Part 50

41:13. And we heard what afterwards the event of the thing proved to be so. For I was restored to my office: and he was hanged upon a gibbet.

41:14. Forthwith at the king's command Joseph was brought out of the prison, and they shaved him: and changing his apparel brought him in to him.

41:15. And he said to him: I have dreamed dreams, and there is no one that can expound them: Now I have heard that thou art very wise at interpreting them:

41:16. Joseph answered: Without me, God shall give Pharao a prosperous answer.

41:17. So Pharao told what he had dreamed: Methought I stood upon the bank of the river,

41:18. And seven kine came up out of the river, exceeding beautiful and full of flesh: and they grazed on green places in a marshy pasture.

41:19. And behold, there followed these, other seven kine, so very ill-favoured and lean, that I never saw the like in the land of Egypt:

41:20. And they devoured and consumed the former,

41:21. And yet gave no mark of their being full: but were as lean and ill-favoured as before. I awoke, and then fell asleep again,

41:22. And dreamed a dream: Seven ears of corn grew up upon one stalk, full and very fair.

41:23. Other seven also thin and blasted, sprung of the stalk:

41:24. And they devoured the beauty of the former: I told this dream to the conjecturers, and there is no man that can expound it.

41:25. Joseph answered: The king's dream is one: God hath shewn to Pharao what he is about to do.

41:26. The seven beautiful kine, and the seven full ears, are seven years of plenty: and both contain the same meaning of the dream.

41:27. And the seven lean and thin kine that came up after them, and the seven thin ears that were blasted with the burning wind, are seven years of famine to come:

41:28. Which shall be fulfilled in this order.

41:29. Behold, there shall come seven years of great plenty in the whole land of Egypt:

41:30. After which shall follow other seven years of so great scarcity, that all the abundance before shall be forgotten: for the famine shall consume all the land,

41:31. And the greatness of the scarcity shall destroy the greatness of the plenty.

41:32. And for that thou didst see the second time a dream pertaining to the same thing: it is a token of the certainty, and that the word of God cometh to pass, and is fulfilled speedily.

41:33. Now therefore let the king provide a wise and industrious man, and make him ruler over the land of Egypt:

41:34. That he may appoint overseers over all the countries: and gather into barns the fifth part of the fruits, during the seven fruitful years,

41:35. That shall now presently ensue: and let all the corn be laid up, under Pharao's hands, and be reserved in the cities.

41:36. And let it be in readiness, against the famine of seven years to come, which shall oppress Egypt, and the land shall not be consumed with scarcity.

41:37. The counsel pleased Pharao, and all his servants.

41:38. And he said to them: Can we find such another man, that is full of the spirit of God?

41:39. He said therefore to Joseph: Seeing God hath shewn thee all that thou hast said, can I find one wiser and one like unto thee?

41:40. Thou shalt be over my house, and at the commandment of thy mouth all the people shall obey: only in the kingly throne will I be above thee.