Exodus 5
1 Post hæc ingressi sunt Moyses et Aaron, et dixerunt Pharaoni: Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël: Dimitte populum meum ut sacrificet mihi in deserto.
After this Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says, ‘Let my people go so they can hold a religious festival for me in the desert.’”
2 At ille respondit: Quis est Dominus, ut audiam vocem ejus, et dimittam Israël? nescio Dominum, et Israël non dimittam.
“Who is this ‘Lord’ that I should listen to his request to let Israel go?” Pharaoh replied. “I don't know the Lord and I certainly won't let Israel leave!”
3 Dixeruntque: Deus Hebræorum vocavit nos, ut eamus viam trium dierum in solitudinem, et sacrificemus Domino Deo nostro: ne forte accidat nobis pestis aut gladius.
“The God of the Hebrews came to us,” they added. “Please allow us to go a three days journey into the desert and offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. Otherwise he'll kill us by disease or by the sword.”
4 Ait ad eos rex Ægypti: Quare Moyses et Aaron sollicitatis populum ab operibus suis? ite ad onera vestra.
“Moses and Aaron, why are you trying to take people away from their assigned labor?” Pharaoh asked. “Get back to work!” he ordered.
5 Dixitque Pharao: Multus est populus terræ: videtis quod turba succreverit: quanto magis si dederitis eis requiem ab operibus?
“Look here,” he went on. “There are many of your people here in our country and you are preventing them from doing their assigned labor.”
6 Præcepit ergo in die illo præfectis operum et exactoribus populi, dicens:
That very day he ordered the slave drivers and those in charge of the people:
7 Nequaquam ultra dabitis paleas populo ad conficiendos lateres, sicut prius: sed ipsi vadant, et colligant stipulas.
“Don't give them any more straw to make bricks like before. Have them go and collect the straw themselves.
8 Et mensuram laterum, quam prius faciebant, imponetis super eos, nec minuetis quidquam: vacant enim, et idcirco vociferantur, dicentes: Eamus, et sacrificemus Deo nostro.
But still make them produce the same quantity of bricks as before. They're lazy people—that's why they're calling out, asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to our god.
9 Opprimantur operibus, et expleant ea: ut non acquiescant verbis mendacibus.
Make their work harder so they can get on with it and not pay any attention to all these lies!”
10 Igitur egressi præfecti operum et exactores ad populum, dixerunt: Sic dicit Pharao: Non do vobis paleas:
So the slave drivers and those in charge went out and told the people, “This is what Pharaoh has ordered: ‘I won't give you any more straw.
11 ite, et colligite sicubi invenire poteritis, nec minuetur quidquam de opere vestro.
Go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because your work quota won't be reduced.”
12 Dispersusque est populus per omnem terram Ægypti ad colligendas paleas.
So the people went all over Egypt collecting stubble for straw.
13 Præfecti quoque operum instabant, dicentes: Complete opus vestrum quotidie, ut prius facere solebatis quando dabantur vobis paleæ.
The slave drivers kept on forcing them, saying, “You still have to do the same work as you did when you had straw provided!”
14 Flagellatique sunt qui præerant operibus filiorum Israël, ab exactoribus Pharaonis, dicentibus: Quare non impletis mensuram laterum sicut prius, nec heri, nec hodie?
They beat the Israelite supervisors they had put in charge, shouting at them, “Why haven't you met your quota of bricks as you did before?”
15 Veneruntque præpositi filiorum Israël, et vociferati sunt ad Pharaonem dicentes: Cur ita agis contra servos tuos?
The Israelite supervisors went to Pharaoh to complain, saying, “Why are you treating us your servants like this?
16 paleæ non dantur nobis, et lateres similiter imperantur: en famuli tui flagellis cædimur, et injuste agitur contra populum tuum.
You don't give us any straw but your slave drivers demand that we make bricks, and they beat us! Your people are treating us badly!”
17 Qui ait: Vacatis otio, et idcirco dicitis: Eamus, et sacrificemus Domino.
“No, you're just lazy, lazy people!” Pharaoh replied. “That's why you keep on asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to the Lord.’
18 Ite ergo, et operamini: paleæ non dabuntur vobis, et reddetis consuetum numerum laterum.
Now get out of here and go back to work! You won't be given any straw but you'll still have to produce the full quota of bricks!”
19 Videbantque se præpositi filiorum Israël in malo, eo quod diceretur eis: Non minuetur quidquam de lateribus per singulos dies.
The Israelite supervisors realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the daily production of bricks.”
20 Occurreruntque Moysi et Aaron, qui stabant ex adverso, egredientibus a Pharaone:
They went over to Moses and Aaron who were waiting for them after their meeting with Pharaoh,
21 et dixerunt ad eos: Videat Dominus et judicet, quoniam fœtere fecistis odorem nostrum coram Pharaone et servis ejus, et præbuistis ei gladium, ut occideret nos.
and said, “May the Lord see what you have done and judge you accordingly! You have made us like a bad smell to Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword in their hands to kill us!”
22 Reversusque est Moyses ad Dominum, et ait: Domine, cur afflixisti populum istum? quare misisti me?
Moses went back to the Lord and complained, “Why have you caused all this trouble for your own people, Lord? Was this why you sent me?
23 ex eo enim quo ingressus sum ad Pharaonem ut loquerer in nomine tuo, afflixit populum tuum: et non liberasti eos.
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak for you, he has been even harder on your people, and you haven't done anything to save them!”
