2 Mosebog 1
1 Dette er Navnene paa Israels Sønner, der sammen med Jakob kom til Ægypten med deres Familier:
These are the names of the sons of Israel, who went into Egypt with Jacob. They entered, each one with his house:
2 Ruben, Simeon, Levi og Juda,
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,
3 Issakar, Zebulon og Benjamin,
Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
4 Dan og Naftali, Gad og Aser.
Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
5 Jakobs Efterkommere udgjorde i alt halvfjerdsindstyve, men Josef var i Ægypten.
Therefore, all the souls of those who went forth from Jacob’s thigh were seventy. Now Joseph was in Egypt.
6 Imidlertid døde Josef og alle hans Brødre og hele dette Slægtled.
When he had died, along with all of his brothers and all of that generation,
7 Men Israeliterne var frugtbare og formerede sig, og de blev mange og overmaade talrige, saa at Landet blev fuldt af dem.
the sons of Israel increased, and they multiplied like seedlings. And having been strengthened exceedingly, they filled the land.
8 Da kom der en ny Konge over Ægypten, som ikke vidste noget om Josef;
Meanwhile, there arose a new king over Egypt, who was ignorant of Joseph.
9 og han sagde til sit Folk: »Se, Israels Folk bliver talrigere og stærkere end vi.
And he said to his people: “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many, and they are stronger than we are.
10 Velan, lad os gaa klogt til Værks imod dem, for at de ikke skal blive for mange; ellers kan det hænde, naar vi kommer i Krig, at de gaar over til vore Modstandere og kæmper mod os og til sidst forlader Landet!«
Come, let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply; and if any war should advance against us, they may be added to our enemies, and having fought against us, they might depart from the land.”
11 Saa satte man Fogeder over dem til at plage dem med Trællearbejde, og de maatte bygge Forraadsbyer for Farao: Pitom og Ra'amses.
And so he set over them masters of the works, in order to afflict them with burdens. And they built for Pharaoh the cities of the tabernacles: Pithom and Raamses.
12 Men jo mere man plagede dem, des flere blev de, og des mere bredte de sig, saa Ægypterne fik Rædsel for Israeliterne.
And the more they oppressed them, so much more did they multiply and increase.
13 Og Ægypterne tvang Israeliterne til Trællearbejde
And the Egyptians hated the sons of Israel, and they afflicted them and mocked them.
14 og gjorde dem Livet bittert ved haardt Arbejde med Ler og Tegl og alle Haande Markarbejde, ved alt det Arbejde, de tvang dem til at udføre for sig.
And they led their life directly into bitterness, with hard work in clay and brick, and with all kinds of servitude, so that they were being overwhelmed with the works of the land.
15 Ægypterkongen sagde da til Hebræerkvindernes Jordemødre, af hvilke den ene hed Sjifra, den anden Pua:
Then the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews, (one of whom one was called Shiphrah, another Puah)
16 »Naar I forløser Hebræerkvinderne, skal I se godt efter ved Fødselen, og er det et Drengebarn, tag saa Livet af det, men er det et Pigebarn, lad det saa leve!«
instructing them: “When you will act as a midwife to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery has arrived: if it is male, put it to death; if it is female, retain it.”
17 Men Jordemødrene frygtede Gud og gjorde ikke, som Ægypterkongen havde befalet dem, men lod Drengebørnene leve.
But the midwives feared God, and so they did not act according to the precept of the king of Egypt, but they kept the males safe.
18 Da lod Ægypterkongen Jordemødrene kalde og sagde til dem: »Hvorfor har I baaret eder saaledes ad og ladet Drengebørnene leve?«
And summoning them, the king said, “What did you intend to do, so that you would save the boys?”
19 Men Jordemødrene svarede Farao: »Hebræerkvinderne er ikke som de Ægyptiske Kvinder, de har let ved at føde; inden Jordemoderen kommer til dem, har de allerede født!«
They responded: “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. For they themselves have the wisdom of a midwife, and so they give birth before we can come to them.”
20 Og Gud gjorde vel imod Jordemødrene, og Folket blev stort og saare talrigt;
Therefore, God acted favorably toward the midwives. And the people increased, and they were strengthened exceedingly.
21 og Gud gav Jordemødrene Afkom, fordi de frygtede ham.
And because the midwives feared God, he built houses for them.
22 Da udstedte Farao den Befaling til hele sit Folk: »Alle Drengebørn, der fødes, skal I kaste i Nilen, men Pigebørnene skal I lade leve!«
Therefore, Pharaoh instructed all his people, saying: “Whatever will be born of the male sex, cast it into the river; whatever will be born of the female sex, retain it.”
