Exodus 18

1 And Jethro, priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heard all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, —in that Yahweh had brought forth Israel out of Egypt.

Basi Yethro, kuhani wa Midiani, baba mkwe wa Mose, akawa amesikia kila kitu Mungu alichomfanyia Mose na watu wake wa Israeli, pia jinsi Bwana alivyowatoa Israeli Misri.

2 So Jethro, Moses father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses wife, —after she had been sent home;

Baada ya Mose kumrudisha mkewe Sipora, Yethro baba mkwe wake alimpokea

3 and her two sons, —of whom, the name of the one, was Gershom, for, said he, A sojourner, am I in a strange land,

pamoja na wanawe wawili. Jina la mmoja aliitwa Gershomu, kwa kuwa Mose alisema, “Nimekuwa mgeni katika nchi ya kigeni.”

4 and, the name of the other, Eliezer, for the God of my father, was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.

Mwingine aliitwa Eliezeri, kwa kuwa alisema, “Mungu wa baba yangu alikuwa msaada wangu, akaniokoa kutoka upanga wa Farao.”

5 And Jethro, Moses father-in-law, came in, with his two sons and his wife, unto Moses, —into the desert where, he, was encamping, the mountain of God;

Yethro, baba mkwe wa Mose, pamoja na wana wawili wa Mose na mkewe, wakamjia Mose huko jangwani, mahali alipokuwa amepiga kambi karibu na mlima wa Mungu.

6 and said unto Moses, I, thy father-in-law, Jethro, am coming in unto thee, —and thy wife, and her two sons, with her.

Yethro alikuwa ametuma ujumbe kwake Mose, kusema, “Mimi Yethro baba mkwe wako ninakuja kwako pamoja na mke wako na wanao wawili.”

7 So Moses went forth to meet his father-in-law, and bowed himself down to him and kissed him, and they asked each other of their welfare, —and came into the tent.

Kwa hiyo Mose akatoka kumlaki baba mkwe wake, akainama na kumbusu. Wakasalimiana, kisha wakaingia hemani.

8 Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law, all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians, for Israel’s sake, —all the hardship which had befallen them by the way, and how Yahweh had delivered them.

Mose akamwambia baba mkwe wake kuhusu kila kitu Bwana alichomfanyia Farao na Wamisri kwa ajili ya Israeli, na pia kuhusu shida zote walizokutana nazo njiani na jinsi Bwana alivyowaokoa.

9 Then did Jethro rejoice, for all the good which Yahweh had done to Israel, —whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

Yethro akafurahishwa sana kusikia juu ya mambo yote mazuri Bwana aliyowatendea Waisraeli kuwaokoa kutoka mkono wa Wamisri.

10 And Jethro said—Blessed be Yahweh, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, —Who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians:

Yethro akasema, “Sifa na ziwe kwa Bwana, aliyekuokoa wewe kutoka mikononi mwa Wamisri na Farao, na aliyewaokoa watu kutoka mikononi mwa Wamisri.

11 Now, I know, that, greater, is Yahweh than all the gods, —Even in the thing wherein they were arrogant over them.

Sasa najua ya kuwa Bwana ni mkuu kuliko miungu mingine yote, kwa kuwa amewatendea hivi wale waliowatenda Israeli kwa ujeuri.”

12 Then took Jethro father-in-law of Moses, an ascending-offering and sacrifices to God, —and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came in to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

Kisha Yethro, baba mkwe wa Mose, akaleta sadaka ya kuteketezwa na dhabihu nyingine kwa Mungu, naye Aroni pamoja na wazee wote wa Israeli wakaja kula chakula pamoja na baba mkwe wa Mose mbele za Mungu.

13 Now it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat, to judge the people, —and the people stood by Moses, from the morning, until the evening.

Siku iliyofuata, Mose akachukua nafasi yake kama hakimu wa watu, nao wakasimama kumzunguka kuanzia asubuhi hadi jioni.

14 And when Moses father-in-law saw all that he, was doing for the people, he said—What is this thing which, thou, art doing for the people? Wherefore art, thou, sitting alone, with all the people, stationed by thee, from morning until evening?

Baba mkwe wake alipoona yote Mose anayowafanyia watu, akasema, “Ni nini hiki unachowafanyia watu? Kwa nini wewe unakuwa mwamuzi wa watu hawa peke yako, wakati watu hawa wamesimama wakikuzunguka tangu asubuhi mpaka jioni?”

15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, —Because the people come in unto me to seek God:

Mose akamjibu, “Kwa sababu watu wananijia kutaka mapenzi ya Mungu.

16 When they have a matter, they come in unto me, then do I judge between a man and his neighbour, —and make known the statutes of God and his laws.

Kila wakiwa na shauri huletwa kwangu, nami huamua kati ya mtu na mwenzake na kuwajulisha juu ya amri na sheria za Mungu.”

17 Then said Moses’ father-in-law unto him, —Not good, is the thing that thou art doing.

Baba mkwe wa Mose akamjibu, “Unachofanya sio kizuri.

18 Thou wilt get quite worn out, both thou and this people that is with thee, —for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou canst not do it, alone.

Wewe pamoja na watu hawa wanaokujia mtajichosha bure. Kazi ni nzito sana kwako, huwezi kuibeba mwenyewe.

19 Now, hearken thou to my voice—let me counsel thee, and may God be with thee: Be, thou, for the people, in front of God, so shalt, thou, bring the matters unto God;

Sasa nisikilize mimi, nitakupa shauri, naye Mungu na awe pamoja nawe. Yapasa wewe uwe mwakilishi wa watu mbele za Mungu na ulete mashauri yao kwake.

20 and shalt cause to shine upon them, the statutes and the laws, —and make known to them the way wherein they should go, and the work they should do.

Uwafundishe amri na sheria, tena uwaonyeshe namna ya kuishi na kazi zinazowapasa wao kufanya.

21 Thou thyself, therefore shalt look out, from among all the people—men of ability, reverers of God, men of fidelity, haters of extortion, —and place them over [them] as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Lakini uchague watu wenye uwezo miongoni mwa watu wote, watu wanaomwogopa Mungu, watu waaminifu wanaochukia mali ya dhuluma, uwateuwe wawe maafisa juu ya maelfu, mamia, hamsini na makumi.

22 So shall they judge the people at any time, and it shall be, all the great matters, shall they bring in unto thee, but all the small matters, shall, they themselves, judge, —so, lighten thou the burden for thyself, and let them bear it with thee.

Waweke wawe waamuzi wa watu kwa wakati wote, lakini waambie wakuletee kila shauri lililo gumu; yale yaliyo rahisi wayaamue wao wenyewe. Hii itafanya mzigo wako kuwa mwepesi, kwa sababu watashirikiana nawe.

23 If, this thing, thou wilt do, and God shall command thee, then shalt thou be able to endure, —yea, moreover, all this people, shall go in, unto their dwellings, contented.

Kama ukifanya hivi, na ikiwa Mungu ameagiza hivyo, utaweza kushinda uchovu, nao watu hawa wote watarudi nyumbani wameridhika.”

24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said;

Mose akamsikiliza baba mkwe wake na kufanya kila kitu alichosema.

25 and Moses chose men of ability out of all Israel, and set them to be heads over the people, —rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Mose akawachagua watu wenye uwezo kutoka Israeli yote, akawafanya kuwa viongozi wa watu, maafisa juu ya maelfu, mamia, hamsini na makumi.

26 And they shall judge the people, at any time, —the hard matters, shall they bring in unto Moses, but all the small matters, shall, they themselves, judge.

Wakatumika kama waamuzi wa watu kwa wakati wote. Mashauri magumu wakayaleta kwa Mose, lakini yale yaliyo rahisi wakayaamua wenyewe.

27 And Moses sent forth his father-in-law, —and he went his way by himself unto his own land.

Kisha Mose akaagana na Yethro baba mkwe wake, naye akarudi kwa nchi yake.