Exodus 5
1 And after this went in Moses and Aaron to Pharao, and they said to him, These things says the Lord God of Israel, Send my people away, that they may keep a feast to me in the wilderness.
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。」
2 And Pharao said, Who is he that I should hearken to his voice, so that I should send away the children of Israel? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.
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。」
3 And they say to him, The God of the Hebrews has called us to him: we will go therefore a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest at any time death or slaughter happen to us.
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。」
4 And the king of Egypt said to them, Why do ye, Moses and Aaron, turn the people from their works? depart each of you to your works.
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! 」
5 And Pharao said, Behold now, the people is very numerous; let us not then give them rest from their work.
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﹖」
6 And Pharao gave orders to the task-masters of the people and the accountants, saying,
那一天法朗命令那些百姓中的監工和工頭說：「
7 Ye shall no longer give straw to the people for brick-making as yesterday and the third day; but let them go themselves, and collect straw for themselves.
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。
8 And thou shalt impose on them daily the rate of brick-making which they perform: thou shalt not abate anything, for they are idle; therefore have they cried, saying, Let us arise and do sacrifice to our God.
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。
9 Let the works of these men be made grievous, and let them care for these things, and not care for vain words.
應給這些人加重工作，使他們只工作，而不聽謊言。」苦工加重
10 And the taskmasters and the accountants hastened them, and they spoke to the people, saying, thus says Pharao, I [will] give you straw no longer.
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。
11 Go ye, yourselves, get for yourselves straw whencesoever ye can find it, for nothing is diminished from your rate.
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。」
12 So the people were dispersed in all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.
百姓就分散到埃及全境，拾取麥莖充當草楷。
13 and the taskmasters hastened them, saying, Fulfil your regular daily tasks, even as when straw was given you.
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。」
14 And the accountants of the race of the children of Israel, who were set over them by the masters of Pharao, were scourged, [[and questioned, ] men] saying, Why have ye not fulfilled your rates of brick-work as yesterday and the third day, to-day also?
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﹖」
15 And the accountants of the children of Israel went in and cried to Pharao, saying, Why dost thou act thus to thy servants?
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﹖
16 Straw is not given to thy servants, and they tell us to make brick; and behold thy servants have been scourged: thou wilt therefore injure thy people.
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。」
17 And he said to them, Ye are idle, ye are idlers: therefore ye say, Let us go [and] do sacrifice to our God.
法朗回答說：「你們太懶惰了! 所以說：讓我們去祭獻上主!
18 Now then go and work, for straw shall not be given to you, yet ye shall return the rate of bricks.
現在都快去作工! 決不供給你們草楷，但是磚卻該如數交上。
19 And the accountants of the children of Israel saw themselves in an evil plight, [men] saying, Ye shall not fail to deliver the daily rate of the brick-making.
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
20 And they met Moses and Aaron coming forth to meet them, as they came forth from Pharao.
工頭們由法朗那裏出來，遇見梅瑟和亞郎正等候他們，
21 And they said to them, The Lord look upon you and judge you, for ye have made our savour abominable before Pharao, and before his servants, to put a sword into his hands to slay us.
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。」
22 And Moses turned to the Lord, and said, I pray, Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? and wherefore hast thou sent me?
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﹖
23 For from the time that I went to Pharao to speak in thy name, he has afflicted this people, and thou hast not delivered thy people.
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。」
