Genesis 41

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Two years later it happened that Pharaoh had a dream: there he was, standing by the Nile,	1 After a lapse of two years, Pharaoh had a dream. He saw himself standing by the Nile,
2 and there, coming up from the Nile, were seven cows, sleek and fat, and they began to feed amongthe rushes.	2 when up out of the Nile came seven cows, handsome and fat; they grazed in the reed grass.
3 And then seven other cows, wretched and lean, came up from the Nile, behind them; and these wentover and stood beside the other cows on the bank of the Nile.	3 Behind them seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile; and standing on the bank of the Nile beside the others,
4 The wretched and lean cows ate the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.	4 the ugly, gaunt cows ate up the seven handsome, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
5 He fel asleep and dreamed a second time: there, growing on one stalk, were seven ears of grain, fulland ripe.	5 He fell asleep again and had another dream. He saw seven ears of grain, fat and healthy, growing on a single stalk.
6 And then sprouting up, behind them, came seven ears of grain, meagre and scorched by the eastwind.	6 Behind them sprouted seven ears of grain, thin and blasted by the east wind;
7 The scanty ears of grain swal owed the seven ful and ripe ears of grain. Then Pharaoh woke up; ithad been a dream.	7 and the seven thin ears swallowed up the seven fat, healthy ears. Then Pharaoh woke up, to find it was only a dream.
8 In the morning Pharaoh, feeling disturbed, had all the magicians and wise men of Egypt summoned tohim. Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was no one to interpret it for Pharaoh.	8 Next morning his spirit was agitated. So he summoned all the magicians and sages of Egypt and recounted his dreams to them; but no one could interpret his dreams for him.
9 Then the chief cup-bearer addressed Pharaoh, 'Today, I recal having been at fault.	9 Then the chief cupbearer spoke up and said to Pharaoh: "On this occasion I am reminded of my negligence.
10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants, he put myself and the chief baker in custody in thehouse of the commander of the guard.	10 Once, when Pharaoh was angry, he put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the chief steward.
11 We had a dream on the same night, he and I, and each man's dream had a meaning for himself.	11 Later, we both had dreams on the same night, and each of our dreams had its own meaning.
12 There was a young Hebrew with us, one of the slaves belonging to the commander of the guard. Wetold our dreams to him and he interpreted them for us, tel ing each of us what his dream meant.	12 There with us was a Hebrew youth, a slave of the chief steward; and when we told him our dreams, he interpreted them for us and explained for each of us the meaning of his dream.
13 It turned out exactly according to his interpretation: I was restored to my position, but the other manwas hanged.'	13 And it turned out just as he had told us: I was restored to my post, but the other man was impaled."
14 Then Pharaoh had Joseph summoned, and they hurried him from the dungeon. He shaved andchanged his clothes, and presented himself before Pharaoh.	14 Pharaoh therefore had Joseph summoned, and they hurriedly brought him from the dungeon. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he came into Pharaoh's presence.
15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I have had a dream, and there is no one to interpret it. But I have heard itsaid of you that you can interpret a dream the instant you hear it.'	15 Pharaoh then said to him: "I had certain dreams that no one can interpret. But I hear it said of you that the moment you are told a dream you can interpret it."
16 'Not I,' Joseph replied to Pharaoh, 'God wil give Pharaoh a favourable answer.'	16 "It is not I," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God who will give Pharaoh the right 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: "In my dream, I was standing on the bank of the Nile,
18 And there were seven cows, fat and sleek, coming up out of the Nile, and they began to feed amongthe rushes.	18 when up from the Nile came seven cows, fat and well-formed; they grazed in the reed grass.
19 And then seven other cows came up, behind them, starved, very wretched and lean; I have neverseen such poor cows in all Egypt.	19 Behind them came seven other cows, scrawny, most ill-formed and gaunt. Never have I seen such ugly specimens as these in all the land of Egypt!
20 The lean and wretched cows ate up the first seven fat cows.	20 The gaunt, ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows.
21 But when they had eaten them up, it was impossible to tel they had eaten them, for they looked aswretched as ever. Then I woke up.	21 But when they had consumed them, no one could tell that they had done so, because they looked as ugly as before. Then I woke up.
22 And then again in my dream, there, growing on one stalk, were seven ears of grain, beautiful y ripe;	22 In another dream I saw seven ears of grain, fat and healthy, growing on a single stalk.
23 but then sprouting up behind them came seven ears of grain, withered, meagre and scorched by theeast wind.	23 Behind them sprouted seven ears of grain, shriveled and thin and blasted by the east wind;
24 Then the shrivel ed ears of grain swal owed the seven ripe ears of grain. I have told the magicians,but no one has given me the answer.'	24 and the seven thin ears swallowed up the seven healthy ears. I have spoken to the magicians, but none of them can give me an explanation."
25 Joseph said to Pharaoh, 'Pharaoh's dreams are one and the same: God has revealed to Pharaohwhat he is going to do.	25 Joseph said to Pharaoh: "Both of Pharaoh's dreams have the same meaning. God has thus foretold 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 andthe same dream.	26 The seven healthy cows are seven years, and the seven healthy ears are seven years--the same in each dream.
27 The seven gaunt and lean cows coming up behind them are seven years, as are the seven shrivel edears of grain scorched by the east wind: there wil be seven years of famine.	27 So also, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, as are the seven thin, wind-blasted ears; they are 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 just as I told Pharaoh: God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.
29 Seven years are coming, bringing great plenty to the whole of Egypt,	29 Seven years of great abundance are now coming throughout the land of Egypt;
30 but seven years of famine will fol ow them, when al the plenty in Egypt wil be forgotten, and faminewil exhaust the land.	30 but these will be followed by seven years of famine, when all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. When the famine has ravaged the land,
31 The famine that is to fol ow wil be so very severe that no one wil remember what plenty the countryused to enjoy.	31 no trace of the abundance will be found in the land because of the famine that follows it--so utterly severe will that famine be.
32 The reason why Pharaoh had the same dream twice is that the event is already determined by God,and God wil shortly bring it about.	32 That Pharaoh had the same dream twice means that the matter has been reaffirmed by God and that God will soon bring it about.
33 'Pharaoh should now find someone intel igent and wise to govern Egypt.	33 "Therefore, let Pharaoh seek out a wise and discerning man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.
34 Pharaoh should take action and appoint supervisors for the country, and impose a tax of one-fifth onEgypt during the seven years of plenty.	34 Pharaoh should also take action to appoint overseers, so as to regiment the land during the seven years of abundance.
35 They wil col ect al the food produced during these good years that are coming, and store the grainunder Pharaoh's authority, putting it in the towns and keeping it.	35 They should husband all the food of the coming good years, collecting the grain under Pharaoh's authority, to be stored in the towns for food.
36 This food wil form a reserve for the country against the seven years of famine which are coming onEgypt, so that the country wil not be destroyed by the famine.'	36 This food will serve as a reserve for the country against the seven years of famine that are to follow in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish in the famine."
37 Pharaoh and all his ministers approved of what he had said.	37 This advice pleased Pharaoh and all his officials.
38 Then Pharaoh asked his ministers, 'Can we find anyone else endowed with the spirit of God, likehim?'	38 "Could we find another like him," Pharaoh asked his officials, "a man so endowed with the spirit of God?"
39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Since God has given you knowledge of al this, there can be no one asintelligent and wise as you.	39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph: "Since God has made all this known to you, no one can be as wise and discerning as you are.
40 You shall be my chancel or, and al my people shall respect your orders; only this throne shal set meabove you.'	40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people shall dart at your command. Only in respect to the throne shall I outrank you.
41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I hereby make you governor of the whole of Egypt.'	41 Herewith," Pharaoh told Joseph, "I place you in charge of the whole 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 andput a gold chain round his neck.	42 With that, Pharaoh took off his signet ring and put it on Joseph's finger. He had him dressed in robes 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 He then had him ride in the chariot of his vizier, and they shouted "Abrek!" before him. Thus was Joseph installed over the whole land of Egypt.
44 Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Although I am Pharaoh, no one is to move hand or foot without yourpermission throughout Egypt.'	44 "I, Pharaoh, proclaim," he told Joseph, "that without your approval no one shall move hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."
45 Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-Paneah, and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest ofOn, to be his wife. And Joseph began to journey al over Egypt.	45 Pharaoh also bestowed the name of Zaphnath-paneah on Joseph, and he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. After leavingPharaoh's presence, Joseph travel ed throughout the length and breadth of Egypt.	46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. After Joseph left Pharaoh's presence, he traveled throughout the land of Egypt.
47 During the seven years of plenty, the soil yielded generously.	47 During the seven years of plenty, when the land produced abundant crops,
48 He col ected al the food of the seven years while there was an abundance in Egypt, and stored thefood in the towns, placing in each the food from the surrounding countryside.	48 he husbanded all the food of these years of plenty that the land of Egypt was enjoying and stored it in the towns, placing in each town the crops of 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 Joseph garnered grain in quantities like the sands of the sea, so vast that at last he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.
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 famine years set in, Joseph became the father of two sons, borne to him by Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis.
51 Joseph named the first-born Manasseh, 'Because', he said, 'God has made me completely forget myhardships and my father's House.'	51 He named his first-born Manasseh, meaning, "God has made me forget entirely the sufferings I endured at the hands of my family";
52 He named the second Ephraim, 'Because', he said, 'God has made me fruitful in the country of mymisfortune.'	52 and the second he named Ephraim, meaning, "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 When the seven years of abundance enjoyed by 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 the seven years of famine set in, just as Joseph had predicted. Although there was famine in all the other countries, food was available throughout the land of Egypt.
55 But when al 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 hunger came to be felt throughout the land of Egypt and the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, Pharaoh directed all the Egyptians to go to Joseph and do whatever he told them.
56 There was famine all over the world. Then Joseph opened al the granaries and rationed out grain tothe Egyptians, as the famine grew even worse in Egypt.	56 When the famine had spread throughout the land, Joseph opened all the cities that had grain and rationed it to the Egyptians, since the famine had gripped the land of Egypt.
57 People came to Egypt from al over the world to get supplies from Joseph, for the famine had grownsevere throughout the world.	57 In fact, all the world came to Joseph to obtain rations of grain, for famine had gripped the whole world.