“They said, ‘These are confused dreams, and we are not skilled in interpreting dreams.’” (44)

“And the one who had been saved of the two, and who remembered after a time, said, ‘I will tell you its interpretation, so send me forth.’ (45) ‘Joseph, man of truth, explain to us the meaning of seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of grain and others that are dry, so that I may return to the people; perhaps they may come to know.’” (46)

“The king said, ‘Indeed, I saw seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of grain and others that were dry.’” Then he said to them, “O eminent ones, explain to me my dream, if you are skilled in interpreting dreams.”

“They said, ‘These are confused dreams’”: that is, a mixture of indistinct and bewildering dreams—mere terrifying fancies. Its singular form is ḍighth (1), originally referring to a bundle made up of different kinds of grass. The word aḥlām is the plural of ḥulm, meaning a dream. Its verb is ḥalamtu, aḥlumu: the lām has a fatḥa in the past tense and a damma in the imperfect; its verbal noun is ḥulum or ḥulm, in the fuller and lighter forms respectively. “And we are not skilled in interpreting dreams.”

“And the one who had been saved” from execution, “of the two”—that is, of the two young men, namely the cupbearer—“and who remembered”: that is, he recalled Joseph’s words, “Mention me to your master,” “after a time,” meaning after seven years. “I will tell you its interpretation.” This was because the young man knelt before the king and said, “There is a man in prison who interprets dreams, so send me forth.” This is abbreviated; its full meaning is: “O King, send me to him.” So he sent him, and he came to the prison. ⦗183/a⦘ Ibn ʿAbbās said: “The prison was not in the city.”

He said, “Joseph”—meaning, “O Joseph”—“man of truth.” The term rendered “man of truth” denotes one who is exceedingly truthful. “Explain to us the meaning of seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of grain and others that are dry,” for the king had seen this dream, “so that I may return to the people,” that is, the people of Egypt, “perhaps they may come to know,” namely, the interpretation of the dream. It was also said: perhaps they may know your rank in knowledge.

Then Joseph said to them, explaining and teaching: As for the fat cows and the green ears of grain, they represent seven years of abundance; and the lean cows and the [dry ears] (2) represent barren years. This is the meaning of His saying, Exalted is He, relating the words of Joseph: