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,

Cumque audisset Jethro, sacerdos Madian, cognatus Moysi, omnia quæ fecerat Deus Moysi, et Israëli populo suo, et quod eduxisset Dominus Israël de Ægypto,

And now news reached Jethro, priest of Madian, Moses’ father-in-law, of all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had rescued Israel from Egypt.

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

tulit Sephoram uxorem Moysi quam remiserat,

So he brought Moses his wife Sephora (for Moses had sent her back home),

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

et duos filios ejus: quorum unus vocabatur Gersam, dicente patre: Advena fui in terra aliena;

and his two sons. The elder of these was called Gersam, because his father said, I have been a stranger, Ger, in an alien land,

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

alter vero Eliezer: Deus enim, ait, patris mei adjutor meus, et eruit me de gladio Pharaonis.

and the younger Eliezer, Help from God, because, said Moses, the God of my father has helped me to escape from the power of Pharao.

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.

Venit ergo Jethro cognatus Moysi, et filii ejus, et uxor ejus ad Moysen in desertum, ubi erat castrametatus juxta montem Dei.

So, here in the desert, where he lay encamped close to God’s mountain, Moses was visited by his father-in-law Jethro, and his sons, and his wife.

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

Et mandavit Moysi, dicens: Ego Jethro cognatus tuus venio ad te, et uxor tua, et duo filii cum ea.

Jethro had sent word on to tell Moses who it was that came, and that he had Sephora and her two sons with him;

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,

Qui egressus in occursum cognati sui, adoravit, et osculatus est eum: salutaveruntque se mutuo verbis pacificis. Cumque intrasset tabernaculum,

so Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowing low and greeting him with a kiss, and words of peaceful welcome passed between them. Then, within the shelter of his tent,

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.

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.

Moses told his father-in-law how the Lord had avenged Israel on Pharao and the Egyptians; what hardships they had met on the journey, and how the Lord had sent them relief.

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.

Lætatusque est Jethro super omnibus bonis, quæ fecerat Dominus Israëli, eo quod eruisset eum de manu Ægyptiorum.

The story of the Lord’s mercies to an oppressed people in delivering them from the power of Egypt rejoiced Jethro’s heart;

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.

Et ait: Benedictus Dominus, qui liberavit vos de manu Ægyptiorum, et de manu Pharaonis; qui eruit populum suum de manu Ægypti.

Blessed be the Lord, he said, who has brought you deliverance when you lay in the power of Pharao and of the Egyptians! Blessed be the Lord, who has put an end to your slavery in Egypt!

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

Nunc cognovi, quia magnus Dominus super omnes deos: eo quod superbe egerint contra illos.

Now I know for certain that the Lord is greater than all other gods! An ill day for the Egyptians when they wronged you!

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.

Obtulit ergo Jethro cognatus Moysi holocausta et hostias Deo: veneruntque Aaron et omnes seniores Israël, ut comederent panem cum eo coram Deo.

So Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought offerings and sacrificed to God; and Aaron, with all the elders of Israel, came to sit at meat with him, there in God’s presence.

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

Altera autem die sedit Moyses ut judicaret populum, qui assistebat Moysi a mane usque ad vesperam.

Next day, Moses was in his place deciding disputes among the people, who must stand there from morning till evening waiting for an audience with him;

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.

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?

and when Jethro saw how he busied himself over the people’s needs, he asked, What makest thou here among the people? Why dost thou sit there alone, with all the people waiting upon thee from morning till evening?

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

Cui respondit Moyses: Venit ad me populus quærens sententiam Dei:

They come to me, answered Moses, to find out what God’s decision is.

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.

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

Some dispute arises among them, and they come to me so that I may make a just award between them, telling them of the decrees which God issues, and of his law.

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

At ille: Non bonam, inquit, rem facis.

It is ill conceived, said Jethro, this practice of thine.

Thou art 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.

Stulto labore consumeris et tu, et populus iste qui tecum est: ultra vires tuas est negotium; solus illud non poteris sustinere.

Thou wilt wear out thy own strength, and the patience of this people that goes with thee, and to no purpose; it is beyond thy powers to sustain this office all alone.

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:

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:

Here is a word of advice for thee; do but listen, and God will speed thee. Thy part is to be the representative of this people with God, referring all their affairs to him,

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.

ostendasque populo cæremonias et ritum colendi, viamque per quam ingredi debeant, et opus quod facere debeant.

prescribing to them rite and observance, custom to be kept and duty to be done.

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.

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,

Meanwhile, choose out here and there among the people able men, God-fearing, lovers of truth and haters of gain ill won; put each of these in charge of a tribe, or of a hundred families, or fifty families, or ten.

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.

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

These will administer justice to the people from day to day, referring graver matters to thee, but deciding for themselves all that is of less moment. Share thy burden with others, and find relief;

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.

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

so thou wilt be able to carry out God’s commands, and endure the weight of all his claims upon thee, and yet all these folk will go home satisfied.

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

Quibus auditis, Moyses fecit omnia quæ ille suggesserat.

Moses listened to all that he proposed, and carried it into effect.

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.

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

He chose out here and there among the Israelites active men, and made them rulers of the people, with the charge of a tribe, or a hundred families, or fifty families, or ten;

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.

Qui judicabant plebem omni tempore: quidquid autem gravius erat, referebant ad eum, faciliora tantummodo judicantes.

and these administered justice to the people day after day, referring graver matters to him, and deciding for themselves all that was of less moment.

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

Dimisitque cognatum suum: qui reversus abiit in terram suam.

And so he took leave of his father-in-law, who now went back to his own country.