出埃及記 5
1 此後，梅瑟同亞郎去見法朗說：「以色列的天主雅威這樣說：「你應放我的百姓走，好叫他們在曠野裏過傑敬拜我。」
And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus says the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
2 法朗問說：「誰是雅威，我該聽他的命，放以色列走﹖我不認識雅威，也不放以色列走。」
And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
3 他們回答說：「希伯來人的天主遇見了我們。請讓我們走三天的路到曠野裏，向上主我們的天主獻祭，免得他用瘟疫刀兵擊殺我們。」
And they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us: let us go, we pray you, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
4 埃及王回答他們說：「梅瑟、亞郎啊! 你們為什麼妨礙百姓工作呢﹖去服你們的勞役罷! 」
And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do all of you, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
5 法朗又說：「現在他們比本地的人民還多，你們竟然叫他們歇工﹖」
And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and all of you make them rest from their burdens.
6 那一天法朗命令那些百姓中的監工和工頭說：「
And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
7 你們以後不要再像往日一樣，給百姓做磚用的草楷，叫他們自己去拾草。
All of you shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as in time past: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8 但你們仍向他們要往日所做的同樣磚數，一點也不可減少，因為他們懶惰，所以才吶喊說：我們要去向我們的天主獻祭。
And the tale of the bricks, which they did make in time past, all of you shall lay upon them; all of you shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
9 應給這些人加重工作，使他們只工作，而不聽謊言。」苦工加重
Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.
10 百姓中的監工頭遂出去向百姓說：「法朗這樣吩咐：我不再給你們草楷。
And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
11 你們看那裏能找到草楷，就到那裏去拾罷! 但應有的工作一點也不可減少。」
Go all of you, get you straw where all of you can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.
12 百姓就分散到埃及全境，拾取麥莖充當草楷。
So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
13 監工催迫說：「你們每天應該完成當天的工作，像從前有草楷時一樣。」
And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.
14 法朗的監工責打他們所派出的以色列子民的工頭說：「你們昨天今天為什麼沒有完成像前天所做的磚數呢﹖」
And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have all of you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as in time past?
15 以色列子民的工頭遂去向法朗訴苦說：「你為什麼這樣對待你的僕人們呢﹖
Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore deal you thus with your servants?
16 不給你僕人們草楷，只對我們說：做磚罷! 原是你人民的錯，你卻來打你的僕人們。」
There is no straw given unto your servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.
17 法朗回答說：「你們太懶惰了! 所以說：讓我們去祭獻上主!
But he said, All of you are idle, all of you are idle: therefore all of you say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.
18 現在都快去作工! 決不供給你們草楷，但是磚卻該如數交上。
Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall all of you deliver the tale of bricks.
19 以色列子民的工頭因所出的命令說：你們每天應做的磚數，不得減少，」便知自己更陷於困難中。梅瑟受責哀求天主
And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, All of you shall not diminish ought from your bricks of your daily task.
20 工頭們由法朗那裏出來，遇見梅瑟和亞郎正等候他們，
And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:
21 就對他們說：「願上主鑑察懲罰你們! 你們使我們在法朗和他臣僕眼中成了可恨的，就好像把刀交在他們手中，宰殺我們。」
And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because all of you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
22 梅瑟回到上主那裏說：「吾主，你為什麼折磨這百姓﹖為什麼偏偏打發我呢﹖
And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, LORD, wherefore have you so evil pleaded this people? why is it that you have sent me?
23 自從我到法朗那裏，奉你的名講話以來，他更加折磨這百姓，而你也沒有整救你的百姓。」
For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have you delivered your people at all.
