Êxodo 18

SAGRADA BIBLIA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Jetro, sacerdote de Madiã, sogro de Moisés, soube de tudo o que Deus tinha feito por Moisés e por Israel, seu povo; e soube que o Senhor tinha feito sair Israel do Egito.	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 Jetro, sogro de Moisés, tomou consigo Séfora, mulher de Moisés, que tinha sido mandada para casa,	2 So his father-in-law Jethro took along Zipporah, Moses' wife, whom Moses had sent back to him,
3 assim como seus dois filhos, dos quais um se chamava Gerson, porque Moisés tinha dito: "Sou um peregrino em uma terra estrangeira."	3 and her two sons. One of these was called Gershom; for he said, "I am a stranger in a foreign land."
4 e o outro chamava-se Eliezer, porque ele tinha dito: "O Deus de meu pai socorreu-me e fez-me escapar à espada do faraó."	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 Jetro, sogro de Moisés, com os dois filhos e a mulher deste, veio procurá-lo no deserto, onde estava acampado, perto da montanha de Deus.	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 E mandou-lhe dizer: "Teu sogro Jetro vem te ver, acompanhado de tua mulher e de teus dois filhos".	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 Moisés saiu ao encontro de seu sogro, prostrou-se e beijou-o. Informaram-se mutuamente sobre a sua saúde e entraram na tenda.	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 Moisés contou ao seu sogro tudo o que o Senhor tinha feito ao faraó e aos egípcios por causa de Israel, todas as tribulações que lhes tinham sobrevindo no caminho, e das quais o Senhor os livrara.	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 Jetro alegrou-se com todo o bem que o Senhor tinha feito aos israelitas, livrando-os da mão dos egípcios.	9 Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness that the LORD had shown Israel in rescuing them from the hands of the Egyptians.
10 "Bendito seja o Senhor, disse Jetro, que vos livrou da mão dos egípcios e da mão do faraó; que livrou o povo da mão dos egípcios!	10 "Blessed be the LORD," he said, "who has rescued his people from the hands of Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
11 Agora sei que o Senhor é maior que todos os deuses, porque o demonstrou quando {seu povo} era tiranizado".	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 Em seguida Jetro, sogro de Moisés, ofereceu a Deus um holocausto e sacrifícios. Aarão e todos os anciãos de Israel vieram ter com o sogro de Moisés para tomar parte no banquete em presença de Deus.	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 No dia seguinte, Moisés assentou-se para fazer justiça ao povo, que se conservou de pé diante dele desde a manhã até a tarde.	13 The next day Moses sat in judgment for the people, who waited about him from morning until evening.
14 O sogro de Moisés, vendo todo o trabalho a que ele se dava pelo povo, disse-lhe: "Que é isso que fazes com o povo? Por que te sentas só no tribunal com toda essa gente que se conserva em torno de ti da manhã à tarde?"	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 "É que, respondeu Moisés, o povo vem a mim para consultar Deus.	15 Moses answered his father-in-law, "The people come to me to consult God.
16 Quando têm alguma questão, vêm procurar-me para que eu julgue entre eles, fazendo-lhes saber as ordens de Deus e suas leis".	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 O sogro de Moisés disse-lhe: "Não está certo o que fazes!	17 "You are not acting wisely," his father-in-law replied.
18 Tu te esgotarás seguramente, assim como todo esse povo que está contigo, porque o fardo é pesado demais para ti, e não poderás levá-lo sozinho.	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 Escuta-me: vou dar-te um conselho, e que Deus esteja contigo! Tu serás o representante do povo junto de Deus, e levarás as questões diante de Deus:	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 ensinar-lhes-ás suas ordens e suas leis, e lhes mostrarás o caminho a seguir e como terão de comportar-se.	20 Enlighten them in regard to the decisions and regulations, showing them how they are to live and what they are to do.
21 Mas escolherás do meio do povo homens prudentes, tementes a Deus, íntegros, desinteressados, e os porás à frente do povo, como chefes de mil, chefes de cem, chefes de cinqüenta e chefes de dezenas.	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 Eles julgarão o povo todo o tempo. Levarão a ti as causas importantes, mas resolverão por si mesmos as causas de menor importância. Assim aliviarão a tua carga, levando-a consigo.	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 Se fizeres isso, e Deus o ordenar, poderás dar conta do trabalho, e toda esta gente voltará em paz para suas habitações.	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 Moisés ouviu o conselho de seu sogro e fez tudo o que ele lhe tinha dito.	24 Moses followed the advice of his father-in-law and did all that he had suggested.
25 Escolheu em todo o Israel homens prudentes e os pôs à frente do povo como chefes de mil, chefes de cem, chefes de cinqüenta e chefes de dezenas.	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 Eles julgavam o povo todo o tempo, levando diante de Moisés as questões difíceis e resolvendo por si mesmos os litígios menores.	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 Depois disso, Moisés despediu-se de seu sogro, e este voltou para sua terra.	27 Then Moses bade farewell to his father-in-law, who went off to his own country.