JPS - Exodus - 5

5:1  And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh: 'Thus saith HaShem, the G-d of Israel: Let My people go, that they may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness.'

5:2  And Pharaoh said: 'Who is HaShem, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not HaShem, and moreover I will not let Israel go.'

5:3  And they said: 'The G-d of the Hebrews hath met with us. Let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice unto HaShem our G-d; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.'

5:4  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.'

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

5:6  And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying:

5:7  'Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.

5:8  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 G-d.

5:9  Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard lying words.'

5:10  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.

5:11  Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it; for nought of your work shall be diminished.'

5:12  So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

5:13  And the taskmasters were urgent, saying: 'Fulfil your work, your daily task, as when there was straw.'

5:14  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?'

5:15  Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying: 'Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?

5:16  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.'

5:17  But he said: 'Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say: Let us go and sacrifice to HaShem.

5:18  Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.'

5:19  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.'

5:20  And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh;

5:21  and they said unto them: 'The HaShem 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.'

5:22  And Moses returned unto HaShem, and said: 'L-rd, wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with this people? why is it that Thou hast sent me?

5:23  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.'