Bricks without straw
1Afterwards 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 labour? 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 realised 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.’
Mose Ne Aaron Kɔ Farao Anim
1Mose 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.’ ”
2Farao bisae se, “Hena ne Awurade a ɛsɛ sɛ mitie no na mema Israelfo no kɔ? Minnim Awurade biara enti meremma Israelfo no nkɔ.”
3Na 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.”
4Farao bisae se, “Mose ne Aaron, adɛn nti na morema nkurɔfo no agyae wɔn nnwuma? Monkɔ mo nnwuma so ntɛm!” 5Farao toaa so se, “Mprempren, saa nnipa no dɔɔso sen ɔmanfo no, nanso mopɛ sɛ moma ahɔho no gyae adwumayɛ.”
6Da no ara, Farao somaa nnipa ma wɔkɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn a wɔhwɛ Israelfo no so no se, 7“Mommma nnipa no sare a wɔde bɛyɛ ntayaa no bio! Momma wɔn ankasa nkotwa sare no. 8Na 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. 9Momma wɔn adwuma no mu nyɛ den, na ɛmmee wɔn na wɔankotie atosɛm biara.”
10Enti adwumasohwɛfo ne wɔn akwankyerɛfo no ka kyerɛɛ Hebrifo no se, “Farao aka akyerɛ yɛn se yɛmmma mo sare bio. 11Mo ara munkokyin nhwehwɛ bi, nanso ntayaa a mutwa no, muntwa dodow saa ara.” 12Enti Hebrifo no kyinkyinii Misraim asase so nyinaa sɛ wɔrekɔhwehwɛ sare no bi. 13Adwumasohwɛfo no hyɛɛ wɔn atirimɔden so se, “Muntwa ntayaa dodow sɛnea na mutwa no.” 14Na 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?”
15Mpanyimfo yi kɔɔ Farao nkyɛn kɔsrɛɛ no se, “Adɛn na woyɛ wo nkoa saa? 16Wɔmma wo nkoa sare biara, nanso wɔka kyerɛ yɛn se, ‘Montwa ntayaa!’ Wɔka yɛn mmaa nanso mfomso no fi wʼankasa wo nkurɔfo no.”
17Nanso Farao buae se, “Munni dwuma bi di, na sɛ mowɔ dwuma bi di a, anka morenka se, ‘Momma yɛnkɔbɔ afɔre mma Awurade.’ 18Monsan nkɔyɛ adwuma ntɛm. Obiara remma mo sare, nanso ntayaa dodow a mutwa no daa no, saa ara na mubetwa.”
19Bere 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. 20Bere a wofi Farao anim bae a wohuu sɛ Mose ne Aaron retwɛn wɔn wɔ ahemfi no ho no, 21wɔka 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.”
22Asɛm 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? 23Efi bere a mekɔkaa wo nkra no kyerɛɛ Farao no, tan ara na ɔretan wɔn ani, nanso wunnyee wɔn wɔ ɔkwan biara so ɛ.”
