5. And Pharaoh said: "The people of the land are many. You see that the turmoil has increased: how much more if you give them rest from the works?"
6. Therefore, on the same day, he instructed the overseers of the works, and the taskmasters of the people, saying:
7. "You shall no longer give chaff to the people to form bricks, as before. But they may go and gather straw.
8. And you shall impose upon them the same quota of bricks that they made before. Neither will you lessen anything, for they are idle, and therefore they cry out, saying: 'We shall go and sacrifice to our God.'
9. They shall be oppressed with works, and these shall occupy them, so that they may not agree to lying words."
10. And so the overseers of the works and the taskmasters went out and said to the people: "Thus says Pharaoh: I give you no chaff.
11. Go, and collect it wherever you are able to find it. Neither will anything of your work be diminished."
12. And the people were dispersed through all the land of Egypt, in order to gather straw.
13. Likewise, the overseers of the works pressured them, saying: "Complete your work each day, just as you were accustomed to do before, when straw was given to you."
14. And those who were first in the works of the sons of Israel were scourged by Pharaoh's taskmasters, saying: "Why have you not filled the quota of bricks, neither yesterday, nor today, just as before?"
15. And the first among the sons of Israel came, and they cried out to Pharaoh, saying: "Why do act against your servants in this way?
16. Straw is not given to us, and yet the same amount of bricks is commanded. So we, your servants, are cut up by scourging, and injustice is done against your people."
17. And he said: "You are idle. And for this reason you say, 'We shall go and sacrifice to the Lord.'