Exodus 5:9
Verse 9 of 23. The 5th of 40 chapters in Exodus, in The Law.
5Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens.”
6The same day Pharaoh commanded 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.
8You shall require from them the number of the bricks which they made before. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, saying, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to our God.’
9Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it. Don’t let them pay any attention to lying words.”
10The taskmasters of the people went out with their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you straw.
11Go yourselves, 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!”
World English Bible. Public domain. Set as prose throughout, including the poetry, because the text is published to us without its lines.