12. Now there with us was a Hebrew youth—a slave belonging to the commander of the bodyguards. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams for us, each man’s dream he interpreted.
13. Then it came about, just as he interpreted for us, so it happened. Me he restored to my position, but him he hung.
14. Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph. So they quickly fetched him from the pit. He shaved, changed his clothes, and came to Pharaoh.
15. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I dreamed a dream and there’s no one to interpret it. I heard about you— it’s said that you can listen to a dream to interpret it.”
16. Then Joseph answered Pharaoh saying, “It’s not within me. God will answer with shalom for Pharaoh.”
17. So Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream, there I was, standing by the bank of the Nile.
18. And to my surprise, out of the Nile seven cows were coming up, beefy and good-looking, and they grazed in the reeds.
19. Then all of a sudden, there were seven other cows coming up after them, feeble, very ugly and emaciated. I’ve never seen the likes of these in the whole land of Egypt for ugliness.
20. Then the emaciated and ugly cows ate the first seven beefy cows.
21. When they were devoured, one couldn’t tell that they had been devoured. Their appearance was as ugly as it was at first. Then I woke up.
22. Then I saw in my dream, there were seven ears of corn coming up on one stalk, plump and good.
23. Then suddenly, there were seven ears of corn, dried up, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouting up after them.
24. Then the thin ears of corn swallowed up the seven good ears of corn. So I told the fortune-telling priests, but no one could provide me with an explanation.”
25. Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dream is one. God has told Pharaoh what He is about to do.
26. The seven good cows: they are seven years. Also the seven ears of corn: they’re seven years. It is one dream.
27. The seven emaciated and ugly cows coming up after them: they’re seven years. Also the seven empty ears of corn scorched by the east wind: there will be seven years of famine.