Êxodo 18

SAGRADA BIBLIA	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 And when Jethro, the priest of Midian, the kinsman of Moses, had heard all that God had done for Moses, and for his people Israel, and that the Lord had led Israel away from Egypt,
2 Jetro, sogro de Moisés, tomou consigo Séfora, mulher de Moisés, que tinha sido mandada para casa,	2 he brought Zipporah, the wife of Moses, whom he was to return 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, of whom one was called Gershom, (for his father said, “I have been a newcomer 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 and the other in truth was Eliezer, (“For the God of my father,” he said, “is my helper, and has rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh.”)
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 And so Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, with his sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert, where he was encamped next to 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, saying: “I, Jethro, your kinsman, have come to you, with your wife, and your two sons with her.”
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 And going out to meet his kinsman, he reverenced and kissed him. And they saluted each other with peaceful words. And when he had arrived at 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 explained to his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on behalf of Israel, and all the hardships which had befallen them on the journey, and how the Lord had freed them.
9 Jetro alegrou-se com todo o bem que o Senhor tinha feito aos israelitas, livrando-os da mão dos egípcios.	9 And Jethro was gladdened over all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, because he had rescued them from the hand 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 And he said: “Blessed is the Lord, who has freed his people from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh; he has rescued his people from the hand of Egypt.
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 great Lord is above all gods. This is why they acted arrogantly against them.”
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 And so Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, offered holocausts and sacrifices to God. And Aaron arrived with all the elders of Israel, in order to eat bread with him in the sight of 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 Then, the next day, Moses sat down in order to judge the people, and they stood beside Moses from morning, even 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 And when, of course, his kinsman saw all that he did among the people, he said: “What is this that you do among the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand before you, from morning, even until evening?”
15 "É que, respondeu Moisés, o povo vem a mim para consultar Deus.	15 And Moses answered him: “The people come to me seeking the verdict of 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 And when any kind of dispute occurs among them, they come to me to judge between them, and to reveal the precepts of God and of his laws.”
17 O sogro de Moisés disse-lhe: "Não está certo o que fazes!	17 But he said, “This is not good, what you are doing.
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 be consumed by foolish efforts, both you and this people who are with you. The task is beyond your strength; you will not be able bear 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 But listen to my words and counsels, and then God will be with you. Be available to the people in that which pertains to God, so as to refer what they say to him,
20 ensinar-lhes-ás suas ordens e suas leis, e lhes mostrarás o caminho a seguir e como terão de comportar-se.	20 and to reveal to the people the ceremonies, and the rituals of worship, and the way by which they should progress, and the work that they should 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 Then provide, from all of the people, men capable and fearing God, in whom there is truth and who hate avarice, and appoint from them tribunes, and leaders of hundreds, and 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 who may judge the people at all times. Then, when anything greater will have occurred, they may refer it to you, and let them judge the lesser matters only. And so it may be lighter for you, the burden being divided among others.
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 will do this, you will fulfill the orders of God, and you will be able to uphold his precepts. And this entire people will return to their places in peace.”
24 Moisés ouviu o conselho de seu sogro e fez tudo o que ele lhe tinha dito.	24 Having heard this, Moses did everything that he had suggested to him.
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 And choosing virtuous men from all of Israel, he appointed them as leaders of the people: tribunes, and leaders of hundreds, and 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 And they judged the people at all times. But whatever was more serious, they referred to him, and they judged easier matters only.
27 Depois disso, Moisés despediu-se de seu sogro, e este voltou para sua terra.	27 And he dismissed his kinsman, who, turning back, went to his own land.