1  And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh: 'Thus saith YHWH, the God of Israel: Let My people go, that they may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness.'

1  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.

1  After these things, Moses and Aaron entered, and they said to Pharaoh: “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Release my people, so that they may sacrifice to me in the desert.”

2  And Pharaoh said: 'Who is YHWH, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not the YHWH, and moreover I will not let Israel go.'

2  And Pharao said, Who is he that I should hearken 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.

2  But he responded: “Who is the Lord, that I should listen to his voice and release Israel? I do not know the Lord, and I will not release Israel.”

3  And they said: 'The God of the Hebrews hath met with us. Let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice unto YHWH our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.'

3  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  And the king of Egypt said unto them: 'Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, cause the people to break loose from their work? get you unto your burdens.'

4  The king of Egypt said to them: “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, distract the people from their works? Go back to your burdens.”

5  And Pharaoh said: 'Behold, the people of the land are now many, and will ye make them rest from their burdens?'

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

5  And Pharaoh said: “The people of the land are many. You see that the turmoil has increased: how much more if you give them rest from the works?”

6  And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying

6  And Pharao gave orders to the task-masters of the people and the accountants, saying,

6  Therefore, on the same day, he instructed the overseers of the works, and the taskmasters of the people, saying

7  'Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.

7  Ye 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.

7  “You shall no longer give chaff to the people to form bricks, as before. But they may go and gather straw.

8  And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof; for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying: Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

8  And you shall impose upon them the same quota of bricks that they made before. Neither will you lessen anything, for they are idle, and therefore they cry out, saying: ‘We shall go and sacrifice to our God.’

8  But the number of bricks which they did make heretofore, you shall lay upon them; you shall not reduce the number thereof; for they are idle; that is why they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

9  Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard lying words.'

9  They shall be oppressed with works, and these shall occupy them, so that they may not agree to lying words.”

9  Let more work be assigned to the men, that they may be occupied, so that they may not think to engage in vain conversations.

10  And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying: 'Thus saith Pharaoh: I will not give you straw.

10  And so the overseers of the works and the taskmasters went out and said to the people: “Thus says Pharaoh: I give you no chaff.

11  Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it; for nought of your work shall be diminished.'

11  Go ye, yourselves, get for yourselves straw whencesoever ye can find it, for nothing is diminished from your rate.

11  Go, and collect it wherever you are able to find it. Neither will anything of your work be diminished.”

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

12  And the people were dispersed through all the land of Egypt, in order to gather straw.

13  And the taskmasters were urgent, saying: 'Fulfil your work, your daily task, as when there was straw.'

13  Likewise, the overseers of the works pressured them, saying: “Complete your work each day, just as you were accustomed to do before, when straw was given to you.”

13  And the taskmasters pressed them, saying, Complete your work as you have always done, as when straw was given to you.

14  And the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, saying: 'Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your appointed task in making brick both yesterday and today as heretofore?'

14  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 ye not fulfilled your rates of brick-work as yesterday and the third day, to-day also?

14  And those who were first in the works of the sons of Israel were scourged by Pharaoh’s taskmasters, saying: “Why have you not filled the quota of bricks, neither yesterday, nor today, just as before?”

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

15  And the accountants of the children of Israel went in and cried to Pharao, saying, Why dost thou act thus to thy servants?

16  There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us: Make brick; and, behold, thy servants are beaten, but the fault is in thine own people.'

16  Straw is not given to thy servants, and they tell us to make brick; and behold thy servants have been scourged: thou wilt therefore injure thy people.

16  Straw is not given to us, and yet the same amount of bricks is commanded. So we, your servants, are cut up by scourging, and injustice is done against your people.”

17  But he said: 'Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say: Let us go and sacrifice to YHWH.

17  And he said to them, Ye are idle, ye are idlers: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to our God.

17  But Pharaoh said to them, You are surely idle; therefore you say, Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.

18  Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.'

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

18  Therefore, go and work. Straw will not be given to you, and you will return the customary number of bricks.”

19  And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were set on mischief, when they said: 'Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, your daily task.'

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

20  And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh;

21  and they said unto them: 'YHWH look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.'

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

22  And Moses returned unto YHWH, and said: 'Lord, wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with this people? why is it that Thou hast sent me?

22  And Moses returned to the Lord, and he said: “Lord, why have you afflicted this people? Why have you sent me?

23  For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, he hath dealt ill with this people; neither hast Thou delivered Thy people at all.'

23  For from the time that I went to Pharao to speak in thy name, he has afflicted this people, and thou hast not delivered thy people.