Exodus 18
1 And Jethro the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done to Moses, and to Israel his people; that Jehovah had brought Israel out of Egypt.
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，
2 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,
梅瑟的岳父耶特洛便帶回梅瑟送回去的妻子漆頗辣和
3 and her two sons, of whom the name of the one was Gershom — for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land,
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；」
4 — and the name of the other, Eliezer — For the God of my father has been my help, and has delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.
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。」─
5 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came to Moses with his sons and his wife into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mountain of God.
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，
6 And he sent word to Moses: I, thy father-in-law Jethro, am come to thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
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。」
7 And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other [after] their welfare, and went into the tent.
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。
8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that Jehovah had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake; all the trouble that had befallen them on the way, and [how] Jehovah had delivered them.
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。
9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness that Jehovah had done to Israel; that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
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。
10 And Jethro said, Blessed be Jehovah, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
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。
11 Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all gods; for in the thing in which they acted haughtily [he was] above them.
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。」
12 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God.
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
13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood by Moses from the morning to the evening.
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。
14 And Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did with the people, and said, What is this thing which thou art doing with the people? why dost thou sit alone, and all the people are standing by thee from morning to evening?
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﹖」
15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to enquire of God.
梅瑟回答他岳父說：「因為百姓到我跟前詢問天主。
16 When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known [to them] the statutes of God, and his laws.
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。」
17 And Moses' father-in-law said to him, The thing that thou art doing is not good.
梅瑟的岳父對他說：「你這樣作不對。
18 Thou wilt be quite exhausted, both thou and this people that is with thee; for the thing is too heavy for thee: thou canst not perform it alone.
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。
19 Hearken now to my voice: I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee. Be thou for the people with God, and bring the matters before God;
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；
20 and teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.
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。
21 But do thou provide among all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place [them] over them, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens,
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，
22 that they may judge the people at all times; and it shall be [that] they shall bring to thee every great matter, and that they shall judge every small matter, and they shall lighten [the task] on thee, and they shall bear [it] with thee.
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。
23 If thou do this thing, and God command thee [so], thou wilt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
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。」
24 And Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
梅瑟聽從了他岳父的話，也都照他說的行了。
25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens.
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，
26 And they judged the people at all times: the hard matters they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged.
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。
27 And Moses sent away his father-in-law, and he departed into his land.
以後梅瑟送他岳父回了本地。
