14. So Pharaoh sent for Joseph. He was quickly brought out of the prison. Joseph shaved himself and changed his clothes. Then he came to Pharaoh.
15. Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream. No one can tell me what it means. But I've heard that when you hear a dream you can explain it."
16. "I can't do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh. "But God will give Pharaoh the answer he wants."
17. Then Pharaoh told Joseph what he had dreamed. He said, "I was standing on the bank of the Nile River.
18. Seven cows came up out of the river. They were fat and good-looking. They were eating the tall grass that was growing along the river.
19. "After them, seven other cows came up. They were bony and very ugly and thin. I had never seen such ugly cows in the whole land of Egypt.
20. "The thin, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first.
21. But even after the thin cows ate up the fat ones, no one could tell that they had eaten them. They looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.
22. "In my dreams I also saw seven heads of grain. They were full and good. They were all growing on one stem.
23. "After them, seven other heads of grain came up. They were weak and thin and dried up by the east wind.
24. "The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told my dreams to the magicians. But none of them could explain them to me."
25. Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Both of Pharaoh's dreams have the same meaning. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
26. The seven good cows are seven years. And the seven good heads of grain are seven years. Both dreams mean the same thing.
27. "The seven thin, ugly cows that came up later are seven years. So are the seven worthless heads of grain that were dried up by the east wind. They are seven years when there won't be enough food.