< Exodus 18 >
1 And whanne Jetro, the prest of Madian, `the alye of Moises, hadde herd alle thingis which God hadde do to Moises, and to Israel his puple, for the Lord hadde led Israel out of the lond of Egipt,
Now Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 he took Sefora, `the wijf of Moises, whom he hadde sent ayen,
After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her,
3 and hise twei sones, of which oon was clepid Gersan, for the fadir seide, Y was a comelyng in alien lond,
along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
4 forsothe the tother was clepid Eliezer, for Moises seide, God of my fadir is myn helpere, and he delyuerede me fro the swerd of Farao.
The other son was named Eliezer, for Moses had said, “The God of my father was my helper and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”
5 Therfor Jetro, `alie of Moises, cam, and the sones of Moises and his wijf camen to Moises, in to deseert, where Jetro settide tentis bisidis the hil of God;
Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses’ wife and sons, came to him in the desert, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.
6 and sente to Moises, and seide, Y Jetro, thin alie, come to thee, and thi wijf, and thi twei sones with hir.
He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”
7 And Moises yede out into the comyng of his alie, and worschipide, and kiste hym, and thei gretten hem silf to gidere with pesible wordis.
So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent.
8 And whanne he hadde entrid in to the tabernacle, Moises tolde to `his alie alle thingis whiche God hadde do to Farao, and to Egipcians, for Israel, and he tolde al the trauel which bifelle to hem in the weie, of which the Lord delyuerede hem.
Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships they had encountered along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.
9 And Jetro was glad on alle the goodis whiche the Lord hadde do to Israel, for he delyuerede Israel fro the hond of Egipcians.
And Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had rescued from the hand of the Egyptians.
10 And Jetro seide, Blessid be `the Lord, that delyuerede you fro the hond of Egipcians, and fro `the hond of Farao, which Lord delyuered his puple fro the hond of Egipt;
Jethro declared, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians.
11 now Y knowe that the Lord is greet aboue alle goddis, for `thei diden proudli ayens hem.
Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.”
12 Therfor Jetro, `alie of Moises, offride brent sacrifices and offryngis to God; and Aaron, and alle the eldere men of Israel, camen to ete breed with hym bifore God.
Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
13 Forsothe in the tother dai Moises sat that he schulde deme the puple, that stood niy Moises, fro the morewtid til to euentid.
The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening.
14 And whanne `his alie hadde seyn this, that is, alle thingis `whiche he dide in the puple, he seide, What is this that thou doist in the puple? whi sittist thou aloone, and al the puple abidith fro the morewtid til to euentid?
When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?”
15 To whom Moises answeride, The puple cometh to me, and axith the sentence of God;
“Because the people come to me to inquire of God,” Moses replied.
16 and whanne ony strijf bifallith to hem, thei comen to me, that Y deme bitwixe hem, and schewe `the comaundementis of God, and hise lawis.
“Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me to judge between one man and another, and I make known to them the statutes and laws of God.”
17 And Jetro seide, Thou doist a thing not good,
But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.
18 thou art wastid with a fonned trauel, bothe thou and this puple which is with thee; the werk is a boue thi strengthis, thou aloone maist not suffre it.
Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone.
19 But here thou my wordis and counseils, and the Lord schal be with thee; be thou to the puple in these thingis that perteynen to God, that thou telle the thingis that ben seid to the puple;
Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him.
20 and schewe to the puple the cerymonyes, and custom of worschipyng, and the weie bi which `thei owen to go, and the werk which `thei owen to do.
Teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do.
21 Forsothe puruey thou of al the puple myyti men, and dredynge God, in whiche is treuthe, and whiche haten auarice; and ordeyne thou of hem tribunes, and centuriouns, and quinquagenaries, and deenys,
Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
22 whiche schulen deme the puple in al tyme; sotheli what ever thing is grettere, telle thei to thee, and deme thei ooneli lesse thingis, and be it esiere to thee, whanne the burthun is departid in to othere men.
Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.
23 If thou schalt do this, thou schalt fille the comaundement of God, and thou schalt mowe bere hise comaundementis; and al this puple schal turne ayen with pees to her places.
If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.”
24 And whanne these thingis weren herd, Moises dide alle thingis whiche Jetro counselide.
Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.
25 And whanne noble men of al Israel weren chosun Moises ordeynede hem princis of the puple, tribunes, and centuriouns, and quinquagenaries, and denes,
So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
26 whiche demeden the puple in al tyme; forsothe, whateuer thing was hardere, thei telden to Moises, and thei demeden esiere thingis oneli.
And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves.
27 And Moises lefte `his alie, which turnede ayen, and yede in to his lond.
Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own land.