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.
Ankyɛre biara na Mose ase, Midian ɔsɔfoɔ Yetro, tee anwanwadeɛ a Onyankopɔn ayɛ ama ne nkurɔfoɔ Israelfoɔ ne Mose, ne sɛdeɛ Awurade ayi wɔn afiri 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 kɔeɛ 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 mmammarima baanu ka ne ho. Mose too ne babarima a na ɔyɛ nʼabakan no edin Gersom a ɔkyerɛ aseɛ sɛ, “Mabɛyɛ ɔhɔhoɔ ananafoɔ 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 ɔtɔ so mmienu no nso, ɔtoo ne edin Elieser a ɔkyerɛ aseɛ sɛ “Mʼagyanom Onyankopɔn no yɛ me ɔboafoɔ. Ɔgyee me firii Farao akofena 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 mmammarima baanu no kaa ne ho. Wɔduruiɛ no, na Mose ne nnipa no abɔ atenaeɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn bepɔ 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 sɛ, “Wʼase Yetro reba abɛsra wo. Wo yere ne wo mmammarima 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 kɔhyiaa nʼase. Ɔkotoo no anidie mu gyee no fɛ so. Wɔbisabisaa wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛdeɛ wɔn apɔ mu te. Afei, wɔkɔɔ Mose ntomadan no mu kɔtoaa wɔn amanneɛdie so.
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 asisie nyinaa kyerɛɛ nʼase no. Ɔkaa deɛ Awurade ayɛ atia Farao ne Misraimfoɔ a ɔnam so agye Israelfoɔ, ayi wɔn afiri Misraim, asane ayi wɔn afiri 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 deɛ Awurade ayɛ ama Israel, ne titire no, sɛdeɛ ɔyii wɔn firii Misraim no, nʼani gyee yie.
10 He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the powerful [MTY] Egyptian king and his army!
Yetro kaa sɛ, “Nhyira nka Awurade sɛ wagye mo afiri Misraimfoɔ 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, mahunu sɛ Awurade yɛ kɛse sene onyame biara, ɛfiri sɛ, wagye ne nkurɔfoɔ afiri Misraimfoɔ ahantanfoɔ ne atirimuɔdenfoɔ nsam.”
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 ɔhyeɛ afɔrebɔdeɛ baeɛ na ɔbɔɔ afɔdeɛ maa Onyankopɔn. Akyire no, Aaron ne Israel mpanimfoɔ no baa Yetro nkyɛn. Wɔn nyinaa too nsa dii afɔreduane 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.
Adeɛ kyeeɛ no, Mose tenaa ase firii anɔpa kɔsii anwummerɛ tiee nsɛmpɔ 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 hunuu brɛ a ɔrebrɛ nnipa no ho no, ɔbisaa no sɛ, “Adɛn enti na wopɛ sɛ wo nko ara wodi dwuma kɛseɛ yi a enti nnipa gyina wo so saa ara firi anɔpa kɔsi anwummerɛ yi?”
15 Moses/I replied, “[I am doing this] because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.
Mose buaa sɛ, “Nnipa no de akasakasa bi a asisi wɔn ntam bɛtoo mʼanim sɛ memmisa Onyankopɔn 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 akyinnyeɛ bi ba wɔn ntam a, wɔba ma mesiesie. Mekyerɛ wɔn Onyankopɔn mmara ne nʼapɛdeɛ.”
17 Jethro said to him/me, “What you are doing is not good [for you or for the people].
Nʼase no kaa sɛ, “Deɛ woreyɛ no nyɛ.
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 wowu 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 merebɛtu wo yi na Onyankopɔn bɛhyira 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 nyamesurofoɔ na wɔyɛ nokwafoɔ a wɔmpɛ adanmudegyeɛ, na wɔn mu baako biara nyɛ nnipa apem so ɔtemmufoɔ. Ɛsɛ sɛ saa onipa no nya atemmufoɔ edu hyɛ nʼase na wɔn mu baako biara ahwɛ nnipa ɔha so. Na wɔn ase no, wɔbɛyi atemmufoɔ baanu a wɔbɛhwɛ nnipa aduonum so, na wɔn nso, atemmufoɔ baanum bɛhyɛ wɔn mu biara ase na wɔatu nnipa edu 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 wɔnni nokorɛ daa. Asɛm biara a ɛho hia anaa ɛkyere adwene no, wɔmfa mmra wʼanim. Wɔn ankasa nhwɛ nka nsɛm nketenkete a ɛbɛba wɔn anim. Sɛ wofa saa ɛkwan yi so a, adwuma no bɛyɛ mmerɛ ama wo, ɛfiri sɛ, 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 wotie afotuo no na Onyankopɔn nso pene so a, wobɛtumi agyina asɛm biara ano na asomdwoeɛ aba.”
24 Moses/I accepted what his/my father-in-law [Jethro] suggested.
Mose tiee nʼase afotuo no dii so pɛpɛɛpɛ.
25 Moses/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.
Ɔyiyii nnipa pa a wɔwɔ Israelman mu nyinaa de wɔn yɛɛ atemmufoɔ—apem apem, ɔha ɔha, aduonum aduonum ne edu edu.
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 wɔbuu ɔman no atɛn berɛ nyinaa mu. Wɔde nsɛm akɛseɛ no maa Mose na wɔn nso dii nsɛm nketewa no.
27 Then Moses/I said goodbye to his/my father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.
Akyire no, Mose gyaa nʼase ɛkwan ma ɔkɔɔ ne kurom.
