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 after that Moses and Aaron went in, and said unto Pharaoh, Thus hath said the Everlasting One, the God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto 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 the Everlasting, whose voice I am to obey, to let Israel go? I know not the Everlasting, nor 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 hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, a three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with the pestilence, or with the 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 unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, hinder the people from their works? get you unto your own affairs.

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 now are many, and ye disturb them in the pursuit of their labors.

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

And Pharaoh commanded on the same day the taskmasters of the people, and its 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 the bricks, as yesterday and the day before; they themselves shall go and gather themselves straw.

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, which they did make heretofore, ye shall impose upon them, ye shall not diminish aught thereof; 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 the work be made to lie heavily upon the men, that they may have enough to do therein; and that they may not pay attention to false 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 its officers went out, and they said to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you any 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 from wherever ye can find it; yet not the least shall be taken off from your work.

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

And the people scattered themselves abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of 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 were urgent, saying, Fulfill your works, every day its due portion, just 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 the taskmasters of Pharaoh had set over them, were beaten, as these said, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick as heretofore, both yesterday and today?

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

And the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?

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.'

Straw is not given unto thy servants, and, Make bricks, say they to us: and, behold, thy servants are beaten, and thy people are treated as sinners.

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

But he said, Idle are ye, idle; therefore say ye, Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.

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; yet the required number of bricks shall ye deliver.

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 themselves in the evil necessity to say, Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, every day of its task.

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

And they met Moses and Aaron, standing in their way, as they came forth 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 unto them, May the Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay 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 unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou let so much evil come upon this people? why is it that thou hast 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, since I came unto Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done more evil to this people; but thou hast in nowise delivered thy people.