Bricks Without Straw
1Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’ ”
2Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”
3Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”
4But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!” 5Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.”
6That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: 7“You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. 8But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”
10Then the slave drivers and the overseers went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw. 11Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.’ ” 12So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. 13The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.” 14And Pharaoh’s slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed, demanding, “Why haven’t you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?”
15Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way? 16Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
17Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”
19The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.” 20When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, 21and they said, “May the Lord look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
God Promises Deliverance
22Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? 23Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”
摩西和亚伦见法老
1之后，摩西和亚伦去见法老，对他说：“以色列的上帝耶和华说，‘放我的子民走，让他们到旷野去为我守节期。’” 2法老说：“耶和华是谁？我凭什么要听从祂，放走以色列人？我不认识祂，也不会让以色列人离开！” 3摩西和亚伦说：“希伯来人的上帝向我们显现了。求你容我们走三天的路程，到旷野去向我们的上帝耶和华献祭，请你让我们去吧，免得祂用刀剑、瘟疫来攻击我们。” 4埃及王说：“摩西、亚伦，你们竟敢煽动百姓旷工！快回去工作！” 5法老又说：“这地方的以色列人如此众多，你竟叫他们停止工作！” 6当天，法老就对埃及监工和以色列人的工头下令： 7“从今天开始，不许再供应草给他们制砖，叫他们自己去捡， 8但上交的砖的数量要和往常一样，一块也不可少。因为他们懒惰，所以才嚷着要去给他们的上帝献祭。 9你们要加重他们的工作，他们就无暇再听那些蛊惑人心的话了！”
10于是，那些监工和工头就出来向百姓宣布：“法老下令不再供应草给你们制砖。 11你们要自己设法去找，但上交的砖一块也不能少。” 12百姓只好在埃及全国收集碎禾秸当草用。 13监工催逼他们说：“你们要完成每天规定的数目，像从前有草时一样。” 14他们又鞭打以色列人的工头，说：“你们这两天为什么没有像从前一样完成规定的砖数？”
15以色列人的工头来见法老，向他哀求说：“你为什么要这样对待仆人们？ 16监工不给仆人们草，却命令我们做砖，还打我们，其实是你百姓的错。” 17法老说：“你们是懒惰的人，懒惰的人！所以才嚷着要去给耶和华献祭。 18回去继续工作！我不再供应草给你们，但砖要如数交齐。” 19以色列人的工头听见每天做的砖数不可减少，就知道情况不妙。 20他们从法老那里出来的时候，遇见摩西和亚伦站在外面等候， 21便埋怨二人说：“愿耶和华鉴察、惩罚你们！你们使我们在法老和他的臣仆面前有了臭名，使他们有借口来杀我们。”
22摩西回到耶和华那里说：“主啊！你为什么这样苦待你的子民呢？为什么要派我去呢？ 23自从我去法老那里奉你的名发言后，他更加虐待你的子民，你并没有拯救他们。”
