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 news came to Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, of all God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, and how the Lord had taken Israel out of Egypt.
2 tulit Sephoram uxorem Moysi quam remiserat:
And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away,
3 et duos filios eius, quorum unus vocabatur Gersam, dicente patre: Advena fui in terra aliena.
And her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom, for he said, I have been living in a strange land:
4 Alter vero Eliezer: Deus enim, ait, patris mei adiutor meus, et eruit me de gladio Pharaonis.
And the name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, The God of my father was my help, and kept me safe 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.
And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to where Moses had put up his tent in the waste land, by the mountain of God.
6 Et mandavit Moysi, dicens: Ego Iethro cognatus tuus venio ad te, et uxor tua, et duo filii cum ea.
And he said to Moses, I, your father-in-law, have come to you, with your wife and your two sons.
7 Qui egressus in occursum cognati sui, adoravit, et osculatus est eum: salutaveruntque se mutuo verbis pacificis. Cumque intrasset tabernaculum,
And Moses went out to his father-in-law, and went down on his face before him and gave him a kiss; and they said to one another, Are you well? and they came 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.
And Moses gave his father-in-law an account of all the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians because of Israel, and of all the troubles which had come on them by the way, and how the Lord had given them salvation.
9 Laetatusque est Iethro super omnibus bonis, quae fecerat Dominus Israeli, eo quod eruisset eum de manu Aegyptiorum,
And Jethro was glad because the Lord had been good to Israel, freeing them from the power 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.
And Jethro said, Praise be to the Lord, who has taken you out of the hand of Pharaoh and out of the hand of the Egyptians; freeing the people from the yoke of the Egyptians.
11 Nunc cognovi, quia magnus Dominus super omnes deos: eo quod superbe egerint contra illos.
Now I am certain that the Lord is greater than all gods, for he has overcome them in their pride.
12 Obtulit ergo Iethro cognatus Moysi holocausta et hostias Domino: veneruntque Aaron et omnes seniores Israel, ut comederent panem cum eo coram Deo.
Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, made a burned offering to God: and Aaron came, with the chiefs of Israel, and had a meal with Moses' father-in-law, before God.
13 Altera autem die sedit Moyses ut iudicaret populum, qui assistebat Moysi a mane usque ad vesperam.
Now on the day after, Moses took his seat to give decisions for the people: and the people were waiting before Moses from morning till 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?
And when Moses' father-in-law saw all he was doing, he said, What is this you are doing for the people? why are you seated here by yourself, with all the people waiting before you from morning till evening?
15 Cui respondit Moyses: Venit ad me populus quaerens sententiam Dei.
And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to get directions from God:
16 Cumque acciderit eis aliqua disceptatio, veniunt ad me ut iudicem inter eos, et ostendam praecepta Dei, et leges eius.
And if they have any question between themselves, they come to me, and I am judge between a man and his neighbour, and I give them the orders and laws of God.
17 At ille: Non bonam, inquit, rem facis:
And 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.
Your strength and that of the people will be completely used up: this work is more than you are able to do by yourself.
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:
Give ear now to my suggestion, and may God be with you: you are to be the people's representative before God, taking their causes to him:
20 ostendasque populo ceremonias et ritum colendi, viamque per quam ingredi debeant, et opus quod facere debeant.
Teaching them his rules and his laws, guiding them in the way they have to go, and making clear to them the work they have to 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
But for the rest, take from among the people able men, such as have the fear of God, true men hating profits wrongly made; and put such men over them, to be captains of thousands, captains of hundreds and 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.
And let them be judges in the causes of the people at all times: and let them put before you all important questions, but in small things let them give decisions themselves: in this way, it will be less hard for you, and they will take the weight off 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 do this, and God gives approval, then you will be able to go on without weariness, and all this people will go to their tents in peace.
24 Quibus auditis, Moyses fecit omnia quae ille suggesserat.
So Moses took note of the words of his father-in-law, and did as he had said.
25 Et electis viris strenuis de cuncto Israel, constituit eos principes populi, tribunos, et centuriones, et quinquagenarios, et decanos.
And he made selection of able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, captains of thousands, captains of hundreds and of fifties and of tens.
26 Qui iudicabant plebem omni tempore: quidquid autem gravius erat, referebant ad eum, faciliora tantummodo iudicantes.
And they were judges in the causes of the people at all times: the hard questions they put before Moses; but on every small point they gave decisions themselves.
27 Dimisitque cognatum suum: qui reversus abiit in terram suam.
And Moses let his father-in-law go away, and he went back to his land.
