Ex 18:1Cumque audīsset Jethro, sacerdōs Madian, cognātus Mōysī, omnia quae fēcerat Deus Mōysī, et Israëlī populō suō, et quod ēdūxisset Dominus Isrāël dē Aegyptō, tulit Sephoram uxōrem Mōysī quam remīserat, et duōs fīliōs ejus: quōrum ūnus vocābātur Gersam, dīcente patre: Advena fuī in terrā aliēnā;And when Jethro, the priest of Midian, the kinsman of Moses, had heard all the things which God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the Lord had led Israel out of Egypt, he took Zipporah the wife of Moses, whom he had sent back, and her two sons: of whom one was called Gershom, his father saying: "I have been a newcomer in a foreign land"; Ex 18:4Alter vērō Eliezer: Deus enim, ait, patris meī adjūtor meus, et ēruit mē dē gladiō Pharaōnis.and the other Eliezer: "For the God of my father," he said, "is my helper, and has rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh." Ex 18:5Vēnit ergō Jethro cognātus Mōysī, et fīliī ejus, et uxor ejus ad Moysēn in dēsertum, ubi erat castrametātus jūxtā montem Deī.So Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, came, and his sons, and his wife, to Moses in the desert, where he was encamped beside the mountain of God.
Ex 18:6Et mandāvit Mōysī, dīcēns: Ego Jethro cognātus tuus veniō ad tē, et uxor tua, et duo fīliī cum eā.And he sent word to Moses, saying: "I, Jethro your kinsman, am coming to you, and your wife, and the two sons with her." Ex 18:7Quī ēgressus in occursum cognātī suī, adōrāvit, et ōsculātus est eum: salūtāvēruntque sē mūtuō verbīs pācificīs.And he, having gone out to meet his kinsman, bowed down, and kissed him: and they greeted each other mutually with peaceful words. Ex 18:7Cumque intrāsset tabernāculum, narrāvit Mōysēs cognātō suō cūncta quae fēcerat Dominus Pharaōnī et Aegyptiīs propter Isrāël: ūniversumque labōrem, quī accidisset eīs in itinere, et quod līberāverat eōs Dominus.And when he had entered the tent, Moses told his kinsman all the things which the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for the sake of Israel: and all the hardship which had befallen them on the journey, and that the Lord had freed them. Ex 18:9Laetātusque est Jethro super omnibus bonīs, quae fēcerat Dominus Israëlī, eō quod ēruisset eum dē manū Aegyptiōrum.And Jethro rejoiced over all the good things which the Lord had done for Israel, because he had rescued it from the hand of the Egyptians.
Ex 18:10Et ait: Benedictus Dominus, quī līberāvit vōs dē manū Aegyptiōrum, et dē manū Pharaōnis;And he said: "Blessed be the Lord, who has freed you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of Pharaoh; Ex 18:10Quī ēruit populum suum dē manū Aegyptī.who has rescued his people from the hand of Egypt. Ex 18:11Nunc cognōvī, quia magnus Dominus super omnēs deōs: eō quod superbē ēgerint contrā illōs.Now I have come to know that the Lord is great above all gods: because they acted proudly against them." Ex 18:12Obtulit ergō Jethro cognātus Mōysī holocausta et hostiās Deō: vēnēruntque Aarōn et omnēs seniōrēs Isrāël, ut comederent pānem cum eō cōram Deō.So Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, offered burnt offerings and victims to God: and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came, to eat bread with him before God. Ex 18:13Alterā autem diē sēdit Mōysēs ut jūdicāret populum, quī assistēbat Mōysī ā māne ūsque ad vesperam.But on the next day Moses sat to judge the people, which stood by Moses from morning until evening. Ex 18:14Quod cum vīdisset cognātus ejus, omnia scīlicet quae agēbat in populō, ait: Quid est hoc quod facis in plēbe?And when his kinsman had seen this, that is, all the things which he was doing among the people, he said: "What is this that you are doing among the common people?
Ex 18:14Cūr sōlus sedēs, et omnis populus praestōlātur dē māne ūsque ad vesperam?Why do you sit alone, and all the people waits from morning until evening?" Ex 18:15Cui respondit Mōysēs: Venit ad mē populus quaerēns sententiam Deī: cumque acciderit eīs aliqua disceptātiō, veniunt ad mē ut jūdicem inter eōs, et ostendam praecepta Deī, et lēgēs ejus.To him Moses answered: "The people comes to me seeking the judgement of God: and when any dispute has arisen among them, they come to me so that I may judge between them, and show the precepts of God, and his laws." Ex 18:17At ille: Nōn bonam, inquit, rem facis.But he: "It is not a good thing," he said, "that you are doing. Ex 18:18Stultō labōre cōnsūmeris et tū, et populus iste quī tēcum est: ultrā vīrēs tuās est negōtium;You are being worn out with foolish labour, both you, and this people which is with you: the business is beyond your strength; Ex 18:18Sōlus illud nōn poteris sustinēre.alone you will not be able to bear it. Ex 18:19Sed audī verba mea atque cōnsilia, et erit Deus tēcum.But hear my words and counsels, and God will be with you.
Ex 18:19Estō tū populō in hīs quae ad Deum pertinent, ut referās quae dīcuntur ad eum: ostendāsque populō caeremōniās et rītum colendī, viamque per quam ingredī dēbeant, et opus quod facere dēbeant.Be you for the people in the things which belong to God, so that you may report to him what is said: and that you may show the people the ceremonies and the rite of worship, and the way by which they ought to walk, and the work which they ought to do. Ex 18:21Prōvidē autem dē omnī plēbe virōs potentēs, et timentēs Deum, in quibus sit vēritās, et quī ōderint avāritiam, et cōnstitue ex eīs tribūnōs, et centuriōnēs, et quīnquāgēnāriōs, et decānōs, quī jūdicent populum omnī tempore: quidquid autem mājus fuerit, referant ad tē, et ipsī minōra tantummodo jūdicent: leviusque sit tibi, partītō in aliōs onere.But provide out of all the common people able men, and fearing God, in whom there is truth, and who hate avarice, and appoint from them tribunes, and centurions, and captains of fifty, and captains of ten, to judge the people at all times: but whatever is greater, let them refer to you, and let them themselves judge only the lesser things: and let it be lighter for you, the burden having been shared out among others.
Ex 18:23Sī hoc fēceris, implēbis imperium Deī, et praecepta ejus poteris sustentāre: et omnis hic populus revertētur ad loca sua cum pāce.If you do this, you will fulfil the command of God, and you will be able to sustain his precepts: and all this people will return to their places with peace." Ex 18:24Quibus audītīs, Mōysēs fēcit omnia quae ille suggesserat.These things having been heard, Moses did all the things which he had suggested. Ex 18:25Et ēlēctīs virīs strēnuīs dē cūnctō Isrāël, cōnstituit eōs prīncipēs populī, tribūnōs, et centuriōnēs, et quīnquāgēnāriōs, et decānōs.And, able men having been chosen out of all Israel, he appointed them leaders of the people, tribunes, and centurions, and captains of fifty, and captains of ten. Ex 18:26Quī jūdicābant plēbem omnī tempore: quidquid autem gravius erat, referēbant ad eum, faciliōra tantummodo jūdicantēs.And they were judging the common people at all times: but whatever was more serious, they were referring to him, judging only the easier things. Ex 18:27Dīmīsitque cognātum suum: quī reversus abiit in terram suam.And he let his kinsman go: and he, having turned back, went away into his own land.