Kutoka 18

1 Yethro, kuhani wa Midiani, baba mkwe wake Musa, alisikia yote Mungu aliyo fanya kwa Musa na kwa Israeli watu wake. Alisikia Yahweh ametoa Israeli kutoka Misri.

And Jethro priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heareth all that God hath done for Moses, and for Israel his people, that Jehovah hath brought out Israel from Egypt,

2 Yethro, baba mkwe wake Musa, akamchukuwa Zipora, mke wa Musa, baada ya kumpeleka nyumbani,

and Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh Zipporah, wife of Moses, besides her parents,

3 na wana wake wawili; jina mmoja lilikuwa Gershomu, kwa kuwa Musa alisema, “Nimekuwa mgeni katika nchi ya kigeni.”

and her two sons, of whom the name of the one [is] Gershom, for he said, 'a sojourner I have been in a strange land:'

4 Jina la mwingine lilikuwa Eliezeri, kwa kuwa Musa alisema, “Mungu wa babu yangu alikuwa msaada wangu. Aliniokoa na mkono wa Farao.”

and the name of the other [is] Eliezer, for, 'the God of my father [is] for my help, and doth deliver me from the sword of Pharaoh.'

5 Yethro, baba mkwe wake Musa, alikuja na watoto wake Musa na mke wake Musa nyikani alipo eka kambi katika mlima wa Mungu.

And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, cometh, and his sons, and his wife, unto Moses, unto the wilderness where he is encamping — the mount of God;

6 Alimwambia Musa, “Mimi, baba mkwe wako Yethro, nina kuja kwako na mke wako na wanao wawili.”

and he saith unto Moses, 'I, thy father-in-law, Jethro, am coming unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.'

7 Musa alitoka kwenda kukutana na baba mkwe wake, akamwinamia, na kumbusu. Wakajuliana hali na wakaingia ndani ya hema.

And Moses goeth out to meet his father-in-law, and boweth himself, and kisseth him, and they ask one at another of welfare, and come into the tent;

8 Musa akamwambia baba mkwe wake yale yote Yahweh aliyo ya fanya kwa Farao na Wamisri kwa ajili ya Waisraeli, magumu yote yaliyo watoke njianim na jinsi Yahweh alivyo waokoa.

and Moses recounteth to his father-in-law all that Jehovah hath done to Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians, on account of Israel, all the travail which hath found them in the way, and Jehovah doth deliver them.

9 Yethro akafurahia yale mema yote Yahweh aliyo watendea Israeli, kwa hilo amewaokoa na mkono wa Wamisri.

And Jethro rejoiceth for all the good which Jehovah hath done to Israel, whom He hath delivered from the hand of the Egyptians;

10 Yethro akasema, “Yahweh atukuzwe, kwa kuwa amekuokoa na mkono wa Wamisri na mkono wa Faraom na kuwatoa watu kwenye mkono wa Wamisri.

and Jethro saith, 'Blessed [is] Jehovah, who hath delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of Pharaoh — who hath delivered this people from under the hand of the Egyptians;

11 Sasa najua Yahweh ni mkuu kuliko miungu yote, kwasababu Wamisri walipo watenda Waisraeli kwa kiburi, Mungu aliwaokoa watu wake.”

now I have known that Jehovah [is] greater than all the gods, for in the thing they have acted proudly — [He is] above them!'

12 Yethro, baba mkwe wake Musa, akaleta sadaka ya kuteketeza na dhabihu kwa Mungu. Aruni na wazee wote wa Israeli wakaja kula chakula mbele za Yahweh na baba mkwe wake Musa.

And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron cometh in, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses, before God.

13 Siku iliyofuata Musa aliketi kuwa hukumu watu. Watu walisimama kumzunguka Musa kwanzia asubui hadi jioni.

And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that Moses sitteth to judge the people, and the people stand before Moses, from the morning unto the evening;

14 Baba mkwe wake Musa alipo ona yale yote aliyo yafanya kwa watu, alisema, “Ni nini unachofanya na watu? Kwanini unaketi peke yako na watu wote wamesimama kukuzunguka asubui hadi jioni?”

and the father-in-law of Moses seeth all that he is doing to the people, and saith, 'What [is] this thing which thou art doing to the people? wherefore art thou sitting by thyself, and all the people standing by thee from morning till evening?'

15 Musa akamwambia baba mkwe wake, “Watu wanakuja kuniuliza muongozo wa Mungu.

And Moses saith to his father-in-law, 'Because the people come unto me to seek God;

16 Wanapo kuwa na malumbano, wanakuja kwangu. Ninaamua kati ya mtu mmoja na mwingine, na nina wafundisha maagizo na sheria.”

when they have a matter, it hath come unto me, and I have judged between a man and his neighbour, and made known the statutes of God, and His laws.'

17 Baba mkwe wake Musa alimwambia, “Unachofanya sicho kizuri sana.

And the father-in-law of Moses saith unto him, 'The thing which thou art doing [is] not good;

18 Hakika utajichosha, wewe na watu waliyopo na wewe. Huu mzigo ni mzito sana kwako. Hauwezi kufanya peke yako.

thou dost surely wear away, both thou, and this people which [is] with thee, for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou art not able to do it by thyself.

19 Nisikilize. Nitakupa ushauri, na Mungu ata kuwa na wewe, kwasababu wewe nimwakilishi wa watu kwa Mungu, na una leta malumbano yao kwake.

'Now, hearken to my voice, I counsel thee, and God is with thee: be thou for the people over-against God, and thou hast brought in the things unto God;

20 Lazima uwafundishe maagizo yake na sheria. Lazima uwafundishe njia yakutembea na kazi ya kufanya.

and thou hast warned them [concerning] the statutes and the laws, and hast made known to them the way in which they go, and the work which they do.

21 Mbali zaidi, lazima uchague wanaume wenye uwezo kutoka watu wote, wanaume wanao muheshimu Mungu, wanaume wa kweli wanao chukuia mapato ya ufisadi. Lazima uwaeke juu ya watu, kuwa viongozi wa maelfu, mamia, hamsini, na makumi.

'And thou — thou dost provide out of all the people men of ability, fearing God, men of truth, hating dishonest gain, and hast placed [these] over them, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,

22 Watawa hukumu watu na kesi za kawaida, lakini kesi ngumu wataleta kwako. Kwa kesi ndogo, wanaweza kuhukumu wenyewe. Kwa hivyo itakuwa rahisi kwako, na watabeba mzigo na wewe.

and they have judged the people at all times; and it hath come to pass, every great matter they bring in unto thee, and every small matter they judge themselves; and lighten it from off thyself, and they have borne with thee.

23 Ukifanya hivi, na kama Mungu akikuamuru kufanya al kadhalika, basi utaweza kuvumilia, na watu wote watarudi nyumbani wameridhika.”

If thou dost this thing, and God hath commanded thee, then thou hast been able to stand, and all this people also goeth in unto its place in peace.'

24 Hivyo Musa akasikiliza maneno ya baba mkwe wake na akafanya yale yote aliyo yasema.

And Moses hearkeneth to the voice of his father-in-law, and doth all that he said,

25 Musa alichagua wanaume wenye uwezo kutoka Israeli na kuwa fanya vichwa juu ya watu, viongozi wahusika wa maelfu, mamia, hamsini, na makumi.

and Moses chooseth men of ability out of all Israel, and maketh them chiefs over the people, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,

26 Waliwa hukumu watu katika hali za kawaida. Kesi ngumu walimletea Musa, lakini wao wenyewe wali hukumu kesi ndogo.

and they have judged the people at all times; the hard matter they bring in unto Moses, and every small matter they judge themselves.

27 Kisha Musa akamwacha baba mkwe wake kuondoka, na Yethro akarudi kwenye nchi yake.

And Moses sendeth his father-in-law away, and he goeth away unto his own land.