Exodus 18
1 And Jethro, priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heard all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, —in that Yahweh had brought forth Israel out of Egypt.
梅瑟的岳父，米德楊的司祭耶特洛，聽說天主為梅瑟和自己的百姓以色列所行的一切，聽說上主將以色列人領出了埃及，
2 So Jethro, Moses father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses wife, —after she had been sent home;
梅瑟的岳父耶特洛便帶回梅瑟送回去的妻子漆頗辣和
3 and her two sons, —of whom, the name of the one, was Gershom, for, said he, A sojourner, am I in a strange land,
他兩個兒子：─一個名叫革爾雄，因為梅瑟說：「我在外方作了旅客；」
4 and, the name of the other, Eliezer, for the God of my father, was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.
一個名叫厄里厄則爾，意謂：「我父親的天主是我的救援，救我脫離了法朗的刀劍。」─
5 And Jethro, Moses father-in-law, came in, with his two sons and his wife, unto Moses, —into the desert where, he, was encamping, the mountain of God;
梅瑟的岳父耶特洛同梅瑟的兒子和妻子來到了梅瑟那裏，來到曠野，近天主的山，梅瑟安營的地方，
6 and said unto Moses, I, thy father-in-law, Jethro, am coming in unto thee, —and thy wife, and her two sons, with her.
便叫人告訴梅瑟說：「看，你的岳父耶特洛來見你，你的妻子和兩個兒子也一同來了。」
7 So Moses went forth to meet his father-in-law, and bowed himself down to him and kissed him, and they asked each other of their welfare, —and came into the tent.
梅瑟就出來迎接他的岳父，向他下拜，口親他，彼此問安，隨後進了營幕。
8 Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law, all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians, for Israel’s sake, —all the hardship which had befallen them by the way, and how Yahweh had delivered them.
梅瑟給他岳父講述了上主為以色列的原故，對法朗和埃及人所行的一切，以及路上遭遇的一切困難，上主怎樣整救了他們。
9 Then did Jethro rejoice, for all the good which Yahweh had done to Israel, —whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.
耶特洛聽了上主賜給以色列的各種恩惠，從埃及人手中整救了他們，很是高興。
10 And Jethro said—Blessed be Yahweh, 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:
耶特洛說：「上主應受讚頌，他從埃及人和法朗手中拯救了你們，由埃! 人手中救出了這百姓。
11 Now, I know, that, greater, is Yahweh than all the gods, —Even in the thing wherein they were arrogant over them.
現今我知道「雅威」是眾神中最大的，因為他由那些傲慢對待以色列人的埃及手中，救出這百姓。」
12 Then took Jethro father-in-law of Moses, an ascending-offering and sacrifices to God, —and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came in to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before God.
梅瑟的岳父耶特洛向天主獻了全燔祭和犧牲，亞郎和以色列眾長老都來到天主前，同梅瑟的岳父聚餐。耶特洛的建議
13 Now it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat, to judge the people, —and the people stood by Moses, from the morning, until the evening.
次日，梅瑟坐著審判百姓的案件，百姓從早晨到晚上站在梅瑟前。
14 And when Moses father-in-law saw all that he, was doing for the people, he said—What is this thing which, thou, art doing for the people? Wherefore art, thou, sitting alone, with all the people, stationed by thee, from morning until evening?
梅瑟的岳父看見他對百姓所行的種種，就說：「你對百姓所作的是什麼事﹖為什麼你獨自一人管理，叫眾百姓從早晨到晚上站在你前﹖」
15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, —Because the people come in unto me to seek God:
梅瑟回答他岳父說：「因為百姓到我跟前詢問天主。
16 When they have a matter, they come in unto me, then do I judge between a man and his neighbour, —and make known the statutes of God and his laws.
他們有訴訟的事，就來到我跟前，我便在兩造之間施行審判，講明天主的典章和法律。」
17 Then said Moses’ father-in-law unto him, —Not good, is the thing that thou art doing.
梅瑟的岳父對他說：「你這樣作不對。
18 Thou wilt get quite worn out, both thou and this people that is with thee, —for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou canst not do it, alone.
不但使你自己疲乏，而且也使你同你一起的百姓疲勞不堪，因為這事超過你的力量，你獨自一人是不能勝任的。
19 Now, hearken thou to my voice—let me counsel thee, and may God be with thee: Be, thou, for the people, in front of God, so shalt, thou, bring the matters unto God;
現在你聽我的話，我給你出一個主意。願天主與你同在! 你在天主前代表這個百姓，將他們的案件呈到天主前；
20 and shalt cause to shine upon them, the statutes and the laws, —and make known to them the way wherein they should go, and the work they should do.
也將典章和法律教訓他們，告訴他們應走的正路，應行的事項。
21 Thou thyself, therefore shalt look out, from among all the people—men of ability, reverers of God, men of fidelity, haters of extortion, —and place them over [them] as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
你要從百姓中挑選有才能，敬畏天主，忠實可靠，捨己無私的人，派他們作千夫長、百夫長，五十夫長、十夫長，
22 So shall they judge the people at any time, and it shall be, all the great matters, shall they bring in unto thee, but all the small matters, shall, they themselves, judge, —so, lighten thou the burden for thyself, and let them bear it with thee.
叫他們隨時審斷百姓的案件。若有任何重大案件，呈交你處理；其餘一切小案件，可由他們自己處理；叫他們與你分擔，你就輕鬆多了。
23 If, this thing, thou wilt do, and God shall command thee, then shalt thou be able to endure, —yea, moreover, all this people, shall go in, unto their dwellings, contented.
你若這樣作，─天主也這樣命你─你就抵受得住，眾百姓也能平安，各歸其所。」
24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said;
梅瑟聽從了他岳父的話，也都照他說的行了。
25 and Moses chose men of ability out of all Israel, and set them to be heads over the people, —rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
梅瑟從全以色列人選拔了有才能的人，立他們作百姓的頭目，作千夫長、百夫長、五十夫長和十夫長，
26 And they shall judge the people, at any time, —the hard matters, shall they bring in unto Moses, but all the small matters, shall, they themselves, judge.
叫它們隨時審斷百姓的案件；重大的案件，呈交梅瑟處理；一切小案件，由他們自己處理。
27 And Moses sent forth his father-in-law, —and he went his way by himself unto his own land.
以後梅瑟送他岳父回了本地。
