1. And Ya‛aqoḇ called his sons and said, “Gather together, so that I declare to you what is to befall you in the last days:
2. “Gather together and hear, you sons of Ya‛aqoḇ, and listen to Yisra’ĕl your father.
3. “Re’uḇĕn, you are my first-born, my power and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of exaltation and the excellency of power.
4. “Boiling like water, you do not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, then you defiled it – he went up to my couch.
5. “Shim‛on and Lĕwi are brothers, their weapons are implements of violence.
6. “Let my being not enter their council, let my esteem not be united to their assembly; because they slew a man in their displeasure, and they lamed an ox in pleasure.
7. “Cursed be their displeasure for it is fierce, and their wrath for it is cruel! I divide them in Ya‛aqoḇ and scatter them in Yisra’ĕl.
8. “You, Yehuḏah, your brothers praise you; your hand is on the neck of your enemies; your father’s children bow down before you.
9. “Yehuḏah is a lion’s cub; from the prey you have gone up, my son! He bowed down, he crouched like a lion. And like a lion, who does rouse him?
10. “The sceptre shall not turn aside from Yehuḏah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to Him is the obedience of peoples.
11. “Binding his donkey to the vine, and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he washed his garments in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes.
12. “His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.
13. “Zeḇulun dwells at the seashore, he is for a haven for ships, and his border is unto Tsiḏon.