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.

And afterward Moses and Aaron have entered, and they say to Pharaoh, “Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Send My people away, and they keep a celebration for Me in the wilderness”;

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!

and Pharaoh says, “Who [is] YHWH, that I listen to His voice to send Israel away? I have not known YHWH, and I also do not send Israel away.”

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.

And they say, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us; please let us go a journey of three days into the wilderness, and we sacrifice to our God YHWH, lest He meet us with pestilence or with sword.”

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.

And the king of Egypt says to them, “Why, Moses and Aaron, do you free the people from its works? Go to your burdens.”

5 And Pharaoh said, Lo! many—now, are the people of the land, —and are ye to make them rest from their burdens?

Pharaoh also says, “Behold, the people of the land [are] numerous now, and you have caused them to cease from their burdens!”

6 So then Pharaoh gave command on that day, unto the taskmasters over the people and unto their overseers—saying:

And on that day Pharaoh commands the exactors among the people and its authorities, saying,

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:

“You do not add to give straw to the people for the making of the bricks as before—they go and have gathered straw for themselves;

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.

and you put on them the proper quantity of the bricks which they are making before, you do not diminish from it, for they are remiss, therefore they are crying, saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to our God;

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.

let the service be heavy on the men, and let them work at it, and not be dazzled by lying words.”

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,

And the exactors of the people, and its authorities, go out, and speak to the people, saying, “Thus said Pharaoh: I do not give you straw,

11 Ye yourselves go fetch you straw, of any ye can find, —yet hath there not been diminished from your service a single thing.

you—go, take straw for yourselves where you can find [it], for there is nothing diminished of your service.”

12 So the people dispersed themselves throughout all the land of Egypt, —to gather stubble for straw:

And the people are scattered over all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw,

13 the taskmasters, meanwhile, being urgent saying, —Complete your works, The task of a day, in its day, as when the straw was provided.

and the exactors are making haste, saying, “Complete your works, the matter of a day in its day, as when there is straw.”

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?

And the authorities of the sons of Israel, whom the exactors of Pharaoh have placed over them, are beaten, saying, “Why have you not completed your portion in making brick as before, both yesterday and today?”

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?

And the authorities of the sons of Israel come in and cry to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you do thus to your servants?

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.

Straw is not given to your servants, and they are saying to us, Make bricks, and behold, your servants are struck—and your people have sinned.”

17 But he said: Idle, ye are—idle, on this account, are, ye, saying, We must take our journey, we must sacrifice to Yahweh.

And he says, “Remiss—you are remiss, therefore you are saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to YHWH;

18 Now, therefore, go labour, but, straw, shall not be given you, —yet the tale of bricks, shall ye render.

and now, go, serve; and straw is not given to you, and you give the [required] measure of bricks.”

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

And the authorities of the sons of Israel see them in affliction, saying, “You do not diminish from your bricks; the matter of a day in its day.”

20 So they fell upon Moses and upon Aaron, stationing themselves to meet them, —as they came forth from Pharaoh;

And they meet Moses and Aaron standing to meet them in their coming out from Pharaoh,

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.

and say to them, “YHWH look on you, and judge, because you have caused our fragrance to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants—to give a sword into their hand to slay us.”

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?

And Moses turns back to YHWH and says, “Lord, why have You done evil to this people? Why [is] this [that] You have sent me?

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,

And since I have come to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, he has done evil to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.”