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.

And afterward Moses and Aaron have entered, and they say to Pharaoh, “Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Send My people away, and they keep a celebration for Me in the wilderness”;

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.

and Pharaoh says, “Who [is] YHWH, that I listen to His voice to send Israel away? I have not known YHWH, and I also do not send Israel away.”

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.

And they say, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us; please let us go a journey of three days into the wilderness, and we sacrifice to our God YHWH, lest He meet us with pestilence or with sword.”

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!

And the king of Egypt says to them, “Why, Moses and Aaron, do you free the people from its works? Go to your burdens.”

5 And Pharaoh said, Behold the people of the land are now many, and ye wish to make them rest from their burdens.

Pharaoh also says, “Behold, the people of the land [are] numerous now, and you have caused them to cease from their burdens!”

6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

And on that day Pharaoh commands the exactors among the people and its authorities, saying,

7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

“You do not add to give straw to the people for the making of the bricks as before—they go and have gathered straw for themselves;

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.

and you put on them the proper quantity of the bricks which they are making before, you do not diminish from it, for they are remiss, therefore they are crying, saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to our God;

9 Let them put heavier labour on the men, that they may be taken up with it, and not regard vain words.

let the service be heavy on the men, and let them work at it, and not be dazzled by lying words.”

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:

And the exactors of the people, and its authorities, go out, and speak to the people, saying, “Thus said Pharaoh: I do not give you straw,

11 go ye, get yourselves straw where ye may find it; but none of your work shall be diminished.

you—go, take straw for yourselves where you can find [it], for there is nothing diminished of your service.”

12 And the people were scattered abroad throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

And the people are scattered over all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw,

13 And the taskmasters urged [them], saying, Fulfil your labours, the daily work, as when there was straw.

and the exactors are making haste, saying, “Complete your works, the matter of a day in its day, as when there is straw.”

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?

And the authorities of the sons of Israel, whom the exactors of Pharaoh have placed over them, are beaten, saying, “Why have you not completed your portion in making brick as before, both yesterday and today?”

15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Why dost thou deal thus with thy bondmen?

And the authorities of the sons of Israel come in and cry to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you do thus to your servants?

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.

Straw is not given to your servants, and they are saying to us, Make bricks, and behold, your servants are struck—and your people have sinned.”

17 And he said, Ye are idle, idle! therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to Jehovah.

And he says, “Remiss—you are remiss, therefore you are saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to YHWH;

18 And now go — work! and straw shall not be given you, and ye shall deliver the measure of bricks.

and now, go, serve; and straw is not given to you, and you give the [required] measure of bricks.”

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.

And the authorities of the sons of Israel see them in affliction, saying, “You do not diminish from your bricks; the matter of a day in its day.”

20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood there to meet them, as they came out from Pharaoh.

And they meet Moses and Aaron standing to meet them in their coming out from Pharaoh,

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!

and say to them, “YHWH look on you, and judge, because you have caused our fragrance to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants—to give a sword into their hand to slay us.”

22 And Moses returned to Jehovah, and said, Lord, why hast thou done evil to this people? why now hast thou sent me?

And Moses turns back to YHWH and says, “Lord, why have You done evil to this people? Why [is] this [that] You have sent me?

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!

And since I have come to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, he has done evil to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.”