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.
Jetro, Nganga-Nzambe ya Madiani mpe bokilo ya Moyize, ayokaki makambo nyonso oyo Nzambe asalelaki Moyize mpe Isalaele, bato na Ye, mpe ndenge nini Yawe abimisaki Isalaele na Ejipito.
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,
Jetro amemaki Sefora, mwasi ya Moyize, oyo ye Moyize azongisaki nanu epai ya baboti na ye,
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.”
elongo na bana mibali mibale oyo Sefora abotelaki Moyize. Mwana ya liboso, kombo na ye ezalaki « Gerishomi, » pamba te Moyize amilobelaki: « Nakomaki mopaya kati na mokili ya mopaya; »
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].”
mwana ya mibale, kombo na ye ezalaki « Eliezeri, » pamba te amilobelaki: « Nzambe ya tata na ngai asungaki ngai mpe akangolaki ngai wuta na mopanga ya Faraon. »
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.
Jetro, bokilo ya Moyize, elongo na bana mibali ya Moyize mpe mwasi ya Moyize bayaki epai ya Moyize, na esobe epai wapi batongaki molako pembeni ya ngomba ya Nzambe.
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!”
Jetro atindelaki Moyize maloba oyo: — Ngai Jetro, bokilo na yo, nazali koya epai na yo elongo na mwasi na yo mpe bana na yo mibale ya mibali.
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.
Moyize abimaki mpo na kokutana na bokilo na ye; agumbamaki liboso na ye mpe apesaki ye beze. Batunanaki basango ya moko na moko mpe bakotaki na ndako ya kapo.
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.
Moyize ayebisaki bokilo na ye makambo nyonso oyo Yawe asalaki Faraon mpe bato ya Ejipito mpo na kokangola Isalaele, pasi nyonso oyo bakutanaki na yango na nzela mpe ndenge nini Yawe abikisaki bango.
9 Jethro rejoiced when he heard all that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people.
Jetro asepelaki koyoka makambo wana nyonso ya kitoko oyo Yawe asalelaki bana ya Isalaele tango akangolaki bango wuta na maboko ya bato ya Ejipito.
10 He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the powerful [MTY] Egyptian king and his army!
Jetro alobaki: — Tika ete Yawe akumisama, Ye oyo akangolaki yo wuta na maboko ya bato ya Ejipito mpe ya Faraon, Ye oyo akangolaki bato wuta na bowumbu ya bato ya Ejipito.
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].”
Nandimi sik’oyo ete Yawe azali monene koleka banzambe nyonso, pamba te asali makambo ya lolenge oyo epai ya banyokoli ya Isalaele.
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.
Bongo Jetro, bokilo ya Moyize, abonzelaki Nzambe mbeka ya kotumba mpe bambeka mosusu. Aron elongo na bakambi nyonso ya Isalaele bayaki mpo na kolia lipa elongo na bokilo ya Moyize, na miso ya Nzambe.
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.
Mokolo oyo elandaki, Moyize avandaki mpo na kosambisa bato. Bato batelemaki liboso ya Moyize, kobanda na tongo kino na pokwa.
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]?”
Tango bokilo na ye amonaki makambo nyonso oyo Moyize azalaki kosala mpo na bato, alobaki: — Mpo na nini ozali kosala bongo tango ozali kotala makambo ya bato? Mpo na nini ozali yo moko lokola mosambisi? Mpo na nini bato oyo nyonso batelemi pembeni na yo, kobanda na tongo kino na pokwa?
15 Moses/I replied, “[I am doing this] because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.
Moyize azongiselaki ye: — Bayaka epai na ngai mpo na kotuna toli ya Nzambe.
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.”
Soki bazali na kowelana, bayaka epai na ngai; mpe ngai nakataka makambo, sima nalakisaka bango mibeko mpe bikateli ya Nzambe.
17 Jethro said to him/me, “What you are doing is not good [for you or for the people].
Bokilo ya Moyize alobaki na ye: — Lolenge na yo ya kosala ezali malamu te.
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.
Okolemba noki elongo na bato oyo bazali koya epai na yo. Mosala oyo eleki makasi mpo na yo; okolonga kosala yango yo moko te.
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.
Yoka sik’oyo toli oyo nalingi kopesa yo, mpe tika ete Nzambe azala na yo. Mosala na yo ezali: kozala molobeli ya bato liboso ya Nzambe, komema mikumba na bango epai ya Nzambe
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.
mpe kolakisa bango bikateli elongo na mibeko oyo ekotalisa bango nzela ya kolanda mpe makambo oyo basengeli kosala.
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].
Mpe lisusu, kati na bato, pona mibali ya mayele, oyo batosaka Nzambe, oyo bato bakoki kotiela motema mpo ete basalelaka bosembo mpe bazwaka kanyaka te. Okotia bango lokola bakambi ya bato: bakambi ya bankoto, ya bankama, ya batuku mitano mpe ya bazomi.
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.
Okopesa bango mosala ya kosambisa bato tango nyonso mpe ndingisa ya kokata bango moko makambo ya mike; kasi babanda komemela yo kaka makambo ya minene. Soki osali bongo, okozala lisusu na mokumba ya makasi te; pamba te okokabola yango elongo na bango.
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”].
Soki osaleli toli oyo napesi yo mpe soki Nzambe akambi yo, okolonga, mpe bato oyo nyonso bakobanda kozonga na esengo epai na bango.
24 Moses/I accepted what his/my father-in-law [Jethro] suggested.
Moyize ayokaki toli oyo bokilo na ye apesaki ye mpe asalelaki makambo nyonso oyo alobaki.
25 Moses/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.
Moyize aponaki bato ya mayele kati na bana ya Isalaele mpe akomisaki bango bakambi ya bato: bakambi ya bankoto, ya bankama, ya batuku mitano mpe ya bazomi.
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.
Bazalaki tango nyonso kati na bato mpo na kosambisa bato mpe kokata makambo; bazalaki kokata bango moko makambo ya mike, kasi bazalaki komema oyo ya minene epai ya Moyize.
27 Then Moses/I said goodbye to his/my father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.
Moyize apesaki nzela ete bokilo na ye akende, mpe Jetro azongaki na mokili na ye.
