Exodus, 5

1. After this, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, 'This is what Yahweh, God of Israel, says, "Let my people go, so that they can hold a feast in my honour in the desert." '

1. Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, `Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.'"

2. 'Who is Yahweh,' Pharaoh replied, 'for me to obey what he says and let Israel go? I know nothing of Yahweh, and I will not let Israel go.'

2. But Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should heed his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go."

3. 'The God of the Hebrews has encountered us,' they replied. 'Give us leave to make a three -days' journey into the desert and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, or he will strike us with a plague or with the sword.'

3. Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us; let us go, we pray, a three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword."

4. The king of Egypt said to them, 'Moses and Aaron, what do you mean by distracting the people from their work? Get back to your forced labour.'

4. But the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get to your burdens."

5. And Pharaoh said, 'Now that the people have grown to such numbers in the country, what do you mean by interrupting their forced labour?'

5. And Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many and you make them rest from their burdens!"

6. That very day, Pharaoh gave the order to the people's taskmasters and their scribes,

6. The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen,

7. 'Do not go on providing the people with straw for brickmaking as before; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

7. "You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

8. But you will exact the same quantity of bricks from them as before, not reducing it at all, since they are lazy, and that is why their cry is, "Let us go and sacrifice to our God."

8. But the number of bricks which they made heretofore you shall lay upon them, you shall by no means lessen it; for they are idle; therefore they cry, `Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.'

9. Give these people more work to do, and see they do it instead of listening to lying speeches.'

9. Let heavier work be laid upon the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words."

10. The people's taskmasters and scribes went out to speak to the people and said, 'Pharaoh says this, "I shall not provide you with any more straw.

10. So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, "Thus says Pharaoh, `I will not give you straw.

11. Go and collect straw for yourselves where you can find it. But your output is not to be any less." '

11. Go yourselves, get your straw wherever you can find it; but your work will not be lessened in the least.'"

12. So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble for their straw.

12. So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.

13. The taskmasters harassed them. 'You must complete your daily quota,' they said, 'just as when the straw was there.'

13. The taskmasters were urgent, saying, "Complete your work, your daily task, as when there was straw."

14. And the Israelites' foremen whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had put in charge of them, were flogged and asked, 'Why have you not fulfilled your quota of bricks made today as before?'

14. And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, "Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today, as hitherto?"

15. The Israelites' foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh. 'Why do you treat your servants like this?' they said.

15. Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, "Why do you deal thus with your servants?

16. 'No straw is provided for your servants, yet still the cry is, "Make bricks!" And now your servants are being flogged!. . .'

16. No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, `Make bricks!' And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people."

17. 'You are lazy, lazy,' he retorted. 'That is why you say, "Let us go and sacrifice to Yahweh."

17. But he said, "You are idle, you are idle; therefore you say, `Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.'

18. Get back to your work at once. You will not be provided with straw; all the same, you will deliver the quota of bricks.'

18. Go now, and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks."

19. The Israelites' foremen saw they were in a difficult position on being told, 'You will not reduce your daily production of bricks.'

19. The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in evil plight, when they said, "You shall by no means lessen your daily number of bricks."

20. As they left Pharaoh's presence, they met Moses and Aaron who were standing in their way.

20. They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came forth from Pharaoh;

21. 'May Yahweh look down at you and judge!' they said to them. 'You have brought us into bad odour with Pharaoh and his officials; you have put a sword into their hand to kill us.'

21. and they said to them, "The LORD look upon you and judge, because you have made us offensive in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us."

22. Moses went back to Yahweh and said, 'Lord, why do you treat this people so harshly? Why did you send me?

22. Then Moses turned again to the LORD and said, "O LORD, why hast thou done evil to this people? Why didst thou ever send me?

23. Ever since I came to Pharaoh and spoke to him in your name, he has ill-treated this people, and you have done nothing at all about rescuing your people.'

23. For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he has done evil to this people, and thou hast not delivered thy people at all."