創世記 41
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
約瑟為法老解夢
41 兩年後,法老做了個夢,夢見自己站在尼羅河邊, 2 有七頭肥美、健壯的母牛從河裡上來,在蘆葦叢中吃草。 3 隨後又有七頭醜陋、瘦弱的母牛從河裡上來,與那七頭母牛一同站在河邊。 4 後來,七頭醜陋、瘦弱的母牛吃掉了七頭肥美、健壯的母牛。這時,法老醒了過來。
5 之後,他又睡著了,又做了個夢。他夢見一株麥子上長了七個飽滿的穗子。 6 後來這株麥子上面又長了七個乾癟的穗子,它們被東風吹乾了。 7 七個乾癟的穗子吞食了七個飽滿的穗子。法老醒過來,原來是一場夢。
8 早上法老心中不安,就派人召來埃及所有的術士和博學之士,把夢告訴他們,可是沒有一個人能為他解夢。
9 後來,侍酒總管對法老說:「我今天才想起我的罪過。 10 我從前和膳食總管惹王生氣,被王囚禁在護衛長府內的牢裡。 11 一天晚上,我倆都做了夢。 12 當時有一個希伯來青年跟我們一起被囚在牢裡,他是護衛長的僕人。我們把夢告訴他,他就分別為我們解夢。 13 後來,他為我們解的夢都應驗了,我恢復了原職,膳食總管被掛在木頭上處死了。」
14 於是,法老派人去召約瑟,他們急忙釋放約瑟。約瑟剃頭刮臉,更換衣服,去見法老。 15 法老對約瑟說:「我做了一個夢,沒有人能為我解夢。我聽說你能解夢。」 16 約瑟回答說:「我自己不會解夢,但上帝卻能給王圓滿的解釋。」
17 法老對約瑟說:「我夢見自己站在尼羅河邊, 18 有七頭肥美、健壯的母牛從河裡上來,在蘆葦叢中吃草。 19 隨後又有七頭醜陋、瘦弱的母牛從河裡上來,我在埃及從來沒有見過有這麼醜陋的牛。 20 這些醜陋、瘦弱的母牛吃掉先前的七頭肥母牛。 21 可是,牠們吃了以後卻仍然像以前那麼醜陋。這時,我就醒了。 22 後來我又夢見一株麥子,上面長了七個飽滿的穗子, 23 接著又長出七個乾癟的穗子, 24 這些乾癟的穗子吞了那七個飽滿的穗子。我把夢告訴了術士,卻沒有人能為我解夢。」
25 約瑟對法老說:「王的夢都是同一個意思,上帝已經藉著夢把祂將要做的事指示王了。 26 七頭肥美的母牛和七個飽滿的穗子都代表七年,是同樣的意思。 27 七頭瘦弱、醜陋的母牛和七個乾癟、被東風吹乾的穗子也代表七年,是七年饑荒。 28 正如我剛才說的,上帝已經把祂將要做的事向王顯明了。 29 埃及全境很快會有七年大豐收, 30 隨後是七年饑荒肆虐全國,之前的豐收將被忘記。 31 饑荒將非常嚴重,之前的豐收將蕩然無存。 32 王的夢出現了兩次,表示上帝的心意已定,上帝必很快成就這事。 33 王應該選一個精明的人,派他治理埃及。 34 王也應該在各地委派官員,在七年豐收期內徵收全國出產的五分之一, 35 把在豐年收集的糧食儲存在各城,歸王管理。 36 這些糧食要留到七年饑荒時用,免得這片土地被饑荒毀滅。」
約瑟做埃及宰相
37 法老和他所有的臣僕都贊同約瑟的建議。 38 法老對臣僕說:「我們哪裡找像這樣有上帝的靈同在的人呢?」 39 法老對約瑟說:「上帝既然把夢的意思指示給你,可見沒人有你這樣的見識和智慧。 40 我要派你管理我家,我的人民都要遵從你的命令,只有我權力比你大。」 41 法老又說:「我現在派你治理埃及全國。」 42 於是,法老摘下手上用來蓋印的戒指,戴在約瑟的手上,給他穿上細麻袍,把金鏈戴在他頸上, 43 讓他坐在自己的第二輛御車上,並有人在御車前高呼:「跪下!」這樣,法老派約瑟治理整個埃及。 44 法老對約瑟說:「我是法老,但沒有你的命令,埃及的任何人都不得擅自行事。」 45 法老賜給約瑟一個名字叫撒發那忒·巴內亞,又把安城祭司波提非拉的女兒亞西納賜給他為妻。約瑟巡視了整個埃及。
46 約瑟三十歲開始為法老效勞,他離開法老去巡視埃及各地。 47 七個豐年之內,埃及糧食大豐收, 48 約瑟收集七個豐年出產的所有糧食,儲藏進各城,每一座城附近出產的糧食都存放在本城。 49 約瑟積存了大量五穀,多如海沙,不可勝數。
50 荒年到來前,安城祭司波提非拉的女兒亞西納給約瑟生了兩個兒子。 51 約瑟給長子取名叫瑪拿西,因為他說:「上帝使我忘記一切的困苦和我父親家。」 52 約瑟給次子取名叫以法蓮,因為他說:「上帝使我在受苦之地昌盛。」
53 七個豐年結束後, 54 七個荒年接踵而至,正如約瑟所言。各地都有饑荒,只有埃及全國有糧食。 55 後來,埃及全國也鬧饑荒,百姓就向法老求糧,法老對他們說:「你們去找約瑟吧,要照他的吩咐做。」
56 饑荒蔓延到整個埃及時,約瑟便開倉賣糧給埃及人。那時,埃及的饑荒非常嚴重。 57 各國的人都到埃及來向約瑟買糧,因為天下到處都是大饑荒。
Genesis 41
New International Version
Pharaoh’s Dreams
41 When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream:(A) He was standing by the Nile,(B) 2 when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat,(C) and they grazed among the reeds.(D) 3 After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. 4 And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.(E)
5 He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain,(F) healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. 6 After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind.(G) 7 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up;(H) it had been a dream.
8 In the morning his mind was troubled,(I) so he sent for all the magicians(J) and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.(K)
9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings.(L) 10 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants,(M) and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard.(N) 11 Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.(O) 12 Now a young Hebrew(P) was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard.(Q) We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream.(R) 13 And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.(S)”
14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon.(T) When he had shaved(U) and changed his clothes,(V) he came before Pharaoh.
15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it.(W) But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”(X)
16 “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”(Y)
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,(Z) 18 when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.(AA) 19 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 The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. 21 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 “In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. 23 After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. 24 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.(AB)”
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same.(AC) God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.(AD) 26 The seven good cows(AE) are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. 27 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.(AF)
28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.(AG) 29 Seven years of great abundance(AH) are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine(AI) will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land.(AJ) 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. 32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided(AK) by God, and God will do it soon.(AL)
33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man(AM) and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.(AN) 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners(AO) over the land to take a fifth(AP) of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.(AQ) 35 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.(AR) 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt,(AS) so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”
37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.(AT) 38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God[a]?”(AU)
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you,(AV) there is no one so discerning and wise as you.(AW) 40 You shall be in charge of my palace,(AX) and all my people are to submit to your orders.(AY) Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.(AZ)”
Joseph in Charge of Egypt
41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”(BA) 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring(BB) from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes(BC) of fine linen(BD) and put a gold chain around his neck.(BE) 43 He had him ride in a chariot(BF) as his second-in-command,[b](BG) and people shouted before him, “Make way[c]!”(BH) Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.(BI)
44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”(BJ) 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph(BK) the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest(BL) of On,[d](BM) to be his wife.(BN) And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old(BO) when he entered the service(BP) of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance(BQ) the land produced plentifully. 48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities.(BR) In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. 49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea;(BS) it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.
50 Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.(BT) 51 Joseph named his firstborn(BU) Manasseh[e](BV) and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” 52 The second son he named Ephraim[f](BW) and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful(BX) in the land of my suffering.”
53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine(BY) began,(BZ) just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. 55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine,(CA) the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”(CB)
56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians,(CC) for the famine(CD) was severe throughout Egypt.(CE) 57 And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph,(CF) because the famine was severe everywhere.(CG)
Footnotes
- Genesis 41:38 Or of the gods
- Genesis 41:43 Or in the chariot of his second-in-command; or in his second chariot
- Genesis 41:43 Or Bow down
- Genesis 41:45 That is, Heliopolis; also in verse 50
- Genesis 41:51 Manasseh sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for forget.
- Genesis 41:52 Ephraim sounds like the Hebrew for twice fruitful.
Genesis 41
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dream
41 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, 2 and there came up out of the Nile seven sleek and fat cows, and they grazed in the reed grass. 3 Then seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 The ugly and thin cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. And Pharaoh awoke. 5 Then he fell asleep and dreamed a second time; seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. 6 Then seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them. 7 The thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Pharaoh awoke, and it was a dream. 8 In the morning his spirit was troubled; so he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, ‘I remember my faults today. 10 Once Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard. 11 We dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own meaning. 12 A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each according to his dream. 13 As he interpreted to us, so it turned out; I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.’
14 Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was hurriedly brought out of the dungeon. When he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.’ 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, ‘It is not I; God will give Pharaoh a favourable answer.’ 17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘In my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile; 18 and seven cows, fat and sleek, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. 19 Then seven other cows came up after them, poor, very ugly, and thin. Never had I seen such ugly ones in all the land of Egypt. 20 The thin and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows, 21 but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had done so, for they were still as ugly as before. Then I awoke. 22 I fell asleep a second time[a] and I saw in my dream seven ears of grain, full and good, growing on one stalk, 23 and seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouting after them; 24 and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. But when I told it to the magicians, there was no one who could explain it to me.’
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, ‘Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. 27 The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, as are the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind. They are seven years of famine. 28 It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. 30 After them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; the famine will consume the land. 31 The plenty will no longer be known in the land because of the famine that will follow, for it will be very grievous. 32 And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. 33 Now therefore let Pharaoh select a man who is discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land, and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plenteous years. 35 Let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and lay up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to befall the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.’
Joseph’s Rise to Power
37 The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 Pharaoh said to his servants, ‘Can we find anyone else like this—one in whom is the spirit of God?’ 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has shown you all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command; only with 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 Removing his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph’s hand; he arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in the chariot of his second-in-command; and they cried out in front of him, ‘Bow the knee!’[b] Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.’ 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. Thus Joseph gained authority over the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went through all the land of Egypt. 47 During the seven plenteous years the earth produced abundantly. 48 He gathered up all the food of the seven years when there was plenty[c] in the land of Egypt, and stored up food in the cities; he stored up in every city the food from the fields around it. 49 So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance—like the sand of the sea—that he stopped measuring it; it was beyond measure.
50 Before the years of famine came, Joseph had two sons, whom Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. 51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh,[d] ‘For’, he said, ‘God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.’ 52 The second he named Ephraim,[e] ‘For God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortunes.’
53 The seven years of plenty that prevailed in the land of Egypt came to an end; 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every country, but throughout the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, ‘Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do.’ 56 And since the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses,[f] and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover, all the world came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine became severe throughout the world.
Footnotes
- Genesis 41:22 Gk Syr Vg: Heb lacks I fell asleep a second time
- Genesis 41:43 Abrek, apparently an Egyptian word similar in sound to the Hebrew word meaning to kneel
- Genesis 41:48 Sam Gk: MT the seven years that were
- Genesis 41:51 That is Making to forget
- Genesis 41:52 From a Hebrew word meaning to be fruitful
- Genesis 41:56 Gk Vg Compare Syr: Heb opened all that was in (or, among) them
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