Exodus 5

1 And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh: 'Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Let My people go, that they may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness.'

After this Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says, ‘Let my people go so they can hold a religious festival for me in the desert.’”

2 And Pharaoh said: 'Who is the LORD, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go.'

“Who is this ‘Lord’ that I should listen to his request to let Israel go?” Pharaoh replied. “I don't know the Lord and I certainly won't let Israel leave!”

3 And they said: 'The God of the Hebrews hath met with us. Let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.'

“The God of the Hebrews came to us,” they added. “Please allow us to go a three days journey into the desert and offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. Otherwise he'll kill us by disease or by the sword.”

4 And the king of Egypt said unto them: 'Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, cause the people to break loose from their work? get you unto your burdens.'

“Moses and Aaron, why are you trying to take people away from their assigned labor?” Pharaoh asked. “Get back to work!” he ordered.

5 And Pharaoh said: 'Behold, the people of the land are now many, and will ye make them rest from their burdens?'

“Look here,” he went on. “There are many of your people here in our country and you are preventing them from doing their assigned labor.”

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

That very day he ordered the slave drivers and those in charge of the people:

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

“Don't give them any more straw to make bricks like before. Have them go and collect the straw themselves.

8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof; for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying: Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

But still make them produce the same quantity of bricks as before. They're lazy people—that's why they're calling out, asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to our god.

9 Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard lying words.'

Make their work harder so they can get on with it and not pay any attention to all these lies!”

10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying: 'Thus saith Pharaoh: I will not give you straw.

So the slave drivers and those in charge went out and told the people, “This is what Pharaoh has ordered: ‘I won't give you any more straw.

11 Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it; for nought of your work shall be diminished.'

Go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because your work quota won't be reduced.”

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

So the people went all over Egypt collecting stubble for straw.

13 And the taskmasters were urgent, saying: 'Fulfil your work, your daily task, as when there was straw.'

The slave drivers kept on forcing them, saying, “You still have to do the same work as you did when you had straw provided!”

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

They beat the Israelite supervisors they had put in charge, shouting at them, “Why haven't you met your quota of bricks as you did before?”

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

The Israelite supervisors went to Pharaoh to complain, saying, “Why are you treating us your servants like this?

16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us: Make brick; and, behold, thy servants are beaten, but the fault is in thine own people.'

You don't give us any straw but your slave drivers demand that we make bricks, and they beat us! Your people are treating us badly!”

17 But he said: 'Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say: Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.

“No, you're just lazy, lazy people!” Pharaoh replied. “That's why you keep on asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to the Lord.’

18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.'

Now get out of here and go back to work! You won't be given any straw but you'll still have to produce the full quota of bricks!”

19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were set on mischief, when they said: 'Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, your daily task.'

The Israelite supervisors realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the daily production of bricks.”

20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh;

They went over to Moses and Aaron who were waiting for them after their meeting with Pharaoh,

21 and they said unto them: 'The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.'

and said, “May the Lord see what you have done and judge you accordingly! You have made us like a bad smell to Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword in their hands to kill us!”

22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said: 'Lord, wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with this people? why is it that Thou hast sent me?

Moses went back to the Lord and complained, “Why have you caused all this trouble for your own people, Lord? Was this why you sent me?

23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, he hath dealt ill with this people; neither hast Thou delivered Thy people at all.'

Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak for you, he has been even harder on your people, and you haven't done anything to save them!”