Pharoah's Dream

The king said, “I saw seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of grain alongside seven dry ones. Tell me what this means, if you can interpret dreams.”

12:43And the king said: Lo! I saw in a dream seven fat kine which seven lean were eating, and seven green ears of corn and other (seven) dry. O notables! Expound for me my vision, if ye can interpret dreams.

They said, “These are confused visions, we do not interpret such dreams.”

12:44They answered: Jumbled dreams! And we are not knowing in the interpretation of dreams.

Then the freed prisoner remembered Joseph and said, “I will tell you its meaning, send me to him.”

12:45And he of the two who was released, and (now) at length remembered, said: I am going to announce unto you the interpretation, therefore send me forth.

He said, “Joseph, O truthful one, explain the dream of seven fat cows eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears alongside seven dry ones, so I may return with understanding.”

12:46(And when he came to Joseph in the prison, he exclaimed): Joseph! O thou truthful one! Expound for us the seven fat kine which seven lean were eating and the seven green ears of corn and other (seven) dry, that I may return unto the people, so that they may know.

He said, “You will plant for seven years as usual, but leave what you harvest in its ear, except for what you eat.”

12:47He said: Ye shall sow seven years as usual, but that which ye reap, leave it in the ear, all save a little which ye eat.

“Then seven difficult years will come, consuming what you stored, except for a little you preserve.”

12:48Then after that will come seven hard years which will devour all that ye have prepared for them, save a little of that which ye have stored.

“Then a year will follow in which people will have abundant rain and will press juice.”

12:49Then, after that, will come a year when the people will have plenteous crops and when they will press (wine and oil).

The king said, “Bring him to me.” But when the messenger came, Joseph said, “Return to your master and ask him about the women who cut their hands, my Lord knows their schemes.”

12:50And the king said: Bring him unto me. And when the messenger came unto him, he (Joseph) said: Return unto thy lord and ask him what was the case of the women who cut their hands. Lo! my Lord knoweth their guile.

The king asked the women, “What was your affair with Joseph when you tried to seduce him?” They replied, “Allah forbid! We found no wrongdoing in him.” The governor’s wife said, “Now the truth is clear, it was I who sought to seduce him, and he was truthful.”

12:51He (the king) (then sent for those women and) said: What happened when ye asked an evil act of Joseph? They answered: Allah Blameless! We know no evil of him. Said the wife of the ruler: Now the truth is out. I asked of him an evil act, and he is surely of the truthful.

Joseph said, “This was so my master may know that I did not betray him in secret, and that Allah does not guide the schemes of the treacherous.”

12:52(Then Joseph said: I asked for) this, that he (my lord) may know that I betrayed him not in secret, and that surely Allah guideth not the snare of the betrayers.

“Yet I do not claim to be free of fault, the soul is inclined toward evil, except for those whom my Lord has shown mercy. My Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.”

12:53I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.

The king said, “Bring him to me, so I may appoint him exclusively for myself.” When he spoke with Joseph, he said, “You are now honoured and trusted among us.”

12:54And the king said: Bring him unto me that I may attach him to my person. And when he had talked with him he said: Lo! thou art to-day in our presence established and trusted.

Joseph said, “Appoint me over the storehouses of the land, I am knowledgeable and trustworthy.”

12:55He said: Set me over the storehouses of the land. Lo! I am a skilled custodian.

Thus, We established Joseph in the land, granting him authority wherever he pleased. We bestow Our mercy upon whomever We will, and We do not let the reward of the righteous go to waste.

12:56Thus gave We power to Joseph in the land. He was the owner of it where he pleased. We reach with Our mercy whom We will. We lose not the reward of the good.

But the reward of the Hereafter is far greater for those who believe and remain mindful of Allah.

12:57And the reward of the Hereafter is better, for those who believe and ward off (evil).