book 41
1
過了兩年法老作夢.夢見自己站在河邊。

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

2
有七隻母牛從河裡上來、又美好、又肥壯在蘆荻中喫草。

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

3
隨後又有七隻母牛從河裡上來、又醜陋、又乾瘦、與那七隻母牛一同站在河邊。

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

4
這又醜陋、又乾瘦的七隻母牛、喫盡了那又美好、又肥壯的七隻母牛.法老就醒了。

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

5
他又睡著、第二回作夢.夢見一棵麥子長了七個穗子、又肥大、又佳美。

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

6
隨後又長了七個穗子、又細弱、又被東風吹焦了。

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

7
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。

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

8
到了早晨、法老心裡不安、就差人召了埃及所有的術士和博士來.法老就把所作的夢告訴他們、卻沒有人能給法老圓解。

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.

9
那時酒政對法老說、我今日想起我的罪來.

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

10
從前法老惱怒臣僕、把我和膳長下在護衛長府佈的監裡。

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

11
我們二人同夜各作一夢、各夢都有講解。

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

12
在那裡同著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、是按著各人的夢圓解的。

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.

13
後來正如他給我們圓解的成就了.我官復原職、膳長被挂起來了。

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

14
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。

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.

15
法老對約瑟說、我作了一夢沒有人能解、我聽見人說、你聽了夢就能解。

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."

16
約瑟回答法老說、這不在乎我、 神必將平安的話回答法老。

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

17
法老對約瑟說、我夢見我站在河邊.

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

18
有七隻母牛從河裡上來、又肥壯、又美好、在蘆荻中喫草。

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

19
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。

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.

20
這又乾瘦、又醜陋的母牛、喫盡了那以先的七隻肥母牛。

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

21
喫了以後、卻看不出是喫了、那醜陋的樣子仍舊和先前一樣.我就醒了。

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.

22
我又夢見一棵麥子、長了七個穗子、又飽滿、又佳美.

"In my dreams I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk.

23
隨後又長了七個穗子、枯槁細弱、被東風吹焦了。

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

24
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。

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

25
約瑟對法老說、法老的夢乃是一個、 神已將所要作的事指示法老了。

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.

26
七隻好母牛是七年.七個好穗子也是七年.這夢乃是一個。

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

27
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。

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.

28
這就是我對法老所說、 神已將所要作的事顯明給法老了。

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

29
埃及遍地必來七個大豊年.

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

30
隨後又要來七個荒年、甚至埃及地都忘了先前的豊收、全地必被饑荒所滅。

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

31
因那以後的饑荒甚大、便不覺得先前的豊收了。

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

32
至於法老兩回作夢、是因 神命定這事、而且必速速成就。

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.

33
所以法老當揀選一個有聰明有智慧的人、派他治理埃及地。

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

34
法老當這樣行、又派官員管理這地.當七個豊年的時候、征收埃及地的五分之一.

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

35
叫他們把將來豊年一切的糧食聚斂起來、積蓄五穀、收存在各城裡作食物、歸於法老的手下。

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.

36
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。

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."

37
法老和他一切臣僕、都以這事為妙。

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

38
法老對臣僕說、像這樣的人、有 神的靈在他裡頭、我們豈能找得著呢。

So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?"

39
法老對約瑟說、 神既將這事都指示你、可見沒有人像你這樣有聰明有智慧。

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

40
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。

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."

41
法老又對約瑟說、我派你治理埃及全地。

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

42
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。

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.

43
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。

He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, "Make way!" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

44
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。〔原文作動手動腳〕

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

45
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。

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

46
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。

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.

47
七個豊年之內、地的出產極豊極盛。〔原文作一把一把的〕

During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully.

48
約瑟聚歛埃及地七個豐年一切的耀食、把糧食積存在各城裡、各城周圍田地的糧食、都積存在本城裡。

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.

49
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。

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.

50
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.

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

51
約瑟給長子起名叫瑪拿西、〔就是使之忘了的意思〕因為他說、 神使我忘了一切的困苦、和我父的全家。

Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household."

52
他給次子起名叫以法蓮、〔就是使之昌盛的意思〕因為他說、 神使我在受苦的地方昌盛。

The second son he named Ephraim and said, "It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering."

53
埃及地的七個豊年一完、

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

54
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。

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.

55
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、你們往約瑟那裡去、凡他所說的你們都要作。

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."

56
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。

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

57
各地的人都往埃及去、到約瑟那裡糴糧、因為天下的饑荒甚大。

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