Okuva 18
1 Yesero, kabona w’e Midiyaani, era kitaawe wa mukyala wa Musa, n’awulira byonna Katonda bye yakolera Musa n’abantu be, Abayisirayiri; era nga Mukama yaggya Isirayiri mu Misiri.
Jethro, who was the priest for the Midian people-group, and who was also Moses’/my father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for the Israeli people. He heard about how Yahweh had brought them out of Egypt.
2 Ye yalabiriranga Zipola, mukyala wa Musa; kubanga Musa yali amuzzizza ewaabwe ng’amumulekedde,
Moses/I had [previously] sent his/my wife Zipporah [back home when he/I was returning to Egypt]. But now Jethro came to him/me,
3 ne batabani be babiri. Mutabani we omu yamutuuma Gerusomu, kubanga Musa yagamba nti, “Mbadde mugwira mu nsi etali yange;”
bringing Zipporah and their/our two sons. One son was named Gershom, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘foreigner’], because he/I had said, “I have been a foreigner living in another land.”
4 n’erinnya ly’omulala lyali Eryeza, kubanga yagamba nti, “Katonda wa kitange ye yali omubeezi wange, era n’amponya ekitala kya Falaawo.”
Her other son was named Eliezer, [which sounds like the Hebrew words that mean ‘God helps me’], because [he/I] had said “God, whom my father [worshiped], has helped me and saved [me] from being killed [MTY] by the king [of Egypt].”
5 Yesero, mukoddomi wa Musa, n’ajja ne batabani ba Musa ne mukyala we eri Musa mu ddungu, we yali asiisidde okuliraana olusozi lwa Katonda.
While Moses/I was camped [with the Israeli people] in the desert [near Sinai], God’s sacred/holy mountain, Jethro came to him/me, bringing along Moses’/my wife and our [two] sons.
6 Yesero yali amutumidde nti, “Nze Yesero mukoddomi wo, nzija okukulabako. Ndi ne mukyala wo ne batabani be bombi.”
Jethro had sent a message to Moses/me, “I, your father-in-law, Jethro, am coming to see you, bringing along your wife and your two sons!”
7 Awo Musa n’afuluma n’agenda okwaniriza mukoddomi we; n’akutamako ng’amulamusa, n’amugwa mu kifuba. Ne balamusaganya, n’oluvannyuma ne bayingira mu weema.
So Moses/I went out of the campsite to meet his/my father-in-law. He/I bowed before him, and kissed him [on the cheek]. (They both/We) asked each other, “Have you been healthy?” Then they/we went into [Moses’/my] tent.
8 Musa n’anyumiza mukoddomi we ebyo byonna Mukama bye yakola Falaawo n’Abamisiri ng’abalanga Isirayiri; n’ebizibu ebyabatuukako mu lugendo lwabe, ne Mukama nga bwe yabibawonya.
Moses/I told Jethro everything that Yahweh had done to the king and all the [other] people in Egypt for the sake of the Israeli people. He/I also told him about the troubles/problems they/we had experienced on the way, and how Yahweh had helped them/us.
9 Yesero n’asanyuka nnyo okuwulira ebirungi ebyo byonna Mukama bye yakolera Isirayiri, ng’abanunula ku Bamisiri.
Jethro rejoiced when he heard all that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people.
10 Yesero n’agamba nti, “Mukama atenderezebwe eyabanunula mu mikono gy’Abamisiri ne mu mukono gwa Falaawo, n’aggya abantu be mu mikono gy’Abamisiri.
He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the powerful [MTY] Egyptian king and his army!
11 Kaakano ntegedde nga Mukama mukulu wa kitiibwa okukira bakatonda bonna, kubanga yanunula abantu be mu mikono gyabo abaali babeeragirako.”
Now I realize that Yahweh is greater than all other gods, because he rescued you all from the power [MTY] of the proud Egyptians when [they] were causing you [to suffer].”
12 Awo Yesero, mukoddomi wa Musa, n’awaayo eri Katonda ekiweebwayo ekyokye ne ssaddaaka endala; Alooni n’abakulembeze ba Isirayiri bonna ne balya ne mukoddomi wa Musa emmere mu maaso ga Katonda.
Then Jethro sacrificed an animal by burning it completely on the altar [as an offering], and he also offered other sacrifices to God. Aaron and the Israeli elders/leaders went with them/us to eat a sacred meal with Jethro.
13 Awo bwe bwakya enkya, Musa n’atuula ku ntebe ye okulamula abantu. Abantu ne bamwetooloola okuva enkya okutuusa akawungeezi.
The next day, Moses/I sat down at the place where he/I settled disputes among the people. The people were continually bringing their disputes to Moses/me, from morning until evening.
14 Mukoddomi we bwe yalaba Musa bye yali akolera abantu, n’amugamba nti, “Kiki kino ky’okola? Lwaki olamula bw’omu, abantu bano bonna ne bayimirira okukwetooloola okuva ku nkya okutuusa akawungeezi?”
When Jethro saw everything that Moses/I was doing for the people, he said, “(Why are you doing all this for the people?/You should not be doing all this for the people!) [RHQ] Why are you doing this by yourself, and all the people are crowding around you, from morning until evening, [asking you to make decisions for them] [RHQ]?”
15 Musa n’addamu mukoddomi we nti, “Kubanga abantu bajja gye ndi bategeere Katonda by’ayagala.
Moses/I replied, “[I am doing this] because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.
16 Buli lwe babeera n’obutakkiriziganya, bajja gye ndi, ne mbasalirawo, era ne mbategeeza amateeka ga Katonda n’ebiragiro bye.”
When they have a dispute about something, they come to me, and they ask me to decide which of them is right. I also tell them all of God’s laws and instructions.”
17 Mukoddomi wa Musa n’amugamba nti, “Ky’okola si kirungi.
Jethro said to him/me, “What you are doing is not good [for you or for the people].
18 Ggwe, n’abantu bano bonna abajja gy’oli, mujja kukoowa nnyo. Kubanga omulimu guno munene nnyo; tosobola kugukola bw’omu.
You and these people will (wear yourselves out/become exhausted)! This work is too much for one person. You are not able to do it by yourself.
19 Nkusaba ompulirize nkusalire ku magezi, ne Katonda ng’ali naawe. Osaana obeere omubaka w’abantu ewa Katonda, era omutuusengako ensonga zaabwe.
Now listen to some good advice [MTY] I will give to you. [If you do what I suggest], God will help you. You should continue to speak to God and tell him about the people’s disputes.
20 Bayigirize amateeka n’ebiragiro, era obalage nga bwe basaana okweyisanga, awamu n’emirimu gye basaanidde okukola.
You should [also] teach the people what God has commanded and instructed you. You should also explain to them how they should conduct their lives, and the things that they should do.
21 Londayo abasajja abalina ebisaanyizo, ng’obaggya mu bantu bonna, abasajja abatya Katonda, ab’amazima era abatalya nguzi; obawe obukulembeze, ng’abamu bavunaanyizibwa abantu enkumi, n’abalala abantu ebikumi, n’abamu ebibiina eby’ataano n’abalala eby’ekkumi kkumi.
But in addition, you should choose some [other men to help you]. Choose men who have reverence for God and who will not accept bribes. Appoint some of them to make decisions [for groups of] ten people, [some for groups of] 50 [people], [some for groups of] 100 [people], [and some for groups of] 1,000 [people].
22 Bawe obuyinza okulamulanga abantu ebbanga lyonna, naye ng’emisango emizibu bagikuleetera, emisango emyangu bo bagisalenga. Ekyo kinaawewulanga ku buzito bw’omugugu gwo, kubanga banaabanga bagukukwatirako.
Allow them to serve permanently to settle disputes for the people. The difficult matters the people can bring to you; but the matters that are not difficult, they can decide themselves. That will make the work easier for you, as they help you do that work.
23 Singa okola bw’otyo, nga ne Katonda bw’akulagidde, ojja kusobola okugumira emirimu egyo, era n’abantu bano bonna balyoke baddeyo ewaabwe nga basanyuse.”
If you do that, and [I think that] God is telling you to do it (OR, if God tells you to do it), you will not become exhausted, and all the people will be able to go home feeling satisfied about the decisions, [with their disputes settled quickly”].
24 Musa bw’atyo n’awuliriza amagezi gonna mukoddomi we ge yamuwa, n’akolera ku ebyo byonna bye yamubuulirira.
Moses/I accepted what his/my father-in-law [Jethro] suggested.
25 Musa n’alonda mu Isirayiri yonna abasajja abasobola, n’abafuula abakulembeze b’abantu; nga bavunaanyizibwa enkumi, n’abalala ebikumi, n’abamu amakumi ataano ataano, n’abalala kkumi kkumi.
Moses/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.
26 Ne balamula abantu ebbanga lyonna. Emisango emizibu nga bagireetera Musa, naye emyangu nga bagisala.
They were appointed permanently to make decisions about the people’s disputes. They brought the difficult cases to Moses/me, but they decided the matters that were not difficult by themselves.
27 Awo Musa n’asiibula mukoddomi we, mukoddomi we n’akwata ekkubo ne yeddirayo mu nsi y’ewaabwe.
Then Moses/I said goodbye to his/my father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.
