Now Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, and he could not see: and he called Esau, his elder son, and said to him: My son? And he answered: Here I am.

Senuit autem Isaac, et caligaverunt oculi ejus, et videre non poterat: vocavitque Esau filium suum majorem, et dixit ei: Fili mi? Qui respondit: Adsum.

And now Isaac was old, and his eyes had grown so dim that he saw nothing. One day he called to his elder son Esau, My son! and when he answered, I am here, at thy command,

And his father said to him: Thou seest that I am old, and know not the day of my death.

Cui pater: Vides, inquit, quod senuerim, et ignorem diem mortis meæ.

See, his father said, how old a man I have grown; there is no telling how soon I may be overtaken by death.

Take thy arms, thy quiver, and bow, and go abroad: and when thou hast taken some thing by hunting,

Sume arma tua, pharetram, et arcum, et egredere foras: cumque venatu aliquid apprehenderis,

Come, fetch that armoury of thine, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out hunting; when thou hast slain thy quarry,

Make me savoury meat thereof, as thou knowest I like, and bring it, that I may eat: and my soul may bless thee before I die.

fac mihi inde pulmentum sicut velle me nosti, et affer ut comedam: et benedicat tibi anima mea antequam moriar.

make me a roast dish, such as I love well, and bring it me to eat. And so thou shalt have my blessing, against the time of my death.

And when Rebecca had heard this, and he was gone into the field to fulfil his father’s commandment,

Quod cum audisset Rebecca, et ille abiisset in agrum ut jussionem patris impleret,

To all this, Rebecca listened; and when Esau had gone out hunting, to do as his father had bidden him,

She said to her son Jacob: I heard thy father talking with Esau thy brother, and saying to him:

dixit filio suo Jacob: Audivi patrem tuum loquentem cum Esau fratre tuo, et dicentem ei:

she said to her son Jacob, I heard thy father talking to thy brother Esau, and thus he spoke to him;

Bring me of thy hunting, and make me meats that I may eat, and bless thee in the sight of the Lord, before I die.

Affer mihi de venatione tua, et fac cibos ut comedam, et benedicam tibi coram Domino antequam moriar.

Bring my venison from the chase, and make me a dish of meat; so thou shalt have my blessing, with the Lord to witness it, against the time of my death.

Now, therefore, my son, follow my counsel:

Nunc ergo, fili mi, acquiesce consiliis meis:

Nothing remains for thee, my son, but to fall in with this plan of mine.

And go thy way to the flock, bring me two kids of the best, that I may make of them meat for thy father, such as he gladly eateth:

et pergens ad gregem, affer mihi duos hædos optimos, ut faciam ex eis escas patri tuo, quibus libenter vescitur:

Make thy way to the herd, and bring me two choice kids; of these I will make such a dish as thy father loves to eat,

Which when thou hast brought in, and he hath eaten, he may bless thee before he die.

quas cum intuleris, et comederit, benedicat tibi priusquam moriatur.

and thou shalt take it in to him; so, when he has eaten it, his dying benediction shall be thine instead.

And he answered her: Thou knowest that Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am smooth.

Cui ille respondit: Nosti quod Esau frater meus homo pilosus sit, et ego lenis:

Bethink thee, answered Jacob, how hairy my brother Esau’s skin is, and mine how smooth!

If my father shall feel me, and perceive it, I fear lest he will think I would have mocked him, and I shall bring upon me a curse instead of a blessing.

si attrectaverit me pater meus, et senserit, timeo ne putet me sibi voluisse illudere, et inducam super me maledictionem pro benedictione.

What if my father should feel it? He will think that I have been trying to make game of him, and it is a curse, not a blessing, I shall win.

And his mother said to him: Upon me be this curse, my son: only hear thou my voice, and go, fetch me the things which I have said.

Ad quem mater: In me sit, ait, ista maledictio, fili mi: tantum audi vocem meam, et pergens, affer quæ dixi.

A curse, my son? said his mother. Let it fall on me; do but attend to my bidding, and fetch me what I ask for.

He went, and brought, and gave them to his mother. She dressed meats, such as she knew his father liked.

Abiit, et attulit, deditque matri. Paravit illa cibos, sicut velle noverat patrem illius.

So he went and brought them to his mother, and she made a dish of meat, such as she knew his father loved.

And she put on him very good garments of Esau, which she had at home with her:

Et vestibus Esau valde bonis, quas apud se habebat domi, induit eum:

She had fine clothes of Esau’s by her in the house, and she dressed Jacob in these;

And the little skins of the kids she put about his hands, and covered the bare of his neck.

pelliculasque hædorum circumdedit manibus, et colli nuda protexit:

enclosed his hands, too in skin he had taken from the kids, and covered his bare neck with it;

And she gave him the savoury meat, and delivered him bread that she had baked.

deditque pulmentum, et panes, quos coxerat, tradidit.

then she gave him the dish, and some loaves which she had cooked, to carry with him.

Which when he had carried in, he said: My father? But he answered: I hear. Who art thou, my son?

Quibus illatis, dixit: Pater mi? At ille respondit: Audio. Quis es tu, fili mi?

So he brought them in, and said, Father. Yes, my son, he said; who is it?

And Jacob said: I am Esau thy firstborn: I have done as thou didst command me: arise, sit, and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.

Dixitque Jacob: Ego sum primogenitus tuus Esau: feci sicut præcepisti mihi: surge, sede, et comede de venatione mea, ut benedicat mihi anima tua.

I am Esau, said Jacob, Esau, thy first-born; I have done thy bidding. Rise up, I pray thee, sit at table, and eat this venison of mine, and give me a father’s blessing.

And Isaac said to his son: How couldst thou find it so quickly, my son? He answered: It was the will of God that what I sought came quickly in my way.

Rursumque Isaac ad filium suum: Quomodo, inquit, tam cito invenire potuisti, fili mi? Qui respondit: Voluntas Dei fuit ut cito occurreret mihi quod volebam.

Why, answered Isaac, how didst thou come to find thy quarry in so short a time, my son? It was God’s pleasure, said he, to send it in my way.

And Isaac said: Come hither, that I may feel thee, my son, and may prove whether thou be my son Esau, or not.

Dixitque Isaac: Accede huc, ut tangam te, fili mi, et probem utrum tu sis filius meus Esau, an non.

Then Isaac said, Come near, and let me feel thee, to make sure whether thou art my son Esau or not.

He came near to his father, and when he had felt him, Isaac said: The voice indeed is the voice of Jacob; but the hands are the hands of Esau.

Accessit ille ad patrem, et palpato eo, dixit Isaac: Vox quidem, vox Jacob est: sed manus, manus sunt Esau.

So he went close to his father; and he, upon feeling the touch of him, said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

And he knew him not, because his hairy hands made him like to the elder. Then blessing him,

Et non cognovit eum, quia pilosæ manus similitudinem majoris expresserant. Benedicens ergo illi,

There was no recognizing Jacob, since his hands were hairy like Esau’s hands, and he must needs give his blessing.

He said: Art thou my son Esau? He answered: I am.

ait: Tu es filius meus Esau? Respondit: Ego sum.

Thou art my son, he said, my son Esau? Yes, he answered, I am.

Then he said: Bring me the meats of thy hunting, my son, that my soul may bless thee. And when they were brought, and he had eaten, he offered him wine also, which after he had drunk,

At ille: Affer mihi, inquit, cibos de venatione tua, fili mi, ut benedicat tibi anima mea. Quos cum oblatos comedisset, obtulit ei etiam vinum. Quo hausto,

Why then, said he, bring it here; let me eat my son’s venison, and give him a father’s blessing. So he ate what was brought him, and Jacob offered him wine too, and he drank.

He said to him: Come near me, and give me a kiss, my son.

dixit ad eum: Accede ad me, et da mihi osculum, fili mi.

Then he said to Jacob, Come here, my son, and kiss me.

He came near, and kissed him. And immediately as he smelled the fragrant smell of his garments, blessing him, he said: Behold the smell of my son is as the smell of a plentiful field, which the Lord hath blessed.

Accessit, et osculatus est eum. Statimque ut sensit vestimentorum illius fragrantiam, benedicens illi, ait: Ecce odor filii mei sicut odor agri pleni, cui benedixit Dominus.

And when he came near, and kissed him, all at once Isaac caught the smell of his garments, and this was the blessing he gave him: How it breathes about this son of mine, the fragrance of earth when the Lord’s blessing is on it!

God give thee the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, abundance of corn and wine.

Det tibi Deus de rore cæli et de pinguedine terræ abundantiam frumenti et vini.

God give thee dew from heaven and fruitful soil, corn and wine in plenty.

And let peoples serve thee, and tribes worship thee: be thou lord of thy brethren, and let thy mother’s children bow down before thee. Cursed be he that curseth thee: and let him that blesseth thee be filled with blessings.

Et serviant tibi populi, et adorent te tribus: esto dominus fratrum tuorum, et incurventur ante te filii matris tuæ: qui maledixerit tibi, sit ille maledictus, et qui benedixerit tibi, benedictionibus repleatur.

Let nations serve thee, and peoples bow before thee; mayst thou be lord over thy brethren, receive obeisance from thy own mother’s sons; a curse on those who curse, a blessing on those who bless thee!

Isaac had scarce ended his words, when Jacob being now gone out abroad, Esau came,

Vix Isaac sermonem impleverat, et egresso Jacob foras, venit Esau,

Scarcely had Isaac finished speaking, and Jacob gone out, when Esau returned.

And brought in to his father meats made of what he had taken in hunting, saying: Arise, my father, and eat of thy son’s venison; that thy soul may bless me.

coctosque de venatione cibos intulit patri, dicens: Surge, pater mi, et comede de venatione filii tui, ut benedicat mihi anima tua.

And now he brought his father a dish of venison; Rise up, father, he said, eat thy son’s venison, and give me a father’s blessing.

And Isaac said to him: Why! who art thou? He answered: I am thy firstborn son Esau.

Dixitque illi Isaac: Quis enim es tu? Qui respondit: Ego sum filius tuus primogenitus Esau.

Why, who art thou? Isaac asked. I am thy son, he answered, thy first-born son Esau.

Isaac was struck with fear, and astonished exceedingly: and wondering beyond what can be believed, said: Who is he then that even now brought me venison that he had taken, and I ate of all before thou camest? and I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed.

Expavit Isaac stupore vehementi: et ultra quam credi potest admirans, ait: Quis igitur ille est qui dudum captam venationem attulit mihi, et comedi ex omnibus priusquam tu venires; benedixique ei, et erit benedictus?

At this, quite overcome with dread, astonished past belief, Isaac cried out, Why then, who is it that has already brought me venison from the chase? Before ever thou camest back to me, I have eaten my fill and to him given my blessing; on him the blessing will come.

Esau having heard his father’s words, roared out with a great cry: and being in a great consternation, said: Bless me also, my father.

Auditis Esau sermonibus patris, irrugiit clamore magno: et consternatus, ait: Benedic etiam et mihi, pater mi.

Esau, on hearing his father’s words, broke out into a loud cry of anguish; Thy blessing, father, for me also thy blessing!

And he said: Thy brother came deceitfully and got thy blessing.

Qui ait: Venit germanus tuus fraudulenter, et accepit benedictionem tuam.

Thy brother, it seems, Isaac answered, came in disguised; he has snatched thy blessing from thee.

But he said again: Rightly is his name called Jacob; for he hath supplanted me lo this second time: my first birthright he took away before, and now this second time he hath stolen away my blessing. And again he said to his father: Hast thou not reserved me also a blessing?

At ille subjunxit: Juste vocatum est nomen ejus Jacob: supplantavit enim me en altera vice: primogenita mea ante tulit, et nunc secundo surripuit benedictionem meam. Rursumque ad patrem: Numquid non reservasti, ait, et mihi benedictionem?

Why, said Esau, he is well named Jacob, the Supplanter; first he took away my birthright, and now he has stolen my blessing. And then, turning to his father, he asked, Hast thou no blessing left, then, a blessing for me too?

Isaac answered: I have appointed him thy lord, and have made all his brethren his servants: I have established him with corn and wine, and after this, what shall I do more for thee, my son?

Respondit Isaac: Dominum tuum illum constitui, et omnes fratres ejus servituti illius subjugavi; frumento et vino stabilivi eum: et tibi post hæc, fili mi, ultra quid faciam?

Nay, answered Isaac, I have designated him thy master; I have condemned all his brethren to do him service; I have assured him of corn and wine; what claim have I left myself to make for thee, my son?

And Esau said to him: Hast thou only one blessing, father? I beseech thee bless me also. And when he wept with a loud cry,

Cui Esau: Num unam, inquit, tantum benedictionem habes, pater? mihi quoque obsecro ut benedicas. Cumque ejulatu magno fleret,

But Esau pleaded still, Hast thou only one blessing to give, father? I pray thee, bless me too. And he could not control his voice, but wept aloud.

Isaac being moved, said to him: In the fat of the earth, and in the dew of heaven from above,

motus Isaac, dixit ad eum: In pinguedine terræ, et in rore cæli desuper,

Then Isaac said, greatly moved, All thy blessing shall come from earth’s fruitfulness, and from the dew of heaven.

Shall thy blessing be. Thou shalt live by the sword and shalt serve thy brother: and the time shall come, when thou shalt shake off and loose his yoke from thy neck.

erit benedictio tua. Vives in gladio, et fratri tuo servies: tempusque veniet, cum excutias et solvas jugum ejus de cervicibus tuis.

Thy sword shall be the breath of life to thee, but thou shalt be subject to thy brother, until the day comes when thou wilt rebel, and wilt shake off his yoke from thy neck.

Esau therefore always hated Jacob for the blessing wherewith his father had blessed him: and he said in his heart: The days will come of the mourning of my father, and I will kill my brother Jacob.

Oderat ergo semper Esau Jacob pro benedictione qua benedixerat ei pater: dixitque in corde suo: Venient dies luctus patris mei, et occidam Jacob fratrem meum.

But ever Esau bore Jacob a grudge over the blessing he had won from their father. Soon, he thought, the days will come when we shall be mourning for my father’s death; that is the time to kill my brother.

These things were told to Rebecca: and she sent and called Jacob her son, and said to him: Behold Esau thy brother threateneth to kill thee.

Nuntiata sunt hæc Rebeccæ: quæ mittens et vocans Jacob filium suum, dixit ad eum: Ecce Esau frater tuus minatur ut occidat te.

News of this reached Rebecca; so she sent for her son Jacob, and told him, Thy brother Esau is threatening thy life.

Now therefore, my son, hear my voice: arise and flee to Laban my brother to Haran:

Nunc ergo, fili mi, audi vocem meam, et consurgens fuge ad Laban fratrem meum in Haran:

Thou must needs do what I bid thee, my son; bestir thyself, and take refuge in Haran with thy uncle, Laban.

And thou shalt dwell with him a few days, till the wrath of thy brother be assuaged,

habitabisque cum eo dies paucos, donec requiescat furor fratris tui,

There thou must dwell for a short while, till thy brother’s anger dies down.

And his indignation cease, and he forget the things thou hast done to him: afterwards I will send, and bring thee from thence hither. Why shall I be deprived of both my sons in one day?

et cesset indignatio ejus, obliviscaturque eorum quæ fecisti in eum: postea mittam, et adducam te inde huc: cur utroque orbabor filio in uno die?

Soon his rage will cool, and he will forget the wrong thou hast done him; then I will send there, and bring thee back home; only begone; shall I let one day’s work rob me of both my sons?

And Rebecca said to Isaac: I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the stock of this land, I choose not to live.

Dixitque Rebecca ad Isaac: Tædet me vitæ meæ propter filias Heth: si acceperit Jacob uxorem de stirpe hujus terræ, nolo vivere.

And to Isaac Rebecca said, I am weary of life, with these Hethite women about me; if Jacob weds a bride of this native stock, may I not live to see it!