1Emva kwesikhathi esithize, umphathikapho nombhagi wekosi yeGibhide bonela umphathabo oyikosi yeGibhide. 2UFaro wathukuthelela iinduna ezikulu zakhe ezimbili okutjho ihloko yabaphathikapho nehloko yababhagi, 3beyazibeka ngesikhungweni emzini womphathi wobuzimba, hlanu kwejele lapha bekunoJosefa khona. 4Umphathi wobuzimba wanikela uJosefa eendunenezo bona azitjheje.
Ngemva kobana zihlezi ngesikhungweni isikhatjhana, 5enye nenye yazo, umphathikapho nombhagi wekosi yeGibhide, zaba namabhudango busukubunye zingesikhungwenapho. Elinye nelinye ibhudango gade linehlathululwalo.
6Lokha uJosefa nakafika kizo ekuseni wazifumana zinyamile. 7Yeke wabuza iindunezo ebegade zinaye ngesikhungweni emzini womphathakhe wathi: “Kubayini ninyukubele nje namhlanjesi?”
8Zamphendula zathi: “Sibe namabhudango, kodwana akunamuntu ongasihlathululela wona.”
UJosefa wathi: “Angithi nguZimu okwazi ukuhlathulula amabhudango? Ningangitjela amabhudangwenu lawo-ke.”
9Yeke ihloko yabaphathikapho yatjela uJosefa ibhudango layo yathi: “Ebhudangweni lami bekunesidiribe ngaphambi kwami, 10sinamahlumela amathathu. Sekwathi sisahluma njalo, satjhatjhaza, khonokho sathela amatjatho wamadiribe avuthiweko. 11Ikapho kaFaro gade isesandleni sami, ngathatha amadiribe ngawaminyela ngekatjheni kaFaro leyo bengayibeka esandleni sakhe.”
12UJosefa wathi: “Nakhu okutjhiwo libhudangwelo: Amahlumela amathathu atjho amalanga amathathu. 13Emalangeni amathathu la uFaro uzakugweba umlandwakho abe akubuyisele esikhundleni sakho. Wena uzakubeka ikapho kaFaro esandleni sakhe njengaphambilini lokha nawugade usesemphathikaphakhe. 14Kodwana ungikhumbule-ke nasele izinto zikukhambela kuhle. Ungizamele ngokungibika kuFaro, angikhuphe ngejelapha. 15Ungibona nginje, ngathathwa ngekani enarheni yamaHebheru. NeGibhidapha sengaphoselwa ngemgodinapha ngingakenzi litho elimbi.”
16Kuthe bona ihloko yababhagi izwe bonyana uJosefa ukhulume ihlathululo ekarisako yebhudango yathi kuye: “Uyazi nami ngibhudangile. Ebhudangweni lami gade ngithwele iinqwebu ezintathu zesikwa esimhlophe. 17Esiqwebini esingaphezulu bekunemifunda yoke yezikwa ezikhethekileko ezibhagelwe uFaro, kodwana iinyoni bezikugoma seze kusehlokwami njalo.”
18UJosefa wayiphendula wathi: “Nakhu okutjhiwo libhudango lakhwelo: Iinqwebu ezintathu malanga amathathu. 19Emalangeni amathathu la uFaro uzakugweba umlandwakho abe akuhlomele esigodweni, iinyoni zinqothule inyamakho.”
20Kwathi elangeni lesithathu okwakulilanga uFaro abelethwa ngalo, wenzela zoke iinkhulu zakhe umnyanya. Wagweba umlandu wehloko yabaphathikapho nowehloko yababhagi phambi kweenkhulu zakhe: 21Wabuyisela ihloko yabaphathikapho esikhundleni sayo kobana ibuye godu ibeke ikapho esandleni sakaFaro, 22kodwana wahlomela ihloko yababhagi esigodweni. Kwaba njengombana uJosefa gade azihlathululele. 23Ihloko yabaphathikapho azange ikhumbule uJosefa. Yamkhohlwa nya.
