URUTHE
1 Ngensuku zabahluleli+ kwaba lendlala elizweni. Enye indoda yasuka eBhethilehema+ koJuda, yathuthela koMowabi+ ilomkayo lamadodana ayo amabili. 2 Indoda le kwakuthiwa ngu-Elimeleki* futhi umkayo kwakunguNawomi.* Amadodana ayo kwakunguMaheloni* loKhiliyoni.* Imuli le yayidabuka e-Efratha, edolobheni laseBhethilehema koJuda. Yafika koMowabi yahlala khona.
3 Ngemva kwesikhathi u-Elimeleki umkaNawomi wafa, uNawomi wasala lamadodana akhe amabili. 4 Atshada labesifazana bakoMowabi okwakuthiwa ngu-Opha loRuthe.+ Bahlala koMowabi okweminyaka engaba litshumi. 5 Amadodana amabili kaNawomi uMaheloni loKhiliyoni lawo afa, wasesala engelabantwana futhi engumfelokazi. 6 Ngakho wabona kungcono ukuthi asuke koMowabi abuyele kibo ngoba wayesezwe ukuthi uJehova ubabusisile futhi abantu bakhe ngokubanika ukudla.* Omalukazana bakhe labo bathi bazahamba laye.
7 Wasuka-ke lapho ayehlala khona elabomalukazana bakhe ababili. Bathi sebesendleleni bebuyela koJuda, 8 uNawomi wathi kubomalukazana bakhe: “Phendukani, ngulowo lalowo aye emzini kanina. Sengathi uJehova angaba lothando oluqotho kini+ njengoba lani libe lothando olunjalo kimi lakubomkenu abangasekho. 9 Kwangathi uJehova angalipha umendo, lihlale kuhle* emizini yenu.”+ Wasebaqabuza bakhala kakhulu 10 bathi kuye: “Hatshi asisoze sibuyele, sizahamba lawe ebantwini bakini.” 11 Kodwa uNawomi wathi kubo: “Buyelani madodakazi ami. Kungani lifuna ukuhamba lami? Kambe ngingenelisa ukuba labanye abantwana abangaba ngomkenu?+ 12 Buyelani madodakazi ami, mina sengiguge kakhulu futhi ngeke ngithole enye indoda engangithatha. Lanxa bengingayithola lamuhla ngibe lamadodana, 13 belizawamelela yini aze akhule? Kambe belizayekela ukutshada ngenxa yawo? Hatshi madodakazi ami, ngilizwela usizi ngenxa yokuthi uJehova ungitshiyile.”*+
14 Baphinda bakhala kakhulu. Ngemva kwalokho u-Opha waqabuza uninazala wasesuka wahamba, kodwa uRuthe wanamathela kuye. 15 UNawomi wasesithi: “Khangela! U-Opha usebuyela ebantwini bakibo lakubonkulunkulu bakhe. Buyela laye.”
16 Kodwa uRuthe wathi: “Ungangincengi ukuthi ngikutshiye lokuthi ngingahambi lawe ngoba lapho oya khona lami ngizakuya khona, futhi lapho olala khona lami ngizalala khona. Abantu bakini bazakuba ngabantu bakithi loNkulunkulu wakho uzakuba nguNkulunkulu wami.+ 17 Lapho ozafela khona kulapho engizafela khona ngingcwatshwe khona. UJehova kangijezise kakhulu nxa singehlukaniswa ngokunye ngaphandle kokufa.”
18 UNawomi wathi ebona ukuthi uRuthe uzimisele ukuhamba laye, wayekela ukumncenga ukuthi abuyele. 19 Baqhubeka ngohambo lwabo baze bayafika eBhethilehema.+ Bathi befika nje idolobho lonke laqalisa ukuxokozela ngenxa yabo, njalo abesifazana babebuzana besithi: “NguNawomi lo?” 20 Yena abesesithi kubo: “Lingangibizi ngokuthi nginguNawomi.* Ngibizani ngokuthi nginguMara* ngoba uSomandla wenze impilo yami yaba nzima kakhulu.+ 21 Ngangilakho konke ngisuka lapha kodwa uJehova ungenze ngaphenduka ngingelalutho. Lingibizelani ngokuthi nginguNawomi khona kunguJehova ongihlanekeleyo njalo kunguSomandla ongenze ngehlelwa yibunzima?”+
22 Lokhu yikho okwenzakala ngesikhathi uNawomi ebuyela kibo esuka elizweni lakoMowabi+ lomalukazana wakhe uRuthe umMowabi. Bafika eBhethilehema abantu beqalisa ukuvuna ibhali.+
2 Kwakulendoda okwakuthiwa nguBhowazi+ eyayiyisihlobo somkaNawomi u-Elimeleki. Indoda le yayinothe kakhulu.
2 URuthe umMowabi wathi kuNawomi: “Ngicela ukuya emasimini ngiyedobhadobha+ izikhwebu ensimini yaloba ngubani ozakuba lomusa kimi.” UNawomi wasesithi kuye: “Kulungile, hamba ndodakazi yami.” 3 Wasuka-ke uRuthe waya emasimini waqalisa ukudobha amabele ayesala ngemva kwabavunayo. Kwenzakala ukuthi insimu angena kuyo yayingekaBhowazi+ owayeyisihlobo sika-Elimeleki.+ 4 Khonokho nje uBhowazi wafika evela eBhethilehema, wabingelela ababevuna wathi: “UJehova kabe lani.” Bona bamphendula bathi: “UJehova kakubusise.”
5 UBhowazi wasebuza isisebenzi sakhe esasikhangele ababevuna wathi: “Ngowangaphi umama lowana?” 6 Isisebenzi sakhe samphendula sathi: “NgumMowabi,+ ubuye loNawomi evela koMowabi.+ 7 Ufike wathi kimi, ‘Ngicela ukudobha+ izikhwebu* zamabele ezisala ngemva kwabavunayo.’ Ubelokhu esebenza kusukela ekuseni. Khona ehlala phansi khathesi nje esithi ake aphumule kancane emthunzini.”
8 UBhowazi wasesithi kuRuthe: “Lalela ndodakazi yami, ungasuki lapha uyedobha kwamanye amasimu futhi ungehlukani lamantombazana angisebenzelayo.+ 9 Nanzelela ukuthi avuna kuyiphi insimu uhambe lawo. Sengiqonqosele lamajaha angisebenzelayo ukuthi angakuthinti.* Ungezwa usuwomile uhambe uyenatha ezimbizeni zamanzi akhiwe yizisebenzi zami.”
10 URuthe uthe esizwa lokho waguqa wakhangela phansi wasesithi: “Kungani ungenzela umusa omkhulu kangaka futhi uzihluphelani ngami mina ngingumuntu wezizweni?”+ 11 UBhowazi wamphendula wathi: “Ngikuzwile konke okuhle okwenzele unyokozala ngemva kokufelwa ngumkakho lokuthi utshiye abazali bakho lelizwe lakini, wabuya ebantwini ongabaziyo.+ 12 UJehova kakubusise ngenxa yalokho okwenzileyo.+ Kwangathi uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli angakupha umvuzo omkhulu ngoba ukhethe ukuzocatsha ngaphansi kwamaphiko akhe.”+ 13 URuthe wasesithi kuye: “Sengathi ngingaqhubeka ngithola umusa kuwe nkosi yami. Ungiduduzile wangiqinisa ngamazwi owakhulumileyo lanxa ngingayisiso sisebenzi sakho.”
14 Ngesikhathi sokudla uBhowazi wathi kuRuthe: “Buya ngapha, thatha isinkwa utshebe kuviniga udle.” Ngakho wahlala labavunayo, uBhowazi wasemnika amabele akhanzingiweyo, wadla wasutha waze watshiya. 15 Wathi esesukuma ukuthi ayedobha+ amabele, uBhowazi wathi ezisebenzini zakhe: “Mvumeleni adobhe izikhwebu* zamabele asalayo, lingamhluphi.+ 16 Mhwatsheleni lezikhwebu zamabele eziphakathi kwezithungo lizitshiye phansi ukuze ahambe edobha. Limyekele asebenze ekhululekile.”
17 Yikho-ke waqhubeka edobha ensimini kwaze kwaba mnyama.+ Wathi esebhule konke ayekudobhile kwaba yisilinganiso se-efa* yebhali, 18 wasekuthwala wahamba lakho ngekhaya wafika watshengisa uninazala. Wakhipha lokudla ayekutshiyile+ wamupha njengoba yena wayesedlile.
19 Uninazala wathi kuye: “Uwathole ngaphi amabele obuye lawo? Udobhe kuyiphi insimu? Sengathi lowo obe lomusa kuwe angabusiswa.”+ Wasetshela uninazala ukuthi wayesebenze ensimini kabani, wathi: “Ngisebenze ensimini yendoda okuthiwa nguBhowazi.” 20 UNawomi wasesithi kumalukazana wakhe: “Sengathi uJehova angayibusisa indoda leyo. Kayekelanga ukuba lothando oluqotho kwabaphilayo labafileyo.”+ Waqhubeka wathi: “Indoda leyo iyisihlobo sethu+ njalo ingomunye wamadoda alelungelo lokusihlenga.”*+ 21 URuthe umMowabi wathi: “Uphinde wathi kimi, ‘Ungehlukani lezisebenzi zami zize ziqede ukuvuna wonke amabele ami.’”+ 22 UNawomi wasesithi kuRuthe umalukazana wakhe: “Kungcono ndodakazi yami ukuthi uhambe lamantombazana amsebenzelayo kulokuthi uye kwenye insimu ufike uphathwe kubi.”
23 Yikho uRuthe kazange ehlukane lamantombazana ayesebenzela uBhowazi. Wayelokhu ehamba esiyadobha okwakusele emasimini saze saphela isikhathi sokuvuna ibhali+ lengqoloyi njalo waqhubeka ehlala loninazala.+
3 UNawomi uninazala kaRuthe wathi: “Ndodakazi yami, kumele ngikudingele umuntu ozakuthatha*+ ukuze uhlale kuhle. 2 Angithi uBhowazi lo obusebenza lamantombazana amsebenzelayo yisihlobo sethu.+ Lamuhla ebusuku uzabe esela ibhali esizeni.* 3 Yikho geza ugcobe amafutha anukelelayo, ugqoke kuhle ubususiya esizeni. Ube leqiniso lokuthi kakuboni aze aqede ukudla lokunatha. 4 Nxa eselala ukhangele ukuthi ulala ngaphi, ubususiya kuye ufike wembule inyawo zakhe ulale khonapho. Uzakutshela okumele ukwenze.”
5 URuthe waphendula wathi: “Ngizakwenza konke ongitshele khona.” 6 Ngakho wahamba esizeni wafika wenza konke ayekutshelwe nguninazala. 7 UBhowazi wathi esedlile wanatha futhi wathokozisa inhliziyo yakhe, wasuka wayalala eceleni kwenqumbi yamabele. URuthe wasebuya enyenya wafika wembula inyawo zakhe walala khonapho. 8 Phakathi kobusuku uBhowazi wavuka eqhuqha, wathi uyakhangela enyaweni zakhe wabona kulowesifazana oleleyo. 9 Wathi kuye: “Ungubani?” Yena wamphendula wathi: “NginguRuthe incekukazi yakho. Yembathisa incekukazi yakho isembatho sakho ngoba wena ulelungelo lokusihlenga.”+ 10 UBhowazi wasesithi: “UJehova kakubusise ndodakazi yami. Lanxa owakwenza kuqala+ kwatshengisa ukuthi ulothando oluqotho, lokhu osukwenze khathesi kwenza kucace ukuthi uthando lwakho lukhulu ngoba kawulandelanga amajaha asakhulayo anothileyo loba angabayanga. 11 Ungesabi ndodakazi yami. Ngizakwenzela konke okucelayo+ ngoba bonke abantu edolobheni leli bayakwazi ukuthi ungowesifazana olungileyo. 12 Lanxa kuliqiniso ukuthi ngilelungelo lokulihlenga,+ ukhona omunye oyisihlobo esiseduze kakhulu kulami ongalihlenga.+ 13 Hlala lapha kuze kube sekuseni. Nxa kuyikuthi uzakuhlenga ekuseni, kulungile kakuhlenge.+ Kodwa nxa engafuni, ngizakuhlenga mina, ngifunga ngoJehova uNkulunkulu ophilayo. Lala lapha kuze kuse.”
14 Ngakho walala enyaweni zakhe wasevuka kusesemnyama ukuze abantu bangamboni. UBhowazi wathi: “Kakungabi lomuntu okwaziyo ukuthi kufike owesifazana esizeni.” 15 Wasesithi: “Buya lelembu lelo olithandeleyo ulivule.” Waselivula wamthelela ibhali eyizilinganiso eziyisithupha* wamethesa. Ngemva kwalokho uBhowazi wabuyela edolobheni.
16 URuthe uthe efika ngekhaya uninazala wambuza wathi: “Uhambe njani* ndodakazi yami?” Ngakho wamtshela konke ayekwenzelwe nguBhowazi, 17 wathi: “Unginike ibhali eyizilinganiso eziyisithupha wathi kimi, ‘Ungahambi ulengise izandla kunyokozala.’” 18 UNawomi wasesithi: “Hlala ulinde ndodakazi yami uze ubone ukuthi indaba le izaphetha ngani, ngoba lamuhla indoda le kayisoze iphumule ize iyilungise.”
4 UBhowazi wasuka waya egedini ledolobho+ wafika wahlala khona. Khonokho nje kwadlula isihlobo ayekhulume ngaso+ esasilelungelo lokuhlenga. UBhowazi wasesithi kuso: “Yeyi ndoda! Ngicela ubuye uzohlala lapha.” Indoda le yasisiya kuBhowazi yafika yahlala laye. 2 Ngemva kwalokho uBhowazi wabiza abadala abalitshumi bakulelodolobho+ wathi kubo: “Ngicela lihlale lapha.” Basebehlala phansi.
3 UBhowazi wasesithi endodeni eyayilelungelo lokuhlenga:+ “UNawomi usephendukile evela koMowabi+ futhi sekumele athengise indawo eyayingeyomfowethu u-Elimeleki.+ 4 Yikho ngithe kungcono ngilethe udaba lolu kuwe ngikutshele ukuthi uyithenge indawo leyo phambi kwabo bonke abantu abahlala lapha laphambi kwabadala.+ Nxa ufuna ukuyithenga* yithenge. Kodwa nxa ungasoze uyithenge ngitshela ngoba nguwe olelungelo lokuyithenga, mina ngilandela wena.” Indoda leyo yaphendula yathi: “Ngizayithenga.”+ 5 UBhowazi wasesithi: “Nxa kuyikuthi uyayithenga indawo leyo kuNawomi kuyabe sekumele uyithenge lakuRuthe umkamuyi ukuze ilifa likamuyi libuyele ebizweni lakhe.”+ 6 Indoda eyayilelungelo lokuhlenga ithe isizwa lokhu yathi: “Nxa kunjalo angisoze ngiyithenge ngoba ngingacina ngiphambanisa ilifa lami. Ngiyakuvumela ukuthi uyithenge wena* ngoba mina angenelisi.”
7 Kudala ko-Israyeli kwakusithi nxa kuqhutshwa isiko eliphathelane lelungelo lokuhlenga futhi kuqiniswa loba yisiphi isivumelwano, umuntu kwakumele akhiphe inyathela lakhe+ alinike lo enza laye isivumelwano. Le yiyo indlela okwakuqiniswa ngayo isivumelwano ko-Israyeli. 8 Yikho isihlobo esilelungelo lokuhlenga sakhipha inyathela laso ngesikhathi sisithi kuBhowazi: “Yithenge wena.” 9 UBhowazi wasesithi ebadaleni lasebantwini bonke: “Lingofakazi+ lamuhla bokuthi ngithenga kuNawomi konke okwakungokuka-Elimeleki lakho konke okwakungokukaKhiliyoni loMaheloni. 10 Ngithatha loRuthe umMowabi owayeyinkosikazi kamuyi uMaheloni ukuthi abe ngumkami ukuze ilifa likaMaheloni libuyele ebizweni lakhe.+ Lokhu kuzakwenza abafowabo bakamuyi labantu bedolobho lakibo bangalikhohlwa ibizo lakhe. Lingofakazi balokhu lamuhla.”+
11 Bonke abantu ababesegedini ledolobho kanye labadala baphendula bathi: “Ye singofakazi! UJehova kayibusise inkosikazi engena emzini wakho ibe njengoRasheli loLeya abakha isizwe sako-Israyeli.+ Sengathi ungaphumelela e-Efratha+ futhi ube lodumo eBhethilehema.+ 12 Abantwana ozabaphiwa nguJehova ngenkosikazi le+ kabenze indlu yakho ibe njengekaPherezi+ indodana kaJuda ayizalelwa nguThamari.”
13 Ngakho uBhowazi wamthatha uRuthe waba ngumkakhe, waselala laye. UJehova wambusisa uRuthe wazithwala wabeletha indodana. 14 Abesifazana basebesithi kuNawomi: “Kadunyiswe uJehova owenze ukuthi kube lendoda engakuhlenga. Ibizo lomntwana lo kalimenyezelwe kulo lonke elako-Israyeli! 15 Uvuselele* impilo yakho njalo uzakugcina nxa usumdala ngoba uzelwe ngumalukazana wakho okuthandayo,+ ongcono kuwe ukwedlula amadodana ayisikhombisa.” 16 UNawomi wamthatha umntwana wamphatha njalo kusukela lapho wamondla. 17 Abesifazana ababengomakhelwane banika umntwana ibizo elithi Obhedi.+ Bathi: “UNawomi uselendodana.” U-Obhedi nguye uyise kaJese,+ uyise kaDavida.
18 Nanzi izizukulwane zikaPherezi:+ UPherezi wazala uHezironi,+ 19 uHezironi wazala uRamu, uRamu wazala u-Aminadabi,+ 20 u-Aminadabi+ wazala uNashoni, uNashoni wazala uSalimoni, 21 uSalimoni wazala uBhowazi, uBhowazi wazala u-Obhedi, 22 u-Obhedi wazala uJese,+ uJese wazala uDavida.+
Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “UNkulunkulu wami uyiNkosi.”
Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Ongithokozisayo.”
Ibizo leli lingabe livela ebaleni lesiHebheru elitsho “ukuphela amandla” loba “ukugula.”
Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Owehlulekayo” loba “Osephela.”
NgesiHebheru, “isinkwa.”
NgesiHebheru, “lithole indawo yokuphumula.”
NgesiHebheru, “isandla sikaJehova singihlanekele.”
Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Ongithokozisayo.”
Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Okubabayo.”
Ezinye inguqulo zithi, “ukudobha phakathi kwezithungo.”
Kumbe, “angakuphambanisi.”
Ezinye inguqulo zithi, “adobhe laphakathi kwezithungo.”
I-efa yayingaba ngamalitha angu-22. Khangela iSengezo ku-B14.
Kumbe, “ingomunye wezihlobo zethu ezilelungelo lokusihlenga.”
NgesiHebheru, “indawo yokuphumula.”
Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
Nxa kuyikuthi izilinganiso lezi kwakungamaseya ayisithupha, ibhali le yayingabe ingamakhilogremu angu-25. Khangela iSengezo ku-B14.
NgesiHebheru, “Ungubani?”
NgesiHebheru, “ukuyihlenga.”
NgesiHebheru, “uyihlenge usebenzisa ilungelo lami lokuhlenga.”
Lapha kutshiwo umzukulu kaNawomi.