Genesis 41

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

After two long years, Pharaoh had a dream. In it, he found himself standing by the river.

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

Suddenly, from the river, seven healthy and plump cows emerged, grazing peacefully in the lush meadow.

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.

Suddenly, seven other cows emerged from the river, looking sickly and thin. They stood next to the other cows on the riverbank.

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

The sickly, skinny cows devoured the seven healthy, plump ones. This startling sight jolted Pharaoh awake.

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

And he drifted into sleep again, dreaming vividly. In his dream, he saw a single stalk bearing seven robust and healthy heads of grain.

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

Suddenly, seven frail stalks, withered by the harsh eastern wind, emerged.

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

The seven frail stalks consumed the seven healthy, full ones. Pharaoh woke up, realizing it was all just a dream.

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.

When morning came, Pharaoh was deeply disturbed. He summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt, sharing his dream with them. Yet, none could unravel its meaning.

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

The chief cupbearer confessed to Pharaoh, "Today, I realize and regret my mistakes."

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:

Pharaoh was furious with his servants and, in his anger, imprisoned me along with the head baker in the captain of the guard's house.

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

In a single night, both of us were swept away into dreams, each one unique, each with its own meaning.

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.

Among us was a young Hebrew man, a servant to the guard's captain. We shared our dreams with him, and he translated them for us, giving each of us an interpretation unique to our dream.

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

Just as he predicted, it happened; he brought me back to my position, but he met his end on the gallows.

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.

In a rush, Pharaoh summoned Joseph from his grim prison cell. Joseph quickly cleaned up, swapping his grimy clothes for fresh ones, and presented himself before Pharaoh.

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.

Pharaoh turned to Joseph, his voice heavy with frustration, "I've had a dream that no one can decipher. But I've heard you have a knack for understanding dreams. Can you help?"

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

Joseph humbly responded to Pharaoh, "I am not the source, but God will provide you with a peaceful answer."

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

Pharaoh confided in Joseph, his voice trembling with fear, "In my dream, I found myself standing alone on the riverbank."

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

Suddenly, from the river emerged seven robust and attractive cows, grazing peacefully in a lush meadow.

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:

Suddenly, seven more cows appeared, looking sickly and thin, the worst I'd ever seen in all of Egypt.

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

The weak and sickly cows devoured the first seven healthy, plump ones.

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.

After they had consumed everything, there was no sign of their feast. Yet, they remained as gaunt and sickly as before. With that, I woke up.

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

In my dream, I saw with awe and wonder, seven healthy, bountiful heads of grain growing together on a single stalk.

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

Suddenly, seven frail and withered ears of grain, ravaged by the harsh eastern wind, emerged in their wake.

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.

The weak stalks consumed the seven healthy ones. I shared this with the wise men, but none could explain it to me.

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

Joseph assured Pharaoh, "Your dream has a single meaning. God has revealed to you His future plans."

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

The seven healthy cows represent seven prosperous years; the seven full ears of grain also symbolize seven fruitful years. Both are parts of the same dream.

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.

The seven sickly cows that followed represent seven years, just as the seven barren ears of grain, shriveled by the eastern wind, symbolize seven years of severe hunger.

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

I've already told Pharaoh this: God is about to act, and He's giving Pharaoh a heads up.

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

Look, seven years of abundant blessings are coming to every corner of Egypt!

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;

After their time, seven harsh years of scarcity will follow. Egypt will forget its abundance, and the famine will devour the land.

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

The abundance will be forgotten in the land due to the ensuing hunger; it will be incredibly harsh.

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.

The dream appearing twice to Pharaoh signifies its certainty, set by God Himself. Soon, God will make it a reality.

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

Pharaoh, find a wise and discerning man to lead Egypt with care and intelligence.

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.

Pharaoh should take action, assign leaders across the land, and gather a fifth of Egypt's bounty during the seven years of abundance.

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.

Allow them to collect the bounty of the prosperous years ahead, storing grain under Pharaoh's watchful eye, ensuring there is food in the cities for all.

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.

The food will serve as a lifeline during Egypt's seven-year famine, preventing the land and its people from succumbing to starvation.

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

Pharaoh and all his servants found the matter pleasing, they felt good about it.

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

Pharaoh, awestruck, asked his servants, "Can we find anyone else like this, a man so clearly filled with God's spirit?"

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

Pharaoh, deeply moved, told Joseph, "Since God has revealed all this to you, there's no one as insightful and wise as you."

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.

You will lead my household, and all my people will obey your word. Only the throne itself will make me greater than you.

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

With a sense of awe and humility, Joseph listened as Pharaoh declared, "Joseph, behold, I've entrusted you with the entirety of Egypt."

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;

With a sense of profound respect, Pharaoh removed his ring and gently placed it on Joseph's hand. He dressed him in luxurious, soft linen and adorned his neck with a golden chain.

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.

He was placed in the second chariot, a symbol of honor. People shouted, "Show respect!" and he was appointed as the ruler of all Egypt.

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.

Pharaoh told Joseph, "I am the ruler here, but without you, no one in Egypt can do anything."

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.

Pharaoh, with a sense of respect, renamed Joseph as Zaphnathpaaneah. He then, with a sense of generosity, gave him Asenath, Potipherah the priest of On's daughter, as his wife. Filled with gratitude and purpose, Joseph journeyed across the vast expanse of Egypt.

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.

At the age of thirty, Joseph found himself standing before Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. After their meeting, he journeyed across the vast expanse of the Egyptian lands.

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

During the seven abundant years, the earth generously overflowed with its bountiful gifts.

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.

With great care, he collected all the food harvested over seven years in Egypt. He stored it in the cities, laying up in every city the food grown in the fields around it.

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

Joseph collected an unimaginable amount of grain, as countless as the sand of the sea, so vast that he eventually stopped counting it.

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.

Before the harsh years of famine, Joseph was blessed with two sons, born to him by his beloved wife Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, the priest of On.

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.

Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh, saying, "God has helped me let go of my struggles and my past."

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

He named his second son Ephraim, saying, "God has blessed me with abundance in the midst of my struggles."

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

The seven years of abundant blessings in Egypt had finally come to a close.

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.

As Joseph had predicted, seven years of harsh famine began, affecting all lands. Yet, in Egypt, there was still bread to be found.

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.

As hunger swept across Egypt, the desperate people pleaded with Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh, in response, directed everyone to Joseph, saying, "Follow Joseph's instructions."

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.

The entire world was gripped by hunger. Joseph, however, opened all the granaries and sold grain to the Egyptians. Despite this, the famine in Egypt became increasingly severe.

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

Every nation, gripped by the harsh famine, turned to Joseph in Egypt, desperate to buy grain.