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 afterwards have Moses and Aaron entered, and they say unto Pharaoh, 'Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Send My people away, and they keep a feast to 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 saith, 'Who [is] Jehovah, that I hearken to His voice, to send Israel away? I have not known Jehovah, and Israel also I do not send away.'

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 say, 'The God of the Hebrews hath met with us, let us go, we pray thee, a journey of three days into the wilderness, and we sacrifice to Jehovah our God, lest He meet us with pestilence or with 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 saith unto them, 'Why, Moses and Aaron, do ye free the people from its works? go to your burdens.'

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?

Pharaoh also saith, 'Lo, numerous now [is] the people of the land, and ye have caused them to cease from their burdens!'

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

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

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

'Ye do not add to give straw to the people for the making of the bricks, as heretofore — they go and have gathered straw for themselves;

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 proper quantity of the bricks which they are making heretofore ye do put on them, ye 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 be oppressed, with works, and let them fulfill them: that they may not regard lying 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 overseers of the works and the taskmasters went out and said to the people: Thus saith Pharao, I allow you no straw:

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

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

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

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

And the people is scattered over all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for 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 exactors are making haste, saying, 'Complete your works, the matter of a day in its day, as when there is 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 authorities of the sons of Israel, whom the exactors of Pharaoh have placed over them, are beaten, saying, 'Wherefore have ye not completed your portion in making brick as heretofore, both yesterday and to-day?'

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 authorities of the sons of Israel come in and cry unto Pharaoh, saying, 'Why dost thou thus to 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 to thy servants, and they are saying to us, Make bricks, and lo, thy servants are smitten — and thy people hath sinned.'

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

And he saith, 'Remiss — ye are remiss, therefore ye are saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to Jehovah;

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

and now, go, serve; and straw is not given to you, and the measure of bricks ye do give.'

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 authorities of the sons of Israel see them in affliction, saying, 'Ye do not diminish from your bricks; the matter of a day in its day.'

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

And they meet Moses and Aaron standing to meet them, in their coming out 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 say unto them, 'Jehovah look upon you, and judge, because ye 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 the Lord, and said: Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? wherefore hast thou sent me?

And Moses turneth back unto Jehovah, and saith, 'Lord, why hast Thou done evil to this people? why [is] this? — 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.

and since I have come unto Pharaoh, to speak in Thy name, he hath done evil to this people, and Thou hast not at all delivered Thy people.'