1And 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. 2Then 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! 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. 4And 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. 5And Pharaoh said, Lo! many—now, are the people of the land,—and are ye to make them rest from their burdens? 6So then Pharaoh gave command on that day, unto the taskmasters over the people and unto their overseers—saying: 7Ye 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: 8Nevertheless, 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. 9The service must be made heavy on the men that they may labour on it,—and let them not pay regard to words of falsehood. 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, 11Ye yourselves go fetch you straw, of any ye can find,—yet hath there not been diminished from your service a single thing. 12So the people dispersed themselves throughout all the land of Egypt,—to gather stubble for straw: 13the taskmasters, meanwhile, being urgent saying,—Complete your works, The task of a day, in its day, as when the straw was provided. 14Then 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? 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? 16No 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. 17But he said: Idle, ye are—idle, on this account, are, ye, saying, We must take our journey, we must sacrifice to Yahweh. 18Now, therefore, go labour, but, straw, shall not be given you,—yet the tale of bricks, shall ye render. 19Then 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 20So they fell upon Moses and upon Aaron, stationing themselves to meet them,—as they came forth from Pharaoh; 21and 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. 22And Moses returned unto Yahweh and said,—O My Lord wherefore hast thou caused harm to this people? Wherefore now didst thou send me? 23seeing 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,