Then Josephsaidto the people,"Behold,I have todayboughtyou and your landfor Pharaoh;now,[here] is seedfor you, and you may sowthe land.
"The sevenleanand uglycowsthat cameup afterthem are sevenyears,and the seventhinearsscorchedby the eastwindwill be sevenyearsof famine.
"For the famine[has been] in the landthesetwo years,and there are stillfiveyearsin whichtherewill be neitherplowingnorharvesting.
Onlythe landof the priestshe did not buy,for the priestshad an allotmentfrom Pharaoh,and they livedoffthe allotmentwhichPharaohgavethem. Therefore,they did not selltheir land.
"At the harvestyou shall givea fifthto Pharaoh,and four-fifthsshall be your own for seedof the fieldand for your foodand for those of your householdsand as foodfor your littleones."
It is wellwith the manwho is graciousand lends;He will maintainhis causein judgment.
How blessedis he who considersthe helpless;The LORDwill deliverhim in a dayof trouble.
He who withholdsgrain,the peoplewill cursehim, But blessingwill be on the headof him who sells[it].
He who tillshis landwill haveplentyof bread,But he who pursuesworthless[things] lackssense.
Abundantfood[is in] the fallowgroundof the poor,But it is sweptawayby injustice.
Sowyour seedin the morningand do not be idlein the evening,for you do not knowwhethermorningorevening sowing will succeed,or whetherbothof them alikewill be good.
"For as the rainand the snowcomedownfrom heaven,And do not returntherewithoutwateringthe earthAnd making it bearand sprout,And furnishingseedto the sowerand breadto the eater;
"Whothenis the faithfuland sensibleslavewhomhis masterput in chargeof his householdto givethem their foodat the proper time?
NowHe who suppliesseedto the sowerand breadfor foodwill supplyand multiplyyour seedfor sowing and increasethe harvestof your righteousness;
