Ruthe
1 Ngesikhatsi behluleli+ kungibo baholi,* kwaba nendlala eveni futsi indvodza letsite yesuka eBhetlehema+ yakaJuda yahamba yayohlala eveni* lakaMowabi+ yaba sihambi. Yahamba nemfati wayo kanye nemadvodzana ayo lamabili. 2 Libito lalendvodza bekungu-Elimeleki,* umfati wayo kunguNawomi* kantsi emabito emadvodzana ayo lamabili bekunguMahaloni* naKhiliyoni.* Bebabase-Efratha, bavela eBhetlehema yakaJuda. Befika eveni lakaMowabi futsi bahlala khona.
3 Ngemuva kwesikhatsi lesitsite, Elimeleki indvodza yaNawomi wafa futsi Nawomi wasala nemadvodzana akhe lamabili. 4 Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi lamadvodzana aNawomi atsatsa bafati bakaMowabi, libito lalomunye bekungu-Opha, lolomunye kunguRuthe.+ Bahlala lapho iminyaka lengaba ngu-10. 5 Lamadvodzana akhe lamabili boMahaloni naKhiliyoni nawo afa. Nawomi wasala sekete indvodza futsi sekete nebantfwana. 6 Ngako wesuka nabomakoti bakakhe lababili eveni lakaMowabi babuyela emuva, ngobe bekevile akaMowabi kutsi Jehova besekabanaka bantfu bakhe ngekubanika kudla.*
7 Ngako wayishiya indzawo labekasolo ahlala kuyo nabomakoti bakakhe lababili. Njengobe bachubeka neluhambo babuyela eveni lakaJuda, 8 Nawomi watsi kulabomakoti bakakhe: “Kuncono nijike, ngamunye wenu abuyele endlini yamake wakhe. Shengatsi Jehova anganentela umusa*+ njengobe nentile kimi nasemadvodzeni enu lasashonile. 9 Shengatsi Jehova angenta* kutsi ngamunye wenu atfole kulondzeka* ekhaya lendvodza yakhe.”+ Ngemuva kwaloko wabacabuza, futsi badzindza sililo. 10 Labomakoti bakakhe bebasolo batsi kuye: “Cha, sitawuhamba nawe siye kubantfu bakini.” 11 Kodvwa Nawomi wabaphendvula watsi: “Jikani madvodzakati ami. Kungani kufanele nihambe nami? Ngisengakhona yini kutala emadvodzana langaba ngemadvodza enu?+ 12 Jikani madvodzakati ami. Hambani ngobe sengikhule kakhulu kutsi ngingaphindze ngishade. Ngisho nobe ngingaba nelitsemba lekutfola indvodza lengingashada nayo kulobusuku ngibese ngitala emadvodzana, 13 ningakhona yini kuwamela aze akhule? Ningakhona yini kutibamba ningashadi ngenca yawo? Hhayi bantfwabami, nginivela buhlungu kakhulu ngobe sandla saJehova simelene nami.”+
14 Baphindze badzindza sililo, ngemuva kwaloko Opha wacabuza maketala wakhe wase uyahamba. Kodvwa Ruthe wanamatsela kuye. 15 Ngako Nawomi watsi: “Buka! Opha sewubuyele kubantfu bakubo nakubonkulunkulu bakhe. Jika naye.”
16 Kodvwa Ruthe watsi: “Ngicela ungangincengi kutsi ngikushiye. Ngitawuhamba nawe, ngobe lapho uya khona nami ngitawuya khona, nalapho uyolala khona nami ngiyolala khona. Bantfu bakini batawuba bantfu bakitsi futsi Nkulunkulu wakho utawuba nguNkulunkulu wami.+ 17 Lapho ufela khona nami ngiyofela khona futsi ngingcwatjwe khona. Shengatsi Jehova angangiletsela tijeziso ngekulandzelana nangingavumela nobe ngabe yini lenye ngaphandle kwekufa kutsi ingehlukanise nawe.”
18 Ngesikhatsi Nawomi abona kutsi Ruthe uyaphikelela kuhamba naye, wayekela kumncenga. 19 Bobabili bachubeka neluhambo lwabo baze bayofika eBhetlehema.+ Batsi nabefika lapho, lonkhe lidolobha lanyakatela ngenca yabo futsi bafati bebatsi: “NguNawomi yini lona?” 20 Yena bekatsi kubo: “Ningangibiti ngekutsi nginguNawomi.* Ngibiteni ngekutsi nginguMara* ngobe Somandla wente imphilo yami yaba munyu.+ 21 Bengiphelele nangihamba kodvwa Jehova ungente ngabuya sengilengisa tandla. Ningibitelani ngekutsi nginguNawomi kube kunguJehova lomelene nami, futsi kunguSomandla longibangele lenhlekelele?”+
22 Lena-ke yindlela Nawomi labuya ngayo esuka eveni lakaMowabi+ ahamba naRuthe makoti wakakhe longumMowabi. Befika eBhetlehema nakucalwa kuvunwa ibhali.+