Exodus 18
1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
梅瑟的岳父，米德楊的司祭耶特洛，聽說天主為梅瑟和自己的百姓以色列所行的一切，聽說上主將以色列人領出了埃及，
2 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away,
梅瑟的岳父耶特洛便帶回梅瑟送回去的妻子漆頗辣和
3 and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Moses said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land”.
他兩個兒子：─一個名叫革爾雄，因為梅瑟說：「我在外方作了旅客；」
4 The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.”
一個名叫厄里厄則爾，意謂：「我父親的天主是我的救援，救我脫離了法朗的刀劍。」─
5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with Moses’ sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God.
梅瑟的岳父耶特洛同梅瑟的兒子和妻子來到了梅瑟那裏，來到曠野，近天主的山，梅瑟安營的地方，
6 He said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her.”
便叫人告訴梅瑟說：「看，你的岳父耶特洛來見你，你的妻子和兩個兒子也一同來了。」
7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.
梅瑟就出來迎接他的岳父，向他下拜，口親他，彼此問安，隨後進了營幕。
8 Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how the LORD delivered them.
梅瑟給他岳父講述了上主為以色列的原故，對法朗和埃及人所行的一切，以及路上遭遇的一切困難，上主怎樣整救了他們。
9 Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
耶特洛聽了上主賜給以色列的各種恩惠，從埃及人手中整救了他們，很是高興。
10 Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
耶特洛說：「上主應受讚頌，他從埃及人和法朗手中拯救了你們，由埃! 人手中救出了這百姓。
11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods because of the way that they treated people arrogantly.”
現今我知道「雅威」是眾神中最大的，因為他由那些傲慢對待以色列人的埃及手中，救出這百姓。」
12 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
梅瑟的岳父耶特洛向天主獻了全燔祭和犧牲，亞郎和以色列眾長老都來到天主前，同梅瑟的岳父聚餐。耶特洛的建議
13 On the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening.
次日，梅瑟坐著審判百姓的案件，百姓從早晨到晚上站在梅瑟前。
14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, “What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?”
梅瑟的岳父看見他對百姓所行的種種，就說：「你對百姓所作的是什麼事﹖為什麼你獨自一人管理，叫眾百姓從早晨到晚上站在你前﹖」
15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to enquire of God.
梅瑟回答他岳父說：「因為百姓到我跟前詢問天主。
16 When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbour, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.”
他們有訴訟的事，就來到我跟前，我便在兩造之間施行審判，講明天主的典章和法律。」
17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good.
梅瑟的岳父對他說：「你這樣作不對。
18 You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone.
不但使你自己疲乏，而且也使你同你一起的百姓疲勞不堪，因為這事超過你的力量，你獨自一人是不能勝任的。
19 Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God.
現在你聽我的話，我給你出一個主意。願天主與你同在! 你在天主前代表這個百姓，將他們的案件呈到天主前；
20 You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.
也將典章和法律教訓他們，告訴他們應走的正路，應行的事項。
21 Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
你要從百姓中挑選有才能，敬畏天主，忠實可靠，捨己無私的人，派他們作千夫長、百夫長，五十夫長、十夫長，
22 Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you.
叫他們隨時審斷百姓的案件。若有任何重大案件，呈交你處理；其餘一切小案件，可由他們自己處理；叫他們與你分擔，你就輕鬆多了。
23 If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”
你若這樣作，─天主也這樣命你─你就抵受得住，眾百姓也能平安，各歸其所。」
24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
梅瑟聽從了他岳父的話，也都照他說的行了。
25 Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
梅瑟從全以色列人選拔了有才能的人，立他們作百姓的頭目，作千夫長、百夫長、五十夫長和十夫長，
26 They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
叫它們隨時審斷百姓的案件；重大的案件，呈交梅瑟處理；一切小案件，由他們自己處理。
27 Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.
以後梅瑟送他岳父回了本地。
