My sons, I am Jacob,
    your father Israel.
² Come, gather around,
    as I tell your future.

³ Reuben, you are my oldest,
born at the peak of my powers;
    you were an honored leader.
⁴ Uncontrollable as a flood,
you slept with my wife
    and disgraced my bed.
And so you no longer deserve
    the place of honor.

⁵ Simeon and Levi,
you are brothers,
    each a gruesome sword.
⁶ I never want to take part
    in your plans or deeds.
You slaughtered people
    in your anger,
and you crippled cattle
    for no reason.
⁷ Now I place a curse on you
because of
    your fierce anger.
Your descendants
will be scattered
    among the tribes of Israel.

⁸ Judah, you will be praised
    by your brothers;
they will bow down to you,
    as you defeat your enemies.
⁹ My son, you are a lion
    ready to eat your victim!
You are terribly fierce;
    no one will bother you.
¹⁰ You will have power and rule
until nations obey you^[a]
    and come bringing gifts.
¹¹ You will tie your donkey
    to a choice grapevine
and wash your clothes
    in wine from those grapes.
¹² Your eyes are darker than wine,
    your teeth whiter than milk.

¹³ Zebulun, you will settle
    along the seashore
and provide safe harbors
    as far north as Sidon.

¹⁴ Issachar, you are a strong donkey
    resting in the meadows.^[b]
15 You found them so pleasant
that you worked too hard
    and became a slave.

¹⁶ Dan,^[c] you are the tribe
that will bring justice
    to Israel.
¹⁷ You are a snake that bites
the heel of a horse,
    making its rider fall.

¹⁸ Our Lord, I am waiting
    for you to save us.

¹⁹ Gad,^[d] you will be attacked,
    then attack your attackers.

²⁰ Asher, you will eat food
    fancy enough for a king.

²¹ Naphtali, you are a wild deer
    with lovely fawns.^[e]

²² Joseph, you are a fruitful vine
growing near a stream
    and climbing a wall.^[f]
23 Enemies attacked with arrows,
    refusing to show mercy.
²⁴ But you stood your ground,
    swiftly shooting back
with the help of Jacob’s God,
    the All-Powerful One—
his name is the Shepherd,
    Israel’s mighty rock.^[g]
25 Your help came from the God
your father worshiped,
    from God All-Powerful.
God will bless you with rain
    and streams from the earth;
he will bless you
    with many descendants.
²⁶ My son, the blessings I give
are better than the promise
    of ancient mountains
    or eternal hills.^[h]
Joseph, I pray these blessings
    will come to you,
because you are the leader
    of your brothers.

²⁷ Benjamin, you are a fierce wolf,
destroying your enemies
    morning and evening.