Exodus 5
1 After these things happened, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so they can have a festival for me in the wilderness.'”
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 Pharaoh said, “Who is Yahweh? Why should I listen to his voice and let Israel go? I do not know Yahweh; moreover, I will not let Israel 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 They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to Yahweh our God so that he does not attack us with plague or with the 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 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people from their work? Go back to your work.”
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 He also said, “There are now many people in our land, and you are making them stop their work.”
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 On that same day, Pharaoh gave a command to the people's taskmasters and foremen. He said,
那一天法朗命令那些百姓中的監工和工頭說：「
7 “Unlike before, you must no longer give the people straw to make bricks. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.
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 However, you must still demand from them the same number of bricks as they made before. Do not accept any fewer, because they are lazy. That is why they are calling out and saying, 'Allow us to go and 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 Increase the workload for the men so that they keep at it and pay no more attention to deceptive words.”
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 So the people's taskmasters and foremen went out and informed the people. They said, “This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will no longer give you any 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 You yourselves must go and get straw wherever you can find it, but your workload will not be reduced.'”
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 scattered 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 kept urging them and saying, “Finish your work, just as when straw was given to you.”
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 Pharaoh's taskmasters beat the Israelite foremen, those same men whom they had put in charge of the workers. The taskmasters kept asking them, “Why have you not produced all the bricks required of you, either yesterday and today, as you used to do in the past?”
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 So the Israelite foremen came to Pharaoh and cried out to him. They said, “Why are you treating your servants this way?
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 being given to your servants anymore, but they are still telling us, 'Make bricks!' We, your servants, are even beaten now, but it is the fault of your own 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 Pharaoh said, “You are lazy! You are lazy! You say, 'Allow us to go 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 So now go back to work. No more straw will be given to you, but you must still make the same number of bricks.”
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 The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the daily number of bricks.”
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 They met Moses and Aaron, who were standing outside the palace, as they went away 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 They said to Moses and Aaron, “May Yahweh look at you and punish you, because you have made us offensive in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants. You have put a sword in their hand to kill 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 Moses went back to Yahweh and said, “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you send me in the first place?
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 Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak to him in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have not set your people free at all.”
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。」
