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.
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.
2 Jéthro, bòpè Moïse la, te pran Séphora, madanm a Moïse la apre li te fin voye li ale,
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,
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.”
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.”
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.”
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].”
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.
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.
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.”
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!”
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.
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.
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/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.
9 Jéthro te rejwi de tout bonte ke SENYÈ a te fè anvè Israël, lè l te delivre yo nan men Ejipsyen yo.
Jethro rejoiced when he heard all that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people.
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.
He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the powerful [MTY] Egyptian king and his army!
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 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].”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?”
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]?”
15 Moïse te di bòpè li: “Akoz pèp la vin kote mwen pou fè demann pou jijman Bondye.
Moses/I replied, “[I am doing this] because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.
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.”
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.”
17 Bòpè Moïse la te di li: “Sa ke w ap fè a pa bon.
Jethro said to him/me, “What you are doing is not good [for you or for the people].
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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].
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.
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.
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 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”].
24 Alò Moïse te koute bòpè li, e li te fè tout sa ke li te di yo.
Moses/I accepted what his/my father-in-law [Jethro] suggested.
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.
Moses/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.
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.
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.
27 Konsa, Moïse te di bòpè li orevwa, e li te fè wout li pou ale nan peyi li.
Then Moses/I said goodbye to his/my father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.
