Genesis 41 (NDE)

1Kwathi sekwedlule iminyaka emibili egcweleyo uFaro waba lephupho: Wazibona emi okhunjini lukaNayili,After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,

2kwasekuqhamuka emfuleni lowo amankomokazi ayisikhombisa, egcwele njalo enonile, esidla phakathi kwemihlanga.when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.

3Ngemva kwawo kwathutsha amanye ayisikhombisa, amabi njalo acakileyo, aphuma kuNayili afika ema eceleni kwalawo ayesokhunjini lomfula.After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside the well-fed cows on the bank of the river.

4Amankomokazi ayemabi, ecakile aginya lawo ayisikhombisa ayegcwele, enonile. UFaro wasephaphama.And the cows that were sickly and thin devoured the seven sleek, well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up,

5Wabuye walala waphupha okwesibili: Izikhwebu zamabele eziyisikhombisa, zigcwele zizinhle, zazikhula ehlangeni linye.but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk.

6Ngemva kwazo kwakhula ezinye izikhwebu eziyisikhombisa, zicakile njalo zihangulwe ludwangu.After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted, thin and scorched by the east wind.

7Izikhwebu lezo ezazicakile zaginya lezo eziyisikhombisa ezaziphilile, zigcwele. UFaro wasephaphama, kwakuliphupho nje.And the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.

8Ekuseni umoya wakhe wawukhathazekile, ngakho wasesithi kakubizwe bonke abemilingo lezazi zaseGibhithe. UFaro wabatshela amaphupho akhe, kodwa akakho loyedwa owakwaziyo ukuwachasisa.In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

9Umphathinkezo omkhulu wathi kuFaro, “Lamuhla sengikhumbula amaphutha ami.Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures.

10UFaro wake wazondela izinceku zakhe, wangivalela mina kanye lomphekizinkwa omkhulu endlini yendunankulu yabalindi.Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard.

11Ngamunye wethu waba lephupho ngobusuku bunye, iphupho linye ngalinye lalilengcazelo yalo lodwa.One night both the chief baker and I had dreams, and each dream had its own meaning.

12Kwakulejaha lomHebheru khonapho, lathi liyinceku yendunankulu yabalindi. Salitshela amaphupho ethu, lasichasisela wona, lisipha ngulowo ingcazelo yephupho lakhe.Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams and he interpreted them for us individually.

13Izinto zaba njengokusichazela kwakhe: ngabuyiselwa esikhundleni sami, lomkhula wami walengiswa.”And it happened to us just as he had interpreted: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.”

14Ngakho uFaro wabiza uJosefa, walethwa masinyane esuka entolongweni. Kwathi esephucile indevu, wantshintsha izigqoko weza phambi kukaFaro.So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh.

15UFaro wathi kuJosefa, “Ngiphuphe iphupho, kodwa kakho ongangichasisela lona. Kodwa ngizwa kuthiwa wena, nxa ungalizwa iphupho uyalichasisa.”Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”

16UJosefa wamphendula uFaro wathi, “Ngeke ngikwenze, kodwa uNkulunkulu uzamnika uFaro impendulo ayidingayo.”“I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”

17UFaro wasesithi kuJosefa, “Ephutsheni lami bengimi okhunjini lukaNayili,Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,

18ngasengibona kuqhamuka amankomokazi ayisikhombisa, anonileyo, egcwele, esidla phakathi kwemihlanga.when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.

19Ngemva kwawo kwaqhamuka amanye amankomokazi ayisikhombisa, etshwabhene, emabi kakhulu futhi ecakile. Ngangingakaze ngibone amankomokazi amabi kangako kulolonke elaseGibhithe.After them, seven other cows—sickly, ugly, and thin—came up. I have never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt!

20Lawo mankomokazi acakileyo, amabi adla lawana amankomokazi ayisikhombisa ayenonile ayiwo aqhamuka kuqala.Then the thin, ugly cows devoured the seven well-fed cows that were there first.

21Kodwa loba esewadlile lawo kakho owayengatsho ukuthi atheni; ayelokhu emabi njengakuqala. Ngasengiphaphama.When they had devoured them, however, no one could tell that they had done so; their appearance was as ugly as it had been before. Then I awoke.

22Ephutsheni lami ngibone njalo izikhwebu zamabele eziyisikhombisa, zigcwele, njalo zizinhle zikhula ehlangeni linye.In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk.

23Ngemva kwazo, kwahluma ezinye izikhwebu eziyisikhombisa, zibunile njalo zicakile, zihangulwe ludwangu.After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind.

24Lezozikhwebu zamabele ezicakileyo zaginya leziyana eziyisikhombisa ezinhle. Ngibatshelile abamasalamusi ngalokhu, kodwa kakho okwazileyo ukungichasisela.”And the thin heads of grain swallowed the seven plump ones. I told this dream to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me.”

25UJosefa wasesithi kuFaro, “Amaphupho kaFaro ayilutho lunye. UNkulunkulu usevezile kuFaro lokho asezakwenza.At this, Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do.

26Amankomokazi ayisikhombisa amahle ayiminyaka eyisikhombisa, njalo lezikhwebu zamabele ezinhle ziyiminyaka eyisikhombisa; kuliphupho linye.The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning.

27Amankomokazi ayisikhombisa eza muva yiminyaka eyisikhombisa, kanjalo lezikhwebu eziyisikhombisa ezazingelamsebenzi, zitshaywe ludwangu: Yiminyaka eyisikhombisa yendlala.Moreover, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind—they are seven years of famine.

28Kunjengokuba ngitshilo kuFaro. UNkulunkulu usevezile kuFaro lokho azakwenza.It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.

29Sekusiza iminyaka eyisikhombisa eyenala enkulu kulolonke elaseGibhithe,Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt,

30kodwa izalandelwa yiminyaka eyisikhombisa yendlala. Kuzakuthi yonke inala enkulu eGibhithe ikhohlakale, ngoba indlala izalibhubhisa ilizwe.but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will devastate the land.

31Inala elizweni izabe ingasakhunjulwa, ngoba indlala eyilandelayo izabe inkulu kakhulu.The abundance in the land will not be remembered, since the famine that follows it will be so severe.

32Isizatho sokuthi iphupho liphiwe uFaro ngezindlela ezimbili yikuthi, indaba isimiswe yaqiniswa nguNkulunkulu, njalo uNkulunkulu uzakukwenza masinyane.Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh in two versions, the matter has been decreed by God, and He will carry it out shortly.

33Khathesi-ke uFaro kadinge indoda elombono njalo ehlakaniphileyo ayibeke phezu kwelizwe laseGibhithe.Now, therefore, Pharaoh should look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt.

34UFaro abesekhetha abalisa elizweni abazathatha ingxenye eyodwa kwezinhlanu yesivuno saseGibhithe ngeminyaka yenala eyisikhombisa.Let Pharaoh take action and appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.

35Kumele baqoqe konke ukudla ngale iminyaka emihle ezayo bakugcine ukudla ngaphansi kukaFaro, kugcinwe emadolobheni ukuthi kube yikudla.Under the authority of Pharaoh, let them collect all the excess food from these good years, that they may come and lay up the grain to be preserved as food in the cities.

36Ukudla lokhu kakugcinelwe ilizwe kulondolozelwe ukusetshenziswa ngeminyaka eyisikhombisa yendlala ezafika eGibhithe, ukwenzela ukuthi ilizwe lingabhujiswa yindlala.”This food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine to come upon the land of Egypt. Then the country will not perish in the famine.”

37Icebo leli lakhanya lilihle kuFaro lakuzo zonke izikhulu zakhe.This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials.

38UFaro wasezibuza wathi, “Kambe singamfumana yini omunye onjengendoda le, umuntu olomoya kaNkulunkulu?”So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God abides?”

39UFaro wasesithi kuJosefa, “Njengoba uNkulunkulu esekwazisile konke lokhu, kakho olombono onje lohlakaniphileyo njengawe.Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.

40Wena-ke usuzaphatha isigodlo sami, kuthi bonke abantu bami bazalalela iziqondiso zakho. Mina ngizakuba mkhulu kulawe ngesikhundla sesihlalo sobukhosi sami kuphela.”You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

41Ngakho uFaro wasesithi kuJosefa, “Sengikubeka ukuthi wena uliphathe lonke ilizwe laseGibhithe.”Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.”

42UFaro wasethatha indandatho yophawu lwakhe eyayisemunweni wakhe wayifaka emunweni kaJosefa. Wamgqokisa izembatho zelineni elihle wamgqizisa iketane yegolide entanyeni.Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.

43Kwathiwa 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 his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.

44UFaro wasesithi kuJosefa, “Mina nginguFaro, kodwa ngaphandle kwelizwi lakho kakho ozasiphakamisa isandla loba unyawo kulolonke elaseGibhithe.”And Pharaoh declared to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission, no one in all the land of Egypt shall lift his hand or foot.”

45UFaro 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 he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt.

46UJosefa wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amathathu yokuzalwa eqalisa ukusebenzela uFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe. UJosefa wasuka phambi kukaFaro walibhoda lonke ilizwe laseGibhithe.Now Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.

47Ngeminyaka eyisikhombisa yenala umhlaba wathela ukudla okunengi kakhulu.During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully.

48UJosefa wakuqoqa konke ukudla okwavunwa phakathi kwaleyominyaka eyisikhombisa yenala eGibhithe wakulondoloza emadolobheni. Kulelo lalelodolobho wabeka ukudla okwakulinywa emasimini akuleyondawo.During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it.

49UJosefa waqoqa izinqwaba lezinqwaba zamabele, kwaba njengetshebetshebe lolwandle. Kwaba kunengi waze wayekela ukukubhala phansi ngoba kwasekungaphezu kokulinganiswa.So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance, like the sand of the sea, that he stopped keeping track of it; for it was beyond measure.

50Ingakafiki iminyaka yendlala, u-Asenathi, indodakazi kaPhothifera, umphristi ka-Oni wazalela uJosefa amadodana amabili.Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.

51UJosefa wetha izibulo lakhe wathi nguManase, esithi, “Kungenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu wenzile ukuthi ngilukhohlwe lonke uhlupho lwami kanye layo yonke indlu kababa.”Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.”

52Indodana yesibili wayibiza ngokuthi ngu-Efrayimi, wathi, “Kungenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu ungenze ngaba lezithelo elizweni lokuhlupheka kwami.”And the second son he named Ephraim, saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

53Iminyaka yenala eyisikhombisa eGibhithe yaphela,When the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end,

54kwaqalisa iminyaka yendlala eyisikhombisa, njengoba uJosefa wayetshilo. Indlala yaba khona kuwo wonke amanye amazwe, kodwa kulolonke ilizwe laseGibhithe ukudla kwakukhona.the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt.

55Kwathi lapho iGibhithe lonke selingenelwa yindlala abantu bazibika kuFaro befuna ukudla. Ngakho uFaro wasebatshela bonke abaseGibhithe wathi, “Yanini kuJosefa lenze lokho alitshela khona.”When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”

56Kwathi indlala isimemetheke kulolonke ilizwe uJosefa wavula iziphala wawathengisela amaGibhithe ukudla ngoba indlala yayisinkulu kakhulu kulolonke ilizwe laseGibhithe.When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.

57Kwathi wonke amanye amazwe eza eGibhithe ezothenga amabele kuJosefa, ngoba indlala yayibhahile kuwo wonke umhlaba.And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

Genesis 41

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Genesis 41

You’ve read Genesis 41

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