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,

And when Jethro, the priest of Midian, the kinsman of Moses, had heard all that God had done for Moses, and for his people Israel, and that the Lord had led Israel away from Egypt,

2 he took Sefora, `the wijf of Moises, whom he hadde sent ayen,

he brought Zipporah, the wife of Moses, whom he was to return to him,

3 and hise twei sones, of which oon was clepid Gersan, for the fadir seide, Y was a comelyng in alien lond,

and her two sons, of whom one was called Gershom, (for his father said, “I have been a newcomer 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.

and the other in truth was Eliezer, (“For the God of my father,” he said, “is my helper, and has rescued 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;

And so Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, with his sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert, where he was encamped next to 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.

And he sent word to Moses, saying: “I, Jethro, your kinsman, have come to you, with your wife, and your two sons with her.”

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.

And going out to meet his kinsman, he reverenced and kissed him. And they saluted each other with peaceful words. And when he had arrived at 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.

Moses explained to his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on behalf of Israel, and all the hardships which had befallen them on the journey, and how the Lord had freed 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 was gladdened over all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, because he had rescued them 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;

And he said: “Blessed is the Lord, who has freed his people from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh; he has rescued his people from the hand of Egypt.

11 now Y knowe that the Lord is greet aboue alle goddis, for `thei diden proudli ayens hem.

Now I know that the great Lord is above all gods. This is why they acted arrogantly against them.”

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.

And so Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, offered holocausts and sacrifices to God. And Aaron arrived with all the elders of Israel, in order to eat bread with him in the sight 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.

Then, the next day, Moses sat down in order to judge the people, and they stood beside Moses from morning, even 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?

And when, of course, his kinsman saw all that he did among the people, he said: “What is this that you do among the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand before you, from morning, even until evening?”

15 To whom Moises answeride, The puple cometh to me, and axith the sentence of God;

And Moses answered him: “The people come to me seeking the verdict of God.

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.

And when any kind of dispute occurs among them, they come to me to judge between them, and to reveal the precepts of God and of his laws.”

17 And Jetro seide, Thou doist a thing not good,

But he said, “This is not good, what you are doing.

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.

You will be consumed by foolish efforts, both you and this people who are with you. The task is beyond your strength; you will not be able bear 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;

But listen to my words and counsels, and then God will be with you. Be available to the people in that which pertains to God, so as to refer what they say 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.

and to reveal to the people the ceremonies, and the rituals of worship, and the way by which they should progress, and the work that they should 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,

Then provide, from all of the people, men capable and fearing God, in whom there is truth and who hate avarice, and appoint from them tribunes, and leaders of hundreds, and 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.

who may judge the people at all times. Then, when anything greater will have occurred, they may refer it to you, and let them judge the lesser matters only. And so it may be lighter for you, the burden being divided among others.

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 will do this, you will fulfill the orders of God, and you will be able to uphold his precepts. And this entire people will return to their places in peace.”

24 And whanne these thingis weren herd, Moises dide alle thingis whiche Jetro counselide.

Having heard this, Moses did everything that he had suggested to him.

25 And whanne noble men of al Israel weren chosun Moises ordeynede hem princis of the puple, tribunes, and centuriouns, and quinquagenaries, and denes,

And choosing virtuous men from all of Israel, he appointed them as leaders of the people: tribunes, and leaders of hundreds, and 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. But whatever was more serious, they referred to him, and they judged easier matters only.

27 And Moises lefte `his alie, which turnede ayen, and yede in to his lond.

And he dismissed his kinsman, who, turning back, went to his own land.