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;
Yethro, kuhani wa Midiani, baba mkwe wake Musa, alisikia yote Mungu aliyo fanya kwa Musa na kwa Israeli watu wake. Alisikia Yahweh ametoa Israeli kutoka Misri.
2 Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back,
Yethro, baba mkwe wake Musa, akamchukuwa Zipora, mke wa Musa, baada ya kumpeleka nyumbani,
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:
na wana wake wawili; jina mmoja lilikuwa Gershomu, kwa kuwa Musa 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:
Jina la mwingine lilikuwa Eliezeri, kwa kuwa Musa alisema, “Mungu wa babu yangu alikuwa msaada wangu. Aliniokoa na mkono 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 wake Musa, alikuja na watoto wake Musa na mke wake Musa nyikani alipo eka kambi katika 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.
Alimwambia Musa, “Mimi, baba mkwe wako Yethro, nina kuja kwako 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.
Musa alitoka kwenda kukutana na baba mkwe wake, akamwinamia, na kumbusu. Wakajuliana hali na wakaingia ndani ya hema.
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.
Musa akamwambia baba mkwe wake yale yote Yahweh aliyo ya fanya kwa Farao na Wamisri kwa ajili ya Waisraeli, magumu yote yaliyo watoke njianim na jinsi Yahweh alivyo waokoa.
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 akafurahia yale mema yote Yahweh aliyo watendea Israeli, kwa hilo amewaokoa na 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, “Yahweh atukuzwe, kwa kuwa amekuokoa na mkono wa Wamisri na mkono wa Faraom na kuwatoa watu kwenye mkono wa 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 Yahweh ni mkuu kuliko miungu yote, kwasababu Wamisri walipo watenda Waisraeli kwa kiburi, Mungu aliwaokoa watu wake.”
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.
Yethro, baba mkwe wake Musa, akaleta sadaka ya kuteketeza na dhabihu kwa Mungu. Aruni na wazee wote wa Israeli wakaja kula chakula mbele za Yahweh na baba mkwe wake Musa.
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 Musa aliketi kuwa hukumu watu. Watu walisimama kumzunguka Musa kwanzia asubui 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 Musa alipo ona yale yote aliyo yafanya kwa watu, alisema, “Ni nini unachofanya na watu? Kwanini unaketi peke yako na watu wote wamesimama kukuzunguka asubui hadi jioni?”
15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:
Musa akamwambia baba mkwe wake, “Watu wanakuja kuniuliza muongozo wa 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.
Wanapo kuwa na malumbano, wanakuja kwangu. Ninaamua kati ya mtu mmoja na mwingine, na nina wafundisha maagizo na sheria.”
17 And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
Baba mkwe wake Musa alimwambia, “Unachofanya sicho kizuri sana.
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.
Hakika utajichosha, wewe na watu waliyopo na wewe. Huu mzigo ni mzito sana kwako. Hauwezi kufanya peke yako.
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:
Nisikilize. Nitakupa ushauri, na Mungu ata kuwa na wewe, kwasababu wewe nimwakilishi wa watu kwa Mungu, na una leta malumbano 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.
Lazima uwafundishe maagizo yake na sheria. Lazima uwafundishe njia yakutembea na kazi ya 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:
Mbali zaidi, lazima uchague wanaume wenye uwezo kutoka watu wote, wanaume wanao muheshimu Mungu, wanaume wa kweli wanao chukuia mapato ya ufisadi. Lazima uwaeke juu ya watu, kuwa viongozi wa 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.
Watawa hukumu watu na kesi za kawaida, lakini kesi ngumu wataleta kwako. Kwa kesi ndogo, wanaweza kuhukumu wenyewe. Kwa hivyo itakuwa rahisi kwako, na watabeba mzigo na wewe.
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.
Ukifanya hivi, na kama Mungu akikuamuru kufanya al kadhalika, basi utaweza kuvumilia, na watu wote watarudi nyumbani wameridhika.”
24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
Hivyo Musa akasikiliza maneno ya baba mkwe wake na akafanya yale yote aliyo yasema.
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.
Musa alichagua wanaume wenye uwezo kutoka Israeli na kuwa fanya vichwa juu ya watu, viongozi wahusika wa 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.
Waliwa hukumu watu katika hali za kawaida. Kesi ngumu walimletea Musa, lakini wao wenyewe wali hukumu kesi ndogo.
27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.
Kisha Musa akamwacha baba mkwe wake kuondoka, na Yethro akarudi kwenye nchi yake.
