And Pharao said: The people of the land is numerous: you see that the multitude is increased: how much more if you give them rest from their works?

And Pharaoh said, Behold the people of the land are now many, and ye wish to make them rest from their burdens.

Pharaoh also saith, 'Lo, numerous now is the people of the land, and ye have caused them to cease from their burdens!'

And Pharaoh said, Truly, the people of the land are increasing in number, and you are keeping them back from their work.

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?"

Et dixit Pharao, En multi nunc populus terrae, et vos cessare facitis eos a laboribus suis.

The people of the land now are many - The sanguinary edict had no doubt been long before repealed, or they could not have multiplied so greatly.

And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now [are] many, and ye (c) make them rest from their burdens.
(c) As though you would rebel.

And Pharaoh said, behold, the people of the land now are many,.... So that if some were taken off, as suggested, there were enough of them to do business and so he cared not; but if allowed to go, they might mutiny and rebel, and give a great deal of trouble to quell them; or it may be, the sense is, they were very numerous, and too numerous already, and if they were took off of their work, and allowed to go a feasting, they would be more so, which agrees with the next clause:
and you make them rest from their burdens; which was the way to make them more numerous still, and to frustrate the design of laying burdens upon them, which was originally intended to hinder the multiplication of them, Exodus 1:9.

The people are many - Therefore your injury to me is the greater, in attempting to make them rest from their labours.