Exodus 5
1 And afterwards, Moses and Aaron went in and said unto Pharaoh, —Thus, saith Yahweh God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.
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 Then said Pharaoh, Who is Yahweh that I should hearken to his voice, to let Israel go? I know not Yahweh, and certainly. Israel, will I not let go!
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 said, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us, —let us go, we pray thee, a journey of three days into the desert and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with 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 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore O Moses and Aaron should ye loose the people from their works? 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 And Pharaoh said, Lo! many—now, are the people of the land, —and are ye to make them rest from 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 So then Pharaoh gave command on that day, unto the taskmasters over the people and unto their overseers—saying:
那一天法朗命令那些百姓中的監工和工頭說：「
7 Ye shall no more give straw unto the people, for making the bricks as heretofore: Let them, go, themselves, so shall they gather for themselves straw:
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 Nevertheless, the fixed number of bricks, which they have been making heretofore, shall ye lay upon them, ye shall not diminish therefrom, —for idle, they are, on this account, it is that they are making an outcry, saying, We must go our way, we must sacrifice to 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 The service must be made heavy on the men that they may labour on it, —and let them not pay regard to words of falsehood.
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 forth the taskmasters of the people and their overseers, and spake unto the people, —saying, —Thus, saith Pharaoh, I am not going to give you straw,
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 Ye yourselves go fetch you straw, of any ye can find, —yet hath there not been diminished from your service a single thing.
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 So the people dispersed themselves throughout all the land of Egypt, —to gather stubble for straw:
百姓就分散到埃及全境，拾取麥莖充當草楷。
13 the taskmasters, meanwhile, being urgent saying, —Complete your works, The task of a day, in its day, as when the straw was provided.
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 Then were beaten the overseers of the sons of Israel, whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had set over them saying: Wherefore have ye not completed your task for making bricks, as heretofore, so also, yesterday and, to-day?
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 came in the overseers of the sons of Israel, and made outcry unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore shouldst thou do thus to thy servants?
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 No straw, is given to thy servants, yet bricks, —they keep saying to us—make ye! And lo, thy servants, are beaten—thou dost, therefore, wrong thy people.
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: Idle, ye are—idle, on this account, are, ye, saying, We must take our journey, we must sacrifice to Yahweh.
法朗回答說：「你們太懶惰了! 所以說：讓我們去祭獻上主!
18 Now, therefore, go labour, but, straw, shall not be given you, —yet the tale of bricks, shall ye render.
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 did the overseers of the sons of Israel see themselves to be in an evil case, when it was said, —Ye shall not diminish from your bricks—the task of a day, in its day
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 So they fell upon Moses and upon Aaron, stationing themselves to meet them, —as they came forth 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 and they said unto them, Yahweh look upon you and judge, —in that ye have made us odious in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants, putting a sword into their hand to slay us.
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 And Moses returned unto Yahweh and said, —O My Lord wherefore hast thou caused harm to this people? Wherefore now didst thou send 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 seeing that from what time I came in unto Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done harm to this people, and thou hast not delivered, 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。」
