< 出埃及記 5 >
1 後來摩西、亞倫去對法老說:「耶和華-以色列的上帝這樣說:『容我的百姓去,在曠野向我守節。』」
And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.
2 法老說:「耶和華是誰,使我聽他的話,容以色列人去呢?我不認識耶和華,也不容以色列人去!」
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 他們說:「希伯來人的上帝遇見了我們。求你容我們往曠野去,走三天的路程,祭祀耶和華-我們的上帝,免得他用瘟疫、刀兵攻擊我們。」
And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice to the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
4 埃及王對他們說:「摩西、亞倫!你們為甚麼叫百姓曠工呢?你們去擔你們的擔子吧!」
And the king of Egypt said to them, Why do ye, Moses and Aaron, hinder the people from their works; go you to your burdens.
5 又說:「看哪,這地的以色列人如今眾多,你們竟叫他們歇下擔子!」
And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now [are] many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
And Pharaoh commanded the same day the task-masters of the people, and their officers, saying,
7 「你們不可照常把草給百姓做磚,叫他們自己去撿草。
Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8 他們素常做磚的數目,你們仍舊向他們要,一點不可減少;因為他們是懶惰的,所以呼求說:『容我們去祭祀我們的上帝。』
And the number of the bricks which they made heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish [aught] thereof; for they are idle: therefore they cry, saying, Let us go [and] sacrifice to our God.
9 你們要把更重的工夫加在這些人身上,叫他們勞碌,不聽虛謊的言語。」
Let more work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein: and let them not regard vain words.
10 督工的和官長出來對百姓說:「法老這樣說:『我不給你們草。
And the task-masters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
11 你們自己在哪裏能找草,就往那裏去找吧!但你們的工一點不可減少。』」
Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not aught of your work shall be diminished.
So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble instead of straw.
13 督工的催着說:「你們一天當完一天的工,與先前有草一樣。」
And the task-masters hastened [them], saying, Fulfill your works, [your] daily tasks, as when there was straw.
14 法老督工的,責打他所派以色列人的官長,說:「你們昨天今天為甚麼沒有照向來的數目做磚、完你們的工作呢?」
And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's task-masters had set over them, were beaten, [and] demanded, Why have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick, both yesterday and to-day, as heretofore?
15 以色列人的官長就來哀求法老說:「為甚麼這樣待你的僕人?
Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Why dealest thou thus with thy servants?
16 督工的不把草給僕人,並且對我們說:『做磚吧!』看哪,你僕人挨了打,其實是你百姓的錯。」
There is no straw given to thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and behold, thy servants [are] beaten; but the fault [is] in thy own people.
17 但法老說:「你們是懶惰的!你們是懶惰的!所以說:『容我們去祭祀耶和華。』
But he said, Ye [are] idle, [ye are] idle: therefore ye say, Let us go, [and] do sacrifice to the LORD.
18 現在你們去做工吧!草是不給你們的,磚卻要如數交納。」
Go therefore now, [and] work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the number of bricks.
19 以色列人的官長聽說「你們每天做磚的工作一點不可減少」,就知道是遭遇禍患了。
And the officers of the children of Israel saw [that] they [were] in evil [case], after it was said, Ye shall not diminish [aught] from your bricks of your daily task.
20 他們離了法老出來,正遇見摩西、亞倫站在對面,
And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:
21 就向他們說:「願耶和華鑒察你們,施行判斷;因你們使我們在法老和他臣僕面前有了臭名,把刀遞在他們手中殺我們。」
And they said to them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hands to slay us.
22 摩西回到耶和華那裏,說:「主啊,你為甚麼苦待這百姓呢?為甚麼打發我去呢?
And Moses returned to the LORD, and said, Lord, why hast thou [so] ill treated this people? why [is] it [that] thou hast sent me?
23 自從我去見法老,奉你的名說話,他就苦待這百姓,你一點也沒有拯救他們。」
For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.