1 Dois anos depois, o faraó teve um sonho: encontrava-se ele perto do Nilo,2 de onde saíram sete vacas belas e gordas, que se puseram a pastar a verdura.3 Mas, eis que saíram em seguida do mesmo Nilo sete outras vacas, feias e magras, que vieram e se puseram ao lado das outras na margem do rio.4 As vacas feias e magras devoraram as sete vacas belas e gordas. E o faraó despertou.5 Adormeceu de novo e teve outro sonho: sete espigas grossas e belas saíam de uma mesma haste.6 Mas eis que em seguida germinaram sete outras espigas, magras e ressequidas pelo vento do oriente.7 E as espigas magras devoraram as sete espigas grossas e cheias. E o faraó despertou: era um sonho.8 Chegada a manhã, o faraó com o espírito preocupado, mandou chamar todos os mágicos e sábios do Egito. Contou-lhes seus sonhos, mas nenhum deles soube explicá-los.9 Então o copeiro-mor disse-lhe: "Vou confessar a minha falta.10 Um dia, tendo-se o faraó irado contra os seus servos, mandou-me meter na prisão em casa do chefe da guarda, com o padeiro-mor.11 Eis que uma noite tivemos nós dois um sonho, cada um o seu.12 Ora, estava lá conosco um jovem hebreu, escravo do chefe da guarda. Contamos-lhe nossos sonhos, e ele no-los interpretou, a cada um o seu.13 E os acontecimentos confirmaram sua interpretação: eu fui restabelecido no meu cargo, e o outro foi pendurado."14 O faraó mandou chamar José, o qual foi, imediatamente, tirado do cárcere. Ele barbeou-se, trocou de roupas e apresentou-se diante do faraó.15 Este disse-lhe: "Tive um sonho que ninguém pôde interpretar. Mas ouvi dizer de ti, que basta contar-te um sonho para que tu o expliques."16 "Não sou eu, respondeu José, mas é Deus quem dará ao faraó uma explicação favorável."17 O faraó disse então a José: "Em meu sonho, eu estava à margem do Nilo,18 e eis que do Nilo saíram sete vacas gordas e belas, que se puseram a pastar a verdura.19 E saíram em seguida sete outras vacas magras, feias e disformes, como jamais vi em todo o Egito.20 As vacas magras e feias devoraram as sete primeiras, as gordas,21 que entraram em seu ventre como se nada fossem, pois ficaram tão macilentas e feias como antes. Nesta altura despertei.22 E tive outro sonho: vi elevar-se de uma mesma haste sete espigas cheias e belas.23 Mas eis que sete outras espigas medíocres, finas e queimadas pelo vento do oriente, germinaram em seguida;24 e as espigas magras engoliram as sete belas espigas. Em vão contei tudo isto aos mágicos; nenhum deles pôde dar-me a explicação".25 José disse ao faraó: "O {duplo} sonho do faraó reduz-se a um só. Deus revelou ao faraó o que ele vai fazer.26 As sete belas vacas são sete anos, e as sete belas espigas, igualmente, sete anos; o sonho é um só.27 As sete vacas magras e feias que saíram em seguida são também sete anos; e as sete espigas vazias e queimadas pelo vento do oriente serão sete anos de miséria.28 É como eu disse ao faraó: Deus lhe revela o que vai fazer.29 Haverá sete anos de grande abundância para todo o Egito.30 Virão em seguida sete anos de miséria que farão esquecer toda a abundância no Egito. A fome devastará o país.31 E a abundância do país não será mais notada, por causa da fome que se seguirá, porque será violenta.32 Se o sonho se repetiu duas vezes ao faraó, é que a coisa está bem decretada da parte de Deus, que vai apressar-se em executá-la.33 Agora, pois, escolha o rei um homem sábio e prudente para pô-lo à testa do país.34 Nomeie também o faraó administradores no país, que recolham a quinta parte das colheitas do Egito, durante os sete anos de abundância.35 Eles ajuntarão todos os produtos destes bons anos que vêm, e armazenarão o trigo nas cidades, à disposição do faraó como provisões a conservar.36 Estes mantimentos formarão para o país uma reserva em previsão dos sete anos de fome que assolarão o Egito. Dessa forma o país não será arruinado pela fome."37 Essas palavras agradaram o faraó e toda a sua gente.38 "Poderíamos, disse-lhes ele, encontrar um homem que tenha, tanto como este, o espírito de Deus?"39 E disse em seguida a José: "Pois que Deus te revelou tudo isto, não haverá ninguém tão prudente e tão sábio como tu.40 Tu mesmo serás posto à frente de toda a minha casa, e todo o meu povo obedecerá à tua palavra: só o trono me fará maior do que tu."41 "Vês, disse-lhe ainda, eis que te ponho à testa de todo o Egito."42 E o faraó, tirando o anel de sua mão, pôs na mão de José; e o fez revestir-se de vestes de linho fino e meteu-lhe ao pescoço um colar de ouro.43 E, fazendo-o montar no segundo dos seus carros, mandou que se clamasse diante dele: "Ajoelhai-vos!" É assim que ele foi posto à frente de todo o Egito,44 e o faraó disse-lhe: "Sou eu o faraó: sem tua permissão não se moverá a mão nem o pé em toda a terra do Egito."45 O faraó chamou a José Tsafenat-Paneac, e deu-lhe por mulher Asenet, filha de Putifar, sacerdote de On.46 José tinha trinta anos quando se apresentou diante do faraó, o rei do Egito. Ele retirou-se da casa do faraó e percorreu todo o país.47 A terra produziu abundantemente durante os sete anos de fertilidade.48 José ajuntou todo o produto destes sete anos no Egito e os pôs em reserva nas cidades, e os mantimentos dos campos que estavam ao redor de cada cidade, guardou-os na mesma cidade.49 José ajuntou trigo como a areia do mar, em tal quantidade que se não podia contar, pois que ela excedia a toda a medida.50 Antes que viesse o ano de fome, nasceram a José dois filhos, que lhe deu Asenet, filha de Putifar, sacerdote de On.51 José chamou ao primeiro Manassés, "porque, dizia ele, Deus fez-me esquecer de todo o meu trabalho e de toda a minha família."52 Chamou ao segundo Efraim, "porque, disse ele, Deus tornou-me fecundo na terra de minha aflição."53 Tendo acabado os sete anos de abundância que houve no Egito,54 os sete anos de miséria começaram, assim como o tinha predito José. A fome assolou todos os países, mas havia pão em toda a terra do Egito.55 Em seguida houve fome também no Egito, e o povo clamou ao faraó pedindo pão. Este disse a todos os egípcios: "Ide a José, e fazei o que ele vos disser."56 Como a fome assolasse toda a terra, José abriu todos os celeiros e vendeu víveres aos egípcios. Mas a penúria cresceu no Egito.57 E de toda a terra vinha-se ao Egito comprar trigo a José, porque a fome era violenta em toda a terra.

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, behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, of good appearance and fat in flesh; and they fed in the meadow.3 And, behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ill–favored and lean in flesh; and they stood by the other cows upon the brink of the river.4 And the ill–favored and lean–fleshed cows did eat up the seven well–favored and fat cows. And Pharaoh awoke.5 And he slept and dreamed a second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up on one stalk, rank and good.6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.7 And the seven thin ears swallowed up the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.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 the same unto Pharaoh.9 Then spoke the chief of the butlers unto Pharaoh, saying, My faults I must call to remembrance this day:10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the house of the captain of the guards, me and the chief of the bakers;11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each in accordance with the interpretation of his dream.12 And there was with us a Hebrew lad, a servant to the captain of the guards; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each according to his dream did he interpret.13 And it came to pass, just as he had interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto my office, and him he hanged.14 Then Pharaoh sent and had Joseph called, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his garments, and came in unto Pharaoh.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 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me; God will give an answer for the peace of Pharaoh.17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the brink of the river;18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, fat in flesh and good in shape; and they fed in the meadow;19 And, behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ill–shaped and lean in flesh; I never saw any like these in all the land of Egypt for ugliness;20 And the lean and the ill–favored cows did eat up the first seven fat cows;21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but their appearance was still as bad as at the beginning. And I awoke.22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up on one stalk, full and good;23 And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them;24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could tell it to me.25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, the dream of Pharaoh is one, that which God is about to do, he hath told to Pharaoh.26 The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the dream is one.27 And the seven thin and ill–favored cows 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 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he hath shown unto Pharaoh.29 Behold, there are coming seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:30 And there shall arise seven years of famine after them, when all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following it; for it shall be very grievous.32 And as it respecteth that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is firmly resolved on by God, and God hasteneth to bring it to pass.33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of plenty.35 And let them gather up all the food of those good years that are coming, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, as food in the cities, and keep the same.36 And that food shall be for a store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land be not cut off through the famine.37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom the spirit of God is?39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Inasmuch as God hath caused thee to know all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou:40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled, only in regard to the throne will I be greater than thou.41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.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 golden chain about his neck;43 And he caused him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bend the knee: and he placed him thus over all the land of Egypt.44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh; but without thee shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath–pa’neach; and he gave him Assenath the daughter of Poti–phera’, the priest of On, for wife. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh the king of Egypt; and Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.47 And the earth brought forth in the seven years of plenty by handfuls.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 of the city, which was round about it, laid he up in the same.49 And Joseph heaped up corn as the sand of the sea, very much; until he left off numbering, for it was without number.50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Assenath the daughter of Poti–phera’ the priest of On, bore unto him.51 And Joseph called the name of the first–born Menasseh: For God said he hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.52 And the name of the second he called Ephraim; For God said he hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.53 And the seven years of plenty, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.54 And the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said; and there was famine in all the countries, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.55 And when all the land of Egypt also felt hunger, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the store–houses, wherein corn was, and sold unto the Egyptians; for the famine grew strong in the land of Egypt.57 And all the countries came into Egypt to buy corn of Joseph; because the famine was sore in all the countries.