Kobima 18
1 Jetro, Nganga-Nzambe ya Madiani mpe bokilo ya Moyize, ayokaki makambo nyonso oyo Nzambe asalelaki Moyize mpe Isalaele, bato na Ye, mpe ndenge nini Yawe abimisaki Isalaele na Ejipito.
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 Jetro amemaki Sefora, mwasi ya Moyize, oyo ye Moyize azongisaki nanu epai ya baboti na ye,
When Moses had sent home his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had welcomed her,
3 elongo na bana mibali mibale oyo Sefora abotelaki Moyize. Mwana ya liboso, kombo na ye ezalaki « Gerishomi, » pamba te Moyize amilobelaki: « Nakomaki mopaya kati na mokili ya mopaya; »
together with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
4 mwana ya mibale, kombo na ye ezalaki « Eliezeri, » pamba te amilobelaki: « Nzambe ya tata na ngai asungaki ngai mpe akangolaki ngai wuta na mopanga ya Faraon. »
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 Jetro, bokilo ya Moyize, elongo na bana mibali ya Moyize mpe mwasi ya Moyize bayaki epai ya Moyize, na esobe epai wapi batongaki molako pembeni ya ngomba ya Nzambe.
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 Jetro atindelaki Moyize maloba oyo: — Ngai Jetro, bokilo na yo, nazali koya epai na yo elongo na mwasi na yo mpe bana na yo mibale ya mibali.
Moses was told beforehand, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to see you together with your wife and her two sons.”
7 Moyize abimaki mpo na kokutana na bokilo na ye; agumbamaki liboso na ye mpe apesaki ye beze. Batunanaki basango ya moko na moko mpe bakotaki na ndako ya kapo.
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 Moyize ayebisaki bokilo na ye makambo nyonso oyo Yawe asalaki Faraon mpe bato ya Ejipito mpo na kokangola Isalaele, pasi nyonso oyo bakutanaki na yango na nzela mpe ndenge nini Yawe abikisaki bango.
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 Jetro asepelaki koyoka makambo wana nyonso ya kitoko oyo Yawe asalelaki bana ya Isalaele tango akangolaki bango wuta na maboko ya bato ya Ejipito.
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 Jetro alobaki: — Tika ete Yawe akumisama, Ye oyo akangolaki yo wuta na maboko ya bato ya Ejipito mpe ya Faraon, Ye oyo akangolaki bato wuta na bowumbu ya bato ya Ejipito.
Jethro announced, “May the Lord be blessed, who saved you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh.
11 Nandimi sik’oyo ete Yawe azali monene koleka banzambe nyonso, pamba te asali makambo ya lolenge oyo epai ya banyokoli ya Isalaele.
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 Bongo Jetro, bokilo ya Moyize, abonzelaki Nzambe mbeka ya kotumba mpe bambeka mosusu. Aron elongo na bakambi nyonso ya Isalaele bayaki mpo na kolia lipa elongo na bokilo ya Moyize, na miso ya Nzambe.
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 Mokolo oyo elandaki, Moyize avandaki mpo na kosambisa bato. Bato batelemaki liboso ya Moyize, kobanda na tongo kino na pokwa.
The following day Moses sat as a judge for the people, and they presented their cases to him from morning to evening.
14 Tango bokilo na ye amonaki makambo nyonso oyo Moyize azalaki kosala mpo na bato, alobaki: — Mpo na nini ozali kosala bongo tango ozali kotala makambo ya bato? Mpo na nini ozali yo moko lokola mosambisi? Mpo na nini bato oyo nyonso batelemi pembeni na yo, kobanda na tongo kino na pokwa?
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 Moyize azongiselaki ye: — Bayaka epai na ngai mpo na kotuna toli ya Nzambe.
“Because the people come to me to ask God for his decision,” Moses replied.
16 Soki bazali na kowelana, bayaka epai na ngai; mpe ngai nakataka makambo, sima nalakisaka bango mibeko mpe bikateli ya Nzambe.
“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 Bokilo ya Moyize alobaki na ye: — Lolenge na yo ya kosala ezali malamu te.
Jethro told him, “What you're doing is not the best.
18 Okolemba noki elongo na bato oyo bazali koya epai na yo. Mosala oyo eleki makasi mpo na yo; okolonga kosala yango yo moko te.
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 Yoka sik’oyo toli oyo nalingi kopesa yo, mpe tika ete Nzambe azala na yo. Mosala na yo ezali: kozala molobeli ya bato liboso ya Nzambe, komema mikumba na bango epai ya Nzambe
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 mpe kolakisa bango bikateli elongo na mibeko oyo ekotalisa bango nzela ya kolanda mpe makambo oyo basengeli kosala.
Go on teaching them the laws and regulations. Show them how to live and the work they are to do.
21 Mpe lisusu, kati na bato, pona mibali ya mayele, oyo batosaka Nzambe, oyo bato bakoki kotiela motema mpo ete basalelaka bosembo mpe bazwaka kanyaka te. Okotia bango lokola bakambi ya bato: bakambi ya bankoto, ya bankama, ya batuku mitano mpe ya bazomi.
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 Okopesa bango mosala ya kosambisa bato tango nyonso mpe ndingisa ya kokata bango moko makambo ya mike; kasi babanda komemela yo kaka makambo ya minene. Soki osali bongo, okozala lisusu na mokumba ya makasi te; pamba te okokabola yango elongo na bango.
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 Soki osaleli toli oyo napesi yo mpe soki Nzambe akambi yo, okolonga, mpe bato oyo nyonso bakobanda kozonga na esengo epai na bango.
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 Moyize ayokaki toli oyo bokilo na ye apesaki ye mpe asalelaki makambo nyonso oyo alobaki.
Moses listened to what his father-in-law said and followed all his advice.
25 Moyize aponaki bato ya mayele kati na bana ya Isalaele mpe akomisaki bango bakambi ya bato: bakambi ya bankoto, ya bankama, ya batuku mitano mpe ya bazomi.
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 Bazalaki tango nyonso kati na bato mpo na kosambisa bato mpe kokata makambo; bazalaki kokata bango moko makambo ya mike, kasi bazalaki komema oyo ya minene epai ya Moyize.
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 Moyize apesaki nzela ete bokilo na ye akende, mpe Jetro azongaki na mokili na ye.
Then Moses sent Jethro on his way, and he went back to his own country.
