Exodus 5

1 After these things Moses and Aaron went in, and said to Pharao: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Let my people go that they may sacrifice to me in the desert.

And after that Moses and Aaron went in, and said unto Pharaoh, Thus hath said the Everlasting One, the God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

2 But he answered: Who is the Lord, that I should hear his voice, and let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.

And Pharaoh said, Who is the Everlasting, whose voice I am to obey, to let Israel go? I know not the Everlasting, nor will I let Israel go.

3 And they said: The God of the Hebrews hath called us, to go three days’ journey into the wilderness and to sacrifice to the Lord our God: lest a pestilence or the sword fall upon us.

And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, a three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with the pestilence, or with the sword.

4 The king of Egypt said to them: Why do you Moses and Aaron draw off the people from their works? Get you gone to your burdens.

And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, hinder the people from their works? get you unto your own affairs.

5 And Pharao said: The people of the land is numerous: you see that the multitude is increased: how much more if you give them rest from their works?

And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye disturb them in the pursuit of their labors.

6 Therefore he commanded the same day the overseers of the works, and the taskmasters of the people, saying:

And Pharaoh commanded on the same day the taskmasters of the people, and its officers, saying,

7 You shall give straw no more to the people to make brick, as before: but let them go and gather straw.

Ye shall no more give the people straw to make the bricks, as yesterday and the day before; they themselves shall go and gather themselves straw.

8 And you shall lay upon them the task of bricks, which they did before, neither shall you diminish any thing thereof: for they are idle, and therefore they cry, saying: Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

And the number of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall impose 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 Let them be oppressed, with works, and let them fulfill them: that they may not regard lying words.

Let the work be made to lie heavily upon the men, that they may have enough to do therein; and that they may not pay attention to false words.

10 And the overseers of the works and the taskmasters went out and said to the people: Thus saith Pharao, I allow you no straw:

And the taskmasters of the people and its officers went out, and they said to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you any straw.

11 Go, and gather it where you can find it: neither shall any thing of your work be diminished.

Go ye, get yourselves straw from wherever ye can find it; yet not the least shall be taken off from your work.

12 And the people was scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather straw.

And the people scattered themselves abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

13 And the overseers of the works pressed them, saying: Fulfill your work every day as before you were wont to do when straw was given you.

And the taskmasters were urgent, saying, Fulfill your works, every day its due portion, just as when there was straw.

14 And they that were over the works of the children of Israel were scourged by Pharao’s taskmasters, saying: Why have you not made up the task of bricks both yesterday and today as before?

And the officers of the children of Israel, whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had set over them, were beaten, as these said, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick as heretofore, both yesterday and today?

15 And the officers of the children of Israel came, and cried out to Pharao, saying: Why dealest thou so with thy servants?

And the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?

16 Straw is not given us, and bricks are required of us as before: behold we thy servants are beaten with whips, and thy people is unjustly dealt withal.

Straw is not given unto thy servants, and, Make bricks, say they to us: and, behold, thy servants are beaten, and thy people are treated as sinners.

17 And he said: You are idle, and therefore you say: Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.

But he said, Idle are ye, idle; therefore say ye, Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.

18 Go therefore, and work: straw shall not be given you, and you shall deliver the accustomed number of bricks.

And now go, work, and straw shall not be given you; yet the required number of bricks shall ye deliver.

19 And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in evil case, because it was said to them: There shall not a whit be diminished of the bricks for every day.

And the officers of the children of Israel saw themselves in the evil necessity to say, Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, every day of its task.

20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood over against them as they came out from Pharao:

And they met Moses and Aaron, standing in their way, as they came forth from Pharaoh.

21 And they said to them: The Lord see and judge, because you have made our savour to stink before Pharao and his servants, and you have given him a sword to kill us.

And they said unto them, May the Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

22 And Moses returned to the Lord, and said: Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? wherefore hast thou sent me?

And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou let so much evil come upon this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

23 For since the time that I went in to Pharao to speak in thy name, he hath afflicted thy people: and thou hast not delivered them.

For, since I came unto Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done more evil to this people; but thou hast in nowise delivered thy people.