Which Is Interpreted by Joseph

Ne was non ſo wis man in al hiſ lond,
ðe kude vn-don ðis dremes bond;
None were found able to interpret the dreams.

ðo him bi-ðhogte ðat buteler

2116

Of ðat him drempte in priſun ðer,
And of ioſeph in ðe priſun,
And he it tolde ðe king pharaun.
The butler bethought him of Joseph.

Ioſeph waſ ſone in priſun ðo hogt,

2120

And ſhauen, & clad, & to him brogt;
Joseph is taken from prison,

ðe king him bad ben hardi & bold,
If he can rechen ðis dremeſ wold;
and brought before Pharaoh,

He told him quat him drempte o nigt,

2124

And ioſep rechede his drem wel rigt.
who related to him his dreams.

"ðis two dremes boðen ben on,
God wile ðe tawnen, king pharaon;
ðo .vij. ger ben get to cumen,
"The two dreams," answered Joseph, "are one."

2128

In al fulſum-hed ſulen it ben numen,
And .vij. oðere ſulen after ben,
"Seven years of plenty

Sori and nedful men ſulen iſ ſen;
Al ðat ðiſe firſt .vii. maken,

2132

Sulen ðiſ oðere .vii. roſpen & raken;
shall be followed by seven years of famine.

Ic rede ðe king, nu her bi-foren,
To maken laðes and gaderen coren,
I advise thee to make barns and store up corn, that thy folk perish not."

ðat ðin folc ne wurð vnder-numen,

2136

Quan ðo hungri gere ben forð-cumen."
King pharaon liſtnede hiſe red,
ðat wurð him ſiðen ſeli ſped.
[Fol. 42.]

He bi-tagte ioſep hiſ ring,

2140

And his bege of gold for wurðing,
Pharaoh gave Joseph his ring,

And bad him al hiſ lond bi-ſen,
And under him hegeſt for to ben,
And bad him welden in hiſ hond

2144

His folc, and agte, & al his lond;
and bad him rule the whole land.

ðo waſ vnder him ðanne putifar,
And hiſ wif ðat hem ſo to-bar.
Ioſep to wiue his dowter nam,

2148

Oðer is nu quan ear bi-cam;
Then were Potiphar and his wife under him.