Exodus 18
1 Jethro, who was the priest for the Midian people-group, and who was also Moses’/my father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for the Israeli people. He heard about how Yahweh had brought them out of Egypt.
Na rĩrĩ, Jethero, ũrĩa warĩ mũthĩnjĩri ngai wa Midiani na mũthoni-we wa Musa, akĩigua maũndũ mothe marĩa Ngai eekĩire Musa na andũ ake a Isiraeli, na ũrĩa Jehova aarutire andũ a Isiraeli kuuma bũrũri wa Misiri.
2 Moses/I had [previously] sent his/my wife Zipporah [back home when he/I was returning to Egypt]. But now Jethro came to him/me,
Thuutha wa Musa gũcookia mũtumia wake Zipora, mũthoni-we Jethero nĩamwamũkĩrire,
3 bringing Zipporah and their/our two sons. One son was named Gershom, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘foreigner’], because he/I had said, “I have been a foreigner living in another land.”
hamwe na ariũ ake eerĩ. Mũriũ ũmwe eetagwo Gerishomu, nĩgũkorwo Musa oigire atĩrĩ, “Nĩnduĩkĩte mũgeni bũrũri-inĩ wene”;
4 Her other son was named Eliezer, [which sounds like the Hebrew words that mean ‘God helps me’], because [he/I] had said “God, whom my father [worshiped], has helped me and saved [me] from being killed [MTY] by the king [of Egypt].”
mũriũ ũcio ũngĩ eetagwo Eliezeri, nĩgũkorwo oigire atĩrĩ, “Ngai wa baba nĩwe warĩ mũteithia wakwa; nĩahonokirie kuuma rũhiũ-inĩ rwa Firaũni.”
5 While Moses/I was camped [with the Israeli people] in the desert [near Sinai], God’s sacred/holy mountain, Jethro came to him/me, bringing along Moses’/my wife and our [two] sons.
Jethero, mũthoni-we wa Musa, hamwe na mũtumia wa Musa na ariũ ake, magĩũka kũrĩ we kũu werũ-inĩ, kũrĩa aambĩte hema hakuhĩ na kĩrĩma kĩa Ngai.
6 Jethro had sent a message to Moses/me, “I, your father-in-law, Jethro, am coming to see you, bringing along your wife and your two sons!”
Jethero nĩamũtũmanĩire akoiga atĩrĩ, “Niĩ, mũthoni-guo Jethero, nĩndĩrooka kũrĩ we tũrĩ na mũtumia waku na ariũ aku eerĩ.”
7 So Moses/I went out of the campsite to meet his/my father-in-law. He/I bowed before him, and kissed him [on the cheek]. (They both/We) asked each other, “Have you been healthy?” Then they/we went into [Moses’/my] tent.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Musa agĩkiumagara agatũnge mũthoni-we, akĩinamĩrĩra, akĩmũmumunya. Makĩgeithania, na magĩcooka magĩtoonya hema thĩinĩ.
8 Moses/I told Jethro everything that Yahweh had done to the king and all the [other] people in Egypt for the sake of the Israeli people. He/I also told him about the troubles/problems they/we had experienced on the way, and how Yahweh had helped them/us.
Musa akĩhe mũthoni-we ũhoro wothe wa ũrĩa Jehova eekire Firaũni na andũ a Misiri nĩ ũndũ wa andũ a Isiraeli na, akĩmwĩra mathĩĩna mothe marĩa moonete rũgendo-inĩ, na ũrĩa Jehova aamahonoketie.
9 Jethro rejoiced when he heard all that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people.
Jethero nĩakenirio nĩ kũigua maũndũ macio mothe mega marĩa Jehova eekĩire Isiraeli, nĩ ũndũ wa kũhonokia andũ a Isiraeli kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa andũ a Misiri.
10 He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the powerful [MTY] Egyptian king and his army!
Jethero akiuga atĩrĩ, “Jehova arogoocwo, ũrĩa wamũteithũrire kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa andũ a Misiri na gwa Firaũni, na agĩteithũra andũ kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa andũ a Misiri.
11 Now I realize that Yahweh is greater than all other gods, because he rescued you all from the power [MTY] of the proud Egyptians when [they] were causing you [to suffer].”
Rĩu niĩ nĩmenyete atĩ Jehova nĩ mũnene gũkĩra ngai iria ingĩ ciothe, nĩgũkorwo ũguo nĩguo eekire arĩa maahatĩrĩirie Isiraeli metĩĩte.”
12 Then Jethro sacrificed an animal by burning it completely on the altar [as an offering], and he also offered other sacrifices to God. Aaron and the Israeli elders/leaders went with them/us to eat a sacred meal with Jethro.
Hĩndĩ ĩyo Jethero, mũthoni-we wa Musa, akĩrehe maruta ma njino na magongona mangĩ ma kũrutĩra Ngai, nake Harũni agĩũka marĩ na athuuri othe a Isiraeli nĩguo marĩĩanĩre irio na mũthoni-we wa Musa, marĩ mbere ya Ngai.
13 The next day, Moses/I sat down at the place where he/I settled disputes among the people. The people were continually bringing their disputes to Moses/me, from morning until evening.
Mũthenya ũyũ ũngĩ Musa agĩikarĩra gĩtĩ nĩguo atuithanie andũ ciira, nao andũ makĩrũgama mamũthiũrũrũkĩirie kuuma rũciinĩ nginya o hwaĩ-inĩ.
14 When Jethro saw everything that Moses/I was doing for the people, he said, “(Why are you doing all this for the people?/You should not be doing all this for the people!) [RHQ] Why are you doing this by yourself, and all the people are crowding around you, from morning until evening, [asking you to make decisions for them] [RHQ]?”
Rĩrĩa mũthoni-we onire wĩra ũrĩa wothe Musa aarutagĩra andũ, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ wĩra ũrĩkũ ũyũ ũrarutĩra andũ aya? Nĩ kĩĩ gĩgũtũma ũrute wĩra wa gũtuithania ciira ũrĩ o wiki, nao andũ aya othe matindage marũngiĩ magũthiũrũrũkĩirie kuuma rũciinĩ nginya o hwaĩ-inĩ?”
15 Moses/I replied, “[I am doing this] because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.
Musa akĩmũcookeria, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Tondũ andũ aya marokaga kũrĩ niĩ nĩguo mamenye wendi wa Ngai.
16 When they have a dispute about something, they come to me, and they ask me to decide which of them is right. I also tell them all of God’s laws and instructions.”
Rĩrĩa rĩothe marĩ na ũndũ matekũiguanĩra, ũrehagwo kũrĩ niĩ, na niĩ ngamatuithania na ngamamenyithia uuge wa Ngai na mawatho make.”
17 Jethro said to him/me, “What you are doing is not good [for you or for the people].
Mũthoni-we wa Musa akĩmũcookeria, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũrĩa ũreka ti wega.
18 You and these people will (wear yourselves out/become exhausted)! This work is too much for one person. You are not able to do it by yourself.
Wee, na andũ aya marooka kũrĩ we nĩmũkwĩnogia na mĩnoga. Wĩra ũyũ nĩ mũritũ mũno makĩria harĩwe; ndũngĩũhota ũrĩ wiki.
19 Now listen to some good advice [MTY] I will give to you. [If you do what I suggest], God will help you. You should continue to speak to God and tell him about the people’s disputes.
Rĩu-rĩ, ta thikĩrĩria ngũtaare, na Ngai aroikara nawe. Wee tuĩka mũtũmwo wa Ngai kũrĩ andũ aya, na ũkamũtwaragĩra maũndũ marĩa matekũiguanĩra.
20 You should [also] teach the people what God has commanded and instructed you. You should also explain to them how they should conduct their lives, and the things that they should do.
Marute uuge wa Ngai na mawatho make, na ũmoonie njĩra njega ya mũtũũrĩre na mawĩra marĩa magĩrĩire kũruta.
21 But in addition, you should choose some [other men to help you]. Choose men who have reverence for God and who will not accept bribes. Appoint some of them to make decisions [for groups of] ten people, [some for groups of] 50 [people], [some for groups of] 100 [people], [and some for groups of] 1,000 [people].
No rĩrĩ, thuura andũ marĩ na ũhoti kuuma andũ-inĩ aya, andũ etigĩri Ngai, na andũ ehokeku arĩa mathũire kwamũkĩra ihaki, na ũmatue anene a kũrũgamagĩrĩra ikundi cia ngiri, na ikundi cia magana, na ikundi cia mĩrongo ĩtano, na ikundi cia makũmi.
22 Allow them to serve permanently to settle disputes for the people. The difficult matters the people can bring to you; but the matters that are not difficult, they can decide themselves. That will make the work easier for you, as they help you do that work.
Reke matuĩke a gũtuithania andũ aya ciira mahinda mothe, no makũrehagĩre maciira marĩa maritũ; marĩa mahũthũ makamatuithanagia arĩ o. Ũndũ ũcio nĩũgũkũhũthĩria mũrigo, tondũ nĩmarĩgayanaga nawe.
23 If you do that, and [I think that] God is telling you to do it (OR, if God tells you to do it), you will not become exhausted, and all the people will be able to go home feeling satisfied about the decisions, [with their disputes settled quickly”].
Ũngĩka ũguo na Ngai agwathe, nĩũrĩhotaga gwĩtiiria mĩnoga, na andũ aya othe marĩinũkaga maiganĩire.”
24 Moses/I accepted what his/my father-in-law [Jethro] suggested.
Musa nĩathikĩrĩirie mũthoni-we na agĩĩka ũrĩa wothe aamũtaarire.
25 Moses/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.
Agĩthuura andũ marĩ na ũhoti kuuma Isiraeli guothe, akĩmatua atongoria a andũ acio; akĩmatua anene a ikundi cia ngiri, na ikundi cia magana, na ikundi cia mĩrongo ĩtano, na ikundi cia makũmi.
26 They were appointed permanently to make decisions about the people’s disputes. They brought the difficult cases to Moses/me, but they decided the matters that were not difficult by themselves.
Magĩtuĩka a gũtuithanagia andũ ciira hĩndĩ ciothe. Maciira marĩa maritũ magatwarĩra Musa, no marĩa mahũthũ magatuithanagia arĩ o.
27 Then Moses/I said goodbye to his/my father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.
Musa agĩcooka akiugĩra mũthoni-we ũhoro, nake Jethero agĩcooka bũrũri wake mwene.
