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.
UJethro, umphristi waseMidiyani owayenguyisezala kaMosi, wezwa konke uNkulunkulu ayekwenzele uMosi labantu bakhe bako-Israyeli, lokuthi uThixo wayebakhuphe njani eGibhithe abako-Israyeli.
2 When Moses had sent home his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had welcomed her,
Ngemva kokuba uMosi esethumele umkakhe uZiphora kibo, uyisezala uJethro wamemukela,
3 together with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
lamadodana akhe amabili. Eyinye indodana kwakuthiwa nguGeshomu, ngoba uMosi wathi, “Sengibe ngumuntu wezizweni elizweni elingayisilo lami.”
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.”
Eyinye kwakuthiwa ngu-Eliyezari ngoba wathi, “UNkulunkulu kababa wayengumsizi wami: wangisindisa enkembeni kaFaro.”
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.
UJethro, uyisezala kaMosi kanye lamadodana lenkosikazi kaMosi beza kuye enkangala lapho ayehlala khona eduzane lentaba kaNkulunkulu.
6 Moses was told beforehand, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to see you together with your wife and her two sons.”
UJethro wayethumele ilizwi kuye wathi, “Mina uyihlozala uJethro ngiyeza kuwe lenkosikazi yakho lamadodana ayo amabili.”
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.
Ngakho uMosi waphuma wayahlangabeza uyisezala wasemkhothamela, wamanga. Babingelelana basebengena ethenteni.
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.
UMosi watshela uyisezala ngakho konke uThixo ayekwenze kuFaro labantu baseGibhithe ngenxa yabantu bako-Israyeli langezinhlupho zonke ezabehlela endleleni lokuthi uThixo wayebasindise njani.
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.
UJethro wathokoza ukuzwa ngezinto zonke ezinhle uThixo ayezenzele u-Israyeli ekubasindiseni esandleni samaGibhithe.
10 Jethro announced, “May the Lord be blessed, who saved you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh.
Wathi, “Kadunyiswe uThixo owalisindisa esandleni samaGibhithe loFaro, njalo owasindisa abantu esandleni samaGibhithe.
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.”
Khathesi sengikwazi ukuthi uThixo ulamandla ukwedlula abanye onkulunkulu ngenxa yokuthi wenza lokhu kubo bonke abaphatha u-Israyeli ngobuqholo.”
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.
Lapho-ke uJethro, uyisezala kaMosi, waletha umnikelo wokutshiswa leminye imihlatshelo kuNkulunkulu, njalo u-Aroni weza labadala bako-Israyeli ukuze bazokudla isinkwa loyisezala kaMosi phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
13 The following day Moses sat as a judge for the people, and they presented their cases to him from morning to evening.
Ngelanga elilandelayo uMosi wathatha isihlalo sakhe sokuba ngumthonisi wabantu, njalo bema bemgombolozele kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba ntambama.
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?”
Kwathi uyisezala esebone konke uMosi ayekwenzela abantu wathi, “Kuyini lokhu okwenzela abantu? Kungani uhlala unguwe wedwa ukuba ngumahluli, abantu bonke bemi bekuhanqile kusukela ekuseni kuze kube kusihlwa?”
15 “Because the people come to me to ask God for his decision,” Moses replied.
UMosi wamphendula wathi, “Ngenxa yokuthi abantu beza kimi ukuzodinga intando kaNkulunkulu.
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.”
Lapho kusiba lengxabano, ilethwa kimi, njalo ngiyahlulela emaceleni womabili besengibatshela ngemithetho lemilayo kaNkulunkulu.”
17 Jethro told him, “What you're doing is not the best.
Uyisezala kaMosi waphendula wathi, “Konke okwenzayo kakulunganga.
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.
Wena labantu laba abeza kuwe lizazidinisa. Umsebenzi lo unzima kuwe: ungeke wawenza wedwa.
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.
Ngilalela ngikucebise, njalo uNkulunkulu makabe lawe. Kumele ube ngummeli wabantu kuNkulunkulu, ulethe ingxabano zabo kuye.
20 Go on teaching them the laws and regulations. Show them how to live and the work they are to do.
Bafundise izimiso lemithetho yakhe, ubatshengise indlela yokuphila lokuthi baziphathe njani.
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.
Kodwa khetha amadoda alamandla phakathi kwabantu bonke, amadoda amesabayo uNkulunkulu, azonda inzuzo eza ngobuqili, ubusubabeka babe zinduna zezinkulungwane, zamakhulu, zamatshumi amahlanu, lezamatshumi.
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.
Benze babe ngabahluleli babantu ngezikhathi zonke, kodwa kabalethe wonke amacala anzima kuwe bona baqume amacala alula. Lokho kuzakwenza ukuthi umthwalo wakho ube lula ngoba bazabe besabelana lawe.
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.”
Nxa ungakwenza lokhu njengokulaya kukaNkulunkulu, uzakwenelisa ukuphumuza ingqondo njalo abantu bonke laba bazabuyela emakhaya besuthisekile.”
24 Moses listened to what his father-in-law said and followed all his advice.
UMosi wamlalela uyisezala wenza konke ayekutshilo.
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.
Wakhetha amadoda alamandla phakathi kwabako-Israyeli wonke wawenza abakhokheli babantu, izinduna zezinkulungwane, ezamakhulu, ezamatshumi amahlanu lezamatshumi.
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.
Baba ngabahluleli babantu ngazozonke izikhathi. Amacala anzima bawaletha kuMosi, kodwa alula bawathonisa bona ngokwabo.
27 Then Moses sent Jethro on his way, and he went back to his own country.
UMosi wavalelisana loyisezala, uJethro wasebuyela elizweni lakhe.
