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:

When Iethro the Priest of Midian Moses father in lawe heard all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and howe the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt,

2 tulit Sephoram uxorem Moysi quam remiserat:

Then Iethro the father in lawe of Moses, tooke 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 sonnes, (whereof the one was called Gershom: for he sayd, I haue bene an aliant 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 the God of my father, said he, was mine helpe, and deliuered 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.

And Iethro Moses father in law came with his two sonnes, and his wife vnto Moses into the wildernes, where he camped by ye mout 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 thy father in law Iethro am come to thee, and thy wife and her two sonnes with her.

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 meete his father in law, and did obeisance and kissed him, and eche asked other of his welfare: 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.

Then Moses told his father in law all that the Lord had done vnto Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians for Israels sake, and all the trauaile that had come vnto them by the way, and howe the Lord deliuered them.

9 Laetatusque est Iethro super omnibus bonis, quae fecerat Dominus Israeli, eo quod eruisset eum de manu Aegyptiorum,

And Iethro reioyced at all the goodnesse, which the Lord had shewed to Israel, and because he had deliuered them out of the hande 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.

Therfore Iethro sayd, Blessed be the Lord who hath deliuered you out of the hande of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh: who hath also deliuered the people from vnder 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 then all the gods: for as they haue dealt proudly with them, so are they recompensed.

12 Obtulit ergo Iethro cognatus Moysi holocausta et hostias Domino: veneruntque Aaron et omnes seniores Israel, ut comederent panem cum eo coram Deo.

Then Iethro Moses father in lawe tooke burnt offerings and sacrifices to offer vnto God. And Aaron and all the Elders of Israel came to eat bread 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 morow, when Moses sate to iudge the people, the people stoode about Moses from morning vnto euen.

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 that he did to the people, he sayde, What is this that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thy selfe alone, and all the people stande about thee from morning vnto euen?

15 Cui respondit Moyses: Venit ad me populus quaerens sententiam Dei.

And Moses sayd vnto his father in law, Because the people come vnto me to seeke God.

16 Cumque acciderit eis aliqua disceptatio, veniunt ad me ut iudicem inter eos, et ostendam praecepta Dei, et leges eius.

When they haue a matter, they come vnto me, and I iudge betweene one and another, and declare the ordinances of God, and his lawes.

17 At ille: Non bonam, inquit, rem facis:

But Moses father in law said vnto him, The thing which thou doest, is not well.

18 stulto labore consumeris et tu, et populus iste qui tecum est: ultra vires tuas est negotium, solus illud non poteris sustinere.

Thou both weariest thy selfe greatly, and this people that is with thee: for the thing is too heauie for thee: thou art not able to doe it thy selfe 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:

Heare nowe my voyce, (I will giue thee counsell, and God shalbe with thee) be thou for the people to Godwarde, and report thou the causes vnto God,

20 ostendasque populo ceremonias et ritum colendi, viamque per quam ingredi debeant, et opus quod facere debeant.

And admonish them of the ordinances, and of the lawes, and shew them the way, wherein they must walke, and the worke that 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

Moreouer, prouide thou among al the people men of courage, fearing God, men dealing truely, hating couetousnesse: and appoynt such ouer them to be rulers ouer thousandes, rulers ouer hundreths, rulers ouer fifties, and rulers ouer tennes.

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 iudge the people at all seasons: but euery great matter let them bring vnto thee, and let them iudge all small causes: so shall it be easier for thee, when they shall beare the burden with thee.

23 Si hoc feceris, implebis imperium Dei, et praecepta eius poteris sustentare: et omnis hic populus revertetur ad loca sua cum pace.

If thou do this thing, (and God so command thee) both thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go quietly to their place.

24 Quibus auditis, Moyses fecit omnia quae ille suggesserat.

So Moses obeyed the voyce of his father in law, and did all that he had sayd:

25 Et electis viris strenuis de cuncto Israel, constituit eos principes populi, tribunos, et centuriones, et quinquagenarios, et decanos.

And Moses chose men of courage out of all Israel, and made them heads ouer the people, rulers ouer thousandes, rulers ouer hundreths, rulers ouer fifties, and rulers ouer tennes.

26 Qui iudicabant plebem omni tempore: quidquid autem gravius erat, referebant ad eum, faciliora tantummodo iudicantes.

And they iudged the people at all seasons, but they brought the hard causes vnto Moses: for they iudged all small matters themselues.

27 Dimisitque cognatum suum: qui reversus abiit in terram suam.

Afterward Moses let his father in law depart, and he went into his countrey.