Sunglatnah 18

1 Pathen loh Moses ham neh a pilnam Israel ham a cungkuem a saii pah tih BOEIPA loh Israel Egypt lamkah a khuen te Moses masae, Midian khosoih Jethro loh a yaak.

Now news came to Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, of all God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, and how the Lord had taken Israel out of Egypt.

2 A maan hnukah Moses yuu Zipporah loh Moses masae Jethro te a doe.

And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away,

3 Te vaengah a ca rhoi te a khuen tih, kholong kho ah yinlai la ka om a ti dongah pakhat te a ming Gershom a sui.

And her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom, for he said, I have been living in a strange land:

4 Pakhat te tah a pa Pathen he kai bomkung la om tih Pharaoh cunghang lamloh kai n'huul a ti tih a ming Eliezer a sui.

And the name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, The God of my father was my help, and kept me safe from the sword of Pharaoh:

5 Te phoeiah Moses yuu, ca rhoek te a masae Jethro neh Pathen kah tlang khosoek ah aka rhaeh Moses taengla ha pawk.

And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to where Moses had put up his tent in the waste land, by the mountain of God.

6 Te dongah Moses te, “Na masae kai Jethro he nang taengla na yuu neh a taengkah a ca rhoi khaw, kam pawk puei coeng,” a ti nah.

And he said to Moses, I, your father-in-law, have come to you, with your wife and your two sons.

7 Moses te a masae doe ham cet tih bakop tih a mok. Te vaengah hlang te a hui neh sadingnah khaw a dawt uh rhoi phoeiah dap khuila kun uh.

And Moses went out to his father-in-law, and went down on his face before him and gave him a kiss; and they said to one another, Are you well? and they came into the tent.

8 Te phoeiah Israel kongmai dongah BOEIPA loh Pharaoh taeng neh Egypt taengah a saii boeih, longpueng ah amih aka mah bongboepnah cungkuem neh BOEIPA loh amih a huul te khaw Moses loh a masae taengah a thui pah.

And Moses gave his father-in-law an account of all the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians because of Israel, and of all the troubles which had come on them by the way, and how the Lord had given them salvation.

9 Egypt kut lamloh a huul vaengah BOEIPA loh Israel ham a then boeih a saii pah dongah Jethro a kohoe.

And Jethro was glad because the Lord had been good to Israel, freeing them from the power of the Egyptians.

10 Te phoeiah Jethro loh, “Egypt kut lamkah neh Pharaoh kut lamloh nangmih aka huul tih Egypt kut hmui lamloh pilnam aka huul BOEIPA tah a yoethen pai saeh.

And Jethro said, Praise be to the Lord, who has taken you out of the hand of Pharaoh and out of the hand of the Egyptians; freeing the people from the yoke of the Egyptians.

11 Amih taengah ol a lokhak pah coeng dongah pathen boeih lakah BOEIPA he tanglue tila ka ming coeng,” a ti.

Now I am certain that the Lord is greater than all gods, for he has overcome them in their pride.

12 Te phoeiah Moses masae Jethro loh hmueihhlutnah neh hmueih te Pathen taengah a khuen. Te vaengah Aaron neh Israel kah a hamca boeih tah Pathen mikhmuh ah Moses masae neh buh ca la ha pawk.

Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, made a burned offering to God: and Aaron came, with the chiefs of Israel, and had a meal with Moses' father-in-law, before God.

13 A vuen ah pilnam te laitloek ham Moses ngol tih pilnam te Moses taengah mincang lamloh kholaeh hil pai uh.

Now on the day after, Moses took his seat to give decisions for the people: and the people were waiting before Moses from morning till evening.

14 Pilnam ham a saii boeih te Moses masae loh a hmuh tih, “Pilnam ham na saii hno he mebang lae? Nang namah bueng na ngol vaengah pilnam pum he balae tih na taengah mincang lamloh kholaeh hil a pai,” a ti nah.

And when Moses' father-in-law saw all he was doing, he said, What is this you are doing for the people? why are you seated here by yourself, with all the people waiting before you from morning till evening?

15 Te vaengah Moses loh a masae te, “Pathen dawtlet ham ni pilnam loh kai taengla ha pawk.

And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to get directions from God:

16 Amih taengah te olka a om vaengah kai taengah ha pawk. Te vaengah hlang pakhat neh a hui laklo ah lai ka tloek tih Pathen kah oltlueh neh a olkhueng te ka ming sak,” a ti nah.

And if they have any question between themselves, they come to me, and I am judge between a man and his neighbour, and I give them the orders and laws of God.

17 Te vaengah a masae loh Moses te, “Hno na saii te then pawh.

And Moses' father-in-law said to him, What you are doing is not good.

18 Namah neh na taengkah pilnam he khaw na tawn la na tawn uh coeng. Namah ham rhih aih tih dumlai khaw namah bueng loh na rhoe thai moenih.

Your strength and that of the people will be completely used up: this work is more than you are able to do by yourself.

19 Ka ol he ngai laeh, nang kang uen lah eh. Pathen he nang taengah om saeh. Namah te Pathen hmai ah pilnam yueng om lamtah olka te namah loh Pathen taengla khuen saw.

Give ear now to my suggestion, and may God be with you: you are to be the people's representative before God, taking their causes to him:

20 Te vaengah amih te oltlueh neh olkhueng khaw thuituen lamtah a pongpa ham longpuei neh a saii ham bibi te amih tueng saw.

Teaching them his rules and his laws, guiding them in the way they have to go, and making clear to them the work they have to do.

21 Te phoeiah namah loh pilnam pum khui lamloh Pathen aka rhih tatthai hlang, mueluemnah aka thiinah oltak kah hlang rhoek te so. Amih te thawng khat kah mangpa, yakhat kah mangpa, sawmnga kah mangpa neh parha kah mangpa la khueh.

But for the rest, take from among the people able men, such as have the fear of God, true men hating profits wrongly made; and put such men over them, to be captains of thousands, captains of hundreds and of fifties and of tens;

22 A tue boeih dongah pilnam te laitloek pah saeh. Dumlai aka om boeih khaw a puei mah nang taengla ham pawk puei saeh. Olka a phoeng boeih tah amih loh laitloek pah saeh. Te vaengah nang ham yanghoep saeh lamtah nang te n'yingyawn uh saeh.

And let them be judges in the causes of the people at all times: and let them put before you all important questions, but in small things let them give decisions themselves: in this way, it will be less hard for you, and they will take the weight off you.

23 Ol he na ngai daengah ni Pathen loh nang uen bangla na pai thai vetih pilnam boeih he khaw a hmuen te ngaimong la a paan eh?,” a ti nah.

If you do this, and God gives approval, then you will be able to go on without weariness, and all this people will go to their tents in peace.

24 Moses loh a masae ol te a hnatun tih a thui te boeih a saii.

So Moses took note of the words of his father-in-law, and did as he had said.

25 Te dongah Moses loh Israel boeih khuiah hlang tatthai rhoek te a coelh tih amih te pilnam soah a lu, thawngkhat kah mangpa, yakhat kah mangpa, sawmnga mangpa neh parha kah mangpa te a paek.

And he made selection of able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, captains of thousands, captains of hundreds and of fifties and of tens.

26 A tue boeih ah pilnam te a lai a tloek uh tih dumlai aka kuel te Moses taengla a khuen uh. Ol phoeng boeih tah amih loh lai a tloek uh.

And they were judges in the causes of the people at all times: the hard questions they put before Moses; but on every small point they gave decisions themselves.

27 Te phoeiah Moses loh a masae te a phih tih anih te amah kho la voei.

And Moses let his father-in-law go away, and he went back to his land.