1 Emva kwesikhathi esithile umphathinkezo lomphekizinkwa wenkosi yaseGibhithe bayikhuba inkosi yabo, inkosi yaseGibhithe. 2 UFaro wayezizondele izikhulu zakhe zombili, umphathinkezo omkhulu lomphekizinkwa omkhulu, 3 wabaphosela entolongweni eyayisendlini kandunankulu wabalindi, lapho uJosefa ayevalelwe khona. 4 Indunankulu yabalindi yabanikela kuJosefa, wabalawula.

Kwathi sebehlale entolongweni okwesikhathi esithile, 5 ngulowo wamadoda la amabili, umphathinkezo lomphekizinkwa, abenkosi yaseGibhithe, ababevalelwe baphupha amaphupho ngabusuku bunye, kwathi yilelo iphupho laba lengcazelo yalo.

6 Kwathi uJosefa efika kubo kusisa ekuseni, wabona bebunile. 7 Wasezibuza izikhulu zikaFaro ezazisentolongweni kanye laye endlini yenkosi yakhe wathi, “Kungani ubuso benu bubunile kanje lamuhla na?”

8 Baphendula bathi, “Sobabili siphuphile, kodwa kakho ongasichasisela amaphupho ethu.”

Ngakho uJosefa wasesithi kubo, “Izingcazelo kakusizikaNkulunkulu na? Ngitshelani amaphupho enu.”

9 Umphathinkezo omkhulu wamtshela uJosefa ngephupho lakhe. Wathi kuye, “Ephutsheni lami ngibone isihlahla sevini siphambi kwami, 10 lelovini lilengatsha ezintathu. Lonela ukuhluma lahle laqhakaza, amaxha alo ahle avuthwa aba yizithelo ezivuthiweyo. 11 Inkezo kaFaro ibisesandleni sami, ngawathatha amagrebisi ngawakhamela enkezweni kaFaro ngamqhubela esandleni sakhe.”

12 UJosefa wathi kuye, “Nanku elikutshoyo. Amagatsha amathathu yizinsuku ezintathu. 13 Phakathi kwensuku ezintathu uFaro uzaphakamisa ikhanda lakho akubisele esikhundleni sakho, njalo uzayibeka inkezo kaFaro esandleni sakhe njengalokhu owawuvele ukwenza usesengumphathinkezo yakhe. 14 Kodwa nxa konke sekulungile ungikhumbule, ungenzele umusa; ungikhulumele kuFaro ukuze ngiphume kule intolongo. 15 Ngoba ngasuswa ngamandla elizweni lamaHebheru, futhi lapha kangenzanga lutho olufanele ukuthi ngifakwe entolongweni.”

16 Kwathi umphekizinkwa omkhulu ebona ukuthi uJosefa wayenike ingcazelo emnandi, wathi kuJosefa, “Lami njalo ngiphuphile: Phezu kwekhanda lami bekulezitsha zesinkwa ezintathu. 17 Esitsheni esiphezulu bekulemihlobo yonke yalokho okubhekhelwe uFaro, kodwa izinyoni zazilokhu zisidlala esitsheni sisekhanda lami.”

18 UJosefa wathi, “Nanku elikutshoyo. Izitsha ezintathu zinsuku ezintathu. 19 Phakathi kwensuku ezintathu uFaro uzaliphakamisa ikhanda lakho akulengise esihlahleni. Izinyoni zizakudla inyama yakho.”

20 Ilanga lesithathu laliyisikhumbuzo sokuzalwa kukaFaro, ngakho wenzela izikhulu zakhe idili. Waphakamisa amakhanda amabili, elomphathinkezo omkhulu lelomphekizinkwa omkhulu phambi kwezikhulu zakhe: 21 Wabuyisela umphathinkezo esikhundleni sakhe, waphinda njalo ukubeka inkezo esandleni sikaFaro, 22 kodwa walengisa umphekizinkwa omkhulu, kwaba njengoba uJosefa wayetshilo kubo ekubachasiseleni kwakhe.

23 Kodwa umphathinkezo omkhulu kasamkhumbulanga uJosefa; wakhohlwa ngaye.