Exodus 5

1 And after that Moses and Aaron went in, and said unto Pharaoh, Thus hath said the Everlasting One, the 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 Everlasting, whose voice I am to obey, to let Israel go? I know not the Everlasting, nor 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, a three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with the 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, hinder the people from their works? get you unto your own affairs.

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 disturb them in the pursuit of their labors.

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 on the same day the taskmasters of the people, and its 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 the bricks, as yesterday and the day before; they themselves shall go and gather themselves straw.

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

8 And the number of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall impose upon them, ye shall not diminish aught thereof; for they are 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 the work be made to lie heavily upon the men, that they may have enough to do therein; and that they may not pay attention to false 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 and its officers went out, and they said to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you any 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 yourselves straw from wherever ye can find it; yet not the least shall be taken off from your work.

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

12 And the people scattered themselves 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 were urgent, saying, Fulfill your works, every day its due portion, just 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, whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had set over them, were beaten, as these said, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick as heretofore, both yesterday and today?

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 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 Straw is not given unto thy servants, and, Make bricks, say they to us: and, behold, thy servants are beaten, and thy people are treated as sinners.

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, Idle are ye, idle; therefore say ye, Let us go and 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 And now go, work, and straw shall not be given you; yet the required number of bricks shall ye deliver.

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 saw themselves in the evil necessity to say, Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, every day of its 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, standing in their 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, May the Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and 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 let so much evil come upon 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 unto Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done more evil to this people; but thou hast in nowise delivered thy 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.”