Exodus 18
1 Now Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
Yethro, kuhani wa Midiani, baba mkwe wake Musa, alisikia yote Mungu aliyo fanya kwa Musa na kwa Israeli watu wake. Alisikia Yahweh ametoa Israeli kutoka Misri.
2 After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her,
Yethro, baba mkwe wake Musa, akamchukuwa Zipora, mke wa Musa, baada ya kumpeleka nyumbani,
3 along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
na wana wake wawili; jina mmoja lilikuwa Gershomu, kwa kuwa Musa alisema, “Nimekuwa mgeni katika nchi ya kigeni.”
4 The other son was named Eliezer, for Moses had said, “The God of my father was my helper and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”
Jina la mwingine lilikuwa Eliezeri, kwa kuwa Musa alisema, “Mungu wa babu yangu alikuwa msaada wangu. Aliniokoa na mkono wa Farao.”
5 Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses’ wife and sons, came to him in the desert, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.
Yethro, baba mkwe wake Musa, alikuja na watoto wake Musa na mke wake Musa nyikani alipo eka kambi katika mlima wa Mungu.
6 He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”
Alimwambia Musa, “Mimi, baba mkwe wako Yethro, nina kuja kwako na mke wako na wanao wawili.”
7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent.
Musa alitoka kwenda kukutana na baba mkwe wake, akamwinamia, na kumbusu. Wakajuliana hali na wakaingia ndani ya hema.
8 Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships they had encountered along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.
Musa akamwambia baba mkwe wake yale yote Yahweh aliyo ya fanya kwa Farao na Wamisri kwa ajili ya Waisraeli, magumu yote yaliyo watoke njianim na jinsi Yahweh alivyo waokoa.
9 And Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had rescued from the hand of the Egyptians.
Yethro akafurahia yale mema yote Yahweh aliyo watendea Israeli, kwa hilo amewaokoa na mkono wa Wamisri.
10 Jethro declared, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians.
Yethro akasema, “Yahweh atukuzwe, kwa kuwa amekuokoa na mkono wa Wamisri na mkono wa Faraom na kuwatoa watu kwenye mkono wa Wamisri.
11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.”
Sasa najua Yahweh ni mkuu kuliko miungu yote, kwasababu Wamisri walipo watenda Waisraeli kwa kiburi, Mungu aliwaokoa watu wake.”
12 Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
Yethro, baba mkwe wake Musa, akaleta sadaka ya kuteketeza na dhabihu kwa Mungu. Aruni na wazee wote wa Israeli wakaja kula chakula mbele za Yahweh na baba mkwe wake Musa.
13 The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening.
Siku iliyofuata Musa aliketi kuwa hukumu watu. Watu walisimama kumzunguka Musa kwanzia asubui hadi jioni.
14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?”
Baba mkwe wake Musa alipo ona yale yote aliyo yafanya kwa watu, alisema, “Ni nini unachofanya na watu? Kwanini unaketi peke yako na watu wote wamesimama kukuzunguka asubui hadi jioni?”
15 “Because the people come to me to inquire of God,” Moses replied.
Musa akamwambia baba mkwe wake, “Watu wanakuja kuniuliza muongozo wa Mungu.
16 “Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me to judge between one man and another, and I make known to them the statutes and laws of God.”
Wanapo kuwa na malumbano, wanakuja kwangu. Ninaamua kati ya mtu mmoja na mwingine, na nina wafundisha maagizo na sheria.”
17 But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.
Baba mkwe wake Musa alimwambia, “Unachofanya sicho kizuri sana.
18 Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone.
Hakika utajichosha, wewe na watu waliyopo na wewe. Huu mzigo ni mzito sana kwako. Hauwezi kufanya peke yako.
19 Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him.
Nisikilize. Nitakupa ushauri, na Mungu ata kuwa na wewe, kwasababu wewe nimwakilishi wa watu kwa Mungu, na una leta malumbano yao kwake.
20 Teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do.
Lazima uwafundishe maagizo yake na sheria. Lazima uwafundishe njia yakutembea na kazi ya kufanya.
21 Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
Mbali zaidi, lazima uchague wanaume wenye uwezo kutoka watu wote, wanaume wanao muheshimu Mungu, wanaume wa kweli wanao chukuia mapato ya ufisadi. Lazima uwaeke juu ya watu, kuwa viongozi wa maelfu, mamia, hamsini, na makumi.
22 Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.
Watawa hukumu watu na kesi za kawaida, lakini kesi ngumu wataleta kwako. Kwa kesi ndogo, wanaweza kuhukumu wenyewe. Kwa hivyo itakuwa rahisi kwako, na watabeba mzigo na wewe.
23 If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.”
Ukifanya hivi, na kama Mungu akikuamuru kufanya al kadhalika, basi utaweza kuvumilia, na watu wote watarudi nyumbani wameridhika.”
24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.
Hivyo Musa akasikiliza maneno ya baba mkwe wake na akafanya yale yote aliyo yasema.
25 So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
Musa alichagua wanaume wenye uwezo kutoka Israeli na kuwa fanya vichwa juu ya watu, viongozi wahusika wa maelfu, mamia, hamsini, na makumi.
26 And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves.
Waliwa hukumu watu katika hali za kawaida. Kesi ngumu walimletea Musa, lakini wao wenyewe wali hukumu kesi ndogo.
27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own land.
Kisha Musa akamwacha baba mkwe wake kuondoka, na Yethro akarudi kwenye nchi yake.
