A reading from the book of Genesis.

After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,

and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump,

and they fed in the reed grass, and behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin,

came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by

the other cows on the bank of the Nile.

And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive plump cows, and Pharaoh awoke,

and he fell asleep and dreamed a second time.

And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk.

And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind,

and the thin ears swallowed up the seven plumped full ears.

And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.

So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt

and all its wise

men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh,

I remember my offenses today. When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief

baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard.

We dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation.

A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard.

When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream.

And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office and the baker was hanged.

...