The Ten Commandments (1956) Edit

A bride, a shawl. Choose one, not all.

A caravan for Midian is waiting for you and your son.

A ceaseless cycle of unending drudgery.

A chariot here in Goshen?

A child was wrapped in it.

A city is built of brick, Pharaoh.

A conqueror already conquered?

A day of rest?

A delicate flower to be pressed between walls of stone.

A flower behind a flower.

A forsaken man without a country,

A god of gold! A golden calf!

A golden harvest to the threshers,

A handsome tribute indeed, Moses.

A jewel has brilliant fire, but gives no warmth.

A little girl led me to the Hebrew woman Yochabel,

A man stupid enough to use you for a footstool

A man?

A merchant buying copper

A moment ago, you were her son, the strength of Egypt.

A nation arose and freedom was born into the world.

A noble task.

A shepherd girl? What can she be to you?

A stonecutter struck the overseer.

A thousand shall fall at thy sight

A wise decision.

A worth and a greatness

Aaron!

Aaron! Aaron, when do we leave Egypt?

Aaron.

Abiram! Korah! Bind the sacrifice with cord!

About midnight,

Above us!

Abraham is the father of many nations.

Across the desert? On foot?

Across the wilderness!

Add to them the eyes of a weasel and find me this deliverer.

After all, dying is only a part of living.

Against thy neighbor:

Aide.

All about is desolation.

All but your proclamation for the marriage of Prince Rameses to Nefretiri.

All for your new treasure city.

All men to the pass! Get carts, wagons! Form a barrier!

All right, all right.

All that a man could ask of life.

All that they own is mine.

All that you wanted from me he would not even take.

All who shared the toil will share this gold! Here, boy!

All who thirst for freedom may come with us.

All your gold cannot wipe that mark from your door, Dathan,

Always remember, Eleazar,

Am I the hand of God?

An answer the world will not forget!

An idol. For idol worshippers!

An inferno of mud soaked bodies,

And Aaron knew that he had brought them to shame.

And adopted into the court of Egypt

And all the first born shall die,

And all those shouts are drowned by the beating of my heart.

And beauty is for the strong.

And beauty.

And bid them make bricks without straw.

And bow down to his will.

And bow no knee except in prayer.

And bring death to 1,000 others?

And brings death to his own son!

And broken from the brick pits,

And burn as fire upon the ground.

And by the Pharaoh's law, you can marry only a Pharaoh.

And cast into Egypt,

And cast off their clothes.

And dance the straw into the mud, you dogs.

And death and evil.

And deliverer of slaves.

And did blow the fire upon it to melt it.

And did eat and drink.

And drank the wine of violence,

And endlessly return for more.

And even very much cattle,

And everywhere the lash of watchful taskmasters

And fine twined linen wrought in Egypt.

And freedom was gone from the world.

And frogs should leave the waters?

And from this light, God created life upon Earth.

And God said, Let there be light.

And God smote the land with all manner of plagues,

And golden images of beasts...

And he brought forth the people with joy and gladness.

And he fastened it with nails that it should not move.

And he has asked the Nile god to bring me this beautiful boy.

And he returned to the land of Egypt.

And he said unto me, Behold the new land with thine eyes.

And he that smote the anvil

And he went out unto his brethren

And he would dwell in every heart, in every mind...

And here is your kingdom,

And hide the truth from Sethi? That I am Hebrew and a slave?

And how shall I answer them?

And I am not going to be displayed like a caravan's wares

And I have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters.

And I know that his light is in every man.

And I will be with thee.

And I will be your footstool.

And I will enjoy that very much.

And I will raise a temple to you mightier than the pyramids.

And I'll be Rameses' wife. Oh, Moses!

And I'll give you the princess of your heart's desire.

And I'm going to have all of you.

And it is death to give sanctuary to a runaway slave.

And it shall be the city of Sethi's glory.

And Josephus wrote some 50 years later

And killed the Egyptian.

And life giving water; flowing from the well of Midian.

And life in the copper mines of Sinai.

And looked on their burdens.

And man was given dominion

And Moses led Israel from the Red Sea

And Moses took his wife and his son

And Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

And my arms ached to hold him,

And no son to tend them.

And Rameses.

And restore the life he has taken from my son.

And sceptered as her king.

And send Bithiah into exile or death.

And set my feet upon the path of knowledge.

And spread disease in both man and beast?

And still you have no faith!

And strength?

And that our Lord is above all gods.

And that's all that he must know.

And the cloud is red with fire.

And the darkness a robe of forgetfulness.

And the God of Jacob.

And the Lord showed him all the land

And the man who will deliver us.

And the only deliverer that has come to us is death.

And the pain of an empty womb.

And the people cried, The graven image hath brought us joy, ”

And the people rose up to play,

And the power to choose between good and evil,

And the sea covered them!

And the women tread g****s from Midian into new wine.

And their cry came up unto God and God heard them.

And their herds and their camels before them.

And their lives were made bitter with hard bondage,

And there are seven here to teach you the tasks of a shepherd.

And there shall be so great a cry throughout the land

And there was light.

And there was rioting and drunkenness,

And there went forth among them

And they bore him upon their shoulders and rejoiced,

And they camped before the holy mountain.

And they cared no more than the flocks and herds they drove.

And they cared no more than the flocks and herds they drove.

And they did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

And they overlaid the image with pure gold.

And they were filled with iniquity and vile affections.

And they worshipped the golden calf and sacrificed unto it.

And this you call treason?

And to a people and to a shepherd girl.

And to feed the brick pits, straw,

And to prove whether they would keep his commandments or no,

And today I have one for you, my kitten.

And under his wing shalt thou trust

And upon our hearts forever.

And was found in the bulrushes by Bithiah,

And watched the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.

And were viler than the earth.

And when he was troubled, was it your heart that ached for him?

And when the people saw that Moses delayed

And who am I to deny the word of the master builder?

And who...?

And you shall know that God is God

And you will have none.

And you will never know

And you will serve him as you serve me.

And you'll die in the lion pits.

And your hair combed with sandalwood,

And your shroud!

And your women and children, too.

And...

Another creed.

Anything, Dathan.

Anything.

Are her lips chafed and dry as the desert sand?

Are men the property of the state,

Are the captains of Egypt afraid of a night mist?

Are the plans for my jubilee complete?

Are there no magicians in Egypt

Are you a master builder or a master butcher?

Are you comforting it, my mother?

Are you mourners of Moses afraid to face the new god of gold?

Are you not greater than the god of Moses?

Are you quite sure it will be Rameses?

Aren't you going to dance with us before the sheiks?

Arise, O Israel!

As an ally to guard our southern gates.

As an eagle bears its young upon its wings.

As Egypt surrenders to the god of slaves!

As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord.

As many of you know,

As the price of his favor?

As you go to join them

As you stir mine.

As your father's father turned the streets of Goshen red

Ask Aaron. Could anyone live on that fiery summit for 40 days and 40 nights?

Assemble all the chariots at the city gate.

At least he left you a son to cherish.

At least not by that fire.

At such a time,

At the hand of Nefretiri.

Back to work, you braying mules.

Back to work!

Back to work!

Back to your homes!

Back, Khataf. Come down!

Baka wanted you.

Baka was a powerful man. It would take strong hands to break him.

Baka, put 1,000 slaves to removing the sand

Baka, the master builder, has told me that I can rely on you.

Be careful, my love. Dathan's eyes can see through stone.

Be stricken from every book and tablet.

Be sure it's not a crocodile!

Be upon you, Great Prince.

Bearers!

Beauty is but a curse to our women.

Beauty like the quiet of green valleys and still waters.

Beauty of the spirit that you cannot understand.

Because he knew not the light of God's law.

Because I am bound to a God

Because I disobeyed him by the waters of strife.

Because I love you.

Because I loved you, Moses.

Because I saw in you

Because of Moses there is no wheat in the temple granaries.

Because she grumbled against you.

Because this night the Lord our God

Because your serpent's tongue hardened my heart.

Bedouins?

Before Moses or any other man.

Before you go,

Before you go,

Before you strike,

Beginning with the son of Moses.

Behold his mighty hand!

Behold the dawn of freedom!

Behold, the hail comes.

Beloved of the Nile god,

Ben Caleb! Order all wagons to turn clear!

Beneath the stone feet of the four colossal images of Rameses,

Better to die in battle with a god, than live in shame.

Better to serve the Egyptians than to die here!

Between me and my fame,

Between me and my queen.

Between the granite blocks.

Bind him between the columns.

Bithiah can charm tears from a crocodile.

Bithiah!

Bithiah's tired of you and so am I. Off you go.

Bitterness to feed the slaves,

Blades chopping straw.

Blame Moses for this! Deliver him to Pharaoh!

Blasphemers! Idolaters!

Blessed am I among all mothers in the land,

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God,

Blinding herself to the truth

Block the pass with carts! Women and children, to the sea!

Blood flows from the god!

Blood makes poor mortar. Come.

Blue pennant.

Bondage without rest,

Bow before you now.

Break off your earrings, your bracelets, your necklaces!

Break open the bins.

Bring baskets! Buckets! Shawls! Anything you have!

Bring him to me in chains.

Bring it back to me stained with his blood.

Bring me to his body!

Bring the girl.

Bring the push pole men and some women with baskets.

Bring us out of bitter bondage.

Build a city for him, and Sethi will deny you nothing.

But again, Pharaoh 's heart was hardened.

But beauty of the spirit will not free your people, Moses.

But bring Moses to me alive.

But by the staff of a shepherd.

But can we fight plagues with swords?

But each sought to do his own will

But Egypt holds death for you.

But for ten talents of fine gold,

But God made it a rod to rule over kings.

But he's dead. Even she cannot hope that he lives!

But he's my son, Moses.

But I am Egypt.

But I believe anything you tell me when I'm in your arms.

But I dared not even touch the hem of his garment.

But I do know that the mountain rumbles when God is there.

But I find you in grave danger here.

But I have built a city.

But I knew you were chosen to take the sword of God into your hand!

But I know better.

But I shall not be jealous of a memory.

But I think you will.

But I want to hear from your own lips

But I've not known fear till tonight.

But if I could free them,

But if I say to your children

But in his heart would burn the spirit of the living God.

But it passes those who have believed the Lord.

But it shall not come nigh thee

But Moses promised us.

But Moses' eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

But Mother, we have not even given him a name.

But my eyes never could.

But my feet are set upon a road that I must follow.

But my heart is still a prisoner of the past.

But not with certain accusations made against you.

But of all men.

But our children play happily before them.

But please...

But still Pharaoh 's heart was hardened.

But the laughter of slaves on the desert!

But their tally of bricks shall not diminish.

But there are other mothers among you!

But there was no wound on the body.

But they are still in bondage.

But this I know, my father:

But to be worthy of the divinely inspired story

But we have an unusual subject:

But when their eyes are seared red by the sun,

But will sympathy lead us to this land flowing with milk and honey?

But you are not a god, you are even less than a man.

But you are the throne princess,

But you belong to me.

But you said we'd be freed!

But you will.

But you, Hebrew, will suffer all these things...

But you're food for the gods,

But, for me, there is no peace of spirit

By a god unknown

By myself, I am nothing.

By sickness, by boils. They can endure no more.

By tens, by hundreds, by thousands,

By the tablets of the Ten Commandments,

By thirst, they've been plagued by frogs, by lice, by flies,

By whom?

Called him son and Prince of Egypt,

Came a day such as the world had never seen.

Can a man choose from among the stars of the sky?

Can a man judge God?

Can mattocks stop arrows?

Can one so rich in love be so poor in pity?

Can taxes be collected from dead cattle and blighted harvests?

Can you lead us to this land of promise? Do you know where it is?

Can you tell us, Moses?

Cannot justice and truth be served better upon a throne

Captain. Robe of state.

Carried on the bowed backs of women

Cast down my staff before Pharaoh

Catch a lotus and you catch a wish.

Century after century.

Chains have been forged into swords before now, Divine One.

Chariots, halt!

Chief Hebrew overseer, mighty one.

Children shall eat of its fruit.

Clear a path there! Clear a path!

Clear a path!

Clear a path!

Clear a path.

Clear the main hawser!

Close the door, Joshua, and let death pass.

Cohath, strike your bow.

Come here.

Come on, get back. Out of the way!

Come on, pull!

Come to me no more, Moses,

Come with me now.

Come with me, Moses.

Come with me! Follow me!

Come, gather your things, quickly.

Come, love. Let's share them. We'll use the moon for a scepter.

Come.

Command them to kneel before Pharaoh.

Command what you have conquered, my brother.

Conqueror of Ethiopia,

Consider them as they dance.

Continue your playing, but in the house.

Created 3,000 years ago:

Dance, you mud turtles, dance!

Dance, you squealing goat!

Dance, you.

Danger from such lovely hands?

Dathan is a vulture feeding on the flesh of his own people.

Dathan, if you fear God, let me go.

Dathan, it will save her life! Moses has God's promise!

Dathan, my brother, you have the favor of the Lord.

Dathan, she will do well as a house slave.

Dathan, take charge. Guards, after him.

Dathan, you can see only mud,

Day after day, year after year;

Dead...

Death cometh to me

Death cometh to me...

Death is all around us!

Deliverer? Deliverer?!

Deliverer? Yes, he has delivered you to death!

Destroy them all.

Did he ask something of you?

Did he cry for mercy when you tortured him?

Did he speak as a man?

Did he speak?

Did the little boy die in the desert, my father?

Did this child of the Nile have a mother?

Did you carve those tablets to become a prince over us?

Did you do all of this to gain their favor?

Did you ever know her?

Did you hear that? Other matters?

Did you know, my dear, that this golden web

Did you lose your head, my sweet?

Did you think my kiss was a promise of what you'll have?

Die?

Difficulty with the slaves, my brother?

Divine One,

Divine One, here is the full count of Ethiopia's tribute.

Divine One.

Do not let ambition shave your prince's lock.

Do not look, Eleazar.

Do they love less who have no hope?

Do you hear laughter, Pharaoh?

Do you hear laughter, Rameses?

Do you hear that? Do you hear that?!

Do you hear that? Do you hear that?!

Do you hear thunder? Over the sea?

Do you imply that he would raise the slaves against me?

Do you know the pattern of this cloth?

Do you see that strange tire?

Do you want to see me in Rameses' arms?

Do you? Do I?

Does fear rule Egypt, or do I?

Does he hear you?

Does it take the whole Nile to quench your thirst?

Does she... grate garlic on her skin?

Does that matter?

Does the world bow to an empty throne?

Does your God live on this mountain?

Dogs at bay are dangerous.

Don't exhaust yourself, great one.

Don't forget the oil for the lamps.

Don't let him do this! Not to the children!

Don't save me from death, Joshua, save me from life.

Double their labors.

Down into the never ending valley of toil and agony,

Down, Turfa!

Draw one more breath to tell me why Moses or any other Egyptian

Dread Lord of Darkness,

Drive back your goats until the sheep are watered.

Each hoping to sit under his own vine and Hg tree.

Each night brings the black embrace of loneliness.

Each time Rameses took me in his arms, I cursed you, not him,

Egypt shall be yours.

Egyptian or Hebrew, I am still Moses.

Eleazar, set these five books

Empty?

Endlessly they plod beneath the sheaves of wheat

Envy is for the weak.

Erased from the memory of men

Even adultery and lasciviousness,

Even Ishmael did not know that God drove him into the desert

Even the vultures won't find them.

Even unto the horns of the altar!

Ever bless us with Thy hand

Every newborn Hebrew man child shall die.

Everything about us is coming to an end!

Fear not!

Feeder of cattle, carrier of ships,

Fill every jar in your house with water

Fill the ark with water. Sink it into silence.

Fill your water skins.

First born of each house shall die,

First friend of the Pharaoh,

First I have a call to make on the master builder.

First I have a call to make on the master builder.

Follow it, Miriam.

Follow!

For 30 years, I have been silent.

For a slave who saved old Yochabel and me from death

For all time.

For God's great purpose.

For he does not know from where it comes.

For he is kind, as well as wise.

For I know that the Lord is great

For I know their sorrows.

For I know their sorrows.

For my days are ended

For my eyes have beheld thy deliverer.

For on the day you see my face again,

For seven days, Egypt will thirst.

For the next queen of Egypt.

For the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

For they had become servants of sin.

For they had gathered their treasure into the midst of the furnace,

For they had made them a god of gold.

For this you shall be well cared for.

For this you shall drink bitter waters!

For thou shalt not cross over this river Jordan.

For thy people have corrupted themselves.

For what my eyes have seen.

For you shall go over Jordan to lead the people.

Forgive me, Bithiah.

Forward!

Forward!

Four hundred years in bondage, and today he won't move!

Four hundred years we've waited.

From east and west, from north and south,

From Egypt.

From everlasting to everlasting,

From generation to generation forever.

From God himself.

From the burning bush, O Lord,

From the first born of Pharaoh to the first born of his servants.

From the frontiers of Sinai and Libya to the cataracts of the Nile.

From the land of the five rivers.

From the mixing feet of treaders

From the time he was a three month old baby

From the time my sister brought you to the court, I loved you,

From where I send him there is no returning.

Gather your families and your flocks. We must go with all speed.

General of generals,

Get away, you!

Get that straw cutter.

Get those bricks back on.

Get tow lines on the midwife's cart!

Give me all that I ask...

Give me my freedom and I'll give you the scepter.

Give me the water girl, Lilia,

Give me the writing.

Give me this binding pole.

Give me this house of Baka, and I'll give you the throne.

Go back to your son.

Go find me this Joshua.

Go into the garden. It's not good for a son of Pharaoh

Go on. Hurry up! You've hurt her enough.

Go where? To drown in the sea?

Go, all of you.

Go, then, while I hear what this puckered old persimmon has to say.

Go! Get thee down,

Go. All of you.

Go. Return into Egypt.

God forgive my weak use of his strength.

God has delivered us from the son of Pharaohs.

God has set before you this day

God made a covenant with Abraham that he would deliver the people.

God made men.

God of Abraham,

God of Abraham!

God of Abraham.

God of our fathers,

God opens the sea with the blast of his nostrils.

God will give him a name.

God's law and God's commandments.

Gold, of course.

Goshen in his right, and you, my Pharaoh, are in between them.

Goshen?

Grandfather, have you got Rebecca?

Grandfather, look, the horses are coming!

Grandpa, fire bearers!

Great king, I will ask but one favor of your friendship.

Great one, bid the scribe read the order.

Great one, I bring you Ethiopia!

Great one, you hear the cry of Egypt.

Great one!

Great Pharaoh, the gift of Troy is a fabulous fabric

Greatest of all the gods.

Guards salute!

Guide back his soul across the lake of death

Had hewn from solid rock,

Hail to thee, great god of the Nile!

Hail to thee, maker of barley,

Hail!

Hail!

Hail!

Harden yourself against subordinates.

Has flown into the sun.

Has melted his reason into madness.

Has my mother forgotten? Only the Pharaoh can free a slave.

Has not come to the body of my son.

Has she done more for you than I?

Have no friend.

Have the captains join their men.

Have the days of darkness made you see the light, Rameses?

He bore them out of Egypt

He can neither bless nor curse the power that moves him,

He can tell me that when he arrives.

He cannot cool the burning kiss of thirst upon his lips,

He does not thirst for water.

He gives them the priests' grain and one day in seven to rest.

He has been foretold by every falling star since my father's time.

He has brought down the pride of Ethiopia.

He has brought you to us. You cannot turn your back upon us.

He has forgotten both of us.

He has seen God.

He is driven forward, always forward,

He is driven onward through the burning crucible of desert,

He is driven onward through the burning crucible of desert,

He is God's messenger, Princess.

He is not a prince of Egypt.

He is not flesh but spirit.

He is not the son of your sister.

He is the first born of Pharaoh.

He is the son of Hebrew slaves.

He is the son of Hebrew slaves.

He opens the waters before them, and he bars our way with fire.

He passed over your house.

He proclaims his coming from afar, does he not, my son?

He revealed his word to my mind.

He shall be reared in my house as the Prince of the Two Lands.

He showed you no land flowing with milk and honey! I show you a god of gold!

He spurned me, like a strumpet in the street.

He turned his staff into a cobra!

He was your son?

He who ate my bread and called me father

He who has no name surely guided your steps.

He who has no name.

He will be my husband. I shall have no other.

He will choose the hour of our freedom

He will come to know it and fulfill it.

He will hear me.

He will hear me.

He will not!

He would have been Pharaoh.

He would have done better to remove them.

He would have ruled the world.

He would live on every mountain, in every valley.

He would not be only the god of Israel or of Ishmael alone,

He would rather see our flesh rot in the wilderness.

He'll cut him to pieces.

He's a false prophet who delivers you to death!

He's dead.

He's Hebrew.

He's just trying to keep Moses away from you, Sethi.

He's my only son.

He's nothing but a piece of stone with the head of a bird.

Health, prosperity, life to you, Jethro of Midian.

Hear his word, Rameses, and obey.

Hear what I say, Rameses.

Hear what I say, Rameses.

Hear, O Israel!

Hebrew slaves.

Help that wagon!

Her lips, tamarisk honey.

Her skin was white as curd.

Here is your sacrifice!

Here, here's water.

Here, Miriam.

Here, taste this.

Here, you too will find peace.

Here!

Here! Throw!

Here! Water lily!

Here. Old woman.

Here's the kneading trough. Sling it on your shoulders.

His back scarred from the taskmaster's whip,

His fate is better than the one that waits for Moses.

His hands would be gnarled

His Hebrew mother brought it to the prison before she died.

His heritage from me could only have been misery,

His laws of life and good

His name is Joshua.

His son Joseph

His son Joseph

His son Joseph

His soul in turmoil, like the hot winds and raging sands

His Ten Commandments.

His tortured mind

His truth shall be thy shield

His will be done!

His word is that he cannot attend you, being pressed by...

His words are truth. His trading is just.

Hold me in your arms.

Hold me... close.

Hold the ropes!

Hold your whip!

Honor thy father and thy mother:

Hope? On the heels of every hope walks Dathan.

Horn and hoof.

How can I lead this people out of bondage?

How can people make bricks without straw?

How can we make bricks without straw?

How can you find peace or want it,

How can you find peace or want it,

How could it make a difference?

How could Rameses destroy me with a piece of cloth?

How could you doubt me?

How did he die?

How did you find me?

How did you know it was Memnet?

How do you know that?

How long will the fire hold Pharaoh back?

How long will you refuse to humble yourself before God?

How many more days and nights will you pray?

How many of my people have died because he's turned away his face?

How shall I find thy road through the wilderness, Lord?

How shall I find water in the desert for this multitude?

I am a shepherd with flocks...

I am a stonecutter. The Pharaohs like their images cut deep.

I am a stranger in a strange land.

I am called by the Lord, Sephora. I go alone.

I am compelled to do.

I am content to be your son.

I am Egypt.

I am Hebrew.

I am here to save his son.

I am here.

I am Miriam, your sister.

I am Moses, son of Amram and Yochabel.

I am not the man.

I am outcast among our people

I am poor man, generous one.

I am poured out like water,

I am sending down the Nile 20 full barges of such wealth as you see here.

I am that I am.

I am the God of thy father.

I am the Lord thy God.

I am the Pharaoh's daughter, and this is my son.

I am the son of Amram and Yochabel.

I am the son of your body.

I am told, my tiger lily, they're wagering against me.

I am warmed by his favor.

I am your brother Aaron.

I am, Great Pharaoh, but now I have important things to do.

I belong in your service, glorious one.

I belong to you, Moses.

I bring lamb's blood to mark the doorposts and lintel,

I bring the Ethiopian king and his sister in friendship,

I can flick a fly from my horse's ear

I cannot save yours.

I cannot speak it.

I commend you to your Hebrew god who has no name.

I could never fill all of it, Moses.

I could never love you.

I could...

I cursed you.

I defeated you in life.

I do not care who you are or what you are or what they may say about you,

I do not know about such things.

I do not know what power shapes my way,

I do not know your God,

I don't believe that only the thunder of a mountain stirs your heart,