< Êxodo 18 >

1 E ouviu Jetro, sacerdote de Midiã, sogro de Moisés, todas as coisas que Deus havia feito com Moisés, e com Israel seu povo, e como o SENHOR havia tirado a Israel do Egito:
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 E tomou Jetro, sogro de Moisés a Zípora a mulher de Moisés, depois que ele a enviou,
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 E a seus dois filhos; um se chamava Gérson, porque disse: Peregrino fui em terra alheia;
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 E o outro se chamava Eliézer, porque disse, O Deus de meu pai me ajudou, e me livrou da espada de Faraó.
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 E Jetro o sogro de Moisés, com seus filhos e sua mulher, chegou a Moisés no deserto, onde tinha o acampamento junto ao monte de Deus;
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 E disse a Moisés: Eu teu sogro Jetro venho a ti, com tua mulher, e seus dois filhos com ela.
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 E Moisés saiu a receber a seu sogro, e inclinou-se, e beijou-o: e perguntaram-se um ao outro como estavam, e vieram à tenda.
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 E Moisés contou a seu sogro todas as coisas que o SENHOR havia feito a Faraó e aos egípcios por causa de Israel, e todo o trabalho que haviam passado no caminho, e como os havia livrado o SENHOR.
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 E alegrou-se Jetro de todo o bem que o SENHOR havia feito a Israel, que o havia livrado da mão dos egípcios.
Jethro rejoiced when he heard all that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people.
10 E Jetro disse: Bendito seja o SENHOR, que vos livrou da mão dos egípcios, e da mão de Faraó, e que livrou ao povo da mão dos egípcios.
He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the powerful [MTY] Egyptian king and his army!
11 Agora conheço que o SENHOR é maior que todos os deuses, até naquilo em que se vangloriavam contra o povo.
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 E tomou Jetro, sogro de Moisés, holocaustos e sacrifícios para Deus: e veio Arão e todos os anciãos de Israel a comer pão com o sogro de Moisés diante de Deus.
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 E aconteceu que outro dia se sentou Moisés a julgar ao povo; e o povo esteve diante de Moisés desde a manhã até à tarde.
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 E vendo o sogro de Moisés tudo o que ele fazia com o povo, disse: Que é isto que fazes tu com o povo? por que te sentas tu sozinho, e todo o povo está diante de ti desde a manhã até à tarde?
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 E Moisés respondeu a seu sogro: Porque o povo vem a mim para consultar a Deus:
Moses/I replied, “[I am doing this] because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.
16 Quando têm negócios, vem a mim; e eu julgo entre o um e o outro, e declaro as ordenanças de Deus e suas leis.
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 Então o sogro de Moisés lhe disse: Não fazes bem:
Jethro said to him/me, “What you are doing is not good [for you or for the people].
18 Desfalecerás de todo, tu, e também este povo que está contigo; porque o negócio é demasiado pesado para ti; não poderás fazê-lo tu sozinho.
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 Ouve agora minha voz; eu te aconselharei, e Deus será contigo. Está tu pelo povo diante de Deus, e traze tu os negócios a Deus.
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 E ensina a eles as ordenanças e as leis, e mostra-lhes o caminho por onde andem, e o que hão de fazer.
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 Ademais busca dentre todo o povo homens de virtude, temerosos de Deus, homens de verdade, que odeiem a ganância; e constituirás a estes sobre eles líderes sobre mil, sobre cem, sobre cinquenta e sobre dez.
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 Os quais julgarão ao povo ao todo tempo; e será que todo negócio grave o trarão a ti, e eles julgarão todo negócio pequeno: alivia assim a carga de sobre ti, e eles a levarão contigo.
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 Se isto fizeres, e Deus te o mandar, tu poderás persistir, e todo este povo se irá também em paz a seu lugar.
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 E ouviu Moisés a voz de seu sogro, e fez tudo o que disse.
Moses/I accepted what his/my father-in-law [Jethro] suggested.
25 E escolheu Moisés homens de virtude de todo Israel, e os pôs por chefes sobre o povo, líderes sobre mil, sobre cem, sobre cinquenta, e sobre dez.
Moses/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.
26 E julgavam ao povo ao todo tempo; o negócio árduo traziam-no a Moisés, e eles julgavam todo negócio pequeno.
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 E despediu Moisés a seu sogro, e foi-se à sua terra.
Then Moses/I said goodbye to his/my father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.

< Êxodo 18 >