"Josephis a fruitfulbough,A fruitfulboughby a spring;[Its] branchesrunovera wall.
He namedthe secondEphraim,"For," [he said], "Godhas mademe fruitfulin the landof my affliction."
and the sonsof Joseph,who were bornto him in Egyptwere two;allthe personsof the houseof Jacob,who cameto Egypt,[were] seventy.
Now it cameabout afterthesethingsthat Josephwas told,"Behold,your fatheris sick."So he tookhis twosonsManassehand Ephraimwith him.
He blessedJoseph,and said,"The Godbeforewhommy fathersAbrahamand Isaacwalked,The Godwho has been my shepherdallmy lifeto thisday,
The angelwho has redeemedme from allevil,Blessthe lads;And may my nameliveon in them, And the namesof my fathersAbrahamand Isaac;And may they growinto a multitudein the midstof the earth."
"Nowyour twosons,who were bornto you in the landof EgyptbeforeI cameto you in Egypt,are mine; Ephraimand Manassehshall be mine, as Reubenand Simeonare.
"The archersbitterlyattacked him, And shot[at him] and harassedhim;
How blessedis everyonewho fearsthe LORD,Who walksin His ways.
Your wifeshall be like a fruitfulvineWithinyour house,Your childrenlike oliveplantsAroundyour table.
The mountainswere coveredwith its shadow,And the cedarsof Godwith its boughs.
And it hadstrongbranches[fit] for sceptersof rulers,And its heightwas raisedabovethe cloudsSo that it was seenin its heightwith the massof its branches.
Thoughhe flourishesamongthe reeds,An eastwindwill come,The windof the LORDcomingup from the wilderness;And his fountainwill becomedryAnd his springwill be driedup; It will plunder[his] treasuryof everypreciousarticle.
