Genesis, 41

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

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

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 river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.

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 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.

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

4. And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So 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 slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.

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

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

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 seven thin ears devoured the seven rank 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. 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.

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

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

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. 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:

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

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

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. 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.

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

13. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he 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 he shaved [himself], and changed his raiment, and came in unto 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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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, 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:

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

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

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. 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.

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

22. And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in 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, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, [and] blasted with the east wind, sprung up 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 devoured the seven good ears: and I told [this] unto the magicians; but [there was] none that could declare [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. And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh [is] one: God hath shewed 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 kine [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. 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.

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

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

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

29. Behold, there 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. 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;

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 shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it [shall 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 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.

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

33. Now therefore let Pharaoh look out 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 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.

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

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. 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.

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

37. And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of 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 unto his servants, Can we find [such a one] as this [is], a man in whom the Spirit of God [is]?

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

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

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

41. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee 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. 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;

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 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.

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

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 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.

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. 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.

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

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

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, 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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

52. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be 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. And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

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 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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