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.
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 took Jithro, the father-in-law of Moses, Zipporah, the wife of Moses, 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 whom the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been a stranger in a foreign 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 was my 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 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 wake Musa, alikuja na watoto wake Musa na mke wake Musa nyikani alipo eka kambi katika 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.
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 bowed himself, and kissed him; and they asked each other after their welfare; and they went 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 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.
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 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 akafurahia yale mema yote Yahweh aliyo watendea Israeli, kwa hilo amewaokoa na 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, “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 the Eternal is great above all gods; for by the very thing wherein they sinned presumptuously was punishment brought upon them.
Sasa najua Yahweh ni mkuu kuliko miungu yote, kwasababu Wamisri walipo watenda Waisraeli kwa kiburi, Mungu aliwaokoa watu wake.”
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.
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 around Moses from the morning unto the evening.
Siku iliyofuata Musa aliketi kuwa hukumu watu. Watu walisimama kumzunguka Musa kwanzia asubui 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 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 cometh unto me to inquire of God.
Musa akamwambia baba mkwe wake, “Watu wanakuja kuniuliza muongozo wa 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.
Wanapo kuwa na malumbano, wanakuja kwangu. Ninaamua kati ya mtu mmoja na mwingine, na nina wafundisha maagizo na sheria.”
17 And the father-in-law of Moses 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 the thing is too heavy for thee; thou wilt not be able to perform it by thyself alone.
Hakika utajichosha, wewe na watu waliyopo na wewe. Huu mzigo ni mzito sana kwako. Hauwezi kufanya peke yako.
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.
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 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.
Lazima uwafundishe maagizo yake na sheria. Lazima uwafundishe njia yakutembea na kazi ya 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.
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 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.
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 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.
Ukifanya hivi, na kama Mungu akikuamuru kufanya al kadhalika, basi utaweza kuvumilia, na watu wote watarudi nyumbani wameridhika.”
24 And 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 placed them as 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 times; any difficult cause they brought unto Moses, but every small cause they judged themselves.
Waliwa hukumu watu katika hali za kawaida. Kesi ngumu walimletea Musa, lakini wao wenyewe wali hukumu kesi ndogo.
27 And Moses dismissed his father-in-law; and he went his way unto his own land.
Kisha Musa akamwacha baba mkwe wake kuondoka, na Yethro akarudi kwenye nchi yake.
