Genesis 41
1 After two years, Pharaoh saw a dream. He thought himself to be standing above a river,
過了兩年，法老做夢，夢見自己站在河邊，
2 from which ascended seven cows, exceedingly beautiful and stout. And they pastured in marshy places.
有七隻母牛從河裏上來，又美好又肥壯，在蘆荻中吃草。
3 Likewise, another seven emerged from the river, filthy and thoroughly emaciated. And they pastured on the same bank of the river, in green places.
隨後又有七隻母牛從河裏上來，又醜陋又乾瘦，與那七隻母牛一同站在河邊。
4 And they devoured those whose appearance and condition of body was so wonderful. Pharaoh, having been awakened,
這又醜陋又乾瘦的七隻母牛吃盡了那又美好又肥壯的七隻母牛。法老就醒了。
5 slept again, and he saw another dream. Seven ears of grain sprung up on one stalk, full and well-formed.
他又睡着，第二回做夢，夢見一棵麥子長了七個穗子，又肥大又佳美，
6 Likewise, other ears of grain, of the same number, rose up, thin and struck with blight,
隨後又長了七個穗子，又細弱又被東風吹焦了。
7 devouring all the beauty of the first. Pharaoh, when he awakened after his rest,
這細弱的穗子吞了那七個又肥大又飽滿的穗子。法老醒了，不料是個夢。
8 and when morning arrived, being terrified with fear, sent to all the interpreters of Egypt and to all of the wise men. And when they were summoned, he explained to them his dream; but there was no one who could interpret it.
到了早晨，法老心裏不安，就差人召了埃及所有的術士和博士來；法老就把所做的夢告訴他們，卻沒有人能給法老圓解。
9 Then at last the chief cupbearer, remembering, said, “I confess my sin.
那時酒政對法老說：「我今日想起我的罪來。
10 The king, being angry with his servants, ordered me and the chief miller of grain to be forced into the prison of the leader of the military.
從前法老惱怒臣僕，把我和膳長下在護衛長府內的監裏。
11 There, in one night, both of us saw a dream presaging the future.
我們二人同夜各做一夢，各夢都有講解。
12 In that place, there was a Hebrew, a servant of the same commander of the military, to whom we explained our dreams.
在那裏同着我們有一個希伯來的少年人，是護衛長的僕人，我們告訴他，他就把我們的夢圓解，是按着各人的夢圓解的。
13 Whatever we heard was proven afterwards by the event of the matter. For I was restored to my office, and he was suspended on a cross.”
後來正如他給我們圓解的成就了：我官復原職，膳長被掛起來了。」
14 Immediately, by the king’s authority, Joseph was led out of prison, and they shaved him. And changing his apparel, they presented him to him.
法老遂即差人去召約瑟，他們便急忙帶他出監，他就剃頭，刮臉，換衣裳，進到法老面前。
15 And he said to him, “I have seen dreams, and there is no one who can unfold them. I have heard that you are very wise at interpreting these.”
法老對約瑟說：「我做了一夢，沒有人能解；我聽見人說，你聽了夢就能解。」
16 Joseph responded, “Apart from me, God will respond favorably to Pharaoh.”
約瑟回答法老說：「這不在乎我，上帝必將平安的話回答法老。」
17 Therefore, Pharaoh explained what he had seen: “I thought myself to be standing on the bank of a river,
法老對約瑟說：「我夢見我站在河邊，
18 and seven cows climbed up from the river, exceedingly beautiful and full of flesh. And they grazed in a pasture of a marshy greenery.
有七隻母牛從河裏上來，又肥壯又美好，在蘆荻中吃草。
19 And behold, there followed after these, another seven cows, with such deformity and emaciation as I had never seen in the land of Egypt.
隨後又有七隻母牛上來，又軟弱又醜陋又乾瘦，在埃及遍地，我沒有見過這樣不好的。
20 These devoured and consumed the first,
這又乾瘦又醜陋的母牛吃盡了那以先的七隻肥母牛，
21 giving no indication of being full. But they remained in the same state of emaciation and squalor. Awakening, but being weighed down into sleep again,
吃了以後卻看不出是吃了，那醜陋的樣子仍舊和先前一樣。我就醒了。
22 I saw a dream. Seven ears of grain sprang up on one stalk, full and very beautiful.
我又夢見一棵麥子，長了七個穗子，又飽滿又佳美，
23 Likewise, another seven, thin and struck with blight, rose up from the stalk.
隨後又長了七個穗子，枯槁細弱，被東風吹焦了。
24 And they devoured the beauty of the first. I explained this dream to the interpreters, and there is no one who can unfold it.”
這些細弱的穗子吞了那七個佳美的穗子。我將這夢告訴了術士，卻沒有人能給我解說。」
25 Joseph responded: “The dream of the king is one. What God will do, he has revealed to Pharaoh.
約瑟對法老說：「法老的夢乃是一個。上帝已將所要做的事指示法老了。
26 The seven beautiful cows, and the seven full ears of grain, are seven years of abundance. And so the force of the dreams is understood to be the same.
七隻好母牛是七年，七個好穗子也是七年；這夢乃是一個。
27 Likewise, the seven thin and emaciated cows, which ascended after them, and the seven thin ears of grain, which were struck with the burning wind, are seven approaching years of famine.
那隨後上來的七隻又乾瘦又醜陋的母牛是七年，那七個虛空、被東風吹焦的穗子也是七年，都是七個荒年。
28 These will be fulfilled in this order.
這就是我對法老所說，上帝已將所要做的事顯明給法老了。
29 Behold, there will arrive seven years of great fertility throughout the entire land of Egypt.
埃及遍地必來七個大豐年，
30 After this, there will follow another seven years, of such great barrenness that all the former abundance will be delivered into oblivion. For the famine will consume all the land,
隨後又要來七個荒年，甚至在埃及地都忘了先前的豐收，全地必被饑荒所滅。
31 and the greatness of this destitution will cause the greatness of the abundance to be lost.
因那以後的饑荒甚大，便不覺得先前的豐收了。
32 Now, as to what you saw the second time, it is a dream pertaining to the same thing. It is an indication of its firmness, because the word of God shall be done, and it shall be completed swiftly.
至於法老兩回做夢，是因上帝命定這事，而且必速速成就。
33 Now therefore, let the king provide a wise and industrious man, and place him over the land of Egypt,
所以，法老當揀選一個有聰明有智慧的人，派他治理埃及地。
34 so that he may appoint overseers throughout all the regions. And let a fifth part of the fruits, throughout the seven fertile years
法老當這樣行，又派官員管理這地。當七個豐年的時候，征收埃及地的五分之一，
35 that now have already begun to occur, be gathered into storehouses. And let all the grain be stored away, under the power of Pharaoh, and let it be kept in the cities.
叫他們把將來豐年一切的糧食聚斂起來，積蓄五穀，收存在各城裏做食物，歸於法老的手下。
36 And let it be prepared for the future famine of seven years, which will oppress Egypt, and then the land will not be consumed by destitution.”
所積蓄的糧食可以防備埃及地將來的七個荒年，免得這地被饑荒所滅。」
37 The counsel pleased Pharaoh and all his ministers.
法老和他一切臣僕都以這事為妙。
38 And he said to them, “Would we be able to find another such man, who is full of the Spirit of God?”
法老對臣僕說：「像這樣的人，有上帝的靈在他裏頭，我們豈能找得着呢？」
39 Therefore, he said to Joseph: “Because God has revealed to you all that you have said, would I be able to find anyone wiser and as much like you?
法老對約瑟說：「上帝既將這事都指示你，可見沒有人像你這樣有聰明有智慧。
40 You will be over my house, and to the authority of your mouth, all the people will show obedience. Only in one way, in the throne of the kingdom, will I go before you.”
你可以掌管我的家；我的民都必聽從你的話。惟獨在寶座上我比你大。」
41 And again, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, I have appointed you over the entire land of Egypt.”
法老又對約瑟說：「我派你治理埃及全地。」
42 And he took the ring from his own hand, and he gave it into his hand. And he clothed him with a robe of fine linen, and he placed a necklace of gold around his neck.
法老就摘下手上打印的戒指，戴在約瑟的手上，給他穿上細麻衣，把金鍊戴在他的頸項上，
43 And he caused him to ascend upon his second swift chariot, with the herald proclaiming that everyone should bend their knee before him, and that they should know that he was governor over the entire land of Egypt.
又叫約瑟坐他的副車，喝道的在前呼叫說：「跪下。」這樣，法老派他治理埃及全地。
44 Likewise, the king said to Joseph: “I am Pharaoh: apart from your authority, no one will move hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”
法老對約瑟說：「我是法老，在埃及全地，若沒有你的命令，不許人擅自辦事。」
45 And he changed his name and called him, in the Egyptian tongue: ‘Savior of the world.’ And he gave him as a wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis. And so Joseph went out into the land of Egypt.
法老賜名給約瑟，叫撒發那忒‧巴內亞，又將安城的祭司波提非拉的女兒亞西納給他為妻。約瑟就出去巡行埃及地。
46 (Now he was thirty years old when he stood in the sight of king Pharaoh.) And he traveled throughout the regions of Egypt.
約瑟見埃及王法老的時候年三十歲。他從法老面前出去，遍行埃及全地。
47 And the fertility of the seven years arrived. And when the grain fields were reduced to sheaves, these were gathered into the storehouses of Egypt.
七個豐年之內，地的出產極豐極盛，
48 And now all the abundance of grain was stored away in every city.
約瑟聚斂埃及地七個豐年一切的糧食，把糧食積存在各城裏；各城周圍田地的糧食都積存在本城裏。
49 And there was such a great abundance of wheat that it was comparable to the sands of the sea, and its bounty exceeded all measure.
約瑟積蓄五穀甚多，如同海邊的沙，無法計算，因為穀不可勝數。
50 Then, before the famine arrived, Joseph had two sons born, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis, bore for him.
荒年未到以前，安城的祭司波提非拉的女兒亞西納給約瑟生了兩個兒子。
51 And he called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “God has caused me to forget all my labors and the house of my father.”
約瑟給長子起名叫瑪拿西，因為他說：「上帝使我忘了一切的困苦和我父的全家。」
52 Likewise, he named the second Ephraim, saying, “God has caused me to increase in the land of my poverty.”
他給次子起名叫以法蓮，因為他說：「上帝使我在受苦的地方昌盛。」
53 And so, when the seven years of fertility that occurred in Egypt had passed,
埃及地的七個豐年一完，
54 the seven years of destitution, which Joseph had predicted, began to arrive. And the famine prevailed throughout the whole world, but there was bread in all the land of Egypt.
七個荒年就來了。正如約瑟所說的，各地都有饑荒；惟獨埃及全地有糧食。
55 And being hungry, the people cried out to Pharaoh, asking for provisions. And he said to them: “Go to Joseph. And do whatever he will tell you.”
及至埃及全地有了饑荒，眾民向法老哀求糧食，法老對他們說：「你們往約瑟那裏去，凡他所說的，你們都要做。」
56 Then the famine increased daily in all the land. And Joseph opened all of the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. For the famine had oppressed them also.
當時饑荒遍滿天下，約瑟開了各處的倉，糶糧給埃及人；在埃及地饑荒甚大。
57 And all the provinces came to Egypt, to buy food and to temper the misfortune of their destitution.
各地的人都往埃及去，到約瑟那裏糴糧，因為天下的饑荒甚大。
