Exodus 18
1 Cumque audisset Iethro, sacerdos Madian, cognatus Moysi, omnia quae fecerat Deus Moysi, et Israeli populo suo, et quod eduxisset Dominus Israel de Aegypto:
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 tulit Sephoram uxorem Moysi quam remiserat:
After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her,
3 et duos filios eius, quorum unus vocabatur Gersam, dicente patre: Advena fui in terra aliena.
along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
4 Alter vero Eliezer: Deus enim, ait, patris mei adiutor meus, et eruit me de gladio Pharaonis.
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 Venit ergo Iethro cognatus Moysi, et filii eius, et uxor eius ad Moysen in desertum, ubi erat castrametatus iuxta montem Dei.
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 Et mandavit Moysi, dicens: Ego Iethro cognatus tuus venio ad te, et uxor tua, et duo filii cum ea.
He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”
7 Qui egressus in occursum cognati sui, adoravit, et osculatus est eum: salutaveruntque se mutuo verbis pacificis. Cumque intrasset tabernaculum,
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 narravit Moyses cognato suo cuncta quae fecerat Dominus Pharaoni, et Aegyptiis propter Israel: universumque laborem, qui accidisset eis in itinere, et quod liberaverat eos Dominus.
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 Laetatusque est Iethro super omnibus bonis, quae fecerat Dominus Israeli, eo quod eruisset eum de manu Aegyptiorum,
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 et ait: Benedictus Dominus, qui liberavit vos de manu Aegyptiorum, et de manu Pharaonis, qui eruit populum suum de manu Aegypti.
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 Nunc cognovi, quia magnus Dominus super omnes deos: eo quod superbe egerint contra illos.
Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.”
12 Obtulit ergo Iethro cognatus Moysi holocausta et hostias Domino: veneruntque Aaron et omnes seniores Israel, ut comederent panem cum eo coram Deo.
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 Altera autem die sedit Moyses ut iudicaret populum, qui assistebat Moysi a mane usque ad vesperam.
The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening.
14 Quod cum vidisset cognatus eius, omnia scilicet quae agebat in populo, ait: Quid est hoc quod facis in plebe? cur solus sedes, et omnis populus praestolatur de mane usque ad vesperam?
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 Cui respondit Moyses: Venit ad me populus quaerens sententiam Dei.
“Because the people come to me to inquire of God,” Moses replied.
16 Cumque acciderit eis aliqua disceptatio, veniunt ad me ut iudicem inter eos, et ostendam praecepta Dei, et leges eius.
“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 At ille: Non bonam, inquit, rem facis:
But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.
18 stulto labore consumeris et tu, et populus iste qui tecum est: ultra vires tuas est negotium, solus illud non poteris sustinere.
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 Sed audi verba mea atque consilia, et erit Dominus tecum. Esto tu populo in his quae ad Deum pertinent, ut referas quae dicuntur ad eum:
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 ostendasque populo ceremonias et ritum colendi, viamque per quam ingredi debeant, et opus quod facere debeant.
Teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do.
21 Provide autem de omni plebe viros sapientes, et timentes Deum, in quibus sit veritas, et qui oderint avaritiam, et constitue ex eis tribunos, et centuriones, et quinquagenarios, et decanos
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 qui iudicent populum omni tempore: quidquid autem maius fuerit, referant ad te, et ipsi minora tantummodo iudicent: leviusque sit tibi, partito in alios onere.
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 Si hoc feceris, implebis imperium Dei, et praecepta eius poteris sustentare: et omnis hic populus revertetur ad loca sua cum pace.
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 Quibus auditis, Moyses fecit omnia quae ille suggesserat.
Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.
25 Et electis viris strenuis de cuncto Israel, constituit eos principes populi, tribunos, et centuriones, et quinquagenarios, et decanos.
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 Qui iudicabant plebem omni tempore: quidquid autem gravius erat, referebant ad eum, faciliora tantummodo iudicantes.
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 Dimisitque cognatum suum: qui reversus abiit in terram suam.
Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own land.
