Exodus 5

1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

After these things, Moses and Aaron entered, and they said to Pharaoh: “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Release my people, so that they may sacrifice to me in the desert.”

2 And Pharaoh said, Who [is] the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

But he responded: “Who is the Lord, that I should listen to his voice and release Israel? I do not know the Lord, and I will not release Israel.”

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

And they said: “The God of the Hebrews has called us, so that we may go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God. Otherwise, a pestilence or the sword may befall us.”

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

The king of Egypt said to them: “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, distract the people from their works? Go back to your burdens.”

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

And Pharaoh said: “The people of the land are many. You see that the turmoil has increased: how much more if you give them rest from the works?”

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

Therefore, on the same day, he instructed the overseers of the works, and the taskmasters of the people, saying:

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

“You shall no longer give chaff to the people to form bricks, as before. But they may go and gather straw.

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

And you shall impose upon them the same quota of bricks that they made before. Neither will you lessen anything, for they are idle, and therefore they cry out, saying: ‘We shall go and sacrifice to our God.’

9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.

They shall be oppressed with works, and these shall occupy them, so that they may not agree to lying words.”

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

And so the overseers of the works and the taskmasters went out and said to the people: “Thus says Pharaoh: I give you no chaff.

11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.

Go, and collect it wherever you are able to find it. Neither will anything of your work be diminished.”

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

And the people were dispersed through all the land of Egypt, in order to gather straw.

13 And the taskmasters hasted [them], saying, Fulfil your works, [your] daily tasks, as when there was straw.

Likewise, the overseers of the works pressured them, saying: “Complete your work each day, just as you were accustomed to do before, when straw was given to you.”

14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, [and] demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?

And those who were first in the works of the sons of Israel were scourged by Pharaoh’s taskmasters, saying: “Why have you not filled the quota of bricks, neither yesterday, nor today, just as before?”

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

And the first among the sons of Israel came, and they cried out to Pharaoh, saying: “Why do act against your servants in this way?

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.

Straw is not given to us, and yet the same amount of bricks is commanded. So we, your servants, are cut up by scourging, and injustice is done against your people.”

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

And he said: “You are idle. And for this reason you say, ‘We shall go and sacrifice 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.

Therefore, go and work. Straw will not be given to you, and you will return the customary number of bricks.”

19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see [that] they [were] in evil [case], after it was said, Ye shall not minish [ought] from your bricks of your daily task.

And the first among the sons of Israel saw themselves in a crisis, because it was said to them, “Nothing at all will be lessened from the bricks throughout each day.”

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

And they met with Moses and Aaron, who stood opposite them as they departed from 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 they said to them: “May the Lord see and judge, because you have caused our odor to become foul before Pharaoh and his servants, and you have provided him with a sword, in order to kill us.”

22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou [so] evil entreated this people? why [is] it [that] thou hast sent me?

And Moses returned to the Lord, and he said: “Lord, why have you afflicted this people? Why have you sent me?

23 For 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.

For from the time that I entered to Pharaoh, so as to speak in your name, he has afflicted your people. And you have not freed them.”