出埃及記 18
1 梅瑟的岳父，米德楊的司祭耶特洛，聽說天主為梅瑟和自己的百姓以色列所行的一切，聽說上主將以色列人領出了埃及，
And whanne Jetro, the prest of Madian, `the alye of Moises, hadde herd alle thingis which God hadde do to Moises, and to Israel his puple, for the Lord hadde led Israel out of the lond of Egipt,
2 梅瑟的岳父耶特洛便帶回梅瑟送回去的妻子漆頗辣和
he took Sefora, `the wijf of Moises, whom he hadde sent ayen,
3 他兩個兒子：─一個名叫革爾雄，因為梅瑟說：「我在外方作了旅客；」
and hise twei sones, of which oon was clepid Gersan, for the fadir seide, Y was a comelyng in alien lond,
4 一個名叫厄里厄則爾，意謂：「我父親的天主是我的救援，救我脫離了法朗的刀劍。」─
forsothe the tother was clepid Eliezer, for Moises seide, God of my fadir is myn helpere, and he delyuerede me fro the swerd of Farao.
5 梅瑟的岳父耶特洛同梅瑟的兒子和妻子來到了梅瑟那裏，來到曠野，近天主的山，梅瑟安營的地方，
Therfor Jetro, `alie of Moises, cam, and the sones of Moises and his wijf camen to Moises, in to deseert, where Jetro settide tentis bisidis the hil of God;
6 便叫人告訴梅瑟說：「看，你的岳父耶特洛來見你，你的妻子和兩個兒子也一同來了。」
and sente to Moises, and seide, Y Jetro, thin alie, come to thee, and thi wijf, and thi twei sones with hir.
7 梅瑟就出來迎接他的岳父，向他下拜，口親他，彼此問安，隨後進了營幕。
And Moises yede out into the comyng of his alie, and worschipide, and kiste hym, and thei gretten hem silf to gidere with pesible wordis.
8 梅瑟給他岳父講述了上主為以色列的原故，對法朗和埃及人所行的一切，以及路上遭遇的一切困難，上主怎樣整救了他們。
And whanne he hadde entrid in to the tabernacle, Moises tolde to `his alie alle thingis whiche God hadde do to Farao, and to Egipcians, for Israel, and he tolde al the trauel which bifelle to hem in the weie, of which the Lord delyuerede hem.
9 耶特洛聽了上主賜給以色列的各種恩惠，從埃及人手中整救了他們，很是高興。
And Jetro was glad on alle the goodis whiche the Lord hadde do to Israel, for he delyuerede Israel fro the hond of Egipcians.
10 耶特洛說：「上主應受讚頌，他從埃及人和法朗手中拯救了你們，由埃! 人手中救出了這百姓。
And Jetro seide, Blessid be `the Lord, that delyuerede you fro the hond of Egipcians, and fro `the hond of Farao, which Lord delyuered his puple fro the hond of Egipt;
11 現今我知道「雅威」是眾神中最大的，因為他由那些傲慢對待以色列人的埃及手中，救出這百姓。」
now Y knowe that the Lord is greet aboue alle goddis, for `thei diden proudli ayens hem.
12 梅瑟的岳父耶特洛向天主獻了全燔祭和犧牲，亞郎和以色列眾長老都來到天主前，同梅瑟的岳父聚餐。耶特洛的建議
Therfor Jetro, `alie of Moises, offride brent sacrifices and offryngis to God; and Aaron, and alle the eldere men of Israel, camen to ete breed with hym bifore God.
13 次日，梅瑟坐著審判百姓的案件，百姓從早晨到晚上站在梅瑟前。
Forsothe in the tother dai Moises sat that he schulde deme the puple, that stood niy Moises, fro the morewtid til to euentid.
14 梅瑟的岳父看見他對百姓所行的種種，就說：「你對百姓所作的是什麼事﹖為什麼你獨自一人管理，叫眾百姓從早晨到晚上站在你前﹖」
And whanne `his alie hadde seyn this, that is, alle thingis `whiche he dide in the puple, he seide, What is this that thou doist in the puple? whi sittist thou aloone, and al the puple abidith fro the morewtid til to euentid?
15 梅瑟回答他岳父說：「因為百姓到我跟前詢問天主。
To whom Moises answeride, The puple cometh to me, and axith the sentence of God;
16 他們有訴訟的事，就來到我跟前，我便在兩造之間施行審判，講明天主的典章和法律。」
and whanne ony strijf bifallith to hem, thei comen to me, that Y deme bitwixe hem, and schewe `the comaundementis of God, and hise lawis.
17 梅瑟的岳父對他說：「你這樣作不對。
And Jetro seide, Thou doist a thing not good,
18 不但使你自己疲乏，而且也使你同你一起的百姓疲勞不堪，因為這事超過你的力量，你獨自一人是不能勝任的。
thou art wastid with a fonned trauel, bothe thou and this puple which is with thee; the werk is a boue thi strengthis, thou aloone maist not suffre it.
19 現在你聽我的話，我給你出一個主意。願天主與你同在! 你在天主前代表這個百姓，將他們的案件呈到天主前；
But here thou my wordis and counseils, and the Lord schal be with thee; be thou to the puple in these thingis that perteynen to God, that thou telle the thingis that ben seid to the puple;
20 也將典章和法律教訓他們，告訴他們應走的正路，應行的事項。
and schewe to the puple the cerymonyes, and custom of worschipyng, and the weie bi which `thei owen to go, and the werk which `thei owen to do.
21 你要從百姓中挑選有才能，敬畏天主，忠實可靠，捨己無私的人，派他們作千夫長、百夫長，五十夫長、十夫長，
Forsothe puruey thou of al the puple myyti men, and dredynge God, in whiche is treuthe, and whiche haten auarice; and ordeyne thou of hem tribunes, and centuriouns, and quinquagenaries, and deenys,
22 叫他們隨時審斷百姓的案件。若有任何重大案件，呈交你處理；其餘一切小案件，可由他們自己處理；叫他們與你分擔，你就輕鬆多了。
whiche schulen deme the puple in al tyme; sotheli what ever thing is grettere, telle thei to thee, and deme thei ooneli lesse thingis, and be it esiere to thee, whanne the burthun is departid in to othere men.
23 你若這樣作，─天主也這樣命你─你就抵受得住，眾百姓也能平安，各歸其所。」
If thou schalt do this, thou schalt fille the comaundement of God, and thou schalt mowe bere hise comaundementis; and al this puple schal turne ayen with pees to her places.
24 梅瑟聽從了他岳父的話，也都照他說的行了。
And whanne these thingis weren herd, Moises dide alle thingis whiche Jetro counselide.
25 梅瑟從全以色列人選拔了有才能的人，立他們作百姓的頭目，作千夫長、百夫長、五十夫長和十夫長，
And whanne noble men of al Israel weren chosun Moises ordeynede hem princis of the puple, tribunes, and centuriouns, and quinquagenaries, and denes,
26 叫它們隨時審斷百姓的案件；重大的案件，呈交梅瑟處理；一切小案件，由他們自己處理。
whiche demeden the puple in al tyme; forsothe, whateuer thing was hardere, thei telden to Moises, and thei demeden esiere thingis oneli.
27 以後梅瑟送他岳父回了本地。
And Moises lefte `his alie, which turnede ayen, and yede in to his lond.
