who brings good to you. He brings good from heaven above, and from the deep that lies below, and from the body of a mother.

Por el Dios de tu padre que te ayuda, Y por el Todopoderoso que te bendice Con bendiciones de los cielos de arriba, Bendiciones del abismo que está abajo, Bendiciones de los pechos y del seno materno.

26 M ore good has come to your father than to my fathers before me, as lasting as the hills that last forever. May this good be on the head of Joseph, on the crown of him who was divided from his brothers.

Las bendiciones de tu padre Han sobrepasado las bendiciones de mis antepasados Hasta el límite de los collados eternos; Sean ellas sobre la cabeza de José, Y sobre la cabeza del consagrado de entre sus hermanos.

27 “ Benjamin is a hungry wolf. In the morning he eats the animals he has caught. And in the evening he divides what he has taken.”

Benjamín es lobo rapaz; De mañana devora la presa, Y a la tarde reparte los despojos.” Muerte de Jacob

28 A ll these are the twelve family groups of Israel. This is what their father said to them when he prayed that good would come to them. He prayed for each of them to receive the good they should have. The Death of Jacob

Todas estas son las doce tribus de Israel, y esto es lo que les dijo su padre cuando los bendijo. A cada uno lo bendijo con la bendición que le correspondía.

29 T hen he told them, “I will soon be with my people who have died before me. Bury me with my fathers in the grave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

Después les ordenó y les dijo: “Voy a ser reunido a mi pueblo. Sepúltenme con mis padres en la cueva que está en el campo de Efrón el Hitita,

30 i n the grave that is in the field of Machpelah, east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan. Abraham bought this grave and the field from Ephron the Hittite for a burying place.

en la cueva que está en el campo de Macpela, que está frente a Mamre, en la tierra de Canaán, la cual Abraham compró junto con el campo de Efrón el Hitita, para posesión de una sepultura.

31 T here they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah. There they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah. And there I buried Leah.

Allí sepultaron a Abraham y a su mujer Sara. Allí sepultaron a Isaac y a su mujer Rebeca, y allí sepulté yo a Lea.

32 T he field and the grave that is in it were bought from the sons of Heth.”

El campo y la cueva que hay en él, fueron comprados de los hijos de Het.”

33 W hen Jacob finished telling his sons what to do, he lay back down on his bed and died.

Cuando Jacob terminó de encargar estas cosas a sus hijos, recogió sus pies en la cama y expiró, y fue reunido a su pueblo.