Exodus 5
1 Then afterwarde Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may celebrate a feast vnto me in the wildernesse.
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 saide, Who is the Lord, that I should heare his voyce, and let Israel go? I knowe not the Lord, neither will I let Israel goe.
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 saide, We worship the God of the Ebrewes: we pray thee, let vs goe three daies iourney in the desert, and sacrifice vnto the Lord our God, least he bring vpon vs the pestilence or 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 Then saide the King of Egypt vnto them, Moses and Aaron, why cause ye the people to cease from their workes? get you 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 Pharaoh saide furthermore, Behold, much people is nowe in the lande, and ye make them leaue 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 Therefore Pharaoh gaue commandement the same day vnto the taskemasters of the people, and to 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 giue the people no more strawe, to make bricke (as in time past) but let them goe and gather them strawe them selues:
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 Notwithstanding lay vpon them the nober of bricke, which they made in time past, diminish nothing thereof: for they be idle, therefore they crie, saying, Let vs go to offer sacrifice vnto 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 Lay more worke vpon the men, and cause them to do it, and let the not regard vaine 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 Then went the taskemasters of the people and their officers out, and tolde the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will giue you no more strawe.
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 Goe your selues, get you strawe where yee can finde it, yet shall nothing of your labour bee 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 Then were the people scattered abroade throughout all the land of Egypt, for to gather stubble in steade of strawe.
百姓就分散到埃及全境，拾取麥莖充當草楷。
13 And the taskemasters hasted them, saying, Finish your dayes worke euery dayes taske, as ye did when ye had strawe.
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, which Pharaohs taskemasters had set ouer them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore haue ye not fulfilled your taske in making bricke yesterday and to daye, as in times past?
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 cryed vnto Pharaoh, saying, Wherfore dealest thou thus with thy seruants?
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 strawe giuen to thy seruantes, and they say vnto vs, Make bricke: and loe, thy seruants are beaten, and thy people is blamed.
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 But he said, Ye are to much idle: therfore ye say, Let vs goe to offer sacrifice to the Lord.
法朗回答說：「你們太懶惰了! 所以說：讓我們去祭獻上主!
18 Goe therefore nowe and worke: for there shall no strawe be giuen you, yet shall yee deliuer the whole tale of bricke.
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 Then the officers of the children of Israel sawe them selues in an euill case, because it was saide, Ye shall diminish nothing of your bricke, nor of euery dayes taske.
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, which stood in their way 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 To whom they said, The Lord looke vpon you and iudge: for yee haue made our sauour to stinke before Pharaoh and before his seruants, in that ye haue put a sword in their hand to slay vs.
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 Wherefore Moses returned to the Lord, and saide, Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? wherefore hast thou thus 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 since I came to Pharaoh to speake in thy Name, he hath vexed this people, and yet thou hast not deliuered 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。」
