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,
Kwathi uJetro umpristi weMidiyani, uyisezala kaMozisi, esezwile konke uNkulunkulu ayemenzele khona uMozisi loIsrayeli isizwe sakhe, ukuthi iNkosi yayimkhuphile uIsrayeli eGibhithe,
2 he brought Zipporah, the wife of Moses, whom he was to return to him,
uJetro uyisezala kaMozisi wathatha uZipora umkaMozisi emva kokumbuyisela kwakhe,
3 and her two sons, of whom one was called Gershom, (for his father said, “I have been a newcomer in a foreign land,”)
kanye lamadodana akhe amabili; obizo lenye lalinguGereshoma, ngoba wathi: Ngangingowemzini elizweni lemzini;
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.”)
lebizo lenye linguEliyezeri, ngoba uNkulunkulu kababa wayelusizo lwami, wangikhulula enkembeni kaFaro.
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.
UJetro uyisezala kaMozisi wasesiza lamadodana akhe lomkakhe kuMozisi enkangala, entabeni kaNkulunkulu lapho ayemise khona inkamba.
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.”
Wasesithi kuMozisi: Mina, uyihlozala, uJetro, ngiza kuwe lomkakho lamadodana akhe amabili elaye.
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,
UMozisi wasephuma ukumhlangabeza uyisezala, wakhothama, wamanga. Basebebuzana impilakahle; bangena ethenteni.
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.
UMozisi wasemlandisela uyisezala ngakho konke iNkosi eyayikwenzile kuFaro lakumaGibhithe ngenxa kaIsrayeli, yonke inhlupheko eyabehlela endleleni, lokuthi iNkosi yayibakhulule.
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.
UJetro wasethokoza ngakho konke okuhle iNkosi eyayikwenzele uIsrayeli, ukuthi yayimkhulule esandleni samaGibhithe.
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.
UJetro wasesithi: Ibusisiwe iNkosi elikhulule esandleni samaGibhithe lesandleni sikaFaro; eyakhulula lesisizwe ngaphansi kwesandla samaGibhithe.
11 Now I know that the great Lord is above all gods. This is why they acted arrogantly against them.”
Khathesi sengisazi ukuthi iNkosi inkulu kulabo bonke onkulunkulu, ngoba endabeni abazigabisa ngayo yayiphezu kwabo.
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.
UJetro uyisezala kaMozisi wasethathela uNkulunkulu umnikelo wokutshiswa lemihlatshelo; kwasekusiza uAroni labo bonke abadala bakoIsrayeli ukudla isinkwa loyisezala kaMozisi phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
13 Then, the next day, Moses sat down in order to judge the people, and they stood beside Moses from morning, even until evening.
Kwasekusithi kusisa uMozisi wahlala ukwahlulela abantu; njalo abantu bema phambi kukaMozisi kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwahlwa.
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?”
Kwathi lapho uyisezala kaMozisi esekubonile konke akwenzela abantu wathi: Iyini linto oyenza ebantwini? Uhlalelani wedwa, labantu bonke bemi kuwe kusukela ekuseni kuze kuhlwe?
15 And Moses answered him: “The people come to me seeking the verdict of God.
UMozisi wasesithi kuyisezala: Ngoba abantu beza kimi ukubuza kuNkulunkulu.
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.”
Nxa belendaba, beza kimi, njalo ngahlulele phakathi komuntu lomakhelwane wakhe, ngibazise izimiso zikaNkulunkulu lemithetho yakhe.
17 But he said, “This is not good, what you are doing.
Uyisezala kaMozisi wasesithi kuye: Into oyenzayo kayinhle.
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.
Isibili uzazidlakaza, wena-ke lalababantu abalawe; ngoba linto inzima kakhulu kuwe, kawulakukwenza wedwa.
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,
Khathesi lalela ilizwi lami; ngizakweluleka, njalo uNkulunkulu abe lawe. Wena kawube ngowabantu phambi kukaNkulunkulu, wena ulethe izindaba kuNkulunkulu,
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.
ubafundise izimiso lemithetho, ubazise indlela abamele bahambe ngayo, lomsebenzi abamele bawenze.
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,
Futhi wena ubone phakathi kwabo bonke abantu amadoda alamandla, amesabayo uNkulunkulu, amadoda eqiniso, azonda inzuzo engalunganga, uwabeke phezu kwabo, induna zezinkulungwane, induna zamakhulu, induna zamatshumi amahlanu, lenduna zamatshumi;
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.
ukuthi zahlulele abantu ngaso sonke isikhathi; kodwa kuzakuthi lonke udaba olukhulu zizaluletha kuwe, kodwa lonke udaba oluncinyane zizalwahlulela zona, ukuze kube lula kuwe, njalo zizathwalisana lawe.
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.”
Uba usenza linto, loNkulunkulu ekulawula, uzakuba lamandla okuma, njalo labo bonke lababantu bazabuyela endaweni yabo ngokuthula.
24 Having heard this, Moses did everything that he had suggested to him.
UMozisi waselilalela ilizwi likayisezala, wenza konke ayekutshilo.
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.
UMozisi wasekhetha amadoda alamandla kuye wonke uIsrayeli, wawabeka inhloko phezu kwabantu, induna zezinkulungwane, induna zamakhulu, induna zamatshumi amahlanu lenduna zamatshumi.
26 And they judged the people at all times. But whatever was more serious, they referred to him, and they judged easier matters only.
Zasezibahlulela abantu ngaso sonke isikhathi; zaletha kuMozisi indaba ezinzima, kodwa lonke udaba oluncinyane zalwahlulela zona.
27 And he dismissed his kinsman, who, turning back, went to his own land.
UMozisi wasemyekela wahamba uyisezala; waya elizweni lakibo.
