1這些事以後，有人告訴若瑟說：「你的父親病了。」若瑟遂帶了他的兩個兒子，默納協和厄弗辣因同去。 1After these things, it was told Joseph that his father was sick: and he set out to go to him, taking his two sons Manasses and Ephraim.
2人告訴雅各伯說：「你兒子若瑟來看你。」以色列遂勉強由床上坐起。 2And it was told the old man: Behold thy son Joseph cometh to thee. And being strengthened he sat on his bed.
3雅各伯對若瑟說：「全能者天主曾在客納罕地路次顯現給我，祝福了我， 3And when Joseph was come in to him, he said: God Almighty appeared to me at Luza, which is in the land of Chanaan: and he blessed me,
4對我說：看！我要使你繁殖增多，成為一大民族；我要將這地方賜給你未來的後裔，作為永久的產業。 4And he said: I will cause thee to increase and multiply, and I will make of thee a multitude of people: and I will give this land to thee, and to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
5我未到埃及見你以前，你在埃及國所生的兩個兒子，由今起應歸於我；厄弗辣因和默納協屬我全如勒烏本和西默盎一樣。 5So thy two sons who were born to thee in the land of Egypt before I came hither to thee, shall be mine: Ephraim and Manasses shall be reputed to me as Ruben and Simeon.
6在他們以後所生的子女，盡歸於你；不過在分產業時，他們應歸他們兄弟的名下。 6But the rest whom thou shalt have after them, shall be thine, and shall be called by the name of their brethren in their possessions.
7當我由帕丹回來時，在離厄弗辣大還有一段路程時，在路上你母親辣黑耳，就在我的悲痛中死在客納罕地，我就將她葬在去厄弗辣大，即白冷的路旁。」 7For, when I came out of Mesopotamia, Rachel died from me in the land of Chanaan in the very journey, and it was springtime: and I was going to Ephrata, and I buried her near the way of Ephrata, which by another name is called Bethlehem.
8以色列看見若瑟的兒子，就問說：「他們是誰？」 8Then seeing his sons, he said to him: Who are these?
9若瑟回答父親說：「是天主在此地賜給我的兒子。」以色列說：「帶他們到我跟前來，我要祝福他們。」 9He answered: They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said: Bring them to me that I may bless them.
10以色列因年老眼目昏花，看不清楚；若瑟遂領他們到他跟前；他就口親他們，抱住他們。 10For Israel's eyes were dim by reason of his great age, and he could not see clearly. And when they were brought to him, he kissed and embraced them.
11以色列對若瑟說：「連見你的面，我都沒有料到；現今，看，天主還使我見到了你的後裔。」 11And said to his son: I am not deprived of seeing thee: moreover God hath shewed me thy seed.
12若瑟遂由他父親膝間將孩子拉出來，俯伏在地下拜。 12And when Joseph had taken them from his father's lap, he bowed down with his face to the ground.
13然後若瑟又領他們兩個，右手領厄弗辣因到以色列左邊，左手領默納協到以色列右邊，到父親面前。 13And he set Ephraim on his right hand, that is, towards the left hand of Israel; but Manasses on his left hand, to wit, towards his father's right hand, and brought them near to him.
14以色列卻伸出右手，放在次子厄弗辣因的頭上，伸出左手放在長子默納協的頭上，故意交叉著自己的手。 14But he stretching forth his right hand, put it upon the head of Ephraim the younger brother; and the left upon the head of Manasses who was the elder, changing his hands.
15遂祝福若瑟說：「願我的祖先亞巴郎和依撒格一生與之往來的天主，自我出生直到今日牧育我的天主， 15And Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, and said: God, in whose sight my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, God that feedeth me from my youth until this day;
16救我脫離一切禍患的使者，祝福這兩個孩童！願我的名及我祖先亞巴郎和依撒格的名，賴他們流傳！願他們在地上生育繁昌！」 16The angel that delivereth me from all evils, bless these boys: and let my name be called upon them, and the names of my fathers Abraham, and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.
17若瑟見他父親將右手放在厄弗辣因頭上，認為不對，便拿起父親的右手，由厄弗辣因頭上，移到默納協頭上， 17And Joseph seeing that his father had put his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, was much displeased: and taking his father's hand he tried to lift it from Ephraim's head, and to remove it to the head of Manasses.
18對父親說：「阿爸！錯了；這個原是長子，應將你的右手放在他頭上。」 18And he said to his father: It should not be so, my father: for this is the firstborn, put thy right hand upon his head.
19他的父親卻拒絕說：「我知道，我兒！我知道，他也要成為一個民族，他也要昌盛；但他的弟弟卻比他更要昌盛，他的後裔要成為一大民族。」 19But he refusing, said: I know, my son, I know: and this also shall become peoples, and shall be multiplied: but this younger brother shall be greater than he: and his seed shall grow into nations.
20那一天他又這樣祝福他們說：「以色列將以你們祝福人說：願天主使你如厄弗辣因和默納協！」他又將厄弗辣因放在默納協前面。 20And he blessed them at that time, saying: In thee shall Israel be blessed, and it shall be said: God do to thee as to Ephraim, and as to Manasses. And he set Ephraim before Manasses.
21然後以色列對若瑟說：「看，我快要死；但天主必與你們同在，必領你們回到你們祖先的地方去。 21And he said to Joseph his son: Behold I die, and God will be with you, and will bring you back into the land of your fathers.
22現在我將由阿摩黎人手中，以我的刀劍弓矢奪得的那塊山地賜給你，使你比眾兄弟多得一分。」 22I give thee a portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorrhite with my sword and bow.
注释
48:1-22
本段作者说明两件事：一、雅各伯认若瑟的两个儿子为己子；此二子将成为两大支派，如他亲生的儿子一样；二、默纳协虽为长子，却总达不到次子厄弗辣因的权势。以色列人的历史也证明了这件事。
48:14
以色列人以右边为上位，又以「右手」象徵能力。由此可明白雅各伯和若瑟的用意。
48:15-16
雅各伯的话虽是祝福若瑟，却将祝福归於两个孩子，因此有些古今译本将15节「祝福若瑟」改作「祝福他们」。
48:22
「那块山地」原文作「舍根」，日後成了这山地的名字，日後若瑟也埋葬在这里（苏24:32；若5:5）。