Revi'i

Yaakov called for his sons and said, Gather around and I will tell you what will happen to you in latter days.

Come together and listen, sons of Yaakov; listen to [accept chastisement from] Yisrael, your father.

Reuvein, you are my firstborn, you are my strength, and the beginning of my manhood [power]; superior in rank and superior in power [it would have been right for you to take three portions—the birthright, the priesthood, and the kingship].

Unstable as water, you shall no longer be superior, [However, because you went towards your anger like flowing water, you will not benefit, you will not receive an additional portion,] for you have gone up [to the place of] your father’s bed. You profaned He Who went up on my couch[, my son, you went up].

Shimon and Levi are brothers[, mighty men]. Instruments of violence are their wares. [In the land of their residence they did mighty deeds.]

My soul will not enter [was not in] their secret council, let my honor not be identified with their assembly [when they gathered to go to war against Shechem I did not descend from my honor and join them]. For in their anger they killed a [”dead”] man, and through their willfulness they maimed an ox [demolished the enemy’s wall].

Cursed be their anger for it is powerful, and their fury for it is cruel. I will divid them throughout Yaakov and scatter them throughout [the land of] Israel.

Yehudah, your brothers will praise you [you confessed, and you were not ashamed. Your brothers will acknowledge you.] Your hand will be on the neck of [overpower] your enemies. [Your haters will be dispersed. They will turn the back of their necks to you.] Your father’s sons will prostrate themselves to you [greet you first].

Yehudah is like a young lion. [He will be a ruler at the beginning, and at the end, a king will be anointed from the house of Yehudah.] You have risen above plunder my son. [For from the judgment of death, my son, you removed yourself.] He crouches, rests like a lion, [He will rest and dwell in strength like a lion.] like an awesome lion, who will rouse him? [there is no kingdom that can make him tremble.]

The rod [of the ruler] will not depart from [the house of] Yehudah, nor a law-enforcer from between his feet [nor a scribe from his children’s children forever], until Shiloh Comes [the Moshiach will come, for his is the kingship], and to him shall be an assembly of nations [nations will listen].

He loads his young donkey with grapes of a vine, and his she-donkey’s foal with a vine-branch. [He will bring Israel from all around to his city, the nation who will build his Temple. / The righteous will congregate around the Moshiach, and those who engage in Torah will study with him.] He washes his clothes in wine, [May his garments be of fine purple cloth,] and his cloak in the blood of grapes [and his clothes of fine wool colored in scarlet and other colors].

His eyes are red from wine, [His mountains will become red with his vineyards, / His winepresses will be flowing with wine,] and his teeth are white [from an abundance of] milk [His valleys will appear white from the abundance of grain and sheep].

Zevulun will settle on seashores, he will be a harbor for ships [conquer the borders with ships]; [he will consume the best of the sea] his border will reach to Sidon.

Yissachar is a bony donkey [rich in property], crouching [and his inheritance is] between the borders.

He saw that rest [his portion] is good, and that the land is pleasant [produces fruit]; he bent his shoulder to bear the burden [and he will conquer territories of peoples and destroy their inhabitants]; and became a servant to pay the tribute [and those that remain will become workers to him and bring taxes].

Dan will avenge his people [From the house of Dan a man will be chosen and will arise, in his day his people will be delivered], as one of the tribes of Israel [and in his years the tribes of Israel will rest together].

Dan will be a serpent on the road, [The man that will be chosen and will arise from the house of Dan û his terror will fall upon the peoples, and his smiting will be strong against the Pelishtim. Like a viper he will lie on the way,] a viper on the path [and like an old snake he will ambush on the path], that bites the horse’s heel [He will kill the mighty of the camp of the Plishtim / the horsemen with the infantry / He will uproot the horses and chariots] so that the rider falls backward [and he will cause their riders to fall backward].

For your deliverance, I wait, Adonoy.