Exodus 5

ve'akhar ba'u mosheh ve'aharon vayyomeru el-paroh koh-amar Adonai elohe yisra'el shallakh et-ammi veyakhoggu li bammidbar

Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the ETERNAL, the God of Israel: Let My people go that they may celebrate a festival for Me in the wilderness.”

vayyomer paroh mi Adonai asher eshma beqolo leshallakh et-yisra'el lo yadati et-Adonai vegam et-yisra'el lo ashalleakh

But Pharaoh said, “Who is GOD that I should heed him and let Israel go? I do not know GOD, nor will I let Israel go.”

vayyomeru elohe ha'ivrim niqra alenu nelekhah na derekh sheloshet yamim bammidbar venizbekhah la-Adonai elohenu pen-yifga'enu baddever o vekharev

They answered, “The God of the Hebrews has become manifest to us. Let us go, we pray, a distance of three days into the wilderness to sacrifice to the ETERNAL our God, lest we be struck with pestilence or sword.”

vayyomer alehem melekh mitsrayim lammah mosheh ve'aharon tafri'u et-ha'am mimma'asayw lekhu lesivlotekhem

But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you distract the people from their tasks? Get to your labors!”

vayyomer paroh hen-rabbim attah am ha'arets vehishbattem otam missivlotam

And Pharaoh continued, “The people of the land are already so numerous, and you would have them cease from their labors!”

vayetsav paroh bayyom hahu et-hannogesim ba'am ve'et-shoterayw lemor

That same day Pharaoh charged the taskmasters and overseers of the people, saying,

lo tosifun latet teven la'am lilbon hallevenim kitmol shilshom hem yelekhu veqosheshu lahem teven

“You shall no longer provide the people with straw for making bricks as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

ve'et-matkonet hallevenim asher hem osim temol shilshom tasimu alehem lo tigre'u mimmennu ki-nirpim hem al-ken hem tso'aqim lemor nelekhah nizbekhah lelohenu

But impose upon them the same quota of bricks as they have been making heretofore; do not reduce it, for they are shirkers; that is why they cry, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God!’

tikhbad ha'avodah al-ha'anashim veya'asu-vah ve'al-yishu bedivre-shaqer

Let heavier work be laid upon those involved; let them keep at it and not pay attention to deceitful promises.”

vayyetse'u nogese ha'am veshoterayw vayyomeru el-ha'am lemor koh amar paroh enenni noten lakhem teven

So the taskmasters and overseers of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh: I will not give you any straw.

attem lekhu qekhu lakhem teven me'asher timtsa'u ki en nigra me'avodatkhem davar

You must go and get the straw yourselves wherever you can find it; but there shall be no decrease whatever in your work.”

vayyafets ha'am bekhol-erets mitsrayim leqoshesh qash latteven

Then the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

vehannogesim atsim lemor kallu ma'asekhem devar-yom beyomo ka'asher bihyot hatteven

And the taskmasters pressed them, saying, “You must complete the same work assignment each day as when you had straw.”

vayyukku shotere bene yisra'el asher-samu alehem nogese faroh lemor maddua lo khillitem khoqkhem lilbon kitmol shilshom gam-temol gam-hayyom

And the overseers of the Israelites, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten. “Why,” they were asked, “did you not complete the prescribed amount of bricks, either yesterday or today, as you did before?”

vayyavo'u shotere bene yisra'el vayyitsaqu el-paroh lemor lammah ta'aseh khoh la'avadekha

Then the overseers of the Israelites came to Pharaoh and cried: “Why do you deal thus with your servants?

teven en nittan la'avadekha ulevenim omerim lanu asu vehinneh avadekha mukkim vekhatat ammekha

No straw is issued to your servants, yet they demand of us: Make bricks! Thus your servants are being beaten, when the fault is with your own people.”

vayyomer nirpim attem nirpim al-ken attem omerim nelekhah nizbekhah la-Adonai

He replied, “You are shirkers, shirkers! That is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to GOD.’

ve'attah lekhu ivdu veteven lo-yinnaten lakhem vetokhen levenim tittenu

Be off now to your work! No straw shall be issued to you, but you must produce your quota of bricks!”

vayyiru shotere vene-yisra'el otam bera lemor lo-tigre'u millivnekhem devar-yom beyomo

Now the overseers of the Israelites found themselves in trouble because of the order, “You must not reduce your daily quantity of bricks.”

vayyifge'u et-mosheh ve'et-aharon nitsavim liqratam betsetam me'et paroh

As they left Pharaoh’s presence, they came upon Moses and Aaron standing in their path,

vayyomeru alehem yere Adonai alekhem veyishpot asher hivashtem et-rekhenu be'ene faroh uve'ene avadayw latet-kherev beyadam lehorgenu

and they said to them, “May GOD look upon you and punish you for making us loathsome to Pharaoh and his courtiers—putting a sword in their hands to slay us.”

vayyashov mosheh el-Adonai vayyomar adonay lamah hare'otah la'am hazzeh lammah zeh shelakhtani

Then Moses returned to GOD and said, “O my Sovereign, why did You bring harm upon this people? Why did You send me?

ume'az bati el-paroh ledabber bishmekha hera la'am hazzeh vehatsel lo-hitsalta et-ammekha

Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has dealt worse with this people; and still You have not delivered Your people.”