Exodus 18

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Cumque audisset Jethro, sacerdos Madian, cognatus Moysi, omnia quæ fecerat Deus Moysi, et Israëli populo suo, et quod eduxisset Dominus Israël de Ægypto,	1 Now Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel: how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 tulit Sephoram uxorem Moysi quam remiserat,	2 So his father-in-law Jethro took along Zipporah, Moses' wife, whom Moses had sent back to him,
3 et duos filios ejus : quorum unus vocabatur Gersam, dicente patre : Advena fui in terra aliena ;	3 and her two sons. One of these was called Gershom; for he said, "I am a stranger in a foreign land."
4 alter vero Eliezer : Deus enim, ait, patris mei adjutor meus, et eruit me de gladio Pharaonis.	4 The other was called Eliezer; for he said, "My father's God is my helper; he has rescued me from Pharaoh's sword."
5 Venit ergo Jethro cognatus Moysi, et filii ejus, et uxor ejus ad Moysen in desertum, ubi erat castrametatus juxta montem Dei.	5 Together with Moses' wife and sons, then, his father-in-law Jethro came to him in the desert where he was encamped near the mountain of God,
6 Et mandavit Moysi, dicens : Ego Jethro cognatus tuus venio ad te, et uxor tua, et duo filii cum ea.	6 and he sent word to Moses, "I, Jethro, your father-in-law, am coming to you, along with your wife and her two sons."
7 Qui egressus in occursum cognati sui, adoravit, et osculatus est eum : salutaveruntque se mutuo verbis pacificis. Cumque intrasset tabernaculum,	7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down before him, and kissed him. Having greeted each other, they went into the tent.
8 narravit Moyses cognato suo cuncta quæ fecerat Dominus Pharaoni et Ægyptiis propter Israël : universumque laborem, qui accidisset eis in itinere, et quod liberaverat eos Dominus.	8 Moses then told his father-in-law of all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for the sake of Israel, and of all the hardships they had had to endure on their journey, and how the LORD had come to their rescue.
9 Lætatusque est Jethro super omnibus bonis, quæ fecerat Dominus Israëli, eo quod eruisset eum de manu Ægyptiorum.	9 Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness that the LORD had shown Israel in rescuing them from the hands of the Egyptians.
10 Et ait : Benedictus Dominus, qui liberavit vos de manu Ægyptiorum, et de manu Pharaonis ; qui eruit populum suum de manu Ægypti.	10 "Blessed be the LORD," he said, "who has rescued his people from the hands of Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
11 Nunc cognovi, quia magnus Dominus super omnes deos : eo quod superbe egerint contra illos.	11 Now I know that the LORD is a deity great beyond any other; for he took occasion of their being dealt with insolently to deliver the people from the power of the Egyptians."
12 Obtulit ergo Jethro cognatus Moysi holocausta et hostias Deo : veneruntque Aaron et omnes seniores Israël, ut comederent panem cum eo coram Deo.	12 Then Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, brought a holocaust and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to participate with Moses' father-in-law in the meal before God.
13 Altera autem die sedit Moyses ut judicaret populum, qui assistebat Moysi a mane usque ad vesperam.	13 The next day Moses sat in judgment for the people, who waited about him from morning until evening.
14 Quod cum vidisset cognatus ejus, omnia scilicet quæ agebat in populo, ait : Quid est hoc quod facis in plebe ? cur solus sedes, et omnis populus præstolatur de mane usque ad vesperam ?	14 When his father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he inquired, "What sort of thing is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone while all the people have to stand about you from morning till evening?"
15 Cui respondit Moyses : Venit ad me populus quærens sententiam Dei :	15 Moses answered his father-in-law, "The people come to me to consult God.
16 cumque acciderit eis aliqua disceptatio, veniunt ad me ut judicem inter eos, et ostendam præcepta Dei, et leges ejus.	16 Whenever they have a disagreement, they come to me to have me settle the matter between them and make known to them God's decisions and regulations."
17 At ille : Non bonam, inquit, rem facis.	17 "You are not acting wisely," his father-in-law replied.
18 Stulto labore consumeris et tu, et populus iste qui tecum est : ultra vires tuas est negotium ; solus illud non poteris sustinere.	18 "You will surely wear yourself out, and not only yourself but also these people with you. The task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.
19 Sed audi verba mea atque consilia, et erit Deus tecum. Esto tu populo in his quæ ad Deum pertinent, ut referas quæ dicuntur ad eum :	19 Now, listen to me, and I will give you some advice, that God may be with you. Act as the people's representative before God, bringing to him whatever they have to say.
20 ostendasque populo cæremonias et ritum colendi, viamque per quam ingredi debeant, et opus quod facere debeant.	20 Enlighten them in regard to the decisions and regulations, showing them how they are to live and what they are to do.
21 Provide autem de omni plebe viros potentes, et timentes Deum, in quibus sit veritas, et qui oderint avaritiam, et constitue ex eis tribunos, et centuriones, et quinquagenarios, et decanos,	21 But you should also look among all the people for able and God-fearing men, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain, and set them as officers over groups of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
22 qui judicent populum omni tempore : quidquid autem majus fuerit, referant ad te, et ipsi minora tantummodo judicent : leviusque sit tibi, partito in alios onere.	22 Let these men render decisions for the people in all ordinary cases. More important cases they should refer to you, but all the lesser cases they can settle themselves. Thus, your burden will be lightened, since they will bear it with you.
23 Si hoc feceris, implebis imperium Dei, et præcepta ejus poteris sustentare : et omnis hic populus revertetur ad loca sua cum pace.	23 If you do this, when God gives you orders you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied."
24 Quibus auditis, Moyses fecit omnia quæ ille suggesserat.	24 Moses followed the advice of his father-in-law and did all that he had suggested.
25 Et electis viris strenuis de cuncto Israël, constituit eos principes populi, tribunos, et centuriones, et quinquagenarios, et decanos.	25 He picked out able men from all Israel and put them in charge of the people as officers over groups of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
26 Qui judicabant plebem omni tempore : quidquid autem gravius erat, referebant ad eum, faciliora tantummodo judicantes.	26 They rendered decisions for the people in all ordinary cases. The more difficult cases they referred to Moses, but all the lesser cases they settled themselves.
27 Dimisitque cognatum suum : qui reversus abiit in terram suam.	27 Then Moses bade farewell to his father-in-law, who went off to his own country.