Afterward Musa and Harun came, and said to Firaun, “This is what Allah, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.‘”
2Firaun said, “Who is Allah, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I do not know Allah, and moreover I will not let Israel go.“
3They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Allah, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword.“
4The king of Egypt said to them, “Why do you, Musa and Harun, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!“5Firaun said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens.“ 6The same day Firauncommanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, 7“You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8The number of the bricks, which they made before, you require from them. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’9Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labour therein; and do not let them pay any attention to lying words.“
10The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, This is what Firaun says: “I will not give you straw. 11Go and get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.“ 12So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13The taskmasters were urgent saying, “Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!“ 14The officers of Bani-Israel, whom Firaun’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, “Why haven’t you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?“
15Then the officers of Bani-Israel came and cried to Firaun, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants? 16No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, ‘Make brick!’ and, behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.“
17But he said, “You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to Allah.’ 18Go therefore now, and work, for no straw shall be given to you, yet you must deliver the same number of bricks!“
19The officers of Bani-Israel saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, “You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!“
20They met Musa and Harun, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Firaun: 21and they said to them, “May Allah look at you, and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Firaun, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.“
22Musa returned to Allah, and said, “Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me? 23For since I came to Firaun to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people; neither have you delivered your people at all.“