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:
Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Moses and his people the Israelites, and how the Lord had led them out of Egypt.
2 tulit Sephoram uxorem Moysi quam remiserat:
When Moses had sent home his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had welcomed her,
3 et duos filios eius, quorum unus vocabatur Gersam, dicente patre: Advena fui in terra aliena.
together 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, because Moses had said, “The God of my father was my helper, and saved me from death at Pharaoh's hand.”
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, together with Moses' wife and sons, came to see him in the desert at the camp near the mountain of God.
6 Et mandavit Moysi, dicens: Ego Iethro cognatus tuus venio ad te, et uxor tua, et duo filii cum ea.
Moses was told beforehand, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to see you together 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,
Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other how they were and then 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.
Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians on behalf of the Israelites, about all the troubles they had experienced on the way, and about how the Lord had saved them.
9 Laetatusque est Iethro super omnibus bonis, quae fecerat Dominus Israeli, eo quod eruisset eum de manu Aegyptiorum,
Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when he'd saved them from 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 announced, “May the Lord be blessed, who saved you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh.
11 Nunc cognovi, quia magnus Dominus super omnes deos: eo quod superbe egerint contra illos.
This is so convincing to me that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he saved the people from the Egyptians when they acted so arrogantly towards the Israelites.”
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 presented a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with him in God's presence.
13 Altera autem die sedit Moyses ut iudicaret populum, qui assistebat Moysi a mane usque ad vesperam.
The following day Moses sat as a judge for the people, and they presented their cases to him from morning to 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 everything that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What's all this you're doing for the people? Why are you sitting alone as judge, with everyone presenting their cases to you from morning to evening?”
15 Cui respondit Moyses: Venit ad me populus quaerens sententiam Dei.
“Because the people come to me to ask God for his decision,” Moses replied.
16 Cumque acciderit eis aliqua disceptatio, veniunt ad me ut iudicem inter eos, et ostendam praecepta Dei, et leges eius.
“When they argue over something, the case is brought before me to decide between one them, and I explain to them the God's laws and regulations.”
17 At ille: Non bonam, inquit, rem facis:
Jethro told him, “What you're doing is not the best.
18 stulto labore consumeris et tu, et populus iste qui tecum est: ultra vires tuas est negotium, solus illud non poteris sustinere.
You, and these people who come to you, are all going to wear yourselves out, because the workload is far too heavy. You can't 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:
So please listen to me. I'm going to give you some advice, and God will be with you. Yes, you must continue to be the people's representative before God, and take their cases to him.
20 ostendasque populo ceremonias et ritum colendi, viamque per quam ingredi debeant, et opus quod facere debeant.
Go on teaching them the laws and regulations. Show them how to live and the work they are 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 now you should choose men who are competent from among the people, men who respect God and who are trustworthy and not corrupt. Put them in charge of the people as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and 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.
These men are to judge the people on a continuing basis. Major issues they can bring to you, but they can decide all the small matters themselves. In this way your burden will be made lighter 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 my advice, and if it's what God tells you to do, then you will be able to survive, and all these people can go home satisfied that their cases have been heard.”
24 Quibus auditis, Moyses fecit omnia quae ille suggesserat.
Moses listened to what his father-in-law said and followed all his advice.
25 Et electis viris strenuis de cuncto Israel, constituit eos principes populi, tribunos, et centuriones, et quinquagenarios, et decanos.
So Moses chose competent men from all of Israel and put them in charge of the people as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
26 Qui iudicabant plebem omni tempore: quidquid autem gravius erat, referebant ad eum, faciliora tantummodo iudicantes.
They acted as judges for the people on a continuing basis. They brought the difficult cases to Moses, but they would judge the small matters themselves.
27 Dimisitque cognatum suum: qui reversus abiit in terram suam.
Then Moses sent Jethro on his way, and he went back to his own country.
