Exodus 18

1 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.

茲にモーセの外舅なるミデアンの祭司ヱテロ神が凡てモーセのため又その民イスラエルのために爲したまひし事ヱホバがイスラエルをエジプトより導き出したまひし事を聞り

2 When Moses had sent home his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had welcomed her,

是に於てモーセの外舅ヱテロかの遣り還されてありしモーセの妻チッポラとその二人の子を挈へ來る

3 together with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”

その子の一人の名はゲルシヨムと云ふ是はモーセ我他國に客となりをると言たればなり

4 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.”

今一人の名はエリエゼルと曰ふ是はかれ吾父の神われを助け我を救ひてパロの劍を免かれしめたまふと言たればなり

5 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.

斯モーセの外舅ヱテロ、モーセの子等と妻をつれて曠野に來りモーセが神の山に陣を張る處にいたる

6 Moses was told beforehand, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to see you together with your wife and her two sons.”

彼すなはちモーセに言けるは汝の外舅なる我ヱテロ汝の妻および之と供なるその二人の子をたづさへて汝に詣ると

7 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.

モーセ出てその外舅を迎へ禮をなして之に接吻し互に其安否を問て共に天幕に入る

8 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.

而してモーセ、ヱホバがイスラエルのためにパロとエジプト人とに爲たまひし諸の事と途にて遇し諸の艱難およびヱホバの己等を拯ひたまひし事をその外舅に語りければ

9 Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when he'd saved them from the Egyptians.

ヱテロ、ヱホバがイスラエルをエジプト人の手より救ひいだして之に諸の恩典をたまひし事を喜べり

10 Jethro announced, “May the Lord be blessed, who saved you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh.

ヱテロすなはち言けるはヱホバは頌べき哉汝等をエジプト人の手とパロの手より救ひいだし民をエジプト人の手の下より拯ひいだせり

11 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.”

今我知るヱホバは諸の神よりも大なり彼等傲慢を逞しうして事をなせしがヱホバかれらに勝りと

12 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.

而してモーセの外舅ヱテロ燔祭と犠牲をヱホバに持きたれりアロンおよびイスラエルの長老等皆きたりてモーセの外舅とともに神の前に食をなす

13 The following day Moses sat as a judge for the people, and they presented their cases to him from morning to evening.

次の日にいたりてモーセ坐して民を審判きしが民は朝より夕までモーセの傍に立り

14 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?”

モーセの外舅モーセの凡て民に爲ところを見て言けるは汝が民になす此事は何なるや何故に汝は一人坐しをりて民朝より夕まで汝の傍にたつや

15 “Because the people come to me to ask God for his decision,” Moses replied.

モーセその外舅に言けるは民神に問んとて我に來るなり

16 “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.”

彼等事ある時は我に來れば我此と彼とを審判きて神の法度と律法を知しむ

17 Jethro told him, “What you're doing is not the best.

モーセの外舅これに言けるは汝のなすところ善らず

18 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.

汝かならず氣力おとろへん汝も汝とともなる民も然らん此事汝には重に過ぐ汝一人にては之を爲ことあたはざるべし

19 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.

今吾言を聽け我なんぢに策を授けん願くは神なんぢとともに在せ汝民のために神の前に居り訴訟を神に陳よ

20 Go on teaching them the laws and regulations. Show them how to live and the work they are to do.

汝かれらに法度と律法を敎へ彼等の歩むべき道と爲べき事とを彼等に示せ

21 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.

又汝全體の民の中より賢して神を畏れ眞實を重んじ利を惡むところの人を選み之を民の上に立て千人の司となし百人の司となし五十人の司となし十人の司となすべし

22 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.

而して彼等をして常に民を鞫かしめ大事は凡てこれを汝に陳しめ小事は凡て彼等みづからこれを判かしむべし斯汝の身の煩瑣を省き彼らをして汝とその任を共にせしめよ

23 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.”

汝もし此事を爲し神また斯汝に命じなば汝はこれに勝ん此民もまた安然にその所に到ることを得べし

24 Moses listened to what his father-in-law said and followed all his advice.

モーセその外舅の言にしたがひてその凡て言しごとく成り

25 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.

モーセすなはちイスラエルの中より遍く賢き人を擇みてこれを民の長となし千人の司となし百人の司となし五十人の司となし十人の司となせり

26 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.

彼等常に民を鞫き難事はこれをモーセに陳べ小事は凡て自らこれを判けり

27 Then Moses sent Jethro on his way, and he went back to his own country.

斯てモーセその外舅を還したればその國に往ぬ