Exodus 5

1 And after this went in Moses and Aaron to Pharao, and they said to him, These things says the Lord God of Israel, Send my people away, that they may keep a feast to 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 Pharao said, Who is he that I should listen to his voice, so that I should send away the children of Israel? I do not know the Lord, and I will not 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 say to him, The God of the Hebrews has called us to him: we will go therefore a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest at any time death or slaughter happen to us.

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 to them, Why do you, Moses and Aaron, turn the people from their works? depart each of you to your works.

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 Pharao said, Behold now, the people is very numerous; let us not then give them rest from their work.

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 Pharao gave orders to the taskmasters of the people and the accountants, saying,

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

7 You shall no longer give straw to the people for brick-making as yesterday and the third day; but let them go themselves, and collect 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 you shall impose on them daily the rate of brick-making which they perform: you shall not abate anything, for they are idle; therefore have they cried, saying, Let us arise and do 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 the works of these men be made grievous, and let them care for these things, and not care for 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 and the accountants hastened them, and they spoke to the people, saying, thus says Pharao, I [will] give you straw no longer.

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 you, yourselves, get for yourselves straw whenever you can find it, for nothing is diminished from your rate.

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

12 So the people were dispersed in all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.

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

13 and the taskmasters hastened them, saying, Fulfil your regular daily tasks, even as when straw was given you.

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 accountants of the race of the children of Israel, who were set over them by the masters of Pharao, were scourged, [[and questioned, ] men] saying, Why have you not fulfilled your rates of brick work as yesterday and the third day, today also?

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 And the accountants of the children of Israel went in and cried to Pharao, saying, Why do you act thus to your 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 Straw is not given to your servants, and they tell us to make brick; and behold your servants have been scourged: you will therefore injure your 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 And he said to them, You are idle, you are idlers: therefore you say, Let us go [and] do sacrifice to our God.

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

18 Now then go and work, for straw shall not be given to you, yet you shall return the rate 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 accountants of the children of Israel saw themselves in an evil plight, [men] saying, You shall not fail to deliver the daily rate of the brick-making.

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 coming forth to meet them, as they came forth from Pharao.

And they met with Moses and Aaron, who stood opposite them as they departed from Pharaoh.

21 And they said to them, The Lord look upon you and judge you, for you have made our savor abominable before Pharao, and before his servants, to put a sword into his hands to kill 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 turned to the Lord, and said, I pray, Lord, why have you afflicted this people? and therefore have you 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 from the time that I went to Pharao to speak in your name, he has afflicted this people, and you have not delivered your people.

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.”