Exodus 5

1 And afterwards have Moses and Aaron entered, and they say unto Pharaoh, 'Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Send My people away, and they keep a feast to Me in the wilderness;'

And afterwards Moses and Aaron went in, and said to Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Let my people go that they may celebrate a feast to me in the wilderness.

2 and Pharaoh saith, 'Who [is] Jehovah, that I hearken to His voice, to send Israel away? I have not known Jehovah, and Israel also I do not send away.'

And Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah, to whose voice I am to hearken to let Israel go? I do not know Jehovah, neither will I let Israel go.

3 And they say, 'The God of the Hebrews hath met with us, let us go, we pray thee, a journey of three days into the wilderness, and we sacrifice to Jehovah our God, lest He meet us with pestilence or with sword.'

And they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Jehovah our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with sword.

4 And the king of Egypt saith unto them, 'Why, Moses and Aaron, do ye free the people from its works? go to your burdens.'

And the king of Egypt said to them, Why do ye, Moses and Aaron, wish to have the people go off from their works? Away, to your burdens!

5 Pharaoh also saith, 'Lo, numerous now [is] the people of the land, and ye have caused them to cease from their burdens!'

And Pharaoh said, Behold the people of the land are now many, and ye wish to make them rest from their burdens.

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

And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

7 'Ye do not add to give straw to the people for the making of the bricks, as heretofore — they go and have gathered straw for themselves;

Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

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

And the number of the bricks they have made heretofore shall ye lay upon them: ye shall not diminish any of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go [and] sacrifice to our God.

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

Let them put heavier labour on the men, that they may be taken up with it, and not regard vain words.

10 And the exactors of the people, and its authorities, go out, and speak unto the people, saying, 'Thus said Pharaoh, I do not give you straw,

And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and spoke to the people, saying, Thus says Pharaoh: I will not give you straw:

11 ye — go ye, take for yourselves straw where ye find [it], for there is nothing of your service diminished.'

go ye, get yourselves straw where ye may find it; but none of your work shall be diminished.

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

And the people were scattered abroad throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

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

And the taskmasters urged [them], saying, Fulfil your labours, the daily work, as when there was straw.

14 And the authorities of the sons of Israel, whom the exactors of Pharaoh have placed over them, are beaten, saying, 'Wherefore have ye not completed your portion in making brick as heretofore, both yesterday and to-day?'

And the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, [and] it was said, Why have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick, both yesterday and to-day, as heretofore?

15 And the authorities of the sons of Israel come in and cry unto Pharaoh, saying, 'Why dost thou thus to thy servants?

Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Why dost thou deal thus with thy bondmen?

16 Straw is not given to thy servants, and they are saying to us, Make bricks, and lo, thy servants are smitten — and thy people hath sinned.'

There is no straw given to thy bondmen, and they say to us, Make brick; and behold, thy bondmen are beaten, but it is the fault of thy people.

17 And he saith, 'Remiss — ye are remiss, therefore ye are saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to Jehovah;

And he said, Ye are idle, idle! therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to Jehovah.

18 and now, go, serve; and straw is not given to you, and the measure of bricks ye do give.'

And now go — work! and straw shall not be given you, and ye shall deliver the measure of bricks.

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

And the officers of the children of Israel saw [that] it stood ill with them, because it was said, Ye shall not diminish anything from your bricks, the daily work.

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

And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood there to meet them, as they came out from Pharaoh.

21 and say unto them, 'Jehovah look upon you, and judge, because ye 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.'

And they said to them, Jehovah look upon you and judge, that ye have made our odour to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his bondmen, putting a sword into their hand to kill us!

22 And Moses turneth back unto Jehovah, and saith, 'Lord, why hast Thou done evil to this people? why [is] this? — Thou hast sent me!

And Moses returned to Jehovah, and said, Lord, why hast thou done evil to this people? why now hast thou sent me?

23 and since I have come unto Pharaoh, to speak in Thy name, he hath done evil to this people, and Thou hast not at all delivered Thy people.'

For ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all!