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.'”
後來摩西、亞倫去對法老說：「耶和華－以色列的上帝這樣說：『容我的百姓去，在曠野向我守節。』」
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.”
法老說：「耶和華是誰，使我聽他的話，容以色列人去呢？我不認識耶和華，也不容以色列人去！」
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.”
他們說：「希伯來人的上帝遇見了我們。求你容我們往曠野去，走三天的路程，祭祀耶和華－我們的上帝，免得他用瘟疫、刀兵攻擊我們。」
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.”
埃及王對他們說：「摩西、亞倫！你們為甚麼叫百姓曠工呢？你們去擔你們的擔子吧！」
5 He also said, “There are now many people in our land, and you are making them stop their work.”
又說：「看哪，這地的以色列人如今眾多，你們竟叫他們歇下擔子！」
6 On that same day, Pharaoh gave a command to the people's taskmasters and foremen. He said,
當天，法老吩咐督工的和官長說：
7 “Unlike before, you must no longer give the people straw to make bricks. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.
「你們不可照常把草給百姓做磚，叫他們自己去撿草。
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.'
他們素常做磚的數目，你們仍舊向他們要，一點不可減少；因為他們是懶惰的，所以呼求說：『容我們去祭祀我們的上帝。』
9 Increase the workload for the men so that they keep at it and pay no more attention to deceptive words.”
你們要把更重的工夫加在這些人身上，叫他們勞碌，不聽虛謊的言語。」
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.
督工的和官長出來對百姓說：「法老這樣說：『我不給你們草。
11 You yourselves must go and get straw wherever you can find it, but your workload will not be reduced.'”
你們自己在哪裏能找草，就往那裏去找吧！但你們的工一點不可減少。』」
12 So the people scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
於是百姓散在埃及遍地，撿碎稭當作草。
13 The taskmasters kept urging them and saying, “Finish your work, just as when straw was given to you.”
督工的催着說：「你們一天當完一天的工，與先前有草一樣。」
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?”
法老督工的，責打他所派以色列人的官長，說：「你們昨天今天為甚麼沒有照向來的數目做磚、完你們的工作呢？」
15 So the Israelite foremen came to Pharaoh and cried out to him. They said, “Why are you treating your servants this way?
以色列人的官長就來哀求法老說：「為甚麼這樣待你的僕人？
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.”
督工的不把草給僕人，並且對我們說：『做磚吧！』看哪，你僕人挨了打，其實是你百姓的錯。」
17 But Pharaoh said, “You are lazy! You are lazy! You say, 'Allow us to go sacrifice to Yahweh.'
但法老說：「你們是懶惰的！你們是懶惰的！所以說：『容我們去祭祀耶和華。』
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.”
現在你們去做工吧！草是不給你們的，磚卻要如數交納。」
19 The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the daily number of bricks.”
以色列人的官長聽說「你們每天做磚的工作一點不可減少」，就知道是遭遇禍患了。
20 They met Moses and Aaron, who were standing outside the palace, as they went away from Pharaoh.
他們離了法老出來，正遇見摩西、亞倫站在對面，
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.”
就向他們說：「願耶和華鑒察你們，施行判斷；因你們使我們在法老和他臣僕面前有了臭名，把刀遞在他們手中殺我們。」
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?
摩西回到耶和華那裏，說：「主啊，你為甚麼苦待這百姓呢？為甚麼打發我去呢？
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.”
自從我去見法老，奉你的名說話，他就苦待這百姓，你一點也沒有拯救他們。」
