Genesis, 41

1. Two years later it happened that Pharaoh had a dream: there he was, standing by the Nile,

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

2. and there, coming up from the Nile, were seven cows, sleek and fat, and they began to feed among the rushes.

2. and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows sleek and fat, and they fed in the reed grass.

3. And then seven other cows, wretched and lean, came up from the Nile, behind them; and these went over and stood beside the other cows on the bank of the Nile.

3. And behold, seven other cows, gaunt and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile.

4. The wretched and lean cows ate the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

4. And the gaunt and thin cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. And Pharaoh awoke.

5. He fell asleep and dreamed a second time: there, growing on one stalk, were seven ears of grain, full and ripe.

5. And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk.

6. And then sprouting up, behind them, came seven ears of grain, meagre and scorched by the east wind.

6. And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind.

7. The scanty ears of grain swallowed the seven full and ripe ears of grain. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.

7. And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.

8. In the morning Pharaoh, feeling disturbed, had all the magicians and wise men of Egypt summoned to him. Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was no one to interpret it for Pharaoh.

8. So in the morning his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men; and Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was none who could interpret it to Pharaoh.

9. Then the chief cup-bearer addressed Pharaoh, 'Today, I recall having been at fault.

9. Then the chief butler said to Pharaoh, "I remember my faults today.

10. When Pharaoh was angry with his servants, he put myself and the chief baker in custody in the house of the commander of the guard.

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

11. We had a dream on the same night, he and I, and each man's dream had a meaning for himself.

11. we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own meaning.

12. There was a young Hebrew with us, one of the slaves belonging to the commander of the guard. We told our dreams to him and he interpreted them for us, telling each of us what his dream meant.

12. A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard; and when we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream.

13. It turned out exactly according to his interpretation: I was restored to my position, but the other man was hanged.'

13. And as he interpreted to us, so it came to pass; I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged."

14. Then Pharaoh had Joseph summoned, and they hurried him from the dungeon. He shaved and changed his clothes, and presented himself before Pharaoh.

14. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh.

15. Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I have had a dream, and there is no one to interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can interpret a dream the instant you hear it.'

15. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it; and I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."

16. 'Not I,' Joseph replied to Pharaoh, 'God will give Pharaoh a favourable answer.'

16. Joseph answered Pharaoh, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."

17. So Pharaoh told Joseph, 'In my dream there I was, standing on the bank of the Nile.

17. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile;

18. And there were seven cows, fat and sleek, coming up out of the Nile, and they began to feed among the rushes.

18. and seven cows, fat and sleek, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass;

19. And then seven other cows came up, behind them, starved, very wretched and lean; I have never seen such poor cows in all Egypt.

19. and seven other cows came up after them, poor and very gaunt and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt.

20. The lean and wretched cows ate up the first seven fat cows.

20. And the thin and gaunt cows ate up the first seven fat cows,

21. But when they had eaten them up, it was impossible to tell they had eaten them, for they looked as wretched as ever. Then I woke up.

21. but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as gaunt as at the beginning. Then I awoke.

22. And then again in my dream, there, growing on one stalk, were seven ears of grain, beautifully ripe;

22. I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good;

23. but then sprouting up behind them came seven ears of grain, withered, meagre and scorched by the east wind.

23. and seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them,

24. Then the shrivelled ears of grain swallowed the seven ripe ears of grain. I have told the magicians, but no one has given me the answer.'

24. and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me."

25. Joseph said to Pharaoh, 'Pharaoh's dreams are one and the same: God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is going to do.

25. Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dream of Pharaoh is one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

26. The seven fine cows are seven years and the seven ripe ears of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream.

26. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dream is one.

27. The seven gaunt and lean cows coming up behind them are seven years, as are the seven shrivelled ears of grain scorched by the east wind: there will be seven years of famine.

27. The seven lean and gaunt cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine.

28. It is as I have told Pharaoh: God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is going to do.

28. It is as I told Pharaoh, God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

29. Seven years are coming, bringing great plenty to the whole of Egypt,

29. There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt,

30. but seven years of famine will follow them, when all the plenty in Egypt will be forgotten, and famine will exhaust the land.

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

31. The famine that is to follow will be so very severe that no one will remember what plenty the country used to enjoy.

31. and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of that famine which will follow, for it will be very grievous.

32. The reason why Pharaoh had the same dream twice is that the event is already determined by God, and God will shortly bring it about.

32. And the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

33. 'Pharaoh should now find someone intelligent and wise to govern Egypt.

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

34. Pharaoh should take action and appoint supervisors for the country, and impose a tax of one-fifth on Egypt during the seven years of plenty.

34. Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land, and take the fifth part of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plenteous years.

35. They will collect all the food produced during these good years that are coming, and store the grain under Pharaoh's authority, putting it in the towns and keeping it.

35. And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and lay up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it.

36. This food will form a reserve for the country against the seven years of famine which are coming on Egypt, so that the country will not be destroyed by the famine.'

36. That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine which are to befall the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine."

37. Pharaoh and all his ministers approved of what he had said.

37. This proposal seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his servants.

38. Then Pharaoh asked his ministers, 'Can we find anyone else endowed with the spirit of God, like him?'

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

39. So Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Since God has given you knowledge of all this, there can be no one as intelligent and wise as you.

39. So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discreet and wise as you are;

40. You shall be my chancellor, and all my people shall respect your orders; only this throne shall set me above you.'

40. you shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command; only as regards the throne will I be greater than you."

41. Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I hereby make you governor of the whole of Egypt.'

41. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."

42. Pharaoh took the ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain round his neck.

42. Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

43. He made him ride in the best chariot he had after his own, and they shouted 'Abrek!' ahead of him. Thus he became governor of the whole of Egypt.

43. and he made him to ride in his second chariot; and they cried before him, "Bow the knee!" Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.

44. Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Although I am Pharaoh, no one is to move hand or foot without your permission throughout Egypt.'

44. Moreover Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."

45. Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-Paneah, and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph began to journey all over Egypt.

45. And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaph'enath-pane'ah; and he gave him in marriage As'enath, the daughter of Poti'phera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

46. Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. After leaving Pharaoh's presence, Joseph travelled throughout the length and breadth of Egypt.

46. Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went through all the land of Egypt.

47. During the seven years of plenty, the soil yielded generously.

47. During the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth abundantly,

48. He collected all the food of the seven years while there was an abundance in Egypt, and stored the food in the towns, placing in each the food from the surrounding countryside.

48. and he gathered up all the food of the seven years when there was plenty in the land of Egypt, and stored up food in the cities; he stored up in every city the food from the fields around it.

49. Joseph gathered in grain like the sand of the sea, in such quantity that he gave up keeping count, since it was past accounting.

49. And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.

50. Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph: Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore him these.

50. Before the year of famine came, Joseph had two sons, whom As'enath, the daughter of Poti'phera priest of On, bore to him.

51. Joseph named the first-born Manasseh, 'Because', he said, 'God has made me completely forget my hardships and my father's House.'

51. Joseph called the name of the first-born Manas'seh, "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house."

52. He named the second Ephraim, 'Because', he said, 'God has made me fruitful in the country of my misfortune.'

52. The name of the second he called E'phraim, "For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."

53. Then the seven years of plenty that there had been in Egypt came to an end,

53. The seven years of plenty that prevailed in the land of Egypt came to an end;

54. and the seven years of famine set in, as Joseph had predicted. There was famine in every country, but throughout Egypt there was food.

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

55. But when all Egypt too began to feel the famine and the people appealed to Pharaoh for food, Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, 'Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.'

55. When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do."

56. There was famine all over the world. Then Joseph opened all the granaries and rationed out grain to the Egyptians, as the famine grew even worse in Egypt.

56. So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.

57. People came to Egypt from all over the world to get supplies from Joseph, for the famine had grown severe throughout the world.

57. Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.