Shemot 5

And after that, Moses and Aaron entered, and said to Pharaoh: 'Thus says God, the God of Israel: Let my people go, that they may celebrate a festival to me in the wilderness.'

Pharaoh said: 'Who is God, that I should accept from him and let the sons of Israel go? I do not know God; and I will not let the sons of Israel go either.'

They said: 'The God of the Hebrews has caused His decree to come upon us. Let us go now a distance of three days into the wilderness, and offer sacrifice to the Lord our God — lest plague or sword come suddenly upon us.'

The king of Egypt said to them: 'Why, Moses and Aaron, do you distract the people from their works? Go to your burdens!'

And Pharaoh said: 'Now the people of the land are many — and you would have them rest from their burdens!'

And Pharaoh commanded on that day the taskmasters of the people, and their overseers, saying:

'You shall no longer give the people straw to mold bricks, as yesterday and before; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

And the quota of bricks which they were making yesterday and before — set [the same] upon them; you shall not reduce from it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying: Let us go offer sacrifice to our Lord.

Let the labor be heavy upon the people, and let them be occupied with it; and let them not be occupied with vain matters.'

And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their overseers, and said to them: 'Thus says Pharaoh: I am giving you no straw.

You — go, take straw for yourselves from where you can find it. And know that there shall be nothing reduced from your work.'

And the people scattered throughout all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.

And the taskmasters pressed [them], saying: 'Finish your work — the matter of each day, on its day — just as it was when straw was given.'

And the overseers of the sons of Israel — whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them — they beat, and said to them: 'What is the matter with you that you have not finished your quotas to mold bricks, as yesterday and before, both yesterday and today?'

And the overseers of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying: 'Why do you act thus toward your servants?

No straw is supplied to your servants; yet they are saying to us: Make bricks! And behold, your servants are beaten — because your people sin against them.'

He said: 'You are idle, idle — therefore you say: Let us go and offer sacrifice to our Lord.

And now, go, labor — and no straw shall be given to you; and your quotas you shall complete.'

And the overseers of the sons of Israel saw [themselves] in evil, saying: 'You shall not reduce from your bricks — the matter of each day, on its day.'

And they encountered Moses and Aaron, standing to meet them at their coming out from before Pharaoh.

And they said to them: 'May God look upon you and judge — for you have ruined our condition before Pharaoh and before his officers; so that, were a sword in their hands, they would kill us.'

And Moses returned to God, and said: 'O my Lord, why have You brought trial upon this people? And to what end have You sent me?

For from the time I went in to Pharaoh to speak with him in Your name, he has dealt evil with them — and You have not rescued them from this.'