3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,

my might, the first sign of my strength,

excelling in honor, excelling in power.

4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,

for you went up onto your father’s bed,

onto my couch and defiled it.

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,

my might, and the firstfruits of my strength,

preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.

4 Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence,

because you went up to your father’s bed;

then you defiled it—he went up to my couch!

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength,

the child of my vigorous youth.

You are first in rank and first in power.

4 But you are as unruly as a flood,

and you will be first no longer.

For you went to bed with my wife;

you defiled my marriage couch.

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,

My might and the beginning of my strength,

The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.

4 Unstable as water, you shall not excel,

Because you went up to your father’s bed;

Then you defiled it—

He went up to my couch.

3 “Reuben, my first son, you are my strength.

Your birth showed I could be a father.

You have the highest position among my sons,

and you are the most powerful.

4 But you are uncontrolled like water,

so you will no longer lead your brothers.

This is because you got into your father’s bed

and shamed me by having sexual relations with my slave girl.

3 Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength;

The pre-eminence of dignity, and the pre-eminence of power.

4 Boiling over as water, thou shalt not have the pre-eminence;

Because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed;

Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, My might, and the firstfruits of my vigour: Excellency of dignity, and excellency of strength. 4 Impetuous as the waters, thou shalt have no pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father’s couch: Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my bed.

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, 

my strength, the very first son I had, 

first in majesty and first in power. 

4 You will no longer be first 

because you were out of control like a flood 

and you climbed into your father’s bed. 

Then you dishonored it. 

He climbed up on my couch. 

3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,

my strength and the firstfruits of my virility,

excelling in prominence, excelling in power.

4 Turbulent as water, you will no longer excel,

because you got into your father’s bed

and you defiled it—he got into my bed.

3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,

my might and the first fruits of my vigor,

excelling in rank and excelling in power.

4 Unstable as water, you shall no longer excel

because you went up onto your father’s bed;

then you defiled it—you went up onto my couch!

3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,

my strength, and the firstfruit of my vigor,

excelling in rank and excelling in power.

4 Unstable as water, you shall not excel any longer,

for you went up upon the bed of your father,

then defiled it. You went up upon my couch!

3 “Reuben, you are my oldest son.

You were my first child. You were the first sign of my strength.

You were first in honor. You were first in power.

4 But you are as unsteady as water. So you won’t be first anymore.

You had sex with your father’s concubine in his bed.

You lay on his couch and made it ‘unclean.’

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn;

My might and the beginning of my strength,

Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.

4 “Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence,

Because you went up to your father’s bed;

Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch.