创世记四十一章1至57节（读经节录1-4节）

1过了两年，法老做梦，梦见自己站在河边，

2有七只母牛从河里上来，又美好又肥壮，在芦荻中吃草。

3随后又有七只母牛从河里上来，又丑陋又干瘦，与那七只母牛一同站在河边。

4这又丑陋又干瘦的七只母牛吃尽了那又美好又肥壮的七只母牛。法老就醒了。

5他又睡着，第二回做梦，梦见一棵麦子长了七个穗子，又肥大又佳美，

6随后又长了七个穗子，又细弱又被东风吹焦了。

7这细弱的穗子吞了那七个又肥大又饱满的穗子。法老醒了，不料是个梦。

8到了早晨，法老心里不安，就差人召了埃及所有的术士和博士来；法老就把所做的梦告诉他们，却没有人能给法老圆解。

9那时酒政对法老说：我今日想起我的罪来。

10从前法老恼怒臣仆，把我和膳长下在护卫长府内的监里。

11我们二人同夜各做一梦，各梦都有讲解。

12在那里同着我们有一个希伯来的少年人，是护卫长的仆人，我们告诉他，他就把我们的梦圆解，是按着各人的梦圆解的。

13后来正如他给我们圆解的成就了；我官复原职，膳长被挂起来了。

14法老遂即差人去召约瑟，他们便急忙带他出监，他就剃头，刮脸，换衣裳，进到法老面前。

15法老对约瑟说：我做了一梦，没有人能解；我听见人说，你听了梦就能解。

16约瑟回答法老说：这不在乎我，神必将平安的话回答法老。

17法老对约瑟说：我梦见我站在河边，

18有七只母牛从河里上来，又肥壮又美好，在芦荻中吃草。

19随后又有七只母牛上来，又软弱又丑陋又干瘦，在埃及遍地，我没有见过这样不好的。

20这又干瘦又丑陋的母牛吃尽了那以先的七只肥母牛，

21吃了以后却看不出是吃了，那丑陋的样子仍旧和先前一样。我就醒了。

22我又梦见一棵麦子，长了七个穗子，又饱满又佳美，

23随后又长了七个穗子，枯槁细弱，被东风吹焦了。

24这些细弱的穗子吞了那七个佳美的穗子。我将这梦告诉了术士，却没有人能给我解说。

25约瑟对法老说：法老的梦乃是一个。神已将所要做的事指示法老了。

26七只好母牛是七年，七个好穗子也是七年；这梦乃是一个。

27那随后上来的七只又干瘦又丑陋的母牛是七年，那七个虚空、被东风吹焦的穗子也是七年，都是七个荒年。

28这就是我对法老所说，神已将所要做的事显明给法老了。

29埃及遍地必来七个大丰年，

30随后又要来七个荒年，甚至埃及地都忘了先前的丰收，全地必被饥荒所灭。

31因那以后的饥荒甚大，便不觉得先前的丰收了。

32至于法老两回做梦，是因神命定这事，而且必速速成就。

33所以，法老当拣选一个有聪明有智慧的人，派他治理埃及地。

34法老当这样行，又派官员管理这地。当七个丰年的时候，征收埃及地的五分之一，

35叫他们把将来丰年一切的粮食聚敛起来，积蓄五谷，收存在各城里做食物，归于法老的手下。

36所积蓄的粮食可以防备埃及地将来的七个荒年，免得这地被饥荒所灭。

37法老和他一切臣仆都以这事为妙。

38法老对臣仆说：像这样的人，有神的灵在他里头，我们岂能找得着呢？

39法老对约瑟说：神既将这事都指示你，可见没有人像你这样有聪明有智慧。

40你可以掌管我的家；我的民都必听从你的话。惟独在宝座上我比你大。

41法老又对约瑟说：我派你治理埃及全地。

42法老就摘下手上打印的戒指，戴在约瑟的手上，给他穿上细麻衣，把金链戴在他的颈项上，

43又叫约瑟坐他的副车，喝道的在前呼叫说：跪下。这样、法老派他治理埃及全地。

44法老对约瑟说：我是法老，在埃及全地，若没有你的命令，不许人擅自办事(原文作动手动脚)。

45法老赐名给约瑟，叫撒发那忒巴内亚，又将安城的祭司波提非拉的女儿亚西纳给他为妻。约瑟就出去巡行埃及地。

46约瑟见埃及王法老的时候年三十岁。他从法老面前出去，遍行埃及全地。

47七个丰年之内，地的出产极丰极盛(原文作一把一把的)，

48约瑟聚歛埃及地七个丰年一切的粮食，把粮食积存在各城里；各城周围田地的粮食都积存在本城里。

49约瑟积蓄五谷甚多，如同海边的沙，无法计算，因为谷不可胜数。

50荒年未到以前，安城的祭司波提非拉的女儿亚西纳给约瑟生了两个儿子。

51约瑟给长子起名叫玛拿西(就是使之忘了的意思)，因为他说：神使我忘了一切的困苦和我父的全家。

52他给次子起名叫以法莲(就是使之昌盛的意思)，因为他说：神使我在受苦的地方昌盛。

53埃及地的七个丰年一完，

54七个荒年就来了。正如约瑟所说的，各地都有饥荒；惟独埃及全地有粮食。

55及至埃及全地有了饥荒，众民向法老哀求粮食，法老对他们说：你们往约瑟那里去，凡他所说的，你们都要做。

56当时饥荒遍满天下，约瑟开了各处的仓，粜粮给埃及人；在埃及地饥荒甚大。

57各地的人都往埃及去，到约瑟那里籴粮，因为天下的饥荒甚大。

Genesis 41:1-57

1 Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river.

2 Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow.

3 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river.

4 And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke.

5 He slept and dreamed a second time; and suddenly seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good.

6 Then behold, seven thin heads, blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them.

7 And the seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream.

8 Now 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 its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.

9 Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: “I remember my faults this day.

10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief baker,

11 we each had a dream in one night, he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.

12 Now there was a young Hebrew man with us there, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream.

13 And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us, so it happened. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.”

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh.

15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.”

16 So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Behold, in my dream I stood on the bank of the river.

18 Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow.

19 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt.

20 And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows.

21 When they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were just as ugly as at the beginning. So I awoke.

22 Also I saw in my dream, and suddenly seven heads came up on one stalk, full and good.

23 Then behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them.

24 And the thin heads devoured the seven good heads. So I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do:

26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dreams are one.

27 And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine.

28 This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.

29 Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt;

30 but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land.

31 So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe.

32 And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

33 “Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.

34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years.

35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

36 Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.”

37 So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.

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

39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.

40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”

42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.

43 And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt.

44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”

45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

46 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.

47 Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly.

48 So 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; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them.

49 Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.

50 And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.

51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.”

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

53 Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended,

54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

55 So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.”

56 The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt.

57 So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.