Ọpụpụ 5
1 Emesịa, Mosis na Erọn jekwuuru Fero guzo nʼihu ya gwa ya okwu sị, “Ihe a ka Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel kwuru, ‘Hapụ ndị m ka ha gaa meere m mmemme dị nsọ nʼime ọzara.’”
After that, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”
2 Fero zara sị, “Onye ka Onyenwe anyị bụ m ga-eji gee ntị nʼolu ya ịhapụ ụmụ Izrel ka ha si nʼebe a pụọ? Amaghị m onye ọ bụ, agaghị m ekwekwa ka Izrel gaa ebe ọbụla.”
But Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.”
3 Ha zara sị, “Chineke ndị Hibru zutere anyị. Biko kwere ka anyị gaa njem ụbọchị atọ nʼime ọzara nọọ nʼebe ahụ chụọrọ Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị aja. Ọ bụrụ na anyị ajụ ige ntị nʼolu ya, ọ ga-eji ọrịa ọjọọ maọbụ mma agha kpochapụ anyị.”
“The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they answered. “Please let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD our God, or He may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”
4 Eze Ijipt zara ha sị, “Mosis na Erọn, gịnị mere unu ji na-ewepụ ụmụ Izrel aka site nʼọrụ ha? Laghachinụ nʼọrụ unu!”
But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labor!”
5 Fero gara nʼihu sị, “Lee, ka ndị obodo a si dị ọtụtụ ugbu a, ihe unu na-eme bụ naanị igbochi ha ịrụ ọrụ ha.”
Pharaoh also said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you would be stopping them from their labor.”
6 Nʼụbọchị ahụ kwa, Fero nyere ndị nlekọta ụmụ Izrel na ndị o mere ndịisi nʼebe ụmụ Izrel nọ iwu sị,
That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen:
7 “Unu enyekwala ụmụ Izrel ahịhịa ha ga-eji kpụọ brik dịka unu na-eme nʼoge gara aga. Kama, ha ga-achọta ahịhịa ahụ nʼonwe ha.
“You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw.
8 Ọzọ, meenụ ka ọnụọgụgụ brik ha na-akpụ dịrị ka ọ dị na mbụ, unu emela ka ọ dịrị ala. Ha bụ ndị umengwụ. Ọ bụ ya mere ha ji na-eti mkpu, ‘Ka anyị gaa nʼọzara gaa chụọrọ Chineke anyị aja.’
But require of them the same quota of bricks as before; do not reduce it. For they are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
9 Nyenụ ha ọrụ dị ike, nke ga-ezi ha na ha ekwesighị ịṅa ntị nʼokwu ụgha Mosis na Erọn na-ekwuru ha.”
Make the work harder on the men so they will be occupied and pay no attention to these lies.”
10 Ndị na-achị ndị ohu na ndị nlekọta jekwuuru ụmụ Izrel sị ha, “Ihe a ka Fero kwuru: ‘Agaghị m enyekwa unu ahịhịa ọzọ.
So the taskmasters and foremen of the people went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am no longer giving you straw.
11 Gaanụ chọtara onwe unu okporo ahịhịa ebe ọbụla unu nwere ike ịchọta ya, ma nke a agaghị eme ka e gbubilata ọrụ unu kwesiri ịrụ.’”
Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’”
12 Ya mere ndị ha gbasasịrị nʼala Ijipt niile ịchịkọta okporo ahịhịa ha ji akpụ brik.
So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
13 Ndị na-achị ha nọgidere na-akwagide ha sị ha, “Rụchaanụ ọrụ unu kwesiri ịrụ nʼụbọchị dịka unu si arụ ya mgbe a na-enye unu ahịhịa.”
The taskmasters kept pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.”
14 Ndịisi ọrụ Fero malitere iti ndị Izrel ha họpụtara maka inyere ha aka ilekọta ndị ọrụ ihe, na-ajụ ha ajụjụ sị, “Gịnị mere unu akpụtaghị oke ọnụọgụgụ brik unu kwesiri ịkpụta ụnyaahụ maọbụ taa?”
Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over the people, were beaten and asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?”
15 Mgbe ahụ, ndịisi ọrụ ndị Izrel bịakwutere Fero kwaara ya akwa sị ya, “Gịnị mere i ji si otu a na-emeso ndị ohu gị mmeso?
So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way?
16 Ọ dịghị okporo ahịhịa a na-enye ndị ohu gị, ma ha na-asị anyị, ‘Kpụọnụ brik!’ A na-etikwa ndị ohu gị ihe, ma ịta ụta ekwesighị ịdịrị anyị kama ịta ụta dịrị ndị gị.”
No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
17 Fero zaghachiri ha sị, “Ndị umengwụ! Nʼezie ndị umengwụ ka unu bụ. Ọ bụ ya mere unu ji nọgide na-asị, ‘Ka anyị gaa chụọrọ Onyenwe anyị aja.’
“You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’
18 Laghachinụ azụ ugbu a nʼọrụ unu. A gaghị enye unu okporo ahịhịa ọbụla. Ma unu ga-arụpụtarịrị ọnụọgụgụ brik dị ka a chọrọ nʼaka unu.”
Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.”
19 Ndịisi ọrụ ụmụ Izrel ghọtara na ha nọ na nsogbu mgbe a gwara ha okwu sị ha, “Unu ga-akpụtarịrị ọnụọgụgụ brik unu kwesiri ịkpụ kwa ụbọchị.”
The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.”
20 Mgbe ha si nʼihu Fero pụọ, ha zutere Mosis na Erọn ebe ha nọ na-eche ha.
When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.
21 Ndị nlekọta ọrụ ndị a gwara Mosis na Erọn okwu sị, “Ka Onyenwe anyị lee unu anya ma kpee unu ikpe. Unu emeela ka anyị bụrụ ihe na-esi ajọ isi nʼihu Fero na ndị na-ejere ya ozi. Unu etinyela mma agha nʼaka ha nke ha ga-eji gbuo anyị.”
“May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” the foremen said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”
22 Mgbe ahụ Mosis laghachikwuru Onyenwe anyị jụọ ya sị, “Onyenwe anyị, gịnị mere i ji butere ndị a nsogbu? Gịnị mere i ji zite m?
So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me?
23 Nʼihi na site na mgbe m jekwuuru Fero gwa ya okwu nʼaha gị, o meela ka nsogbu dakwasị ndị a, ma ị napụtabeghị ndị gị.”
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and You have not delivered Your people in any way.”
