U-Eksodusi 18
1 UJethro, umphristi waseMidiyani owayenguyisezala kaMosi, wezwa konke uNkulunkulu ayekwenzele uMosi labantu bakhe bako-Israyeli, lokuthi uThixo wayebakhuphe njani eGibhithe abako-Israyeli.
And when Jethro the priest of Madian, the kinsman of Moses, had heard all the things that God had done to Moses, and to Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought forth Israel out of Egypt,
2 Ngemva kokuba uMosi esethumele umkakhe uZiphora kibo, uyisezala uJethro wamemukela,
He took Sephora the wife of Moses whom he had sent back:
3 lamadodana akhe amabili. Eyinye indodana kwakuthiwa nguGeshomu, ngoba uMosi wathi, “Sengibe ngumuntu wezizweni elizweni elingayisilo lami.”
And her two sons, of whom one was called Gersam, his father saying: I have been a stranger in a foreign country.
4 Eyinye kwakuthiwa ngu-Eliyezari ngoba wathi, “UNkulunkulu kababa wayengumsizi wami: wangisindisa enkembeni kaFaro.”
And the other Eliezer: For the God of my father, said he, is my helper, and hath delivered me from the sword of Pharao.
5 UJethro, uyisezala kaMosi kanye lamadodana lenkosikazi kaMosi beza kuye enkangala lapho ayehlala khona eduzane lentaba kaNkulunkulu.
And Jethro the kinsman of Moses came with his sons and his wife, to Moses into the desert, where he was camped by the mountain of God.
6 UJethro wayethumele ilizwi kuye wathi, “Mina uyihlozala uJethro ngiyeza kuwe lenkosikazi yakho lamadodana ayo amabili.”
And he sent word to Moses, saying: I Jethro thy kinsman come to thee, and thy wife, and thy two sons with her.
7 Ngakho uMosi waphuma wayahlangabeza uyisezala wasemkhothamela, wamanga. Babingelelana basebengena ethenteni.
And he went out to meet his kinsman, and worshipped and kissed him: and they saluted one another with words of peace. And when he was come into the tent,
8 UMosi watshela uyisezala ngakho konke uThixo ayekwenze kuFaro labantu baseGibhithe ngenxa yabantu bako-Israyeli langezinhlupho zonke ezabehlela endleleni lokuthi uThixo wayebasindise njani.
Moses told his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharao, and the Egyptians, in favour of Israel: and all the labour which had befallen them in the journey, and that the Lord had delivered them.
9 UJethro wathokoza ukuzwa ngezinto zonke ezinhle uThixo ayezenzele u-Israyeli ekubasindiseni esandleni samaGibhithe.
And Jethro rejoiced for all the good things that the Lord had done to Israel, because he had delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians.
10 Wathi, “Kadunyiswe uThixo owalisindisa esandleni samaGibhithe loFaro, njalo owasindisa abantu esandleni samaGibhithe.
And he said: Blessed is the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of Pharao, and out of the hand of the Egyptians, who hath delivered his people out of the hand of Egypt.
11 Khathesi sengikwazi ukuthi uThixo ulamandla ukwedlula abanye onkulunkulu ngenxa yokuthi wenza lokhu kubo bonke abaphatha u-Israyeli ngobuqholo.”
Now I know that the Lord is great above all gods: because they dealt proudly against them.
12 Lapho-ke uJethro, uyisezala kaMosi, waletha umnikelo wokutshiswa leminye imihlatshelo kuNkulunkulu, njalo u-Aroni weza labadala bako-Israyeli ukuze bazokudla isinkwa loyisezala kaMosi phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
So Jethro the kinsman of Moses offered holocausts and sacrifices to God: and Aaron and all the ancients of Israel came, to eat bread with them before God.
13 Ngelanga elilandelayo uMosi wathatha isihlalo sakhe sokuba ngumthonisi wabantu, njalo bema bemgombolozele kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba ntambama.
And the next day Moses sat, to judge the people, who stood by Moses from morning until night.
14 Kwathi uyisezala esebone konke uMosi ayekwenzela abantu wathi, “Kuyini lokhu okwenzela abantu? Kungani uhlala unguwe wedwa ukuba ngumahluli, abantu bonke bemi bekuhanqile kusukela ekuseni kuze kube kusihlwa?”
And when his kinsman had seen all things that he did among the people, he said: What is it that thou dost among the people? Why sittest thou alone, and all the people wait from morning till night.
15 UMosi wamphendula wathi, “Ngenxa yokuthi abantu beza kimi ukuzodinga intando kaNkulunkulu.
And Moses answered him: The people come to me to seek the judgment of God.
16 Lapho kusiba lengxabano, ilethwa kimi, njalo ngiyahlulela emaceleni womabili besengibatshela ngemithetho lemilayo kaNkulunkulu.”
And when any controversy falleth out among them, they come to me to judge between them, and to shew the precepts of God, and his laws.
17 Uyisezala kaMosi waphendula wathi, “Konke okwenzayo kakulunganga.
But he said: The thing thou dost is not good.
18 Wena labantu laba abeza kuwe lizazidinisa. Umsebenzi lo unzima kuwe: ungeke wawenza wedwa.
Thou are spent with foolish labour, both thou and this people that is with thee: the business is above thy strength, thou alone canst not bear it.
19 Ngilalela ngikucebise, njalo uNkulunkulu makabe lawe. Kumele ube ngummeli wabantu kuNkulunkulu, ulethe ingxabano zabo kuye.
But hear my words and counsels, and God shall be with thee. Be thou to the people in those things that pertain to God, to bring their words to him:
20 Bafundise izimiso lemithetho yakhe, ubatshengise indlela yokuphila lokuthi baziphathe njani.
And to shew the people the ceremonies and the manner of worshipping, and the way wherein they ought to walk, and the work that they ought to do.
21 Kodwa khetha amadoda alamandla phakathi kwabantu bonke, amadoda amesabayo uNkulunkulu, azonda inzuzo eza ngobuqili, ubusubabeka babe zinduna zezinkulungwane, zamakhulu, zamatshumi amahlanu, lezamatshumi.
And provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, in whom there is truth, and that hate avarice, and appoint of them rulers of thousands, and of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens.
22 Benze babe ngabahluleli babantu ngezikhathi zonke, kodwa kabalethe wonke amacala anzima kuwe bona baqume amacala alula. Lokho kuzakwenza ukuthi umthwalo wakho ube lula ngoba bazabe besabelana lawe.
Who may judge the people at all times: and when any great matter soever shall fall out, let them refer it to thee, and let them judge the lesser matters only: that so it may be lighter for thee, the burden being shared out unto others.
23 Nxa ungakwenza lokhu njengokulaya kukaNkulunkulu, uzakwenelisa ukuphumuza ingqondo njalo abantu bonke laba bazabuyela emakhaya besuthisekile.”
If thou dost this, thou shalt fulfill the commandment of God, and shalt be able to bear his precepts: and all this people shall return to their places with peace.
24 UMosi wamlalela uyisezala wenza konke ayekutshilo.
And when Moses heard this, he did all things that he had suggested unto him.
25 Wakhetha amadoda alamandla phakathi kwabako-Israyeli wonke wawenza abakhokheli babantu, izinduna zezinkulungwane, ezamakhulu, ezamatshumi amahlanu lezamatshumi.
And choosing able men out of all Israel, he appointed them rulers of the people, rulers over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.
26 Baba ngabahluleli babantu ngazozonke izikhathi. Amacala anzima bawaletha kuMosi, kodwa alula bawathonisa bona ngokwabo.
And they judged the people at all times: and whatsoever was of greater difficulty they referred to him, and they judged the easier cases only.
27 UMosi wavalelisana loyisezala, uJethro wasebuyela elizweni lakhe.
And he let his kinsman depart: and he returned and went into his own country.
