Liber Exodus, 18

1. cumque audisset Jethro sacerdos Madian cognatus Mosi omnia quæ fecerat Deus Mosi et Israël populo suo eo quod eduxisset Dominus Israël de Ægypto

1. And when Jethro the priest of Madian, the kinsman of Moses, had heard all the things that God had done to Moses, and to Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought forth Israel out of Egypt,

2. tulit Sefforam uxorem Mosi quam remiserat

2. He took Sephora the wife of Moses whom he had sent back:

3. et duos filios ejus quorum unus vocabatur Gersan dicente patre advena fui in terra aliena

3. And her two sons, of whom one was called Gersam, his father saying: I have been a stranger in a foreign country.

4. alter vero Eliezer Deus enim ait patris mei adiutor meus et eruit me de gladio Pharaonis

4. And the other Eliezer: For the God of my father, said he, is my helper, and hath delivered me from the sword of Pharao.

5. venit ergo Jethro cognatus Mosi et filii ejus et uxor ad Mosen in desertum ubi erat castrametatus juxta montem Dei

5. And Jethro the kinsman of Moses came with his sons and his wife, to Moses into the desert, where he was camped by the mountain of God.

6. et mandavit Mosi dicens ego cognatus tuus Jethro venio ad te et uxor tua et duo filii tui cum ea

6. And he sent word to Moses, saying: I Jethro thy kinsman come to thee, and thy wife, and thy two sons with her.

7. qui egressus in occursum cognati sui adoravit et osculatus est eum salutaveruntque se mutuo verbis pacificis cumque intrasset tabernaculum

7. And he went out to meet his kinsman, and worshipped and kissed him: and they saluted one another with words of peace. And when he was come into the tent,

8. narravit Moses cognato suo cuncta quæ fecerat Deus Pharaoni et Ægyptiis propter Israël universum laborem qui accidisset eis in itinere quo liberarat eos Dominus

8. Moses told his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharao, and the Egyptians, in favour of Israel: and all the labour which had befallen them in the journey, and that the Lord had delivered them.

9. lætatusque est Jethro super omnibus bonis quæ fecerat Dominus Israheli eo quod eruisset eum de manu Ægyptiorum

9. And Jethro rejoiced for all the good things that the Lord had done to Israel, because he had delivered them out of 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. And he said: Blessed is the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of Pharao, and out of the hand of the Egyptians, who hath delivered his people out of the hand of Egypt.

11. nunc cognovi quia magnus Dominus super omnes deos eo quod superbe egerint contra illos

11. Now I know that the Lord is great above all gods: because they dealt proudly against them.

12. obtulit ergo Jethro cognatus Mosi holocausta et hostias Deo veneruntque Aaron et omnes senes Israël ut comederent panem cum eo coram Domino

12. So Jethro the kinsman of Moses offered holocausts and sacrifices to God: and Aaron and all the ancients of Israel came, to eat bread with them before God.

13. altero autem die sedit Moses ut judicaret populum qui adsistebat Mosi de mane usque ad vesperam

13. And the next day Moses sat, to judge the people, who stood by Moses from morning until night.

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. And when his kinsman had seen all things that he did among the people, he said: What is it that thou dost among the people? Why sittest thou alone, and all the people wait from morning till night.

15. cui respondit Moses venit ad me populus quærens sententiam Dei

15. And Moses answered him: The people come to me to seek the judgment of God.

16. cumque acciderit eis aliqua disceptatio veniunt ad me ut judicem inter eos et ostendam præcepta Dei et leges ejus

16. And when any controversy falleth out among them, they come to me to judge between them, and to shew the precepts of God, and his laws.

17. at ille non bonam inquit rem facis

17. But he said: The thing thou dost is not good.

18. stulto labore consumeris et tu et populus iste qui tecum est ultra vires tuas est negotium solus illud non poteris sustinere

18. Thou are spent with foolish labour, both thou and this people that is with thee: the business is above thy strength, thou alone canst not bear it.

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. But hear my words and counsels, and God shall be with thee. Be thou to the people in those things that pertain to God, to bring their words to him:

20. ostendasque populo cærimonias et ritum colendi viamque per quam ingredi debeant et opus quod facere

20. And to shew the people the ceremonies and the manner of worshipping, and the way wherein they ought to walk, and the work that they ought 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. And provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, in whom there is truth, and that hate avarice, and appoint of them rulers of thousands, and of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens.

22. qui judicent populum omni tempore quicquid autem majus fuerit referant ad te et ipsi minora tantummodo judicent leviusque tibi sit partito in alios onere

22. Who may judge the people at all times: and when any great matter soever shall fall out, let them refer it to thee, and let them judge the lesser matters only: that so it may be lighter for thee, the burden being shared out unto others.

23. si hoc feceris implebis imperium Dei et præcepta ejus poteris sustentare et omnis hic populus revertetur cum pace ad loca sua

23. If thou dost this, thou shalt fulfil the commandment of God, and shalt be able to bear his precepts: and all this people shall return to their places with peace.

24. quibus auditis Moses fecit omnia quæ ille suggesserat

24. And when Moses heard this, he did all things that he had suggested unto him.

25. et electis viris strenuis de cuncto Israël constituit eos principes populi tribunos et centuriones et quinquagenarios et decanos

25. And choosing able men out of all Israel, he appointed them rulers of the people, rulers over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.

26. qui judicabant plebem omni tempore quicquid autem gravius erat referebant ad eum faciliora tantummodo judicantes

26. And they judged the people at all times: and whatsoever was of greater difficulty they referred to him, and they judged the easier cases only.

27. dimisitque cognatum qui reversus abiit in terram suam

27. And he let his kinsman depart: and he returned and went into his own country.