Exodus 18
1 Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Moses and his people the Israelites, and how the Lord had led them out of Egypt.
Pathen loh Moses ham neh a pilnam Israel ham a cungkuem a saii pah tih BOEIPA loh Israel Egypt lamkah a khuen te Moses masae, Midian khosoih Jethro loh a yaak.
2 When Moses had sent home his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had welcomed her,
A maan hnukah Moses yuu Zipporah loh Moses masae Jethro te a doe.
3 together with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
Te vaengah a ca rhoi te a khuen tih, kholong kho ah yinlai la ka om a ti dongah pakhat te a ming Gershom a sui.
4 The other son was named Eliezer, because Moses had said, “The God of my father was my helper, and saved me from death at Pharaoh's hand.”
Pakhat te tah a pa Pathen he kai bomkung la om tih Pharaoh cunghang lamloh kai n'huul a ti dongah a ming te Eliezer a sui.
5 Moses' father-in-law Jethro, together with Moses' wife and sons, came to see him in the desert at the camp near the mountain of God.
Te phoeiah Moses yuu, ca rhoek te a masae Jethro neh Pathen kah tlang, khosoek ah aka rhaeh Moses taengla ha pawk.
6 Moses was told beforehand, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to see you together with your wife and her two sons.”
Te dongah Moses te, “Na masae kai Jethro he nang taengla na yuu neh a taengkah a ca rhoi khaw, kam pawk puei coeng,” a ti nah.
7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other how they were and then went into the tent.
Moses te a masae doe ham cet tih bakop tih a mok. Te vaengah hlang te a hui neh sadingnah khaw a dawt uh rhoi phoeiah dap khuila kun uh.
8 Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians on behalf of the Israelites, about all the troubles they had experienced on the way, and about how the Lord had saved them.
Te phoeiah Israel kongmai dongah BOEIPA loh Pharaoh taeng neh Egypt taengah a saii boeih, longpueng ah amih aka mah bongboepnah cungkuem neh, BOEIPA loh amih a huul te khaw Moses loh a masae taengah a thui pah.
9 Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when he'd saved them from the Egyptians.
Egypt kut lamloh a huul vaengah BOEIPA loh Israel ham a then boeih a saii pah dongah Jethro a kohoe.
10 Jethro announced, “May the Lord be blessed, who saved you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh.
Te phoeiah Jethro loh, “Egypt kut lamkah neh Pharaoh kut lamloh nangmih aka huul tih Egypt kut hmui lamloh pilnam aka huul BOEIPA tah a yoethen pai saeh.
11 This is so convincing to me that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he saved the people from the Egyptians when they acted so arrogantly towards the Israelites.”
Amih taengah ol a lokhak pah coeng dongah pathen boeih lakah BOEIPA he tanglue tila ka ming coeng,” a ti.
12 Then Jethro presented a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with him in God's presence.
Te phoeiah Moses masae Jethro loh hmueihhlutnah neh hmueih te Pathen taengah a khuen. Te vaengah Aaron neh Israel kah a hamca boeih tah Pathen mikhmuh ah Moses masae neh buh ca la ha pawk.
13 The following day Moses sat as a judge for the people, and they presented their cases to him from morning to evening.
A vuen ah pilnam te laitloek ham Moses ngol tih pilnam te Moses taengah mincang lamloh kholaeh hil pai uh.
14 When his father-in-law saw everything that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What's all this you're doing for the people? Why are you sitting alone as judge, with everyone presenting their cases to you from morning to evening?”
Pilnam ham a saii boeih te Moses masae loh a hmuh tih, “Pilnam ham na saii hno he mebang lae? Nang namah bueng na ngol vaengah pilnam pum he balae tih na taengah mincang lamloh kholaeh hil a pai,” a ti nah.
15 “Because the people come to me to ask God for his decision,” Moses replied.
Te vaengah Moses loh a masae te, “Pathen dawtlet ham ni pilnam loh kai taengla ha pawk.
16 “When they argue over something, the case is brought before me to decide between one them, and I explain to them the God's laws and regulations.”
Amih taengah te olka a om vaengah kai taengah ha pawk. Te vaengah hlang pakhat neh a hui laklo ah lai ka tloek tih Pathen kah oltlueh neh a olkhueng te ka ming sak,” a ti nah.
17 Jethro told him, “What you're doing is not the best.
Te vaengah a masae loh Moses te, “Hno na saii te then pawh.
18 You, and these people who come to you, are all going to wear yourselves out, because the workload is far too heavy. You can't handle it alone.
Namah neh na taengkah pilnam he khaw na tawn la na tawn uh coeng. Namah ham rhih aih tih dumlai khaw namah bueng loh na rhoe thai moenih.
19 So please listen to me. I'm going to give you some advice, and God will be with you. Yes, you must continue to be the people's representative before God, and take their cases to him.
Ka ol he ngai laeh, nang kang uen lah eh. Pathen he nang taengah om saeh. Namah te Pathen hmai ah pilnam yueng om lamtah olka te namah loh Pathen taengla khuen saw.
20 Go on teaching them the laws and regulations. Show them how to live and the work they are to do.
Te vaengah amih te oltlueh neh olkhueng khaw thuituen lamtah a pongpa ham longpuei neh a saii ham bibi te amih tueng saw.
21 But now you should choose men who are competent from among the people, men who respect God and who are trustworthy and not corrupt. Put them in charge of the people as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
Te phoeiah namah loh pilnam pum khui lamloh Pathen aka rhih tatthai hlang, mueluemnah aka thiinah, oltak kah hlang rhoek te so. Amih te thawng khat kah mangpa, yakhat kah mangpa, sawmnga kah mangpa neh parha kah mangpa la khueh.
22 These men are to judge the people on a continuing basis. Major issues they can bring to you, but they can decide all the small matters themselves. In this way your burden will be made lighter as they share it with you.
A tue boeih dongah pilnam te laitloek pah saeh. Dumlai aka om boeih khaw a puei mah nang taengla ham pawk puei saeh. Olka a phoeng boeih tah amih loh laitloek pah saeh. Te vaengah nang ham yanghoep saeh lamtah nang te n'yingyawn uh saeh.
23 If you follow my advice, and if it's what God tells you to do, then you will be able to survive, and all these people can go home satisfied that their cases have been heard.”
Ol he na ngai daengah ni Pathen loh nang uen bangla na pai thai vetih pilnam boeih he khaw a hmuen te ngaimong la a paan eh,” a ti nah.
24 Moses listened to what his father-in-law said and followed all his advice.
Moses loh a masae ol te a hnatun tih a thui te boeih a saii.
25 So Moses chose competent men from all of Israel and put them in charge of the people as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
Te dongah Moses loh Israel boeih khuiah hlang tatthai rhoek te a coelh tih amih te pilnam soah a lu, thawngkhat kah mangpa, yakhat kah mangpa, sawmnga mangpa neh parha kah mangpa te a paek.
26 They acted as judges for the people on a continuing basis. They brought the difficult cases to Moses, but they would judge the small matters themselves.
A tue boeih ah pilnam te a lai a tloek uh tih dumlai aka kuel te Moses taengla a khuen uh. Ol phoeng boeih tah amih loh lai a tloek uh.
27 Then Moses sent Jethro on his way, and he went back to his own country.
Te phoeiah Moses loh a masae te a phih tih anih te amah kho la voei.
