Genesis 41:8-24

8So when morning came his spirit was troubled and disturbed and he sent and called for all the magicians and all the wise men of Egypt. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them to him.

9Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I would mention my faults today.

10[Two years ago] Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief baker.

11We dreamed a dream on the same night, he and I; each of us dreamed according to [the significance of] the interpretation of his own dream.

12Now there was with us [in the prison] a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us, to each man according to the significance of his own dream.

13And just as he interpreted [the dreams] for us, so it happened; I was restored to my office [as chief cupbearer], and the baker was hanged.”

14Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when Joseph shaved himself and changed his clothes [making himself presentable], he came to Pharaoh.

15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you that you can understand a dream and interpret it.”

16Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me [to interpret the dream]; God [not I] will give Pharaoh a favorable answer [through me].”

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

18and seven fat, sleek and handsome cows came up out of the river, and they grazed in the reed grass [of a marshy pasture].

19Lo, seven other cows came up after them, very ugly and gaunt [just skin and bones]; such emaciated animals as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt.

20And the lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows.

21Yet when they had devoured them, it could not be detected that they had eaten them, because they were still as thin and emaciated as before. Then I awoke [but again I fell asleep and dreamed].

22I saw in my [second] dream, seven ears [of grain], plump and good, growing on a single stalk;

23and lo, seven [other] ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted after them;

24and the thin ears devoured the seven good ears. Now I told this to the magicians and soothsayers, but there was no one who could explain it [to me].”