< Exodus 5 >

1 And afterwards, Moses and Aaron went in and said unto Pharaoh, —Thus, saith Yahweh God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.
Mose ne Aaron yɛɛ anwonwade yi kyerɛɛ mpanyimfo no wiee no, wokohuu Farao ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Nea Israel Nyankopɔn se ni, ‘Ma me nkurɔfo mfi ha nkɔ sare so nkɔbɔ afahyɛgua kronkron wɔ hɔ mfa nsɔre me.’”
2 Then said Pharaoh, Who is Yahweh that I should hearken to his voice, to let Israel go? I know not Yahweh, and certainly. Israel, will I not let go!
Farao bisae se, “Hena ne Awurade a ɛsɛ sɛ mitie no na mema Israelfo no kɔ? Minnim Awurade biara enti meremma Israelfo no nkɔ.”
3 And they said, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us, —let us go, we pray thee, a journey of three days into the desert and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with sword.
Na Aaron ne Mose tii mu se, “Hebri Nyankopɔn ne yɛn ahyia. Ɛsɛ sɛ yetu nnansa kwan kɔ sare so kɔbɔ afɔre wɔ hɔ de ma Awurade, yɛn Nyankopɔn. Na sɛ yɛantie no a, ɔyaredɔm anaa afoa ano na yebewuwu.”
4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore O Moses and Aaron should ye loose the people from their works? Get you to your burdens.
Farao bisae se, “Mose ne Aaron, adɛn nti na morema nkurɔfo no agyae wɔn nnwuma? Monkɔ mo nnwuma so ntɛm!”
5 And Pharaoh said, Lo! many—now, are the people of the land, —and are ye to make them rest from their burdens?
Farao toaa so se, “Mprempren, saa nnipa no dɔɔso sen ɔmanfo no, nanso mopɛ sɛ moma ahɔho no gyae adwumayɛ.”
6 So then Pharaoh gave command on that day, unto the taskmasters over the people and unto their overseers—saying:
Da no ara, Farao somaa nnipa ma wɔkɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn a wɔhwɛ Israelfo no so no se,
7 Ye shall no more give straw unto the people, for making the bricks as heretofore: Let them, go, themselves, so shall they gather for themselves straw:
“Mommma nnipa no sare a wɔde bɛyɛ ntayaa no bio! Momma wɔn ankasa nkotwa sare no.
8 Nevertheless, the fixed number of bricks, which they have been making heretofore, shall ye lay upon them, ye shall not diminish therefrom, —for idle, they are, on this account, it is that they are making an outcry, saying, We must go our way, we must sacrifice to our God.
Na ntayaa dodow a wotwa no nso, monntew so baako koraa, efisɛ asɛm a wɔaka no da no adi pefee sɛ wɔyɛ akwadwofo nti na wɔreka se wɔrekɔ sare so akɔbɔ wɔn Awurade afɔre no.
9 The service must be made heavy on the men that they may labour on it, —and let them not pay regard to words of falsehood.
Momma wɔn adwuma no mu nyɛ den, na ɛmmee wɔn na wɔankotie atosɛm biara.”
10 Then went forth the taskmasters of the people and their overseers, and spake unto the people, —saying, —Thus, saith Pharaoh, I am not going to give you straw,
Enti adwumasohwɛfo ne wɔn akwankyerɛfo no ka kyerɛɛ Hebrifo no se, “Farao aka akyerɛ yɛn se yɛmmma mo sare bio.
11 Ye yourselves go fetch you straw, of any ye can find, —yet hath there not been diminished from your service a single thing.
Mo ara munkokyin nhwehwɛ bi, nanso ntayaa a mutwa no, muntwa dodow saa ara.”
12 So the people dispersed themselves throughout all the land of Egypt, —to gather stubble for straw:
Enti Hebrifo no kyinkyinii Misraim asase so nyinaa sɛ wɔrekɔhwehwɛ sare no bi.
13 the taskmasters, meanwhile, being urgent saying, —Complete your works, The task of a day, in its day, as when the straw was provided.
Adwumasohwɛfo no hyɛɛ wɔn atirimɔden so se, “Muntwa ntayaa dodow sɛnea na mutwa no.”
14 Then were beaten the overseers of the sons of Israel, whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had set over them saying: Wherefore have ye not completed your task for making bricks, as heretofore, so also, yesterday and, to-day?
Na Misraimfo adwumasohwɛfo no kaa Hebrifo mpanyimfo a wɔde wɔn atuatua adwuma no ano sɛ akwankyerɛfo no mmaa, bisaa wɔn se, “Adɛn nti na moanwie ntayaa a wɔahyɛ sɛ muntwa no nnɛra ne nnɛ no nyinaa sɛnea na moyɛ kan no?”
15 Then came in the overseers of the sons of Israel, and made outcry unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore shouldst thou do thus to thy servants?
Mpanyimfo yi kɔɔ Farao nkyɛn kɔsrɛɛ no se, “Adɛn na woyɛ wo nkoa saa?
16 No straw, is given to thy servants, yet bricks, —they keep saying to us—make ye! And lo, thy servants, are beaten—thou dost, therefore, wrong thy people.
Wɔmma wo nkoa sare biara, nanso wɔka kyerɛ yɛn se, ‘Montwa ntayaa!’ Wɔka yɛn mmaa nanso mfomso no fi wʼankasa wo nkurɔfo no.”
17 But he said: Idle, ye are—idle, on this account, are, ye, saying, We must take our journey, we must sacrifice to Yahweh.
Nanso Farao buae se, “Munni dwuma bi di, na sɛ mowɔ dwuma bi di a, anka morenka se, ‘Momma yɛnkɔbɔ afɔre mma Awurade.’
18 Now, therefore, go labour, but, straw, shall not be given you, —yet the tale of bricks, shall ye render.
Monsan nkɔyɛ adwuma ntɛm. Obiara remma mo sare, nanso ntayaa dodow a mutwa no daa no, saa ara na mubetwa.”
19 Then did the overseers of the sons of Israel see themselves to be in an evil case, when it was said, —Ye shall not diminish from your bricks—the task of a day, in its day
Bere a wɔka kyerɛɛ Israelfo mpanyimfo a wodi adwuma no anim sɛ akwankyerɛfo no se ɛsɛ sɛ wotwa ntayaa no dodow sɛnea wɔyɛ daa no, wohuu sɛ ahokyere aba.
20 So they fell upon Moses and upon Aaron, stationing themselves to meet them, —as they came forth from Pharaoh;
Bere a wofi Farao anim bae a wohuu sɛ Mose ne Aaron retwɛn wɔn wɔ ahemfi no ho no,
21 and they said unto them, Yahweh look upon you and judge, —in that ye have made us odious in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants, putting a sword into their hand to slay us.
wɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Awurade mmu mo atɛn sɛ moama Farao ne ne nkurɔfo anya yɛn ho menasepɔw, na mode afoa ahyɛ wɔn nsa sɛ wonkunkum yɛn.”
22 And Moses returned unto Yahweh and said, —O My Lord wherefore hast thou caused harm to this people? Wherefore now didst thou send me?
Asɛm yi maa Mose kɔɔ Awurade nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Awurade, adɛn nti na woma wo manfo brɛ saa? So eyi nti na wosomaa me?
23 seeing that from what time I came in unto Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done harm to this people, and thou hast not delivered, thy people,
Efi bere a mekɔkaa wo nkra no kyerɛɛ Farao no, tan ara na ɔretan wɔn ani, nanso wunnyee wɔn wɔ ɔkwan biara so ɛ.”

< Exodus 5 >