< Exodus 18 >

1 And when Jethro, the priest of Midian, the kinsman of Moses, had heard all that God had done for Moses, and for his people Israel, and that the Lord had led Israel away from Egypt,
Na rĩrĩ, Jethero, ũrĩa warĩ mũthĩnjĩri ngai wa Midiani na mũthoni-we wa Musa, akĩigua maũndũ mothe marĩa Ngai eekĩire Musa na andũ ake a Isiraeli, na ũrĩa Jehova aarutire andũ a Isiraeli kuuma bũrũri wa Misiri.
2 he brought Zipporah, the wife of Moses, whom he was to return to him,
Thuutha wa Musa gũcookia mũtumia wake Zipora, mũthoni-we Jethero nĩamwamũkĩrire,
3 and her two sons, of whom one was called Gershom, (for his father said, “I have been a newcomer in a foreign land,”)
hamwe na ariũ ake eerĩ. Mũriũ ũmwe eetagwo Gerishomu, nĩgũkorwo Musa oigire atĩrĩ, “Nĩnduĩkĩte mũgeni bũrũri-inĩ wene”;
4 and the other in truth was Eliezer, (“For the God of my father,” he said, “is my helper, and has rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh.”)
mũriũ ũcio ũngĩ eetagwo Eliezeri, nĩgũkorwo oigire atĩrĩ, “Ngai wa baba nĩwe warĩ mũteithia wakwa; nĩahonokirie kuuma rũhiũ-inĩ rwa Firaũni.”
5 And so Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, with his sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert, where he was encamped next to the mountain of God.
Jethero, mũthoni-we wa Musa, hamwe na mũtumia wa Musa na ariũ ake, magĩũka kũrĩ we kũu werũ-inĩ, kũrĩa aambĩte hema hakuhĩ na kĩrĩma kĩa Ngai.
6 And he sent word to Moses, saying: “I, Jethro, your kinsman, have come to you, with your wife, and your two sons with her.”
Jethero nĩamũtũmanĩire akoiga atĩrĩ, “Niĩ, mũthoni-guo Jethero, nĩndĩrooka kũrĩ we tũrĩ na mũtumia waku na ariũ aku eerĩ.”
7 And going out to meet his kinsman, he reverenced and kissed him. And they saluted each other with peaceful words. And when he had arrived at the tent,
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Musa agĩkiumagara agatũnge mũthoni-we, akĩinamĩrĩra, akĩmũmumunya. Makĩgeithania, na magĩcooka magĩtoonya hema thĩinĩ.
8 Moses explained to his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on behalf of Israel, and all the hardships which had befallen them on the journey, and how the Lord had freed them.
Musa akĩhe mũthoni-we ũhoro wothe wa ũrĩa Jehova eekire Firaũni na andũ a Misiri nĩ ũndũ wa andũ a Isiraeli na, akĩmwĩra mathĩĩna mothe marĩa moonete rũgendo-inĩ, na ũrĩa Jehova aamahonoketie.
9 And Jethro was gladdened over all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, because he had rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians.
Jethero nĩakenirio nĩ kũigua maũndũ macio mothe mega marĩa Jehova eekĩire Isiraeli, nĩ ũndũ wa kũhonokia andũ a Isiraeli kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa andũ a Misiri.
10 And he said: “Blessed is the Lord, who has freed his people from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh; he has rescued his people from the hand of Egypt.
Jethero akiuga atĩrĩ, “Jehova arogoocwo, ũrĩa wamũteithũrire kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa andũ a Misiri na gwa Firaũni, na agĩteithũra andũ kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa andũ a Misiri.
11 Now I know that the great Lord is above all gods. This is why they acted arrogantly against them.”
Rĩu niĩ nĩmenyete atĩ Jehova nĩ mũnene gũkĩra ngai iria ingĩ ciothe, nĩgũkorwo ũguo nĩguo eekire arĩa maahatĩrĩirie Isiraeli metĩĩte.”
12 And so Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, offered holocausts and sacrifices to God. And Aaron arrived with all the elders of Israel, in order to eat bread with him in the sight of God.
Hĩndĩ ĩyo Jethero, mũthoni-we wa Musa, akĩrehe maruta ma njino na magongona mangĩ ma kũrutĩra Ngai, nake Harũni agĩũka marĩ na athuuri othe a Isiraeli nĩguo marĩĩanĩre irio na mũthoni-we wa Musa, marĩ mbere ya Ngai.
13 Then, the next day, Moses sat down in order to judge the people, and they stood beside Moses from morning, even until evening.
Mũthenya ũyũ ũngĩ Musa agĩikarĩra gĩtĩ nĩguo atuithanie andũ ciira, nao andũ makĩrũgama mamũthiũrũrũkĩirie kuuma rũciinĩ nginya o hwaĩ-inĩ.
14 And when, of course, his kinsman saw all that he did among the people, he said: “What is this that you do among the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand before you, from morning, even until evening?”
Rĩrĩa mũthoni-we onire wĩra ũrĩa wothe Musa aarutagĩra andũ, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ wĩra ũrĩkũ ũyũ ũrarutĩra andũ aya? Nĩ kĩĩ gĩgũtũma ũrute wĩra wa gũtuithania ciira ũrĩ o wiki, nao andũ aya othe matindage marũngiĩ magũthiũrũrũkĩirie kuuma rũciinĩ nginya o hwaĩ-inĩ?”
15 And Moses answered him: “The people come to me seeking the verdict of God.
Musa akĩmũcookeria, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Tondũ andũ aya marokaga kũrĩ niĩ nĩguo mamenye wendi wa Ngai.
16 And when any kind of dispute occurs among them, they come to me to judge between them, and to reveal the precepts of God and of his laws.”
Rĩrĩa rĩothe marĩ na ũndũ matekũiguanĩra, ũrehagwo kũrĩ niĩ, na niĩ ngamatuithania na ngamamenyithia uuge wa Ngai na mawatho make.”
17 But he said, “This is not good, what you are doing.
Mũthoni-we wa Musa akĩmũcookeria, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũrĩa ũreka ti wega.
18 You will be consumed by foolish efforts, both you and this people who are with you. The task is beyond your strength; you will not be able bear it alone.
Wee, na andũ aya marooka kũrĩ we nĩmũkwĩnogia na mĩnoga. Wĩra ũyũ nĩ mũritũ mũno makĩria harĩwe; ndũngĩũhota ũrĩ wiki.
19 But listen to my words and counsels, and then God will be with you. Be available to the people in that which pertains to God, so as to refer what they say to him,
Rĩu-rĩ, ta thikĩrĩria ngũtaare, na Ngai aroikara nawe. Wee tuĩka mũtũmwo wa Ngai kũrĩ andũ aya, na ũkamũtwaragĩra maũndũ marĩa matekũiguanĩra.
20 and to reveal to the people the ceremonies, and the rituals of worship, and the way by which they should progress, and the work that they should do.
Marute uuge wa Ngai na mawatho make, na ũmoonie njĩra njega ya mũtũũrĩre na mawĩra marĩa magĩrĩire kũruta.
21 Then provide, from all of the people, men capable and fearing God, in whom there is truth and who hate avarice, and appoint from them tribunes, and leaders of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens,
No rĩrĩ, thuura andũ marĩ na ũhoti kuuma andũ-inĩ aya, andũ etigĩri Ngai, na andũ ehokeku arĩa mathũire kwamũkĩra ihaki, na ũmatue anene a kũrũgamagĩrĩra ikundi cia ngiri, na ikundi cia magana, na ikundi cia mĩrongo ĩtano, na ikundi cia makũmi.
22 who may judge the people at all times. Then, when anything greater will have occurred, they may refer it to you, and let them judge the lesser matters only. And so it may be lighter for you, the burden being divided among others.
Reke matuĩke a gũtuithania andũ aya ciira mahinda mothe, no makũrehagĩre maciira marĩa maritũ; marĩa mahũthũ makamatuithanagia arĩ o. Ũndũ ũcio nĩũgũkũhũthĩria mũrigo, tondũ nĩmarĩgayanaga nawe.
23 If you will do this, you will fulfill the orders of God, and you will be able to uphold his precepts. And this entire people will return to their places in peace.”
Ũngĩka ũguo na Ngai agwathe, nĩũrĩhotaga gwĩtiiria mĩnoga, na andũ aya othe marĩinũkaga maiganĩire.”
24 Having heard this, Moses did everything that he had suggested to him.
Musa nĩathikĩrĩirie mũthoni-we na agĩĩka ũrĩa wothe aamũtaarire.
25 And choosing virtuous men from all of Israel, he appointed them as leaders of the people: tribunes, and leaders of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens.
Agĩthuura andũ marĩ na ũhoti kuuma Isiraeli guothe, akĩmatua atongoria a andũ acio; akĩmatua anene a ikundi cia ngiri, na ikundi cia magana, na ikundi cia mĩrongo ĩtano, na ikundi cia makũmi.
26 And they judged the people at all times. But whatever was more serious, they referred to him, and they judged easier matters only.
Magĩtuĩka a gũtuithanagia andũ ciira hĩndĩ ciothe. Maciira marĩa maritũ magatwarĩra Musa, no marĩa mahũthũ magatuithanagia arĩ o.
27 And he dismissed his kinsman, who, turning back, went to his own land.
Musa agĩcooka akiugĩra mũthoni-we ũhoro, nake Jethero agĩcooka bũrũri wake mwene.

< Exodus 18 >