1 Passados dois anos inteiros, teve Faraó um sonho; e eis que estava em pé junto ao Nilo.2 Subiam do Nilo sete vacas, formosas à vista e gordas de carne, que pastavam no carriçal.3 Depois delas subiam do Nilo outras sete vacas, feias à vista e magras de carne, que estavam paradas juntos às outras à beira do Nilo.4 As vacas feias à vista e magras de carne comiam as sete vacas formosas à vista e gordas. Então acordou Faraó.5 Depois adormeceu e sonhou outra vez: saíam duma só cana sete espigas gradas e boas.6 Depois delas nasciam sete espigas delgadas e queimadas do vento oriental.7 As espigas delgadas devoravam as sete espigas gradas e cheias. Então acordou Faraó e eis que era um sonho.8 De manhã achava-se perturbado o seu espírito; e mandou chamar todos os magos do Egito e todos os seus sábios. Faraó contou-lhes o seu sonho, porém não havia quem lhos interpretasse.9 Então disse o copeiro-mor a Faraó: Hoje vou confessar as minhas ofensas:10 Tendo-se irado Faraó com os seus servos, mandou meter-me a mim e ao padeiro-mor em detenção na casa do capitão da guarda.11 Tivemos um sonho na mesma noite, eu e ele; sonhamos cada um conforme a interpretação do seu sonho.12 Achava-se ali um mancebo hebreu, servo do capitão da guarda; contamos-lhe os nossos sonhos, e ele nô-los interpretou; a cada um conforme o seu sonho os interpretou.13 Assim aconteceu, como ele nô-los interpretou: eu fui restituído ao meu cargo, e ele foi enforcado.14 Mandou Faraó chamar a José, e fizeram-lhe sair apressadamente da masmorra. Ele se barbeou, mudou a roupa e foi apresentar-se a Faraó.15 Disse Faraó a José. Tive um sonho e não há quem o possa interpretar. Ouvi dizer de ti que, quando ouves um sonho, podes interpretá-lo.16 Respondeu-lhe José: De modo nenhum; Deus há de dar a Faraó uma resposta de paz.17 Disse Faraó a José: Eis que em meu sonho estava eu em pé à beira do Nilo.18 subiam do Nilo sete vacas gordas de carne e formosas à vista que pastavam no carriçal;19 depois delas subiam outras sete vacas, fracas, mui feias de parecer e magras de carne, tão ruins, que nunca as vi tais em toda a terra do Egito.20 As vacas magras e ruins comiam as primeiras sete vacas gordas;21 e depois das terem consumido, não se podia saber que as tinham consumido; pois o seu aspecto era tão feio como no princípio. Então acordei.22 Depois vi em meu sonho, e eis que duma só cana saíam sete espigas cheias e boas,23 e depois delas nasciam sete espigas murchas, delgadas e queimadas do vento oriental,24 e as espigas delgadas devoravam as sete espigas boas. Contei-o aos magos, porém não houve quem mo pudesse explicar.25 Respondeu-lhe José: O sonho de Faraó é um só; manifestou Deus a Faraó o que está para fazer.26 As sete vacas boas são sete anos, e as sete espigas boas são sete anos: o sonho é um só.27 Também as sete vacas magras e ruins que subiam depois delas são sete anos, e as sete espigas vazias e queimadas do vento oriental serão sete anos de fome.28 É isto o que eu disse a Faraó; manifestou Deus a Faraó o que está para fazer.29 Eis que vêm sete anos de grande abundância por toda a terra do Egito;30 e a estes seguirão sete anos de fome. Toda aquela abundância será esquecida na terra do Egito, e a fome consumirá a terra;31 não será conhecida a abundância na terra por causa daquela fome que seguirá, porque será gravíssima.32 O sonho de Faraó foi repetido duas vezes, porque a coisa é estabelecida por Deus, e ele a fará brevemente.33 Agora se proveja Faraó de um homem entendido e sábio, e o ponha sobre a terra do Egito.34 Faça isso Faraó: nomeie administradores sobre a terra, e tome a quinta parte dos frutos da terra do Egito nos sete anos de abundância.35 Ajuntem os administradores toda a colheita destes bons anos que vêm, recolham o trigo debaixo do poder de Faraó para mantimento nas cidades, e o guardem.36 Assim o mantimento será para o provimento da terra nos sete anos da fome que haverá na terra do Egito; para que não pereça a terra por causa da fome.37 O conselho pareceu bom aos olhos de Faraó e aos olhos de todos os seus servos.38 Perguntou Faraó aos seus servos: Porventura poderemos achar um homem como este, em quem há o espírito de Deus?39 Disse Faraó a José: Visto que Deus te fez saber tudo isto, ninguém há tão entendido e sábio como tu.40 Tu estarás sobre a minha casa, e à tua voz obedecerá todo o meu povo; somente no trono serei eu maior que tu.41 Disse mais Faraó a José: Vê, eu te hei posto sobre toda a terra do Egito.42 Faraó tirou da mão o seu anel de selar e pô-lo na mão de José, fez-lhe vestir vestidos de linho fino e pôs-lhe à roda do pescoço um colar de ouro.43 Fê-lo subir ao seu segundo carro, e clamavam diante dele: Ajoelhai-vos. Ele o constituiu sobre toda a terra do Egito.44 Ainda disse Faraó a José: Eu sou Faraó, e sem a tua ordem não levantará ninguém mão ou pé em toda a terra do Egito.45 Faraó chamou a José Zafenate-Panéia, e deu-lhe por mulher Azenate, filha de Potífera, sacerdote de Om. Saiu José a percorrer a terra do Egito.46 José era da idade de trinta anos, quando se apresentou a Faraó, rei do Egito. Saiu José da presença de Faraó e passou por toda a terra do Egito.47 Durante os sete anos de abundância produziu a terra a mãos cheias.48 Durante estes sete anos que houve na terra do Egito ajuntou José todo o mantimento, e o guardou nas cidades; o mantimento do campo que estava ao redor de cada cidade, o guardou dentro da mesma.49 Recolheu José trigo como a areia do mar em grande abundância, até que cessou de contar; porque a cópia excedia toda a medida.50 Antes que viessem os anos da fome, nasceram dois filhos a José, os quais lhe deu Azenate, filha de Potífera, sacerdote de Om.51 Chamou José ao primogênito Manassés, pois disse: Deus me fez esquecer de todo o meu trabalho e de toda a casa de meu pai.52 Ao segundo chamou Efraim, pois disse: Deus me fez crecer na terra da minha aflição.53 Acabaram-se os sete anos de abundância, que houve na terra do Egito,54 e começaram a vir os sete anos de fome, como José tinha dito. Havia fome em todas as terras, mas em toda a terra do Egito havia pão.55 Tendo toda a terra do Egito fome, clamou pedindo pão a Faraó; e Faraó disse a todos os egípcios: Ide a José; fazei tudo o que ele vos disser.56 Havendo, pois, fome sobre toda a terra, abriu José todos os celeiros e vendia aos egípcios. A fome prevaleceu na terra do Egito.57 Vinham todas as terras ao Egito, para comprarem de José, porque a fome prevaleceu em todo o mundo.

1 Two years later Pharaoh had a dream. He dreamed he was standing by the Nile River.2 Suddenly, seven nice-looking well-fed cows came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.3 Seven other cows came up from the river behind them. These cows were sickly and skinny. They stood behind the first seven cows on the riverbank.4 The cows that were sickly and skinny ate the seven nice-looking well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.5 He fell asleep again and had another dream. Seven heads of grain, full and ripe, were growing on one stalk.6 Then seven other heads of grain sprouted thin and scorched by the desert wind.7 The thin heads of grain swallowed the full ones. The king woke up and realized that he had been dreaming.8 The king was upset the next morning. So he called his magicians and wise men and told them what he had dreamed. None of them could tell him what the dreams meant.9 The king’s chief cupbearer said: »Now I remember what I was supposed to do.10 »When you were angry with your chief cook and me, you threw us both in jail in the house of the captain of the guard.11 »One night we both had dreams. Each dream had a different meaning.12 »A young Hebrew, who was a servant of the captain of the guard, was there with us at the time. When we told him our dreams, he explained what each of them meant.13 »Everything happened just as he said it would. I got my job back, and the cook was put to death.«14 So the king sent for Joseph. He was quickly brought out of jail. He shaved, changed his clothes, and went to the king.15 The king said: »I had a dream. No one can explain what it means. I am told that you can interpret dreams.«16 Joseph then answered Pharaoh: »I cannot do it myself, but God can give the meaning of your dreams.«17 The king told Joseph: »I dreamed as I stood on the bank of the Nile River,18 »I saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river. They began feeding on the grass.19 »Next, seven skinny, bony cows came up out of the river. I have never seen such terrible looking cows anywhere in Egypt.20 »The skinny cows ate the fat ones!21 »Even though they had eaten the fat cows, no one could tell they had eaten them. They looked just as sick as before. Then I woke up.22 »In my second dream I saw seven good, full heads of grain growing on a single stalk.23 »Seven other heads of grain, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted behind them.24 »The thin heads of grain swallowed the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but no one could tell me what it meant.«25 Joseph said to Pharaoh: »Pharaoh had the same dream twice. God has told Pharaoh what he is going to do.26 »The seven good cows are seven years. The seven good heads of grain are seven years. It is all the same dream.27 »The seven thin, sickly cows that came up behind them are seven years. The seven empty heads of grain scorched by the east wind are also seven years. Seven years of famine are coming!28 »It is just as I said to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he is going to do.29 »Seven years are coming when there will be plenty of food in Egypt.30 »Seven years of famine will follow. Then people will forget that there was plenty of food in Egypt. The famine will ruin the land.31 »People will not remember that there was once plenty of food in the land, because the coming famine will be so severe.32 »The reason Pharaoh has had a recurring dream is because the matter has been definitely decided by God. He will do it very soon.33 »Pharaoh should look for a wise and intelligent man and put him in charge of Egypt.34 »Make arrangements to appoint supervisors over the land. Take a fifth of Egypt’s harvest during the seven good years.35 »Have them collect all the food during these good years. Store up grain under Pharaoh’s control, to be kept for food in the cities.36 »This food will be a reserve supply for our country during the seven years of famine that will happen in Egypt. Then the land will not be ruined by the famine.«37 The king and his officials approved this plan,38 and he said to them: »We will never find a better man than Joseph. He is a man who has God’s Spirit in him.«39 The king said to Joseph: »God has shown you all this. Therefore it is obvious that you have greater wisdom and insight than anyone else.40 »I will put you in charge of my country. All my people will obey your orders. Your authority will be second only to mine.41 »I now appoint you governor over all Egypt.«42 Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand. He clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck.43 He had him ride in his second chariot. They proclaimed before him: »Bow the knee!« Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph: »Though I am Pharaoh, yet without your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.«45 Pharaoh named Joseph, Zaphenath-paneah. He gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. And Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt.46 Now Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.47 During the seven years of plenty the land produced abundantly.48 He gathered all the food of these seven years that occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities. He placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields.49 Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea. He finally stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.50 Before the year of famine came, there were born to Joseph two sons, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him.51 Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh, because God helped him forget all his troubles and all about his father’s family.52 He named the second son Ephraim, because God made him fruitful in the land where he had suffered.53 The seven years when there was plenty of food in Egypt came to an end.54 The seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every other country, but there was food throughout Egypt.55 When the Egyptians became hungry, they cried out to the king for food. So he ordered them to go to Joseph and do what he told them.56 The famine grew worse and spread over the entire country. Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians.57 People came to Egypt from all over the world to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.