So he came to Yusuf in the prison and said: "Yusuf ayyuha al-siddiq" (Yusuf, O truthful one), meaning: the one who is truthful. "Aftina fi sab'i baqarat" (Explain to us seven fat cows), meaning: inform us about seven fat cows, to the end of the verse. Yusuf answered him, saying: As for the seven fat cows and the seven green ears of corn, they are seven years of fertility. As for the seven lean cows and the dry ears of corn, they are seven years of drought.
فَأَتَى يُوسُفَ فِي السِّجْنِ فَقَالَ: ﴿يُوسُف أَيهَا الصّديق﴾ يَعْنِي: الصَّادِقَ ﴿أَفْتِنَا فِي سَبْعِ بقرات﴾ أَيْ: أَخْبِرْنَا عَنْ سَبْعِ بَقَرَاتٍ سِمَانٍ، الآيَةَ؛ فَأَجَابَهُ يُوسُفُ فَقَالَ: أَمَّا السَّبْعُ الْبَقَرَاتُ السِّمَانُ، وَالسَّبْعُ السُّنْبُلاتُ الْخُضْرُ فَهِيَ سَبْعُ سِنِينَ تُخْصِبُ، وَأَمَّا السَّبْعُ الْبَقَرَاتُ الْعِجَافُ وَالسَّنَابِلُ الْيَابِسَاتُ فَهِيَ سَبْعُ سِنِينَ مجدبةٌ
