and they madetheir livesbitterwith hardlaborin mortarand bricksand at all[kinds] of laborin the field,alltheir laborswhichthey rigorouslyimposedon them.
[God] saidto Abram,"Knowfor certainthat your descendantswill be strangersin a landthat is not theirs,where they will be enslavedand oppressedfourhundredyears.
and he spoketo them according to the adviceof the youngmen,saying,"My fathermadeyour yokeheavy,but I will addto your yoke;my fatherdisciplinedyou with whips,but I will disciplineyou with scorpions."
"Manytimesthey have persecutedme from my youthup," Let Israelnowsay,
Whenyou liedownamongthe sheepfolds,[You are like] the wingsof a dovecoveredwith silver,And its pinionswith glisteninggold.
"I relievedhis shoulderof the burden,His handswere freedfrom the basket.
So they appointedtaskmastersoverthem to afflictthem with hardlabor.And they builtfor Pharaohstoragecities,Pithomand Raamses.
The Egyptianscompelled the sonsof Israelto laborrigorously;
Then the kingof Egyptspoketo the Hebrewmidwives,oneof whomwas namedShiphrahand the otherwas namedPuah;
Now it cameabout in [the course of] thosemanydaysthat the kingof Egyptdied.And the sonsof Israelsighedbecauseof the bondage,and they criedout; and their cryfor helpbecauseof [their] bondageroseup to God.
"I am the LORDyour God,whobroughtyou out of the landof Egypt,out of the houseof slavery.
So Mosesspokethusto the sonsof Israel,but they did not listento Moseson accountof [their] despondencyand cruelbondage.
[Like] a roaringlionand a rushingbearIs a wickedrulerovera poorpeople.
Thereforethussaysthe LordGODof hosts,"O My peoplewho dwellin Zion,do not fearthe Assyrianwho strikesyou with the rodand liftsup his staffagainstyou, the wayEgypt[did].
Which used to strikethe peoplesin furywith unceasingstrokes,Which subduedthe nationsin angerwith unrestrainedpersecution.
"I will putit into the handof your tormentors,Whohave saidto you, 'Liedownthat we may walkover[you].' You have even madeyour backlike the groundAnd like the streetfor those who walkover[it]."
"Nowtherefore, whatdo I have here,"declaresthe LORD,"seeing that My peoplehave been takenaway withoutcause?"[Again] the LORDdeclares,"Those who ruleover them howl,and My nameis continuallyblasphemedalldaylong.
"Is thisnot the fastwhich I choose,To loosenthe bondsof wickedness,To undothe bandsof the yoke,And to letthe oppressedgofreeAnd breakeveryyoke?
You shall not ruleover him with severity,but are to revereyour God.
You may even bequeaththem to your sonsafteryou, to receiveas a possession;you can usethem as permanentslaves.But in respect to your countrymen,the sonsof Israel,you shall not rulewith severityover oneanother.
Like a manhiredyearby yearhe shall be with him; he shall not ruleover him with severityin your sight.
Whoeatthe fleshof my people,Stripofftheir skinfrom them, Breaktheir bonesAnd chop[them] up as for the potAnd as meatin a kettle."
Drawfor yourself waterfor the siege!Strengthenyour fortifications!Gointo the clayand treadthe mortar!Takeholdof the brickmold!
that our fatherswentdownto Egypt,and we stayedin Egypta longtime,and the Egyptianstreatedus and our fathersbadly.
"It was he who took shrewd advantageof our raceand mistreatedour fathersso that they would exposetheir infantsand they would not survive.
I HAVE CERTAINLY SEENTHE OPPRESSIONOF MY PEOPLEIN EGYPTAND HAVE HEARDTHEIR GROANS,AND I HAVE COME DOWNTO RESCUETHEM; COMENOW,AND I WILL SENDYOU TO EGYPT.'
And the Egyptianstreatedus harshlyand afflictedus, and imposedhardlaboron us.
"But the LORDhas takenyou and broughtyou out of the ironfurnace,from Egypt,to be a peoplefor His own possession,as today.
She saidto them, "Do not callme Naomi;callme Mara,for the Almightyhas dealtverybitterlywith me.
