Exodus 5
1 And afterwards Moses and Aaron went in, and said to Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Let my people go that they may celebrate 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 Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah, to whose voice I am to hearken to let Israel go? I do not know Jehovah, neither will I 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 said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Jehovah our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with sword.
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, wish to have the people go off from their works? Away, to your burdens!
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 Pharaoh said, Behold the people of the land are now many, and ye wish to make them rest from their burdens.
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 Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
那一天法朗命令那些百姓中的監工和工頭說：「
7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather 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 the number of the bricks they have made heretofore shall ye lay upon them: ye shall not diminish any of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go [and] 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 them put heavier labour on the men, that they may be taken up with it, and not regard 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 of the people and their officers went out and spoke to the people, saying, Thus says Pharaoh: I will not give you straw:
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, get yourselves straw where ye may find it; but none of your work shall be diminished.
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 And the people were scattered abroad throughout 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 urged [them], saying, Fulfil your labours, the daily work, as when there was straw.
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 officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, [and] it was said, Why have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick, both yesterday and to-day, as heretofore?
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 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Why dost thou deal thus with thy bondmen?
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 There is no straw given to thy bondmen, and they say to us, Make brick; and behold, thy bondmen are beaten, but it is the fault of 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, Ye are idle, idle! therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to Jehovah.
法朗回答說：「你們太懶惰了! 所以說：讓我們去祭獻上主!
18 And now go — work! and straw shall not be given you, and ye shall deliver the measure 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 officers of the children of Israel saw [that] it stood ill with them, because it was said, Ye shall not diminish anything from your bricks, the daily work.
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, who stood there to meet them, as they came out from Pharaoh.
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, Jehovah look upon you and judge, that ye have made our odour to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his bondmen, putting a sword into their hand to kill 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 returned to Jehovah, and said, Lord, why hast thou done evil to this people? why now 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 ever 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!
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。」
