UGenesisi 41
1 Kwathi sekwedlule iminyaka emibili egcweleyo uFaro waba lephupho: Wazibona emi okhunjini lukaNayili,
A full two years later, Pharaoh had a dream that he was standing beside the River Nile.
2 kwasekuqhamuka emfuleni lowo amankomokazi ayisikhombisa, egcwele njalo enonile, esidla phakathi kwemihlanga.
He saw seven cows coming up from the river. They looked well-fed and healthy as they grazed among the reeds.
3 Ngemva kwawo kwathutsha amanye ayisikhombisa, amabi njalo acakileyo, aphuma kuNayili afika ema eceleni kwalawo ayesokhunjini lomfula.
Then he saw another seven cows that came up behind them. They looked ugly and skinny as they stood beside the other cows on the bank of the Nile.
4 Amankomokazi ayemabi, ecakile aginya lawo ayisikhombisa ayegcwele, enonile. UFaro wasephaphama.
Then the ugly, skinny cows ate the well-fed, healthy cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
5 Wabuye walala waphupha okwesibili: Izikhwebu zamabele eziyisikhombisa, zigcwele zizinhle, zazikhula ehlangeni linye.
Pharaoh fell asleep again and had a second dream. Seven heads of grain were growing on one stalk, ripe and healthy.
6 Ngemva kwazo kwakhula ezinye izikhwebu eziyisikhombisa, zicakile njalo zihangulwe ludwangu.
Then seven heads of grain grew up after them, thin and dried by the east wind.
7 Izikhwebu lezo ezazicakile zaginya lezo eziyisikhombisa ezaziphilile, zigcwele. UFaro wasephaphama, kwakuliphupho nje.
The seven thin and dried heads of grain swallowed up the ripe and healthy ones. Then Pharaoh woke up and realized he'd been dreaming.
8 Ekuseni umoya wakhe wawukhathazekile, ngakho wasesithi kakubizwe bonke abemilingo lezazi zaseGibhithe. UFaro wabatshela amaphupho akhe, kodwa akakho loyedwa owakwaziyo ukuwachasisa.
The next morning Pharaoh was worried by his dreams, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men in Egypt. Pharaoh told them about his dreams, but no one could interpret their meaning for him.
9 Umphathinkezo omkhulu wathi kuFaro, “Lamuhla sengikhumbula amaphutha ami.
But then the chief cupbearer spoke up. “Today I've just remembered a bad mistake I've made,” he explained.
10 UFaro wake wazondela izinceku zakhe, wangivalela mina kanye lomphekizinkwa omkhulu endlini yendunankulu yabalindi.
“Your Majesty was angry with some of your officials and you imprisoned me in the house of the commander of the guard, along with the chief baker.
11 Ngamunye wethu waba lephupho ngobusuku bunye, iphupho linye ngalinye lalilengcazelo yalo lodwa.
We each had a dream. They were different dreams, each with its own meaning.
12 Kwakulejaha lomHebheru khonapho, lathi liyinceku yendunankulu yabalindi. Salitshela amaphupho ethu, lasichasisela wona, lisipha ngulowo ingcazelo yephupho lakhe.
A young Hebrew was there with us, a slave of the commander of the guard. When we told him our dreams, he interpreted for us the meaning of our different dreams.
13 Izinto zaba njengokusichazela kwakhe: ngabuyiselwa esikhundleni sami, lomkhula wami walengiswa.”
Everything happened just as he said it would—I was given back my job and the baker was hanged.”
14 Ngakho uFaro wabiza uJosefa, walethwa masinyane esuka entolongweni. Kwathi esephucile indevu, wantshintsha izigqoko weza phambi kukaFaro.
Pharaoh summoned Joseph, and they quickly brought him from the prison. After he'd shaved and changed his clothes, he was presented to Pharaoh.
15 UFaro wathi kuJosefa, “Ngiphuphe iphupho, kodwa kakho ongangichasisela lona. Kodwa ngizwa kuthiwa wena, nxa ungalizwa iphupho uyalichasisa.”
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, but no one can interpret its meaning. But I've heard that when someone tells you a dream you know how to interpret it.”
16 UJosefa wamphendula uFaro wathi, “Ngeke ngikwenze, kodwa uNkulunkulu uzamnika uFaro impendulo ayidingayo.”
“It's not me who can do this,” Joseph replied. “But God will explain its meaning to set Your Majesty's mind at rest.”
17 UFaro wasesithi kuJosefa, “Ephutsheni lami bengimi okhunjini lukaNayili,
Pharaoh explained to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile.
18 ngasengibona kuqhamuka amankomokazi ayisikhombisa, anonileyo, egcwele, esidla phakathi kwemihlanga.
I saw seven cows coming up from the river. They looked well-fed and healthy as they grazed among the reeds.
19 Ngemva kwawo kwaqhamuka amanye amankomokazi ayisikhombisa, etshwabhene, emabi kakhulu futhi ecakile. Ngangingakaze ngibone amankomokazi amabi kangako kulolonke elaseGibhithe.
Then I saw another seven cows that came up behind them. They looked sickly and ugly and skinny—I've never seen such ugly cows in the whole of Egypt!
20 Lawo mankomokazi acakileyo, amabi adla lawana amankomokazi ayisikhombisa ayenonile ayiwo aqhamuka kuqala.
These skinny, ugly cows ate the first seven healthy-looking cows.
21 Kodwa loba esewadlile lawo kakho owayengatsho ukuthi atheni; ayelokhu emabi njengakuqala. Ngasengiphaphama.
But afterwards you couldn't tell they'd eaten them because they looked just as skinny and ugly as before. Then I woke up.
22 Ephutsheni lami ngibone njalo izikhwebu zamabele eziyisikhombisa, zigcwele, njalo zizinhle zikhula ehlangeni linye.
Then I fell asleep again. In my second dream I saw seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, ripe and healthy.
23 Ngemva kwazo, kwahluma ezinye izikhwebu eziyisikhombisa, zibunile njalo zicakile, zihangulwe ludwangu.
Then seven heads of grain grew up after them, withered and thin and dried by the east wind.
24 Lezozikhwebu zamabele ezicakileyo zaginya leziyana eziyisikhombisa ezinhle. Ngibatshelile abamasalamusi ngalokhu, kodwa kakho okwazileyo ukungichasisela.”
The seven thin heads of grain swallowed up the healthy ones. I told all this to the magicians, but none of them could explain its meaning to me.”
25 UJosefa wasesithi kuFaro, “Amaphupho kaFaro ayilutho lunye. UNkulunkulu usevezile kuFaro lokho asezakwenza.
“Pharaoh's dreams mean the same thing,” Joseph responded. “God is telling Pharaoh what he is going to do.
26 Amankomokazi ayisikhombisa amahle ayiminyaka eyisikhombisa, njalo lezikhwebu zamabele ezinhle ziyiminyaka eyisikhombisa; kuliphupho linye.
The seven good cows and the seven good heads of grain represent seven good years of harvest. The dreams mean the same thing.
27 Amankomokazi ayisikhombisa eza muva yiminyaka eyisikhombisa, kanjalo lezikhwebu eziyisikhombisa ezazingelamsebenzi, zitshaywe ludwangu: Yiminyaka eyisikhombisa yendlala.
The seven skinny and ugly cows that came after them and the seven thin heads of grain dried by the east wind represent seven years of famine.
28 Kunjengokuba ngitshilo kuFaro. UNkulunkulu usevezile kuFaro lokho azakwenza.
It's just as I told Your Majesty—God has shown Pharaoh what he is going to do.
29 Sekusiza iminyaka eyisikhombisa eyenala enkulu kulolonke elaseGibhithe,
There are going to be seven years with plenty of food produced throughout the whole country of Egypt.
30 kodwa izalandelwa yiminyaka eyisikhombisa yendlala. Kuzakuthi yonke inala enkulu eGibhithe ikhohlakale, ngoba indlala izalibhubhisa ilizwe.
But after them will come seven years of famine. People will forget the time when there was plenty of food throughout Egypt. Famine will ruin the country.
31 Inala elizweni izabe ingasakhunjulwa, ngoba indlala eyilandelayo izabe inkulu kakhulu.
The time of plenty will be completely forgotten because the famine that follows it will be so terrible.
32 Isizatho sokuthi iphupho liphiwe uFaro ngezindlela ezimbili yikuthi, indaba isimiswe yaqiniswa nguNkulunkulu, njalo uNkulunkulu uzakukwenza masinyane.
The fact that the dream was repeated twice means that it has definitely been decided by God, and that God is going to do this soon.
33 Khathesi-ke uFaro kadinge indoda elombono njalo ehlakaniphileyo ayibeke phezu kwelizwe laseGibhithe.
So Your Majesty should choose a man with insight and wisdom, and put him in charge of the whole country of Egypt.
34 UFaro abesekhetha abalisa elizweni abazathatha ingxenye eyodwa kwezinhlanu yesivuno saseGibhithe ngeminyaka yenala eyisikhombisa.
Your Majesty should also appoint officials to be in charge of the land, and have them collect one-fifth of the produce of the country during the seven years of plenty.
35 Kumele baqoqe konke ukudla ngale iminyaka emihle ezayo bakugcine ukudla ngaphansi kukaFaro, kugcinwe emadolobheni ukuthi kube yikudla.
They should collect all the food during the good years that are soon coming, and store the grain under Pharaoh's authority, keeping it under guard to provide food for the towns.
36 Ukudla lokhu kakugcinelwe ilizwe kulondolozelwe ukusetshenziswa ngeminyaka eyisikhombisa yendlala ezafika eGibhithe, ukwenzela ukuthi ilizwe lingabhujiswa yindlala.”
This will be a food reserve for the country during the seven years of famine so that the people won't die of starvation.”
37 Icebo leli lakhanya lilihle kuFaro lakuzo zonke izikhulu zakhe.
Pharaoh and all his officials thought Joseph's proposal was a good idea.
38 UFaro wasezibuza wathi, “Kambe singamfumana yini omunye onjengendoda le, umuntu olomoya kaNkulunkulu?”
So Pharaoh asked them, “Where can we find a man like this who has the spirit of God in him?”
39 UFaro wasesithi kuJosefa, “Njengoba uNkulunkulu esekwazisile konke lokhu, kakho olombono onje lohlakaniphileyo njengawe.
Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, telling him, “Since God has revealed to you all this, and there's no one like you with such insight and wisdom,
40 Wena-ke usuzaphatha isigodlo sami, kuthi bonke abantu bami bazalalela iziqondiso zakho. Mina ngizakuba mkhulu kulawe ngesikhundla sesihlalo sobukhosi sami kuphela.”
you will be in charge of all my affairs, and all my people will obey your orders. Only I with my status as king will be greater than you.”
41 Ngakho uFaro wasesithi kuJosefa, “Sengikubeka ukuthi wena uliphathe lonke ilizwe laseGibhithe.”
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Look, I'm putting you in charge of the whole country of Egypt.”
42 UFaro wasethatha indandatho yophawu lwakhe eyayisemunweni wakhe wayifaka emunweni kaJosefa. Wamgqokisa izembatho zelineni elihle wamgqizisa iketane yegolide entanyeni.
Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in fine linen clothes and placed a golden chain around his neck.
43 Kwathiwa usezahamba ngenqola yempi njengoba esenguye umsekeli wakhe oseduze, kwathi edlula abantu bamemeza bathi, “Vulani indlela!” Wambeka-ke ukuthi aphathe ilizwe lonke laseGibhithe.
He had Joseph ride in the chariot designated for his second-in-command while his attendants went ahead, shouting, “Bow down!” This is how Pharaoh gave Joseph authority over all of Egypt.
44 UFaro wasesithi kuJosefa, “Mina nginguFaro, kodwa ngaphandle kwelizwi lakho kakho ozasiphakamisa isandla loba unyawo kulolonke elaseGibhithe.”
Then Pharaoh told Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission nobody will lift a hand or a foot anywhere in the whole country.”
45 UFaro wetha uJosefa ibizo elithi Zafenathi-Phaneya, wasemupha u-Asenathi indodakazi kaPhothifera, umphristi wase-Oni ukuba abe ngumkakhe. UJosefa walibhoda lonke ilizwe laseGibhithe.
Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, and arranged for him to marry Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. This is how Joseph rose to power over the whole of Egypt.
46 UJosefa wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amathathu yokuzalwa eqalisa ukusebenzela uFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe. UJosefa wasuka phambi kukaFaro walibhoda lonke ilizwe laseGibhithe.
Joseph was thirty when he started working for Pharaoh, king of Egypt. After he had left Pharaoh, Joseph traveled on an inspection tour throughout Egypt.
47 Ngeminyaka eyisikhombisa yenala umhlaba wathela ukudla okunengi kakhulu.
During the seven years of good harvests, the land produced plenty of food.
48 UJosefa wakuqoqa konke ukudla okwavunwa phakathi kwaleyominyaka eyisikhombisa yenala eGibhithe wakulondoloza emadolobheni. Kulelo lalelodolobho wabeka ukudla okwakulinywa emasimini akuleyondawo.
He collected all the food during the seven good years, and he stored the grain produced in the local fields in each town.
49 UJosefa waqoqa izinqwaba lezinqwaba zamabele, kwaba njengetshebetshebe lolwandle. Kwaba kunengi waze wayekela ukukubhala phansi ngoba kwasekungaphezu kokulinganiswa.
Joseph piled up so much grain that it was like the sand of the seashore. Eventually he stopped keeping records because there was just so much!
50 Ingakafiki iminyaka yendlala, u-Asenathi, indodakazi kaPhothifera, umphristi ka-Oni wazalela uJosefa amadodana amabili.
It was during this time, before the years of famine came, that Joseph had two sons by Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
51 UJosefa wetha izibulo lakhe wathi nguManase, esithi, “Kungenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu wenzile ukuthi ngilukhohlwe lonke uhlupho lwami kanye layo yonke indlu kababa.”
Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh, because he said, “The Lord has made me forget all my troubles and all my father's family.”
52 Indodana yesibili wayibiza ngokuthi ngu-Efrayimi, wathi, “Kungenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu ungenze ngaba lezithelo elizweni lokuhlupheka kwami.”
His second son he named Ephraim, because he said, “God has made me fruitful in the country of my misery.”
53 Iminyaka yenala eyisikhombisa eGibhithe yaphela,
The seven years of plenty in Egypt came to an end,
54 kwaqalisa iminyaka yendlala eyisikhombisa, njengoba uJosefa wayetshilo. Indlala yaba khona kuwo wonke amanye amazwe, kodwa kulolonke ilizwe laseGibhithe ukudla kwakukhona.
and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other countries but the whole of Egypt had food.
55 Kwathi lapho iGibhithe lonke selingenelwa yindlala abantu bazibika kuFaro befuna ukudla. Ngakho uFaro wasebatshela bonke abaseGibhithe wathi, “Yanini kuJosefa lenze lokho alitshela khona.”
When all of Egypt was hungry, the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, and he told everyone, “Go and see Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”
56 Kwathi indlala isimemetheke kulolonke ilizwe uJosefa wavula iziphala wawathengisela amaGibhithe ukudla ngoba indlala yayisinkulu kakhulu kulolonke ilizwe laseGibhithe.
The famine had spread all over the country so Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the people of Egypt. The famine was very bad in Egypt,
57 Kwathi wonke amanye amazwe eza eGibhithe ezothenga amabele kuJosefa, ngoba indlala yayibhahile kuwo wonke umhlaba.
in fact the famine was very bad everywhere, so people from other countries all around came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph.
