1. AFᴛᴇʀ these things Moyses and Aaron went in, and said to Pharao: This saith the
Lord God of Israel: dismisse my people that they may sacrifice to me in the desert.
2. But he answered: Who is the Lord, that I should heare his voice, and dismisse
Israel? I know not the Lord, and Israel I wil not dismisse.
3. And they said: The God of the Hebrewes hath called vs, to goe three daies iourney
into the wildernesse, and to sacrifice to the Lord our God: lest perhappes there chance to vs
pestilence or sword.
4. The king of Ægypt said to them: Why do you Moyses and Aaron solicite the people from
their workes? Goe you to your burdens.
5. And Pharao said: The people of the land is much: you see that the multitude is
secretly increased: how much more if you geue them rest from their workes?
6. Therefore he commanded in that day the ouerseers of the workes and the exactores of
the people, saying:
7. You shal no more geue straw to the people for to make brickes, as before: but let
them selues goe and geather straw.
8. And the taske of brickes, which they did before, you shal put vpon them, neither shal
you diminish any thing: for they are idle, and therfore they crie, saying: Let vs goe, and
sacrifice to our God.
9. Let them be oppressed with workes, and let them accomplish them: that they hearken
not to lying wordes.
10. Therefore the ouerseers of the workes and the exactors going forth said vnto the
people: Thus saith Pharao: I allow you no straw:
11. goe, and geather if you can find any where: neither shal anie thing of your worke
be diminished.
12. And the people was dispersed through al the Land of Ægypt to geather straw.
13. And the ouerseers of the workes were instant, saying: Finish your worke euerie day,
as before you were wont to doe when straw was geuen vnto you.
14. And the ouerseers of the workes of the children of Israel were scourged of Pharaos
exactors, saying: Why do you not make vp the taske of brickes as before, neither yesterday,
nor to day?
15. And the ouerseers of the children of Israel came, and cried out to Pharao, saying:
Why dealest thou so against thy seruantes?
16. Straw is not geuen vs, and brickes are commanded vs in like sorte: behold we thy
seruantes are beaten with whippes, and thy people is vniustly dealt withal.
17. Who said: You are idle, and therefore you say: Let vs goe and sacrifice to our Lord.
18. Goe therfore, and worke: straw shal not be geuen you, and you shal geue vp the
accustomed number of brickes.
19. And the ouerseers of the children of Israel saw them selues in hard case, because
it was said vnto them: There shal not a whitte be diminished of the brickes for euerie day.
20. And they mette Moyses and Aaron, who stood ouer against them, coming forth from
Pharao:
21. and they said to them: Our Lord see and iudge, because you haue made our
sauour to stinke before Pharao and his seruantes, and you haue geuen him a sword, for to kil
vs.
22. And Moyses returned to our Lord, and said: Lord why hast thou afflicted this
people? wherfore hast thou sent me?
23. For since the time that I entered in to Pharao to speake in thy name, he hath
afflicted thy people: and thou hast not deliuered them.