Exodus 18
1 Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people. He heard that Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt.
梅瑟的岳父，米德楊的司祭耶特洛，聽說天主為梅瑟和自己的百姓以色列所行的一切，聽說上主將以色列人領出了埃及，
2 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home,
梅瑟的岳父耶特洛便帶回梅瑟送回去的妻子漆頗辣和
3 and her two sons; the name of the one son was Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
他兩個兒子：─一個名叫革爾雄，因為梅瑟說：「我在外方作了旅客；」
4 The name of the other was Eliezer, for Moses had said, “My ancestor's God was my help. He rescued me from Pharaoh's sword.”
一個名叫厄里厄則爾，意謂：「我父親的天主是我的救援，救我脫離了法朗的刀劍。」─
5 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with Moses' sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God.
梅瑟的岳父耶特洛同梅瑟的兒子和妻子來到了梅瑟那裏，來到曠野，近天主的山，梅瑟安營的地方，
6 He said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”
便叫人告訴梅瑟說：「看，你的岳父耶特洛來見你，你的妻子和兩個兒子也一同來了。」
7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. They asked about each other's welfare and then went into the tent.
梅瑟就出來迎接他的岳父，向他下拜，口親他，彼此問安，隨後進了營幕。
8 Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake, about all the hardships that had come to them along the way, and how Yahweh had rescued them.
梅瑟給他岳父講述了上主為以色列的原故，對法朗和埃及人所行的一切，以及路上遭遇的一切困難，上主怎樣整救了他們。
9 Jethro rejoiced over all the good that Yahweh had done for Israel, in that he had rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians.
耶特洛聽了上主賜給以色列的各種恩惠，從埃及人手中整救了他們，很是高興。
10 Jethro said, “May Yahweh be praised, for he has rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians.
耶特洛說：「上主應受讚頌，他從埃及人和法朗手中拯救了你們，由埃! 人手中救出了這百姓。
11 Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods, because when the Egyptians treated the Israelites arrogantly, God rescued his people.”
現今我知道「雅威」是眾神中最大的，因為他由那些傲慢對待以色列人的埃及手中，救出這百姓。」
12 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat a meal before God with Moses' father-in-law.
梅瑟的岳父耶特洛向天主獻了全燔祭和犧牲，亞郎和以色列眾長老都來到天主前，同梅瑟的岳父聚餐。耶特洛的建議
13 On the next day Moses sat down to judge the people. The people stood around him from morning until evening.
次日，梅瑟坐著審判百姓的案件，百姓從早晨到晚上站在梅瑟前。
14 When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing with the people? Why is it that you sit alone and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?”
梅瑟的岳父看見他對百姓所行的種種，就說：「你對百姓所作的是什麼事﹖為什麼你獨自一人管理，叫眾百姓從早晨到晚上站在你前﹖」
15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “The people come to me to ask for God's direction.
梅瑟回答他岳父說：「因為百姓到我跟前詢問天主。
16 When they have a dispute, they come to me. I decide between one person and another, and I teach them God's statutes and laws.”
他們有訴訟的事，就來到我跟前，我便在兩造之間施行審判，講明天主的典章和法律。」
17 Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not very good.
梅瑟的岳父對他說：「你這樣作不對。
18 You will surely wear yourselves out, you and the people who are with you. This burden is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it by yourself.
不但使你自己疲乏，而且也使你同你一起的百姓疲勞不堪，因為這事超過你的力量，你獨自一人是不能勝任的。
19 Listen to me. I will give you advice, and God will be with you, because you are the people's representative to God, and you bring their disputes to him.
現在你聽我的話，我給你出一個主意。願天主與你同在! 你在天主前代表這個百姓，將他們的案件呈到天主前；
20 You must teach them his statutes and laws. You must show them the way to walk and the work to do.
也將典章和法律教訓他們，告訴他們應走的正路，應行的事項。
21 Furthermore, you must choose capable men from all the people, men who honor God, men of truth who hate unjust gain. You must put them over people, to be leaders in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and of tens.
你要從百姓中挑選有才能，敬畏天主，忠實可靠，捨己無私的人，派他們作千夫長、百夫長，五十夫長、十夫長，
22 They will judge the people in all routine cases, but the difficult cases they will bring to you. As for all the small cases, they can judge those themselves. In that way it will be easier for you, and they will carry the burden with you.
叫他們隨時審斷百姓的案件。若有任何重大案件，呈交你處理；其餘一切小案件，可由他們自己處理；叫他們與你分擔，你就輕鬆多了。
23 If you do this, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure, and the entire people will be able to go home satisfied.”
你若這樣作，─天主也這樣命你─你就抵受得住，眾百姓也能平安，各歸其所。」
24 So Moses listened to his father-in-law's words and did everything that he had said.
梅瑟聽從了他岳父的話，也都照他說的行了。
25 Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
梅瑟從全以色列人選拔了有才能的人，立他們作百姓的頭目，作千夫長、百夫長、五十夫長和十夫長，
26 They judged the people in normal circumstances. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but they themselves judged all the small cases.
叫它們隨時審斷百姓的案件；重大的案件，呈交梅瑟處理；一切小案件，由他們自己處理。
27 Then Moses let his father-in-law leave, and Jethro went back into his own land.
以後梅瑟送他岳父回了本地。
