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.
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 So Jethro, Moses father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses wife, —after she had been sent home;
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, said he, A sojourner, am I 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, 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 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;
Yethro, baba mkwe wake Musa, alikuja na watoto wake Musa na mke wake Musa nyikani alipo eka kambi katika mlima wa Mungu.
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.
Alimwambia Musa, “Mimi, baba mkwe wako Yethro, nina kuja kwako na mke wako na wanao wawili.”
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.
Musa alitoka kwenda kukutana na baba mkwe wake, akamwinamia, na kumbusu. Wakajuliana hali na wakaingia ndani ya hema.
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.
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 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.
Yethro akafurahia yale mema yote Yahweh aliyo watendea Israeli, kwa hilo amewaokoa na mkono wa Wamisri.
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:
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, greater, is Yahweh than all the gods, —Even in the thing wherein they were arrogant over them.
Sasa najua Yahweh ni mkuu kuliko miungu yote, kwasababu Wamisri walipo watenda Waisraeli kwa kiburi, Mungu aliwaokoa watu wake.”
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.
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 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.
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, 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?
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 to his father-in-law, —Because the people come in unto me to seek God:
Musa akamwambia baba mkwe wake, “Watu wanakuja kuniuliza muongozo wa Mungu.
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.
Wanapo kuwa na malumbano, wanakuja kwangu. Ninaamua kati ya mtu mmoja na mwingine, na nina wafundisha maagizo na sheria.”
17 Then said Moses’ father-in-law unto him, —Not good, is the thing that thou art doing.
Baba mkwe wake Musa alimwambia, “Unachofanya sicho kizuri sana.
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.
Hakika utajichosha, wewe na watu waliyopo na wewe. Huu mzigo ni mzito sana kwako. Hauwezi kufanya peke yako.
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;
Nisikilize. Nitakupa ushauri, na Mungu ata kuwa na wewe, kwasababu wewe nimwakilishi wa watu kwa Mungu, na una leta malumbano yao kwake.
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.
Lazima uwafundishe maagizo yake na sheria. Lazima uwafundishe njia yakutembea na kazi ya kufanya.
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.
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 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.
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, 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.
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 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.
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 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.
Waliwa hukumu watu katika hali za kawaida. Kesi ngumu walimletea Musa, lakini wao wenyewe wali hukumu kesi ndogo.
27 And Moses sent forth his father-in-law, —and he went his way by himself unto his own land.
Kisha Musa akamwacha baba mkwe wake kuondoka, na Yethro akarudi kwenye nchi yake.
