Exodus 18
1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that Yhwh had brought Israel out of Egypt;
Basi Yethro, kuhani wa Midiani, baba mkwe wa Mose, akawa amesikia kila kitu Mungu alichomfanyia Mose na watu wake wa Israeli, pia jinsi Bwana alivyowatoa Israeli Misri.
2 Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back,
Baada ya Mose kumrudisha mkewe Sipora, Yethro baba mkwe wake alimpokea
3 And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:
pamoja na wanawe wawili. Jina la mmoja aliitwa Gershomu, kwa kuwa Mose alisema, “Nimekuwa mgeni katika nchi ya kigeni.”
4 And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:
Mwingine aliitwa Eliezeri, kwa kuwa alisema, “Mungu wa baba yangu alikuwa msaada wangu, akaniokoa kutoka upanga wa Farao.”
5 And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:
Yethro, baba mkwe wa Mose, pamoja na wana wawili wa Mose na mkewe, wakamjia Mose huko jangwani, mahali alipokuwa amepiga kambi karibu na mlima wa Mungu.
6 And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
Yethro alikuwa ametuma ujumbe kwake Mose, kusema, “Mimi Yethro baba mkwe wako ninakuja kwako pamoja na mke wako na wanao wawili.”
7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.
Kwa hiyo Mose akatoka kumlaki baba mkwe wake, akainama na kumbusu. Wakasalimiana, kisha wakaingia hemani.
8 And Moses told his father in law all that Yhwh had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how Yhwh delivered them.
Mose akamwambia baba mkwe wake kuhusu kila kitu Bwana alichomfanyia Farao na Wamisri kwa ajili ya Israeli, na pia kuhusu shida zote walizokutana nazo njiani na jinsi Bwana alivyowaokoa.
9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Yhwh had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.
Yethro akafurahishwa sana kusikia juu ya mambo yote mazuri Bwana aliyowatendea Waisraeli kuwaokoa kutoka mkono wa Wamisri.
10 And Jethro said, Blessed be Yhwh, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
Yethro akasema, “Sifa na ziwe kwa Bwana, aliyekuokoa wewe kutoka mikononi mwa Wamisri na Farao, na aliyewaokoa watu kutoka mikononi mwa Wamisri.
11 Now I know that Yhwh is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
Sasa najua ya kuwa Bwana ni mkuu kuliko miungu mingine yote, kwa kuwa amewatendea hivi wale waliowatenda Israeli kwa ujeuri.”
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 before God.
Kisha Yethro, baba mkwe wa Mose, akaleta sadaka ya kuteketezwa na dhabihu nyingine kwa Mungu, naye Aroni pamoja na wazee wote wa Israeli wakaja kula chakula pamoja na baba mkwe wa Mose mbele za Mungu.
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 unto the evening.
Siku iliyofuata, Mose akachukua nafasi yake kama hakimu wa watu, nao wakasimama kumzunguka kuanzia asubuhi hadi jioni.
14 And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?
Baba mkwe wake alipoona yote Mose anayowafanyia watu, akasema, “Ni nini hiki unachowafanyia watu? Kwa nini wewe unakuwa mwamuzi wa watu hawa peke yako, wakati watu hawa wamesimama wakikuzunguka tangu asubuhi mpaka jioni?”
15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:
Mose akamjibu, “Kwa sababu watu wananijia kutaka mapenzi ya Mungu.
16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
Kila wakiwa na shauri huletwa kwangu, nami huamua kati ya mtu na mwenzake na kuwajulisha juu ya amri na sheria za Mungu.”
17 And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
Baba mkwe wa Mose akamjibu, “Unachofanya sio kizuri.
18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.
Wewe pamoja na watu hawa wanaokujia mtajichosha bure. Kazi ni nzito sana kwako, huwezi kuibeba mwenyewe.
19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:
Sasa nisikilize mimi, nitakupa shauri, naye Mungu na awe pamoja nawe. Yapasa wewe uwe mwakilishi wa watu mbele za Mungu na ulete mashauri yao kwake.
20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
Uwafundishe amri na sheria, tena uwaonyeshe namna ya kuishi na kazi zinazowapasa wao kufanya.
21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
Lakini uchague watu wenye uwezo miongoni mwa watu wote, watu wanaomwogopa Mungu, watu waaminifu wanaochukia mali ya dhuluma, uwateuwe wawe maafisa juu ya maelfu, mamia, hamsini na makumi.
22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.
Waweke wawe waamuzi wa watu kwa wakati wote, lakini waambie wakuletee kila shauri lililo gumu; yale yaliyo rahisi wayaamue wao wenyewe. Hii itafanya mzigo wako kuwa mwepesi, kwa sababu watashirikiana nawe.
23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
Kama ukifanya hivi, na ikiwa Mungu ameagiza hivyo, utaweza kushinda uchovu, nao watu hawa wote watarudi nyumbani wameridhika.”
24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
Mose akamsikiliza baba mkwe wake na kufanya kila kitu alichosema.
25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Mose akawachagua watu wenye uwezo kutoka Israeli yote, akawafanya kuwa viongozi wa watu, maafisa juu ya maelfu, mamia, hamsini na makumi.
26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
Wakatumika kama waamuzi wa watu kwa wakati wote. Mashauri magumu wakayaleta kwa Mose, lakini yale yaliyo rahisi wakayaamua wenyewe.
27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.
Kisha Mose akaagana na Yethro baba mkwe wake, naye akarudi kwa nchi yake.
