Egzòd 18
1 Alò Jéthro, prèt Madian an, bòpè Moïse la, te tande tout sa ke Bondye te fè pou Moïse, ak pou Israël, pèp li a. Jan SENYÈ a te mennen Israël sòti an Égypte.
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 Jéthro, bòpè Moïse la, te pran Séphora, madanm a Moïse la apre li te fin voye li ale,
he brought Zipporah, the wife of Moses, whom he was to return to him,
3 ansanm avèk de fis li yo. Youn nan yo te nonmen Guerschom, paske Moïse te di: “Mwen te yon vwayajè nan yon peyi etranje.”
and her two sons, of whom one was called Gershom, (for his father said, “I have been a newcomer in a foreign land,”)
4 Lòt la te nonmen Eliézer, paske li te di: “Bondye a papa m nan te ed mwen, e Li te delivre m anba nepe Farawon.”
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 Alò, Jéthro, bòpè Moïse la te vini avèk fis li yo ak madanm li vè Moïse nan dezè kote li te fè kan an, akote mòn Bondye a.
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 Li te voye di Moïse: “Mwen menm, bòpè ou Jéthro, ap vin kote ou avèk madanm ou, ak de fis li yo avè l.”
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 Alò, Moïse te sòti pou rankontre bòpè li. Li te bese ba e li te bo li, epi yo chak te mande lòt kijan yo te ye, epi yo te antre nan tant la.
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 Moïse te pale bòpè li de tout sa ke SENYÈ a te fè Farawon an, ak Ejipsyen yo pou koz Israël, tout traka ki te vini sou yo nan vwayaj la, ak jan SENYÈ a te delivre yo.
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 Jéthro te rejwi de tout bonte ke SENYÈ a te fè anvè Israël, lè l te delivre yo nan men Ejipsyen yo.
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 Konsa, Jéthro te di: “Beni se SENYÈ a ki te delivre ou nan men Ejipsyen yo, ak nan men Farawon, e ki te delivre pèp la anba men Ejipsyen yo.
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 Koulye a mwen konnen ke SENYÈ a pi gran ke tout dye yo, akoz jan yo te aji nan ògèy kont pèp la.”
Now I know that the great Lord is above all gods. This is why they acted arrogantly against them.”
12 Epi Jéthro, bòpè Moïse la te fè yon ofrann brile avèk sakrifis pou Bondye. Aaron te vini avèk tout ansyen Israël yo pou manje yon repa avèk bòpè Moïse la devan Bondye.
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 Li te vin rive nan pwochen jou a ke Moïse te chita pou jije pèp la, e pèp la te kanpe antoure Moïse soti nan maten a rive jis aswè.
Then, the next day, Moses sat down in order to judge the people, and they stood beside Moses from morning, even until evening.
14 Alò, lè bòpè Moïse la te wè tout sa ke li te fè pou pèp la, li te di: “Kisa ke w ap fè pou pèp la konsa la a? Poukisa ou chita ou sèl ou tankou jij, e tout pèp la kanpe antoure ou soti nan maten, rive jis aswè?”
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 Moïse te di bòpè li: “Akoz pèp la vin kote mwen pou fè demann pou jijman Bondye.
And Moses answered him: “The people come to me seeking the verdict of God.
16 Depi yo gen kont yo vin kote mwen, mwen jije antre yon nonm avèk vwazen li e mwen fè konnen règleman Bondye avèk lalwa Li yo.”
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 Bòpè Moïse la te di li: “Sa ke w ap fè a pa bon.
But he said, “This is not good, what you are doing.
18 Ou va anverite vin epwize ou nèt, ni ou menm, ni pèp ki avè w la, paske tach la twò lou pou ou. Ou p ap kapab fè l pou kont ou.
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 “Koulye a, koute mwen. M ap ba ou konsèy, e ke Bondye kapab avè w. Ou va reprezante pèp la devan Bondye, e ou va mennen dispit yo devan Bondye.
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 Epi enstwi yo nan règleman avèk lalwa yo, e fè yo konnen nan chemen ke yo dwe mache a, ak travay ke yo dwe fè a.
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 “Anplis de sa, ou va chwazi pami tout pèp la, mesye ki kapab yo ki gen lakrent Bondye, moun ak verite, ki rayi richès malonèt. Konsa, ou va plase yo sou pèp la kòm chèf sou milye, sou santèn, sou senkantèn, ak sou dis.
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 Kite yo jije pèp la nan tout lè. Konsa, kite sa fèt ke chak gwo ka va vini devan ou, men chak ti ka, yo menm yo va jije yo. “Konsa li va pi fasil pou ou, e yo va pote chaj la avèk ou.
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 Si ou fè bagay sa a jan Bondye kòmande ou a, alò, ou va gen kouraj pou andire, e anplis, tout moun sa yo va ale lakay yo anpè.”
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 Alò Moïse te koute bòpè li, e li te fè tout sa ke li te di yo.
Having heard this, Moses did everything that he had suggested to him.
25 Moïse te chwazi mesye avèk kapasite pami tout Israël, e li te fè yo chèf sou pèp la, chèf sou dè milye, chèf sou dè santèn, chèf sou dè senkantèn, e sou dè dizèn.
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 Yo te jije pèp la nan tout tan. Ka ki difisil yo te mennen kote Moïse, e chak ti ka, yo te jije yo pou kont yo.
And they judged the people at all times. But whatever was more serious, they referred to him, and they judged easier matters only.
27 Konsa, Moïse te di bòpè li orevwa, e li te fè wout li pou ale nan peyi li.
And he dismissed his kinsman, who, turning back, went to his own land.
