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.
Ankyɛ biara na Mose ase, Midian sɔfo Yetro, tee anwonwade a Onyankopɔn ayɛ ama ne nkurɔfo Israelfo ne Mose, ne sɛnea wayi wɔn afi Misraim asase so no.
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,
Mose de ne yere Sipora kɔe no, nʼase Yetro gyee no
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.”
a na ne mmabarima baanu ka ne ho. Mose too ne babarima a na ɔyɛ nʼabakan no din Gersom a ɔkyerɛ ase se, “Mabɛyɛ ɔhɔho wɔ ananafo asase so.”
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].”
Na ne babarima a ɔto so abien no nso, ɔtoo ne din Elieser a ɔkyerɛ ase se “Mʼagyanom Nyankopɔn no yɛ me boafo. Ogyee me fii Farao afoa ano.”
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.
Yetro kɔsraa Mose. Ɔde Mose yere ne ne mmabarima baanu no kaa ne ho. Wodui no, na Mose ne nnipa no abɔ atenae wɔ Onyankopɔn bepɔw no ho.
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!”
Wɔka kyerɛɛ Mose se, “Wʼase Yetro reba abɛsra wo. Wo yere ne wo mmabarima baanu no ka ne ho.”
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.
Mose sɔre kohyiaa nʼase. Ɔkotow no nidi mu gyee no fɛw so. Wokyiakyiaa wɔn ho wɔn ho na wɔkɔɔ Mose ntamadan mu.
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.
Mose kaa nsɛm a asisi nyinaa kyerɛɛ nʼase no. Ɔkaa nea Awurade ayɛ atia Farao ne Misraimfo a ɔnam so agye Israelfo, ayi wɔn afi Misraim, asan ayi wɔn afi ɔhaw ne abɛbrɛsɛ mu no nso kyerɛɛ no.
9 Jethro rejoiced when he heard all that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people.
Yetro tee nea Awurade ayɛ ama Israel, ne titiriw no, sɛnea oyii wɔn fii Misraim no, nʼani gyee yiye.
10 He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the powerful [MTY] Egyptian king and his army!
Yetro kae se, “Nhyira nka Awurade sɛ wagye mo afi Misraimfo ne Farao nsam, na wagye ɔman Israel nso.
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].”
Afei, mahu sɛ Awurade yɛ ɔkɛse sen onyame foforo biara, efisɛ wayɛ eyi ama wɔn a wɔde ahantan di wɔn so no.”
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.
Yetro de ɔhyew afɔrebɔde bae, na ɔbɔɔ afɔre maa Onyankopɔn. Akyiri no, Aaron ne Israel mpanyimfo no baa Yetro nkyɛn. Wɔn nyinaa too nsa dii afɔreguan no wɔ Awurade anim.
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.
Ade kyee no, Mose tenaa ase fii anɔpa kosii anwummere tiee ntawntaw a asisi wɔ nnipa no mu.
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]?”
Mose ase no huu brɛ a ɔrebrɛ nnipa no ho no, obisaa no se, “Adɛn nti na wopɛ sɛ wo nko ara wudi dwuma kɛse yi a enti nnipa gyina wo so saa ara fi anɔpa kosi anwummere yi?”
15 Moses/I replied, “[I am doing this] because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.
Mose buae se, “Nnipa no de akasakasa bi a asisi wɔn ntam bɛtoo mʼanim sɛ mimmisa Onyankopɔn hɔ akwankyerɛ.
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.”
Sɛ ntawntaw bi ba wɔn ntam a, wɔba ma misiesie. Mekyerɛ wɔn Onyankopɔn mmara ne nʼapɛde.”
17 Jethro said to him/me, “What you are doing is not good [for you or for the people].
Nʼase no kae se, “Nea woreyɛ no nye.
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.
Worekum wo ho na sɛ wuwu a, nnipa yi bɛyɛ dɛn? Mose, adwuma yi so dodo sɛ wo nko ara wobɛyɛ.
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.
Tie fo a merebetu wo yi na Onyankopɔn behyira wo. Kɔ so ara si nnipa no anan wɔ Onyankopɔn anim na fa wɔn haw to nʼanim.
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.
Kyerɛ wɔn Onyankopɔn akwan a wɔmfa so ntena ase.
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].
Na hwehwɛ nnipa bi a wɔyɛ nyamesurofo na wɔyɛ nokwafo a wɔmpɛ adanmudegye, na wɔn mu baako biara nyɛ nnipa apem so otemmufo. Ɛsɛ sɛ saa onipa no nya atemmufo du hyɛ nʼase na wɔn mu baako biara ahwɛ nnipa ɔha so. Na wɔn ase no, wobeyi atemmufo baanu a wɔbɛhwɛ nnipa aduonum so, na wɔn nso, atemmufo baanum bɛhyɛ wɔn mu biara ase na wɔatu nnipa du fo.
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.
Ma saa nnipa yi nni wɔn ho ni na wonni nokware daa. Asɛm biara a ɛho hia anaa ɛkyere adwene no, wɔmfa mmra wʼanim. Wɔn ankasa nhwɛ nka nsɛm nketenkete a ɛbɛba wɔn anim no. Sɛ wofa saa kwan yi so a, adwuma no bɛyɛ mmerɛw ama wo, efisɛ woakyekyɛ nnwuma no ama wɔn.
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”].
Sɛ wutie afotu no na Onyankopɔn nso pene so a, wubetumi agyina asɛm biara ano na asomdwoe aba.”
24 Moses/I accepted what his/my father-in-law [Jethro] suggested.
Mose tiee nʼase afotu no dii so pɛpɛɛpɛ.
25 Moses/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.
Oyiyii nnipa pa a wɔwɔ Israelman mu nyinaa de wɔn yɛɛ atemmufo—apem apem, ɔha ɔha, aduonum aduonum ne du du.
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.
Na wobuu ɔman no atɛn bere nyinaa mu. Wɔde nsɛm akɛse no maa Mose na wɔn nso dii nsɛm nketenkete no.
27 Then Moses/I said goodbye to his/my father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.
Akyiri no, Mose gyaa nʼase kwan ma ɔkɔɔ ne kurom.
