Genesis 41

1 After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,

1 两年后，法老做了个梦，梦见自己站在尼罗河边，

2 when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.

2 有七头肥美、健壮的母牛从河里上来，在芦苇丛中吃草。

3 After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside the well-fed cows on the bank of the river.

3 随后又有七头丑陋、瘦弱的母牛从河里上来，与那七头母牛一同站在河边。

4 And the cows that were sickly and thin devoured the seven sleek, well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up,

4 后来，七头丑陋、瘦弱的母牛吃掉了七头肥美、健壮的母牛。这时，法老醒了过来。

5 but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk.

5 之后，他又睡着了，又做了个梦。他梦见一株麦子上长了七个饱满的穗子。

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

6 后来这株麦子上面又长了七个干瘪的穗子，它们被东风吹焦了。

7 And the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.

7 七个干瘪的穗子吞食了七个饱满的穗子。法老醒过来，原来是一场梦。

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

8 早上法老心中不安，就派人召来埃及所有的术士和智者，把梦告诉他们，可是没有一个人能为他解梦。

9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures.

9 这时酒侍对法老说：“我今天才想起我的罪过。

10 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard.

10 我从前和膳司惹法老生气，被他囚禁在护卫长府内的牢里。

11 One night both the chief baker and I had dreams, and each dream had its own meaning.

11 一天晚上，我俩都做了梦，我们的梦各有不同的意思。

12 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 individually.

12 当时有一个希伯来青年跟我们一起被囚在牢里，他是护卫长的仆人。我们把梦告诉他，他就分别为我们解梦。

13 And it happened to us just as he had interpreted: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.”

13 后来，他为我们解的梦都应验了，我恢复了原职，膳司被挂在木头上处死了。”

14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh.

14 于是，法老派人去召约瑟，他们急忙从牢里释放约瑟。约瑟剃头刮脸，更换衣服，去见法老。

15 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.”

15 法老对约瑟说：“我做了一个梦，没有人能为我解梦。我听说你能解梦。”

16 “I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”

16 约瑟回答说：“我自己不会解梦，但上帝却能给王圆满的解释。”

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

17 法老对约瑟说：“我梦见自己站在尼罗河边，

18 when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.

18 有七头肥美、健壮的母牛从河里上来，在芦苇丛中吃草。

19 After them, seven other cows—sickly, ugly, and thin—came up. I have never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt!

19 随后又有七头丑陋、瘦弱的母牛从河里上来，我在全埃及从来没有见过有这么丑陋的牛。

20 Then the thin, ugly cows devoured the seven well-fed cows that were there first.

20 这些丑陋、瘦弱的母牛吃掉先前的七头肥母牛。

21 When they had devoured them, however, no one could tell that they had done so; their appearance was as ugly as it had been before. Then I awoke.

21 可是，它们吃了以后就像没吃一样，仍然和以前一样丑陋。这时，我就醒了。

22 In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk.

22 后来我又梦见一株麦子，上面长了七个饱满的穗子，

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

23 接着又长出七个被东风吹焦的干瘪穗子，

24 And the thin heads of grain swallowed the seven plump ones. I told this dream to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me.”

24 这些干瘪的穗子吞了那七个饱满的穗子。我把梦告诉了术士，却没有人能为我解梦。”

25 At this, Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do.

25 约瑟对法老说：“王的梦都是同一个意思，上帝已经借着梦把祂将要做的事指示王了。

26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning.

26 七头肥美的母牛和七个饱满的穗子都代表七年，是同样的意思。

27 Moreover, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind—they are seven years of famine.

27 随后上来的七头瘦弱、丑陋的母牛和七个干瘪、被东风吹焦的穗子也代表七年，是七年饥荒。

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

28 正如我刚才说的，上帝已经把祂将要做的事向王显明了。

29 Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt,

29 埃及全境很快会有七年大丰收，

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

30 随后是七年饥荒肆虐全国，之前的丰收将被忘记。

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

31 饥荒将非常严重，之前的丰收将荡然无存。

32 Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh in two versions, the matter has been decreed by God, and He will carry it out shortly.

32 王的梦出现了两次，表示上帝的心意已定，上帝必很快成就这事。

33 Now, therefore, Pharaoh should look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt.

33 王应该选一个精明聪慧的人，派他治理埃及。

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

34 王也应该在各地委派官员，在七年丰收期内征收全国出产的五分之一，

35 Under the authority of Pharaoh, let them collect all the excess food from these good years, that they may come and lay up the grain to be preserved as food in the cities.

35 把在丰年收集的粮食储存在各城，归王管理。

36 This food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine to come upon the land of Egypt. Then the country will not perish in the famine.”

36 这些粮食要留到埃及七年饥荒时用，免得这片土地被饥荒毁灭。”

37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials.

37 法老和他所有的臣仆都赞同约瑟的建议。

38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God abides?”

38 法老对臣仆说：“我们哪里找像这样有上帝的灵同在的人呢？”

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

39 法老对约瑟说：“上帝既然把梦的意思指示给你，可见没人有你这样的见识和智慧。

40 You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

40 你要管理我家，我的人民都要遵从你的命令，只有我权力比你大。”

41 Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.”

41 法老又说：“我现在派你治理埃及全国。”

42 Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.

42 于是，法老摘下手上用来盖印的戒指，戴在约瑟的手上，给他穿上细麻袍，把金链戴在他颈上，

43 He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.

43 让他坐在自己的第二辆御车上，并有人在御车前高呼：“跪下！”这样，法老派约瑟治理整个埃及。

44 And Pharaoh declared to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission, no one in all the land of Egypt shall lift his hand or foot.”

44 法老对约瑟说：“我是法老，但没有你的命令，埃及的任何人都不得擅自行事。”

45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt.

45 法老赐给约瑟一个名字，叫撒发那忒·巴内亚，又把安城祭司波提非拉的女儿亚西纳赐给他为妻。约瑟巡视了整个埃及。

46 Now Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.

46 约瑟三十岁开始为法老效劳，他离开法老去巡视埃及各地。

47 During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully.

47 七个丰年之内，埃及粮食大丰收，

48 During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it.

48 约瑟收集埃及七个丰年出产的所有粮食，储藏进各城，每一座城附近出产的粮食都存放在本城。

49 So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance, like the sand of the sea, that he stopped keeping track of it; for it was beyond measure.

49 约瑟积存了大量五谷，多如海沙，不可胜数。

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

50 荒年到来前，安城祭司波提非拉的女儿亚西纳给约瑟生了两个儿子。

51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.”

51 约瑟给长子取名叫玛拿西，因为他说：“上帝使我忘记一切困苦和父亲全家。”

52 And the second son he named Ephraim, saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

52 约瑟给次子取名叫以法莲，因为他说：“上帝使我在受苦之地昌盛。”

53 When the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end,

53 七个丰年结束后，

54 the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt.

54 七个荒年接踵而至，正如约瑟所言。各地都有饥荒，只有埃及全国有粮食。

55 When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”

55 后来，埃及全国也遭遇饥荒，百姓就向法老求粮，法老对他们说：“你们去找约瑟吧，要照他的吩咐做。”

56 When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.

56 饥荒蔓延到整个埃及时，约瑟便开仓卖粮给埃及人。那时，埃及的饥荒非常严重。

57 And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

57 各地的人都到埃及来向约瑟买粮，因为天下到处都是大饥荒。