Exodus 5

1 After these things Moses and Aaron went in, and said to Pharao: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Let my people go that they may sacrifice to me in the desert.

And after this went in Moses and Aaron to Pharao, and they said to him, These things says the Lord God of Israel, Send my people away, that they may keep a feast to me in the wilderness.

2 But he answered: Who is the Lord, that I should hear his voice, and let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.

And Pharao said, Who is he that I should listen to his voice, so that I should send away the children of Israel? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.

3 And they said: The God of the Hebrews hath called us, to go three days’ journey into the wilderness and to sacrifice to the Lord our God: lest a pestilence or the sword fall upon us.

And they say to him, The God of the Hebrews has called us to him: we will go therefore a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest at any time death or slaughter happen to us.

4 The king of Egypt said to them: Why do you Moses and Aaron draw off the people from their works? Get you gone to your burdens.

And the king of Egypt said to them, Why do you, Moses and Aaron, turn the people from their works? depart each of you to your works.

5 And Pharao said: The people of the land is numerous: you see that the multitude is increased: how much more if you give them rest from their works?

And Pharao said, Behold now, the people is very numerous; let us not then give them rest from their work.

6 Therefore he commanded the same day the overseers of the works, and the taskmasters of the people, saying:

And Pharao gave orders to the taskmasters of the people and the accountants, saying,

7 You shall give straw no more to the people to make brick, as before: but let them go and gather straw.

You shall no longer give straw to the people for brick-making as yesterday and the third day; but let them go themselves, and collect straw for themselves.

8 And you shall lay upon them the task of bricks, which they did before, neither shall you diminish any thing thereof: for they are idle, and therefore they cry, saying: Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

And you shall impose on them daily the rate of brick-making which they perform: you shall not abate anything, for they are idle; therefore have they cried, saying, Let us arise and do sacrifice to our God.

9 Let them be oppressed, with works, and let them fulfill them: that they may not regard lying words.

Let the works of these men be made grievous, and let them care for these things, and not care for vain words.

10 And the overseers of the works and the taskmasters went out and said to the people: Thus saith Pharao, I allow you no straw:

And the taskmasters and the accountants hastened them, and they spoke to the people, saying, thus says Pharao, I [will] give you straw no longer.

11 Go, and gather it where you can find it: neither shall any thing of your work be diminished.

Go you, yourselves, get for yourselves straw whenever you can find it, for nothing is diminished from your rate.

12 And the people was scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather straw.

So the people were dispersed in all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.

13 And the overseers of the works pressed them, saying: Fulfill your work every day as before you were wont to do when straw was given you.

and the taskmasters hastened them, saying, Fulfil your regular daily tasks, even as when straw was given you.

14 And they that were over the works of the children of Israel were scourged by Pharao’s taskmasters, saying: Why have you not made up the task of bricks both yesterday and today as before?

And the accountants of the race of the children of Israel, who were set over them by the masters of Pharao, were scourged, [[and questioned, ] men] saying, Why have you not fulfilled your rates of brick work as yesterday and the third day, today also?

15 And the officers of the children of Israel came, and cried out to Pharao, saying: Why dealest thou so with thy servants?

And the accountants of the children of Israel went in and cried to Pharao, saying, Why do you act thus to your servants?

16 Straw is not given us, and bricks are required of us as before: behold we thy servants are beaten with whips, and thy people is unjustly dealt withal.

Straw is not given to your servants, and they tell us to make brick; and behold your servants have been scourged: you will therefore injure your people.

17 And he said: You are idle, and therefore you say: Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.

And he said to them, You are idle, you are idlers: therefore you say, Let us go [and] do sacrifice to our God.

18 Go therefore, and work: straw shall not be given you, and you shall deliver the accustomed number of bricks.

Now then go and work, for straw shall not be given to you, yet you shall return the rate of bricks.

19 And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in evil case, because it was said to them: There shall not a whit be diminished of the bricks for every day.

And the accountants of the children of Israel saw themselves in an evil plight, [men] saying, You shall not fail to deliver the daily rate of the brick-making.

20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood over against them as they came out from Pharao:

And they met Moses and Aaron coming forth to meet them, as they came forth from Pharao.

21 And they said to them: The Lord see and judge, because you have made our savour to stink before Pharao and his servants, and you have given him a sword to kill us.

And they said to them, The Lord look upon you and judge you, for you have made our savor abominable before Pharao, and before his servants, to put a sword into his hands to kill us.

22 And Moses returned to the Lord, and said: Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? wherefore hast thou sent me?

And Moses turned to the Lord, and said, I pray, Lord, why have you afflicted this people? and therefore have you sent me?

23 For since the time that I went in to Pharao to speak in thy name, he hath afflicted thy people: and thou hast not delivered them.

For from the time that I went to Pharao to speak in your name, he has afflicted this people, and you have not delivered your people.