Exodus 5

1 After this Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says, ‘Let my people go so they can hold a religious festival for me in the desert.’”

Then afterwarde Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may celebrate a feast vnto me in the wildernesse.

2 “Who is this ‘Lord’ that I should listen to his request to let Israel go?” Pharaoh replied. “I don't know the Lord and I certainly won't let Israel leave!”

And Pharaoh saide, Who is the Lord, that I should heare his voyce, and let Israel go? I knowe not the Lord, neither will I let Israel goe.

3 “The God of the Hebrews came to us,” they added. “Please allow us to go a three days journey into the desert and offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. Otherwise he'll kill us by disease or by the sword.”

And they saide, We worship the God of the Ebrewes: we pray thee, let vs goe three daies iourney in the desert, and sacrifice vnto the Lord our God, least he bring vpon vs the pestilence or sword.

4 “Moses and Aaron, why are you trying to take people away from their assigned labor?” Pharaoh asked. “Get back to work!” he ordered.

Then saide the King of Egypt vnto them, Moses and Aaron, why cause ye the people to cease from their workes? get you to your burdens.

5 “Look here,” he went on. “There are many of your people here in our country and you are preventing them from doing their assigned labor.”

Pharaoh saide furthermore, Behold, much people is nowe in the lande, and ye make them leaue their burdens.

6 That very day he ordered the slave drivers and those in charge of the people:

Therefore Pharaoh gaue commandement the same day vnto the taskemasters of the people, and to their officers, saying,

7 “Don't give them any more straw to make bricks like before. Have them go and collect the straw themselves.

Ye shall giue the people no more strawe, to make bricke (as in time past) but let them goe and gather them strawe them selues:

8 But still make them produce the same quantity of bricks as before. They're lazy people—that's why they're calling out, asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to our god.

Notwithstanding lay vpon them the nober of bricke, which they made in time past, diminish nothing thereof: for they be idle, therefore they crie, saying, Let vs go to offer sacrifice vnto our God.

9 Make their work harder so they can get on with it and not pay any attention to all these lies!”

Lay more worke vpon the men, and cause them to do it, and let the not regard vaine words.

10 So the slave drivers and those in charge went out and told the people, “This is what Pharaoh has ordered: ‘I won't give you any more straw.

Then went the taskemasters of the people and their officers out, and tolde the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will giue you no more strawe.

11 Go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because your work quota won't be reduced.”

Goe your selues, get you strawe where yee can finde it, yet shall nothing of your labour bee diminished.

12 So the people went all over Egypt collecting stubble for straw.

Then were the people scattered abroade throughout all the land of Egypt, for to gather stubble in steade of strawe.

13 The slave drivers kept on forcing them, saying, “You still have to do the same work as you did when you had straw provided!”

And the taskemasters hasted them, saying, Finish your dayes worke euery dayes taske, as ye did when ye had strawe.

14 They beat the Israelite supervisors they had put in charge, shouting at them, “Why haven't you met your quota of bricks as you did before?”

And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaohs taskemasters had set ouer them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore haue ye not fulfilled your taske in making bricke yesterday and to daye, as in times past?

15 The Israelite supervisors went to Pharaoh to complain, saying, “Why are you treating us your servants like this?

Then the officers of the children of Israel came, and cryed vnto Pharaoh, saying, Wherfore dealest thou thus with thy seruants?

16 You don't give us any straw but your slave drivers demand that we make bricks, and they beat us! Your people are treating us badly!”

There is no strawe giuen to thy seruantes, and they say vnto vs, Make bricke: and loe, thy seruants are beaten, and thy people is blamed.

17 “No, you're just lazy, lazy people!” Pharaoh replied. “That's why you keep on asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to the Lord.’

But he said, Ye are to much idle: therfore ye say, Let vs goe to offer sacrifice to the Lord.

18 Now get out of here and go back to work! You won't be given any straw but you'll still have to produce the full quota of bricks!”

Goe therefore nowe and worke: for there shall no strawe be giuen you, yet shall yee deliuer the whole tale of bricke.

19 The Israelite supervisors realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the daily production of bricks.”

Then the officers of the children of Israel sawe them selues in an euill case, because it was saide, Ye shall diminish nothing of your bricke, nor of euery dayes taske.

20 They went over to Moses and Aaron who were waiting for them after their meeting with Pharaoh,

And they met Moses and Aaron, which stood in their way as they came out from Pharaoh,

21 and said, “May the Lord see what you have done and judge you accordingly! You have made us like a bad smell to Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword in their hands to kill us!”

To whom they said, The Lord looke vpon you and iudge: for yee haue made our sauour to stinke before Pharaoh and before his seruants, in that ye haue put a sword in their hand to slay vs.

22 Moses went back to the Lord and complained, “Why have you caused all this trouble for your own people, Lord? Was this why you sent me?

Wherefore Moses returned to the Lord, and saide, Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? wherefore hast thou thus sent me?

23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak for you, he has been even harder on your people, and you haven't done anything to save them!”

For since I came to Pharaoh to speake in thy Name, he hath vexed this people, and yet thou hast not deliuered thy people.