1. Jacob called his sons and said to them: Gather together so that I can tell you what will happen to you in the last days.
2. Be assembled and listen, sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel your father.
3. Reuben, my firstborn are you, my vigor and firstborn of my power, endowed with extra dignity, endowed with extra strength—
4. like water boiling over you will not have extra, for you got up into your father’s bed, when you defiled a maid’s couch.
5. Simeon and Levi are brothers, instruments of violence are their knives.
6. In their secret counsel may my soul not enter. In their contingent may my honor never be united. For in their anger they slew men, and in their self-will they maimed oxen.
7. Cursed be their anger for it was strong and their rage for it was cruel— I will disperse them in Jacob, I will scatter them in Israel.
8. Judah, so you are— your brothers will praise you: Your hand will be on your enemies’ neck. Your father’s sons will bow down to you.
9. A lion’s cub is Judah— from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches, lies down like a lion, or like a lioness— who would rouse him?
10. The scepter will not pass from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs will come. To him will be the obedience of the peoples.