Exodus 5

1 And after they went Moses and Aaron and they said to Pharaoh thus he says Yahweh [the] God of Israel let go people my so they may celebrate a festival to me in the wilderness.

After this Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says, ‘Let my people go so they can hold a religious festival for me in the desert.’”

2 And he said Pharaoh who? [is] Yahweh that I will listen to voice his by letting go Israel not I know Yahweh and also Israel not I will let go.

“Who is this ‘Lord’ that I should listen to his request to let Israel go?” Pharaoh replied. “I don't know the Lord and I certainly won't let Israel leave!”

3 And they said [the] God of the Hebrews he has met with us let us go please a journey of three days in the wilderness and let us sacrifice to Yahweh God our lest he should fall on us with pestilence or with the sword.

“The God of the Hebrews came to us,” they added. “Please allow us to go a three days journey into the desert and offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. Otherwise he'll kill us by disease or by the sword.”

4 And he said to them [the] king of Egypt why? O Moses and Aaron are you causing to refrain the people from work its go to forced labor your.

“Moses and Aaron, why are you trying to take people away from their assigned labor?” Pharaoh asked. “Get back to work!” he ordered.

5 And he said Pharaoh here! [is] many now [the] people of the land and you have caused to cease them from forced labor their.

“Look here,” he went on. “There are many of your people here in our country and you are preventing them from doing their assigned labor.”

6 And he commanded Pharaoh on the day that the taskmasters over the people and foremen its saying.

That very day he ordered the slave drivers and those in charge of the people:

7 Not you will repeat! to give straw to the people to make bricks the bricks as yesterday three days ago they let them go and they may gather for themselves straw.

“Don't give them any more straw to make bricks like before. Have them go and collect the straw themselves.

8 And [the] measurement of the bricks which they [were] making yesterday three days ago you will place on them not you will diminish from it for [are] idle they there-fore they [are] crying out saying let us go let us sacrifice to God our.

But still make them produce the same quantity of bricks as before. They're lazy people—that's why they're calling out, asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to our god.

9 Let it be heavy the labor on the men so they may work in it and may not them pay attention to words of falsehood.

Make their work harder so they can get on with it and not pay any attention to all these lies!”

10 And they went out [the] taskmasters of the people and foremen its and they said to the people saying thus he says Pharaoh not I [am] giving to you straw.

So the slave drivers and those in charge went out and told the people, “This is what Pharaoh has ordered: ‘I won't give you any more straw.

11 You go acquire for yourselves straw from where you will find [it] for not [is] diminished from labor your anything.

Go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because your work quota won't be reduced.”

12 And it scattered the people in all [the] land of Egypt to gather stubble for the straw.

So the people went all over Egypt collecting stubble for straw.

13 And the taskmasters [were] pressing [them] saying complete work your a matter of a day in day its just as when was the straw.

The slave drivers kept on forcing them, saying, “You still have to do the same work as you did when you had straw provided!”

14 And they were struck [the] foremen of [the] people of Israel whom they had appointed over them [the] taskmasters of Pharaoh saying why? not have you completed prescribed portion your by making bricks as yesterday three days ago neither yesterday nor this day.

They beat the Israelite supervisors they had put in charge, shouting at them, “Why haven't you met your quota of bricks as you did before?”

15 And they went [the] foremen of [the] people of Israel and they cried out to Pharaoh saying why? are you doing thus to servants your.

The Israelite supervisors went to Pharaoh to complain, saying, “Why are you treating us your servants like this?

16 Straw not [is being] given to servants your and bricks [people are] saying to us make and there! servants your [are] being struck and you have sinned people your.

You don't give us any straw but your slave drivers demand that we make bricks, and they beat us! Your people are treating us badly!”

17 And he said [are] idle you idle there-fore you [are] saying let us go let us sacrifice to Yahweh.

“No, you're just lazy, lazy people!” Pharaoh replied. “That's why you keep on asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to the Lord.’

18 And now go work and straw not it will be given to you and [the] measurement of bricks you will give.

Now get out of here and go back to work! You won't be given any straw but you'll still have to produce the full quota of bricks!”

19 And they saw [the] foremen of [the] people of Israel themselves in trouble saying not you will diminish from bricks your a matter of a day in day its.

The Israelite supervisors realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the daily production of bricks.”

20 And they met Moses and Aaron standing to meet them when came out they from with Pharaoh.

They went over to Moses and Aaron who were waiting for them after their meeting with Pharaoh,

21 And they said to them may he look Yahweh on you and may he judge that you have made stink odor our in [the] eyes of Pharaoh and in [the] eyes of servants his to put a sword in hand their to kill us.

and said, “May the Lord see what you have done and judge you accordingly! You have made us like a bad smell to Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword in their hands to kill us!”

22 And he returned Moses to Yahweh and he said O Lord why? have you done harm to the people this why? this did you send me.

Moses went back to the Lord and complained, “Why have you caused all this trouble for your own people, Lord? Was this why you sent me?

23 And from then I went to Pharaoh to speak in name your he has done harm to the people this and certainly not you have delivered people your.

Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak for you, he has been even harder on your people, and you haven't done anything to save them!”