Genesis, 41

1. And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

1. After two whole years Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile

2. And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.

2. when seven cows, sleek and fat, were coming up from the Nile and beginning to feed among the rushes.

3. And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the [other] kine upon the brink of the river.

3. Behind them came seven other cows, lean and scraggy that stood beside the cows already there.

4. And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.

4. These devoured the sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.

5. And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.

5. He fell asleep again and had a second dream. He saw growing on one stalk seven ears of corn that were full and ripe.

6. And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.

6. And after these, there sprouted seven more ears of corn that were small and scorched by the east wind.

7. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, [it was] a dream.

7. Now the small ears of corn swallowed the plump and ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke.

8. And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but [there was] none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

8. In the morning he was uneasy and called all the magicians and wise men in Egypt. He told his dreams to them but not one among them was able to interpret his dreams.

9. Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:

9. Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, "This reminds me of my wrongs.

10. Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, [both] me and the chief baker:

10. Pharaoh was angry with his servants and had me put in custody in the house of the captain of the guard and with me the chief baker.

11. And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.

11. Once on the same night we both had a dream, each with its own meaning.

12. And [there was] there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.

12. With us was a young Hebrew, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him our dreams he interpreted them giving to each one its own meaning.

13. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.

13. What he interpreted for us happened. I was restored to my office and the chief baker was hanged."

14. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved [himself], and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

14. Pharaoh then had Joseph summoned. They took him quickly from the prison, shaved him, changed his clothes and he presented himself to Pharaoh.

15. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and [there is] none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, [that] thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.

15. Then Pharaoh addressed him, "I have had a dream which no one can explain; now I have heard that when you hear a dream you are able to interpret it."

16. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, [It is] not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

16. Joseph replied, "It's not I but God who will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."

17. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:

17. Pharaoh then began telling his dream. "I was beside the Nile

18. And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:

18. when seven fine cows, sleek and fat, came up from the river and began to feed in the rushes.

19. And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:

19. Then seven other cows came up behind them. These were poor, scraggy and lean. I had never seen any so ugly in all the land of Egypt.

20. And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:

20. The thin, gaunt cows ate up the seven fat cows,

21. And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they [were] still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.

21. but after eating them, it was as if they had not eaten them at all because they remained as lean and scraggy as they were before. And then I woke.

22. And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:

22. I also saw in my dream seven ears of corn growing on one stalk, full and ripe.

23. And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, [and] blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:

23. Then, after them, there sprouted seven ears of corn that were hard and small and withered by the east wind.

24. And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told [this] unto the magicians; but [there was] none that could declare [it] to me.

24. The withered ears of corn swallowed the good ears. I told this to the magicians but none of them could explain its meaning."

25. And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh [is] one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he [is] about to do.

25. Then Joseph said, "Pharaoh's dream is one and the same. Yahweh has just revealed to Pharaoh what he will do.

26. The seven good kine [are] seven years; and the seven good ears [are] seven years: the dream [is] one.

26. The seven fat cows are seven years and the seven good ears as well. It's one dream!

27. And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them [are] seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.

27. The seven lean cows coming after them are seven years as are the seven withered ears of corn scorched by the east wind, and they are seven years of famine.

28. This [is] the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God [is] about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

28. As I said to Pharaoh, God is revealing to him what he is about to do.

29. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:

29. There will be seven years of plenty throughout the land of Egypt,

30. And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;

30. but they will be followed by seven years of famine. Then the time of abundance will be forgotten and famine will exhaust the land.

31. And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it [shall be] very grievous.

31. So severe will the famine be that no one will remember the time of plenty.

32. And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; [it is] because the thing [is] established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

32. If the dream has been repeated twice for Pharaoh it is because God has so determined and will soon make it happen.

33. Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

33. Now it is for Pharaoh to choose an intelligent and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt.

34. Let Pharaoh do [this], and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.

34. Pharaoh could have supervisors in the land and could levy a tax of one fifth of the produce of the land during the seven years of plenty.

35. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

35. They must gather all the food of these productive years that are coming and, by the authority of Pharaoh, store grain for food in the towns and keep it.

36. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.

36. This food will be a reserve for the seven years of famine coming to the land of Egypt so that the people will not die of hunger."

37. And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

37. The proposal of Joseph pleased Pharaoh and his ministers, and Pharaoh asked them,

38. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find [such a one] as this [is], a man in whom the Spirit of God [is]?

38. "Where shall we find such a man possessed with the spirit of God?"

39. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, [there is] none so discreet and wise as thou [art]:

39. And to Joseph he said, "Since it is to you that God has made known all this, there can be no one as intelligent and wise as you.

40. Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

40. You shall be over my house, and all my people will obey your orders. Only I myself will be greater than you."

41. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

41. So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt."

42. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

42. He then took the signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He clothed him in fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.

43. And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him [ruler] over all the land of Egypt.

43. He had him ride in the chariot that was second only to his and they cried out before him, "Make way." Thus he was put in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

44. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I [am] Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

44. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh! Without your consent no one is to raise hand or foot in the whole land of Egypt."

45. And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over [all] the land of Egypt.

45. Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-paneah and gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. After that Joseph traveled throughout the land of Egypt.

46. And Joseph [was] thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

46. Joseph was thirty years old when he was summoned to the presence of Pharaoh, King of Egypt. After taking his leave of Pharaoh he journeyed through the entire land of Egypt.

47. And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.

47. During the seven years of plenty the land produced abundantly.

48. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which [was] round about every city, laid he up in the same.

48. So Joseph gathered up all the food that was produced during these years, storing in each town the food from the fields around it.

49. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for [it was] without number.

49. Joseph stored huge quantities of wheat, like the sand from the sea, so much that they lost count of the amount.

50. And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.

50. Before the years of famine came, Asenath, Joseph's wife, had two sons.

51. And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, [said he], hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.

51. Joseph called the first Manasseh, for he said, "God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house."

52. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

52. He called the second by the name of Ephraim, for he said, "God has given me children in the land of my sorrow."

53. And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

53. When the seven years of plenty throughout the land of Egypt came to an end,

54. And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

54. the seven years of famine began as Joseph had foretold. There was famine in all the countries but bread was to be had in every part of Egypt.

55. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

55. When the land of Egypt began to suffer from the famine, the people came to Pharaoh for bread. But Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph and do as he tells you."

56. And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

56. When the famine had spread throughout the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians for the famine was indeed severe over the land.

57. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy [corn]; because that the famine was [so] sore in all lands.

57. As the famine had worsened throughout the whole world, people came from other countries to buy grain from Joseph.