Ruthe
3 Nawomi, maketala wakhe, wase utsi kuye: “Ndvodzakati yami, ngingakubukeli yini umuntfu lotawushada naye*+ kuze tintfo tikuhambele kahle? 2 Bhowazi akasiso yini sihlobo setfu?+ Letincekukati lebewunato ngetakhe. Lamuhla ebusuku utawube ela ibhali ebaleni lekubhulela. 3 Ngako geza, ugcobise emafutsa lanukelelako; bese ugcoka kahle* futsi wehlele kulelibala lekubhulela. Akukafaneli akubone kutsi ukhona kuze kube ngulapho asacedzile kudla nekunatsa. 4 Nasekalala, ubobuka kutsi ulala kuphi bese uya khona, wembule tinyawo takhe futsi ulale lapho. Yena utakutjela loko lokufanele ukwente.”
5 Nakasho njalo, Ruthe wamphendvula watsi: “Konkhe loku longitjela kona ngitakwenta.” 6 Ngako wehlela kulelibala lekubhulela, wakwenta konkhe loko maketala wakhe labemtjele kutsi akwente. 7 Ngaleso sikhatsi, Bhowazi wadla, wanatsa futsi wativa ajabulile enhlitiyweni. Ngemuva kwaloko wahamba wayolala eceleni kwendvundvuma yalokutinhlavu. Ruthe wabese uyanyenya, wembula tinyawo taBhowazi futsi walala. 8 Ekhatsi nebusuku, lendvodza yacala kuchachatela, yatsi nayigucuka yabona kulele umfati ngasetinyaweni tayo. 9 Yatsi: “Ungubani?” Yena wayiphendvula watsi: “NginguRuthe incekukati yakho. Yelula ingubo* yakho etikwencekukati yakho, ngobe unelilungelo lekusihlenga.”+ 10 Nakeva loko, Bhowazi watsi: “Shengatsi Jehova angakubusisa, ndvodzakati yami. Uwukhombise kakhulu umusa* wakho nyalo kunasekucaleni,+ ngekutsi ungagijimeli emajaha ngisho nobe aphuyile nobe anjingile. 11 Ungesabi ndvodzakati yami. Ngitakwentela konkhe lokushoko+ ngobe wonkhe umuntfu kulelidolobha* uyati kutsi wena ungumfati sibili. 12 Ngisho nobe kuliciniso kutsi nginelilungelo lekunihlenga,+ kodvwa ukhona losihlobo lesisedvute kakhulu kunami lonelilungelo lekunihlenga.+ 13 Hlala lapha kulobusuku, futsi nangabe ekuseni uyavuma kukuhlenga, kulungile akakuhlenge!+ Kodvwa ngifunga Jehova Nkulunkulu lophilako kutsi nangabe angafuni kukuhlenga, mine ngitakuhlenga. Lala lapha kuze kube sekuseni.”
14 Ngako walala ngasetinyaweni taBhowazi kwaze kwaba sekuseni, wabese uyavuka kusesemnyama kuze kungabi khona lombonako. Bhowazi wabese utsi: “Akube bete lowatiko kutsi bekunemfati labaleni lekubhulela.” 15 Waphindze watsi kuye: “Letsa lesembatfo losigcokile futsi usivule.” Ngako wasivula, wase umfakela emakhilogremu ebhali lengaba ngu-20,* ngemuva kwaloko wabuyela edolobheni.
16 Ruthe wabese uya kumaketala wakhe, lowatsi kuye: “Kukuhambele njani* ndvodzakati yami?” Yena wamtjela konkhe lendvodza lebeyimentele kona. 17 Wengeta watsi: “Lendvodza inginikete nawa emakhilogremu ebhali langaba ngu-20 yaphindze yatsi kimi: ‘Ungabuyeli kumaketala wakho ulengisa tandla.’” 18 Nakeva loko, Nawomi watsi: “Hlala lapha ndvodzakati yami, kuze kube ngulapho uva kutsi ihamba njani lendzaba, ngobe lendvodza itawenta konkhe lokusemandleni ayo kuze icatulule lendzaba lamuhla.”