The 40th Chapter
And it chanced after this, that the chief butler of the king of Egypt and his chief baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharao was angry with them and put them in ward in his chief marshals house: even in the prison where Joseph was bound. And the chief marshal gave Joseph a charge with them, and he served them. And they continued a season in ward.
And they dreamed either of them in one night: both the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt which were bound in the prison house, either of them his dream, and each mans dream of a sundry (various) interpretation. When Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them: behold, they were sad. And he asked them saying, wherefore look you so sadly today? They answered him, we have dreamed a dream, and have no man to declare it. And Joseph said unto them. Interpreting belongs to God but tell me yet. And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph and said unto him. In my dream me thought there stood a vine before me, and in the vine were three branches, and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth: and the grapes thereof waxed ripe. And I had Pharaos cup in my hand, and took of the grapes and wrung them into Pharaos cup, and delivered Pharaos cup into his hand. And Joseph said unto him, this is the interpretation of it. The three branches are three days: for within three days shall Pharao lift up your head, and restore you unto your office again, and you shall deliver Pharaos cup into his hand, after the old manner, even as you did when you was his butler. But think on me with you, when you are in good case, and show mercy unto me. And make mention of me to Pharao, and help to bring me out of this house: for I was stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing at all wherefore they should have put me into this dungeon. When the chief baker saw that he had well interpreted it, he said unto Joseph, me thought also in my dream, that I had three wicker baskets on my head. And in the uppermost basket of all manner bakemeats for Pharao. And the birds ate them out of the basket upon my head.
Joseph answered and said: this is the interpretation thereof. The three baskets are three days, for this day three days shall Pharao take your head from you, and shall hang you on a tree, and the birds shall eat your flesh from off you.
And it came to pass the third day which was Pharaos birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants. And he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. And restored the chief butler unto his butlership again, and he reached the cup into Pharaos hand, and hanged the chief baker: even as Joseph had interpreted unto them. Notwithstanding the chief butler remembered not Joseph, but forgot him.
The 41st Chapter
And it fortuned at two years end, that Pharao dreamed, and thought that he stood by a rivers side, and that there came out of the river seven goodly kine (cows) and fat fleshed, and fed in a meadow, and him thought that seven other kine came up after them out of the river evil favored and lean fleshed and stood by the other upon the brink of the river. And the evil favored and lean fleshed kine: ate up the seven well favored and fat kine: and he awoke therewith. And he slept again and dreamed the second time, that seven ears of corn grew upon one stalk rank and goodly. And that seven thin ears blasted with the wind, sprang up after them: and that the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And then Pharao awakened: and see, here is his dream. When the morning came, his spirit was troubled. And he sent and called for all the soothsayers of Egypt and all the wise men thereof, and told them his dream: but there was none of them that could interpret it unto Pharao. Then spoke the chief butler unto Pharao saying. I do remember my fault this day. Pharao was angry with his servants, and put in ward in the chief marshals house both me and the chief baker. And we dreamed both of us in one night and each mans dream of a sundry (various) interpretation.
And there was with us a young man, an Hebrew born, servant unto the chief marshal. And we told him, and he declared our dreams to us according to either of our dreams. And as he declared them unto us, even so it came to pass. I was restored to mine office again, and he was hanged.
Then Pharao sent and called Joseph. And they made him haste out of prison. And he shaved himself and changed his raiment, and went in to Pharao. And Pharao said unto Joseph: I have dreamed a dream and no man can interpret it, but I have heard say of you that as soon as you hear a dream, you do interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharao saying: God shall give Pharao an answer of peace without me. Pharao said unto Joseph: in my dream me thought I stood by a rivers side, and there came out of the river seven fat fleshed and well favored kine (cows), and fed in the meadow. And then seven other kine came up after them, poor and very evil favored and lean fleshed: so that I never saw their like in all the land of Egypt in evil favoredness. And the seven lean and evil favored kine ate up the first seven fat kine. And when they had eaten them up, a man could not perceive that they had eaten them: for they were still as evil favored as they were at the beginning. And I awoke. And I saw again in my dream seven ears spring out of one stalk full and good, and seven other ears withered, thin and blasted with wind, spring up after them. And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears. And I have told it unto the soothsayers, but no man can tell me what it means. Then Joseph said unto Pharao: both Pharaos dreams are one. And God does show Pharao what he is about to do. The seven good kine are years: and the seven good ears are seven years also, and is but one dream. Likewise, the seven thin and evil favored kine that came out after them, are seven years: and the seven empty and blasted ears shall be seven years of hunger. This is that which I said unto Pharao, that God does show Pharao what he is about to do.
Behold there shall come seven years of great plenteousness throughout all the land of Egypt. And there shall arise after them seven years of hunger. So that all the plenteousness shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt. And the hunger shall consume the land: so that the plenteousness shall not be once a seen in the land by reason of that hunger that shall come after, for it shall be exceeding great. And as concerning that the dream was doubled unto Pharao the second time, it betokens that the thing is certainly prepared of God, and that God will shortly bring it to pass.
Now therefore let Pharao provide for a man of understanding and wisdom, and set him over the land of Egypt. And let Pharao make officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years and let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and lay up corn under the power of Pharao: that there may be food in the cities, and there let them keep it: that there may be food in store in the land, against the seven years of hunger which shall come in the land of Egypt, and that the land perish not through hunger.
And the saying pleased Pharao and all his servants. Then said Pharao unto his servants: where shall we find such a man as this is, that has the spirit of God in him? wherefore Pharao said unto Joseph: forasmuch as God has showed you all this, there is no man of understanding nor of wisdom like unto you. You therefore shall be over my house, and according to your word shall all my people obey: only in the kings seat will I be above you. And he said unto Joseph: behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt. And he took off his ring from his finger, and put it upon Josephs finger, and arrayed him in raiment of byss (fine linen), and put a golden chain about his neck and set him upon the best chariot that he had save one. And they cried before him *Abrech, and that Pharao had made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. *Abrech= cap A is correct, may be from Abroach 1. positioned so that a liquid, such as wine, can be let out. 2. In a state of action; astir.
And Pharao said unto Joseph: I am Pharao, without your will, shall no man lift up either his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. And he called Josephs name Zaphnath Paenea. And he gave him to wife Asnath the daughter of Putiphar priest of On. Then went Joseph abroad in the land of Egypt. And he was thirty years old when he stood before Pharao king of Egypt. And then Joseph departed from Pharao, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
And in the seven plenteous years they made sheaves and gathered up all the food of the seven plenteous years which were in the land of Egypt and put it into the cities. And he put the food of the fields that grew round about every city: even in the same. And Joseph laid up corn in store, like unto the sand of the sea in multitude out of measure, until he left numbering: For it was without number. And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of hunger came, which Asnath the daughter of Putiphar priest of On, bare unto him. And he called the name of the first son Manasse, for God (said he) has made me forget all my labor and all my fathers household. The second called he Ephraim, for God (said he) has caused me to grow in the land of my trouble.
And when the seven years of plenteousness that was in the land of Egypt were ended, then came the seven years of dearth, according as Joseph had said. And the dearth was in all lands: but in the land of Egypt was there yet food. When now all the land of Egypt began to hunger, then cried the people to Pharao for bread. And Pharao said unto all Egypt: go unto Joseph, and what he says to you that do. And when the dearth was throughout all the land, Joseph opened all that was in the cities, and sold unto the Egyptians. And hunger waxed sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries came to Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn: because that the hunger was so sore in all lands.
The 42nd Chapter
When Jacob saw that there was corn to be sold in Egypt, he said unto his sons: why are you negligent? behold, I have heard that there is corn to be sold in Egypt. Get you there and buy us corn from there, that we may live and not die. So went Josephs ten brethren down to buy corn in Egypt, for Ben Jamin Josephs brother would not Jacob send with his other brethren: for he said: some misfortune might happen him.
And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among other that came, for there was dearth also in the land of Canaan. And Joseph was governor in the land, and sold corn to all the people of the land. And his brethren came, and fell flat on the ground before him. When Joseph saw his brethren, he knew them: But made strange unto them, and spoke roughly unto them saying: From where come ye? and they said: out of the land of Canaan, to buy victual. Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
And Joseph remembered his dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them: you are spies, and to see where the land is weak is your coming. And they said unto him: no, my lord: but to buy victual your servants are come. We are all one mans sons, and mean truly, and your servants are no spies. And he said unto them: no verily, but even to see where the land is weak is your coming. And they said: we your servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is yet with our father, and one no man knows where he is. Joseph said unto them, that is it that I said unto you, that you are surely spies. Here by you shall be proved. For by the life of Pharao, you shall not go from here, until your youngest brother be come hither. Send therefore one of you and let him fetch your brother, and you shall be in prison in the mean season. And thereby shall your words be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharao, you are but spies. And he put them in ward three days.
And Joseph said unto them the third day: This do and live, for I fear God. If you mean no hurt, let one of your brethren be bound in the prison, and go you and bring the necessary food unto your households, and bring your youngest brother unto me: that your words may be believed, and that you die not. And they did so.
Then they said one to another: we have verily sinned against our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and would not hear him: therefore is this trouble come upon us. Ruben answered them saying: said I not unto you that you should not sin against the lad? but you would not hear. And now verily see, his blood is required. They were not aware that Joseph understood them, for he spoke unto them by an interpreter. And he turned from them and wept, and then turned to them again and communed with them, and took out Simeon from among them and bound him before their eyes, and commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to put every mans money in his sack, and to give them victual to spend by the way. And so it was done to them. And they laddened their asses with the corn and departed there. And as one of them opened his sack, for to give his ass provender in the Inn, he spied his money in his sacks mouth. And he said unto his brethren: my money is restored me again, and is even in my sacks mouth. Then their hearts failed them, and were astonished and said one to another: how comes it that God deals thus with us. And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that had happened them saying: The lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us for spies to search the country. And we said unto him: we mean truly and are no spies. We be twelve brethren sons of our father, one is away, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan. And the lord of the country said unto us: hereby shall I know if you mean truly: leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food necessary for your households and get you away, and bring your youngest brother unto me. And thereby shall I know that you are no spies, but mean truly: So will I deliver you your brother again, and you shall occupy in the land. And as they emptied their sacks, behold: every mans bundle of money was in his sack. And when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
And Jacob their father said unto them: Me have you robbed of my children: Joseph is away, and Simeon is away, and you will take Ben Jamin away. All these things fall upon me. Ruben answered his father saying: Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to you again. Deliver him therefore to my hand, and I will bring him to you again: And he said: my son shall not go down with you. For his brother is dead, and he is left alone. Moreover some misfortune might happen upon him by the way which you go. And so should you bring my gray head with sorrow unto the grave.