U-Eksodusi 18
1 Kwathi uJetro umpristi weMidiyani, uyisezala kaMozisi, esezwile konke uNkulunkulu ayemenzele khona uMozisi loIsrayeli isizwe sakhe, ukuthi iNkosi yayimkhuphile uIsrayeli eGibhithe,
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 uJetro uyisezala kaMozisi wathatha uZipora umkaMozisi emva kokumbuyisela kwakhe,
When Moses had sent home his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had welcomed her,
3 kanye lamadodana akhe amabili; obizo lenye lalinguGereshoma, ngoba wathi: Ngangingowemzini elizweni lemzini;
together with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
4 lebizo lenye linguEliyezeri, ngoba uNkulunkulu kababa wayelusizo lwami, wangikhulula enkembeni kaFaro.
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 UJetro uyisezala kaMozisi wasesiza lamadodana akhe lomkakhe kuMozisi enkangala, entabeni kaNkulunkulu lapho ayemise khona inkamba.
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 Wasesithi kuMozisi: Mina, uyihlozala, uJetro, ngiza kuwe lomkakho lamadodana akhe amabili elaye.
Moses was told beforehand, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to see you together with your wife and her two sons.”
7 UMozisi wasephuma ukumhlangabeza uyisezala, wakhothama, wamanga. Basebebuzana impilakahle; bangena ethenteni.
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 UMozisi wasemlandisela uyisezala ngakho konke iNkosi eyayikwenzile kuFaro lakumaGibhithe ngenxa kaIsrayeli, yonke inhlupheko eyabehlela endleleni, lokuthi iNkosi yayibakhulule.
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 UJetro wasethokoza ngakho konke okuhle iNkosi eyayikwenzele uIsrayeli, ukuthi yayimkhulule esandleni samaGibhithe.
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 UJetro wasesithi: Ibusisiwe iNkosi elikhulule esandleni samaGibhithe lesandleni sikaFaro; eyakhulula lesisizwe ngaphansi kwesandla samaGibhithe.
Jethro announced, “May the Lord be blessed, who saved you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh.
11 Khathesi sengisazi ukuthi iNkosi inkulu kulabo bonke onkulunkulu, ngoba endabeni abazigabisa ngayo yayiphezu kwabo.
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 UJetro uyisezala kaMozisi wasethathela uNkulunkulu umnikelo wokutshiswa lemihlatshelo; kwasekusiza uAroni labo bonke abadala bakoIsrayeli ukudla isinkwa loyisezala kaMozisi phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
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 Kwasekusithi kusisa uMozisi wahlala ukwahlulela abantu; njalo abantu bema phambi kukaMozisi kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwahlwa.
The following day Moses sat as a judge for the people, and they presented their cases to him from morning to evening.
14 Kwathi lapho uyisezala kaMozisi esekubonile konke akwenzela abantu wathi: Iyini linto oyenza ebantwini? Uhlalelani wedwa, labantu bonke bemi kuwe kusukela ekuseni kuze kuhlwe?
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 UMozisi wasesithi kuyisezala: Ngoba abantu beza kimi ukubuza kuNkulunkulu.
“Because the people come to me to ask God for his decision,” Moses replied.
16 Nxa belendaba, beza kimi, njalo ngahlulele phakathi komuntu lomakhelwane wakhe, ngibazise izimiso zikaNkulunkulu lemithetho yakhe.
“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 Uyisezala kaMozisi wasesithi kuye: Into oyenzayo kayinhle.
Jethro told him, “What you're doing is not the best.
18 Isibili uzazidlakaza, wena-ke lalababantu abalawe; ngoba linto inzima kakhulu kuwe, kawulakukwenza wedwa.
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 Khathesi lalela ilizwi lami; ngizakweluleka, njalo uNkulunkulu abe lawe. Wena kawube ngowabantu phambi kukaNkulunkulu, wena ulethe izindaba kuNkulunkulu,
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 ubafundise izimiso lemithetho, ubazise indlela abamele bahambe ngayo, lomsebenzi abamele bawenze.
Go on teaching them the laws and regulations. Show them how to live and the work they are to do.
21 Futhi wena ubone phakathi kwabo bonke abantu amadoda alamandla, amesabayo uNkulunkulu, amadoda eqiniso, azonda inzuzo engalunganga, uwabeke phezu kwabo, induna zezinkulungwane, induna zamakhulu, induna zamatshumi amahlanu, lenduna zamatshumi;
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 ukuthi zahlulele abantu ngaso sonke isikhathi; kodwa kuzakuthi lonke udaba olukhulu zizaluletha kuwe, kodwa lonke udaba oluncinyane zizalwahlulela zona, ukuze kube lula kuwe, njalo zizathwalisana lawe.
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 Uba usenza linto, loNkulunkulu ekulawula, uzakuba lamandla okuma, njalo labo bonke lababantu bazabuyela endaweni yabo ngokuthula.
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 UMozisi waselilalela ilizwi likayisezala, wenza konke ayekutshilo.
Moses listened to what his father-in-law said and followed all his advice.
25 UMozisi wasekhetha amadoda alamandla kuye wonke uIsrayeli, wawabeka inhloko phezu kwabantu, induna zezinkulungwane, induna zamakhulu, induna zamatshumi amahlanu lenduna zamatshumi.
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 Zasezibahlulela abantu ngaso sonke isikhathi; zaletha kuMozisi indaba ezinzima, kodwa lonke udaba oluncinyane zalwahlulela zona.
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 UMozisi wasemyekela wahamba uyisezala; waya elizweni lakibo.
Then Moses sent Jethro on his way, and he went back to his own country.
