Exodus 18
1 And Jithro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, that the Lord had brought forth 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 took Jithro, the father-in-law of Moses, Zipporah, the wife of Moses, after he had sent her back,
Baada ya Mose kumrudisha mkewe Sipora, Yethro baba mkwe wake alimpokea
3 And her two sons; of whom the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been a stranger in a foreign 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 was my 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 Jithro, the father-in-law of Moses, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses, unto the wilderness, where he was 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 sent word unto Moses, I thy father-in-law Jithro am coming unto thee, with 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 bowed himself, and kissed him; and they asked each other after their welfare; and they went 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 which the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on account of Israel, all the hardship which had come upon them by the way, and how the Lord had 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 Jithro rejoiced over all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, that he had delivered it 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 Jithro said, Blessed be the Lord, 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 the Eternal is great above all gods; for by the very thing wherein they sinned presumptuously was punishment brought upon them.
Sasa najua ya kuwa Bwana ni mkuu kuliko miungu mingine yote, kwa kuwa amewatendea hivi wale waliowatenda Israeli kwa ujeuri.”
12 And Jithro, the father-in-law of Moses, offered a burnt-offering and sacrifices unto God; and Aaron came, with all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses, 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 around 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 the father-in-law of Moses saw all that he did to the people; and he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people standeth around thee from morning until evening?
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 cometh unto me to inquire of God.
Mose akamjibu, “Kwa sababu watu wananijia kutaka mapenzi ya Mungu.
16 When they have a matter of dispute, they come unto me; and I judge between one and the other, and I 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 the father-in-law of Moses 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 the thing is too heavy for thee; thou wilt not be able to perform it by thyself alone.
Wewe pamoja na watu hawa wanaokujia mtajichosha bure. Kazi ni nzito sana kwako, huwezi kuibeba mwenyewe.
19 Now hearken unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and may God be with thee, Be thou for the people a mediator with God, 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 explain to them the statutes and the laws; and thou shalt make them know 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 select out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating [their own] gain; and place these over them, as rulers of thousands, 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 times; and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge themselves: so shall it be easier for thee, when they shall bear 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 wilt do this thing, and God commandeth it thee, then wilt thou be able to endure; and also the whole of this people will come to its place in peace.
Kama ukifanya hivi, na ikiwa Mungu ameagiza hivyo, utaweza kushinda uchovu, nao watu hawa wote watarudi nyumbani wameridhika.”
24 And 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 placed them as 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 times; any difficult cause they brought unto Moses, but every small cause 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 dismissed his father-in-law; and he went his way unto his own land.
Kisha Mose akaagana na Yethro baba mkwe wake, naye akarudi kwa nchi yake.
