Genesis 41

When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile,

وَبَعْدَ انْقِضَاءِ سَنَتَيْنِ رَأَى فِرْعَوْنُ حُلْماً، وَإذَا بِهِ وَاقِفٌ بِجُوَارِ نَهْرِ النِّيلِ

when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds.

وَإذَا بِسَبْعِ بَقَرَاتٍ حِسَانِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَسَمِينَاتِ الأَبْدَانِ، صَاعِدَاتٍ مِنَ النَّهْرِ أَخَذَتْ تَرْعَى فِي الْمَرْجِ،

After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank.

ثُمَّ إِذَا بِسَبْعِ بَقَرَاتٍ أُخْرَى قَبِيحَاتِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَهَزِيلاتٍ تَصْعَدُ وَرَاءَهَا مِنَ النَّهْرِ وَتَقِفُ إِلَى جُوَارِ الْبَقَرَاتِ الأُولَى عَلَى ضَفَّةِ النَّهْرِ.

And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

وَالْتَهَمَتِ الْبَقَرَاتُ الْقَبِيحَاتُ الْبَقَرَاتِ السَّبْعَ الْحَسَنَاتِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَالسَّمِينَاتِ. وَأَفَاقَ فِرْعَوْنُ.

He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk.

ثُمَّ نَامَ، فَحَلُمَ ثَانِيَةً، وَإذَا بِسَبْعِ سَنَابِلَ نَابِتَةٍ مِنْ سَاقٍ وَاحِدَةٍ زَاهِيَةٍ وَمُمْتَلِئَةٍ

After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind.

ثُمَّ رَأَى سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ عَجْفَاءَ قَدْ لَفَحَتْهَا الرِّيحُ الشَّرْقِيَّةُ نَابِتَةً وَرَاءَهَا،

The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.

فَابْتَلَعَتِ السَّنَابِلُ الْعَجْفَاءُ السَّبْعَ السَّنَابِلَ الزَّاهِيَةَ الْمُمْتَلِئَةَ. وَأَفَاقَ فِرْعَوْنُ، وَأَدْرَكَ أَنَّهُ حُلْمٌ.

In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

وَلَمَّا كَانَ الصَّبَاحُ اسْتَوْلَى الانْزِعَاجُ عَلَى فِرْعَوْنَ فَأَرْسَلَ وَاسْتَدْعَى جَمِيعَ سَحَرَةِ مِصْرَ وَكُلَّ حُكَمَائِهَا، وَسَرَدَ عَلَيْهِمْ حُلْمَهُ، فَلَمْ يَجِدْ مَنْ يُفَسِّرُهُ لَهُ.

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings.

عِنْدَئِذٍ قَالَ رَئِيسُ السُّقَاةِ لِفِرْعَوْنَ: «إِنِّي أَذْكُرُ الْيَوْمَ ذُنُوبِي.

Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard.

لَقَدْ سَخَطَ فِرْعَوْنُ عَلَى عَبْدَيْهِ، فَزَجَّنِي وَرَئِيسَ الْخَبَّازِينَ فِي مُعْتَقَلِ بَيْتِ رَئِيسِ الْحَرَسِ.

Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.

فَحَلُمَ كُلٌّ مِنَّا حُلْماً فِي نَفْسِ اللَّيْلَةِ، وَكَانَ تَفْسِيرُ كُلِّ حُلْمٍ يَتَّفِقُ مَعَ أَحْوَالِ رَائِيهِ.

Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream.

وَكَانَ مَعَنَا هُنَاكَ غُلامٌ عِبْرَانِيٌّ، عَبْدٌ لِرَئِيسِ الْحَرَسِ، فَسَرَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ حُلْمَيْنَا فَفَسَّرَهُمَا لِكُلٍّ مِنَّا حَسَبَ تَعْبِيرِ حُلْمِهِ.

And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.”

وَقَدْ تَمَّ مَا فَسَّرَهُ لَنَا. فَرَدَّنِي فِرْعَوْنُ إِلَى وَظِيفَتِي وَأَمَّا ذَاكَ فَعَلَّقَهُ (عَلَى خَشَبَةٍ)».

So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.

فَبَعَثَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَاسْتَدْعَى يُوسُفَ، فَأَسْرَعُوا وَأَتَوْا بِهِ مِنَ السِّجْنِ فَحَلَقَ وَاسْتَبْدَلَ ثِيَابَهُ وَمَثَلَ أَمَامَ فِرْعَوْنَ.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”

فَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ لِيُوسُفَ: «لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ حُلْماً وَلَيْسَ هُنَاكَ مَنْ يُفَسِّرُهُ، وَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ عَنْكَ حَدِيثاً أَنَّكَ إِنْ سَمِعْتَ حُلْماً تَقْدِرُ أَنْ تُفَسِّرَهُ».

“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

فَأَجَابَ يُوسُفُ: «لا فَضْلَ لِي فِي ذَلِكَ، بَلْ إِنَّ اللهَ هُوَ الَّذِي يُعْطِي فِرْعَوْنَ الْجَوَابَ الصَّائِبَ».

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,

فَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ لِيُوسُفَ: «رَأَيْتُ نَفْسِي فِي الْحُلْمِ وَإذَا بِي أَقِفُ عَلَى ضَفَّةِ النَّهْرِ،

when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.

وَإذَا بِسَبْعِ بَقَرَاتٍ حِسَانِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَسَمِينَاتِ الأَبْدَانِ صَاعِدَاتٍ مِنَ النَّهْرِ تَرْعَى فِي الْمَرْجِ،

After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt.

ثُمَّ إِذَا بِسَبْعِ بَقَرَاتٍ أُخَرَ قَبِيحَاتِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَهَزِيلاتٍ تَصْعَدُ وَرَاءَهَا مِنَ النَّهْرِ. لَمْ أَرَ فِي أَرْضِ مِصْرَ كُلِّهَا نَظِيرَهَا فِي الْقَبَاحَةِ.

The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first.

فَالْتَهَمَتِ الْبَقَرَاتُ الْهَزِيلاتُ الْقَبِيحَاتُ السَّبْعَ الْبَقَرَاتِ الأُولَى السَّمِينَاتِ.

But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.

وَمَعَ أَنَّهَا ابْتَلَعَتْهَا ظَلَّتْ عَجْفَاءَ وَكَأَنَّهَا لَمْ تَبْتَلِعْهَا وَبَقِيَ مَنْظَرُهَا قَبِيحاً كَمَا كَانَتْ. وَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ.

“In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk.

ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُ فِي حُلْمِي وَإذَا بِسَبْعِ سَنَابِلَ زَاهِيَةٍ وَمُمْتَلِئَةٍ نَابِتَةٍ مِنْ سَاقٍ وَاحِدَةٍ،

After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind.

ثُمَّ إِذَا بِسَبْعِ سَنَابِلَ يَابِسَةٍ عَجْفَاءَ قَدْ لَفَحَتْهَا الرِّيحُ الشَّرْقِيَّةُ نَابِتَةٍ وَرَاءَهَا،

The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me.”

فَابْتَلَعَتِ السَّنَابِلُ الْعَجْفَاءُ السَّبْعَ الزَّاهِيَةَ. وَلَقَدْ سَرَدْتُ عَلَى السَّحَرَةِ هَذَيْنِ الْحُلْمَيْنِ، فَلَمْ أَجِدْ بَيْنَهُمْ مَنْ يُفَسِّرُهُمَا لِي».

Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

فَقَالَ يُوسُفُ لِفِرْعَوْنَ: «حُلْمَا فِرْعَوْنَ هُمَا حُلْمٌ وَاحِدٌ. وَقَدْ أَطْلَعَ اللهُ فِرْعَوْنَ عَمَّا هُوَ فَاعِلٌ.

The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream.

السَّبْعُ الْبَقَرَاتُ الْحِسَانُ هِيَ سَبْعُ سَنَوَاتٍ. وَالسَّبْعُ السَّنَابِلُ الزَّاهِيَاتُ هِيَ أَيْضاً سَبْعُ سَنَوَاتٍ. فَالْحُلْمَانِ هُمَا حُلْمٌ وَاحِدٌ.

The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.

وَالسَّبْعُ الْبَقَرَاتُ الْقَبِيحَاتُ الْهَزِيلاتُ الَّتِي صَعِدَتْ وَرَاءَهَا هِيَ سَبْعُ سَنَوَاتٍ. وَالسَّبْعُ السَّنَابِلُ الْفَارِغَاتُ الْمَلْفُوحَاتُ بِالرِّيحِ الشَّرْقِيَّةِ سَتَكُونُ سَبْعَ سَنَوَاتِ جُوعٍ

“It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.

وَالأَمْرُ هُوَ كَمَا أَخْبَرْتُ بِهِ فِرْعَوْنَ: فَقَدْ أَطْلَعَ اللهُ فِرْعَوْنَ عَمَّا هُوَ صَانِعٌ

Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt,

هُوَذَا سَبْعُ سِنِينَ رَخَاءٍ عَظِيمٍ قَادِمَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ أَرْضِ مِصْرَ،

but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land.

تَعْقُبُهَا سَبْعُ سَنَوَاتِ جُوعٍ، حَتَّى يَنْسَى النَّاسُ كُلَّ الرَّخَاءِ الَّذِي عَمَّ أَرْضَ مِصْرَ، وَيُتْلِفُ الْجُوعُ الأَرْضَ،

The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe.

وَيَخْتَفِي كُلُّ أَثَرٍ لِلرَّخَاءِ فِي الْبِلادِ مِنْ جَرَّاءِ الْمَجَاعَةِ الَّتِي تَعْقُبُهُ، لأَنَّهَا سَتَكُونُ قَاسِيَةً جِدّاً

The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.

أَمَّا تَكْرَارُ الْحُلْمِ عَلَى فِرْعَوْنَ مَرَّتَيْنِ فَلَأَنَّ الأَمْرَ قَدْ قَرَّرَهُ اللهُ، وَلابُدَّ أَنْ يُجْرِيَهُ سَرِيعاً.

“And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.

وَالآنَ لِيَبْحَثْ فِرْعَوْنُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ بَصِيرٍ حَكِيمٍ يُوَلِّيهِ عَلَى الْبِلادِ،

Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.

وَلْيُقِمْ فِرْعَوْنُ نُظَّاراً عَلَى أَرْضِ مِصْرَ يَجْبُونَ خُمْسَ غَلَّتِهَا فِي سَنَوَاتِ الرَّخَاءِ السَّبْعِ.

They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food.

وَلِيَجْمَعُوا كُلَّ طَعَامِ سَنَوَاتِ الْخَيْرِ الْمُقْبِلَةِ، وَيَخْزِنُوا الْقَمْحَ بِتَفْوِيضٍ مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ وَيَحْفَظُوهُ فِي الْمُدُنِ لِيَكُونَ طَعَاماً،

This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”

وَمَؤُونَةً لأَهْلِ الأَرْضِ فِي سَنَوَاتِ الْمَجَاعَةِ السَّبْعِ الَّتِي سَتَسُودُ أَرْضَ مِصْرَ فَلا يَهْلِكُونَ جُوعاً».

The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.

فَاسْتَحْسَنَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَرِجَالُهُ جَمِيعاً هَذَا الْكَلامَ،

So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God^[a]?”

وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ لِعَبِيدِهِ: «هَلْ نَجِدُ نَظِيرَ هَذَا رَجُلاً فِيهِ رُوحُ اللهِ؟»

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.

ثُمَّ قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ لِيُوسُفَ: «مِنْ حَيْثُ إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَطْلَعَكَ عَلَى كُلِّ هَذَا، فَلَيْسَ هُنَاكَ بَصِيرٌ وَحَكِيمٌ نَظِيرَكَ.

You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

Joseph in Charge of Egypt

لِذَلِكَ أُوَلِّيكَ عَلَى بَيْتِي، وَيُذْعِنُ شَعْبِي لِكُلِّ أَمْرٍ تُصْدِرُهُ، وَلَنْ يَكُونَ أَعْظَمَ مِنْكَ سِوَايَ أَنَا صَاحِبِ الْعَرْشِ».

يوسف يصبح حاكم مصر

So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”

ثُمَّ قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ لِيُوسُفَ: «هَا أَنَا قَدْ وَلَّيْتُكَ عَلَى كُلِّ أَرْضِ مِصْرَ».

Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.

وَنَزَعَ فِرْعَوْنُ خَاتَمَهُ مِنْ يَدِهِ وَوَضَعَهُ فِي يَدِ يُوسُفَ، وَأَلْبَسَهُ ثِيَابَ كَتَّانٍ فَاخِرَةً وَطَوَّقَ عُنُقَهُ بِطَوْقٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ،

He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command,^[b] and people shouted before him, “Make way^[c]!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

وَأَرْكَبَهُ فِي مَرْكَبَتِهِ الثَّانِيَةِ، وَنَادُوا: «ارْكَعُوا أَمَامَهُ». وَأَقَامَهُ وَالِياً عَلَى كُلِّ أَرْضِ مِصْرَ.

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”

وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ لِيُوسُفَ: «أَنَا فِرْعَوْنُ، وَلا أَحَدَ يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يُحَرِّكَ سَاكِناً فِي كُلِّ أَرْضِ مِصْرَ مِنْ غَيْرِ إِذْنِكَ».

Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On,^[d] to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.

وَدَعَا فِرْعَوْنُ اسْمَ يُوسُفَ صَفْنَاتَ فَعْنِيحَ (وَمَعْنَاهُ بِالْمِصْرِيَّةِ الْقَدِيمَةِ مُخَلِّصُ الْعَالَمِ أَوْ حَافِظُ الْحَيَاةِ). وَزَوَّجَهُ مِنْ أَسْنَاتَ بِنْتِ فُوطِيفَارَعَ كَاهِنِ أُونَ، فَذَاعَ اسْمُ يُوسُفَ فِي جَمِيعِ أَرْجَاءِ مِصْرَ.

Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt.

وَكَانَ يُوسُفُ فِي الثَّلاثِينَ مِنْ عُمْرِهِ عِنْدَمَا مَثَلَ أَمَامَ فِرْعَوْنَ مَلِكِ مِصْرَ. وَبَعْدَ أَنْ خَرَجَ مِنْ حَضْرَةِ فِرْعَوْنَ شَرَعَ يَجُولُ فِي جَمِيعِ أَرْجَاءِ الْبِلادِ.

During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully.

وَفِي سَنَوَاتِ الْخِصْبِ السَّبْعِ غَلَّتِ الأَرْضُ بِوَفْرَةٍ،

Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it.

فَجَمَعَ كُلَّ طَعَامِ السَّبْعِ سَنَوَاتٍ الْمُتَوَافِرِ فِي أَرْضِ مِصْرَ وَخَزَنَهُ فِي الْمُدُنِ، فَاخْتَزَنَ فِي كُلِّ مَدِينَةٍ غَلَّاتِ مَا حَوْلَهَا مِنْ حُقُولٍ.

Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.

وَادَّخَرَ يُوسُفُ كَمِّيَّاتٍ هَائِلَةً مِنَ الْقَمْحِ حَتَّى كَفَّ عَنْ إِحْصَائِهَا لِوَفْرَتِهَا الْعَظِيمَةِ.

Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.

وَأَنْجَبَتْ أَسْنَاتُ بِنْتُ فُوطِي فَارَعَ كَاهِنِ أُونَ لِيُوسُفَ ابْنَيْنِ قَبْلَ حُلُولِ سَنَوَاتِ الْجُوعِ.

Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh^[e] and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.”

فَدَعَا يُوسُفُ اسْمَ الْبِكْرِ مَنَسَّى (وَمَعْنَاهُ: مَنْ يَنْسَى أَوْ الْمَنْسِيُّ) وَقَالَ: «لأَنَّ اللهَ أَنْسَانِي كُلَّ مَشَقَّتِي وَكُلَّ بَيْتِ أَبِي».

The second son he named Ephraim^[f] and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”

أَمَّا الثَّانِي فَدَعَا اسْمَهُ أَفْرَايِمَ (وَمَعْنَاهُ: الْمُثْمِرُ مُضَاعَفاً) وَقَالَ: «لأَنَّ اللهَ جَعَلَنِي مُثْمِراً فِي أَرْضِ مَذَلَّتِي».

The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end,

ثُمَّ انْتَهَتْ سَبْعُ سَنَوَاتِ الرَّخَاءِ الَّذِي عَمَّ أَرْضَ مِصْرَ.

and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food.

وَحَلَّتْ سَبْعُ سَنَوَاتِ الْمَجَاعَةِ كَمَا أَنْبَأَ يُوسُفُ. فَحَدَثَتْ مَجَاعَةٌ فِي جَمِيعِ الْبُلْدَانِ. أَمَّا أَرْضُ مِصْرَ فَقَدْ تَوَافَرَ فِيهَا الْخُبْزُ.

When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”

وَعِنْدَمَا عَمَّتِ الْمَجَاعَةُ جَمِيعَ أَرْضِ مِصْرَ صَرَخَ الشَّعْبُ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ طَالِبِينَ الْخُبْزَ، فَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ لِكُلِّ الْمِصْرِيِّينَ: «اذْهَبُوا إِلَى يُوسُفَ وَافْعَلُوا كَمَا يَقُولُ لَكُمْ».

When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt.

وَطَغَتِ الْمَجَاعَةُ عَلَى كُلِّ أَرْجَاءِ الْبِلادِ فَفَتَحَ يُوسُفُ الْمَخَازِنَ وَبَاعَ الطَّعَامَ لِلْمِصْرِيِّينَ. وَلَكِنَّ وَطْأَةَ الْجُوعِ اشْتَدَّتْ فِي أَرْضِ مِصْرَ.

And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.

وَأَقْبَلَ أَهْلُ الْبُلْدَانِ الأُخْرَى إِلَى مِصْرَ، إِلَى يُوسُفَ، لِيَبْتَاعُوا قَمْحاً لأَنَّ الْمَجَاعَةَ كَانَتْ شَدِيدَةً فِي كُلِّ الأَرْضِ.