Ruthe 1

₁Kadzeni, live lisabuswa tikhulu kwase kwaba nendlala lenkhulu eveni. Lenye indvodza yakaJuda, leyayihlala eBhetlehema, yahamba nemkayo nemadvodzana ayo lamabili yaya kuyawuhlalahlala eveni lakaMowabi. ₂Libito lalendvodza kwakungu-Elimeleki, umkayo kunguNawomi, emadvodzana ayo kunguMahaloni naKhiliyoni. Babebesive sema-Efratha eBhetlehema yakaJuda. Bafike bacaba bahlala kulo lelive lakaMowabi.

₃Elimeleki, indvodza yaNawomi, wafa; Nawomi wasala nalamadvodzana akhe lamabili. ₄Lamadvodzana ateka bafati bakaMowabi; libito lalomunye umfati kwakungu-Opha, lomunye kunguRuthe. Bahlala lapho iminyaka lengaba lishumi. ₅BoMahaloni naKhiliyoni, bobabili, bafa; Nawomi wasala angenandvodza ate nendvodzana.

₆Emvakwaloko Nawomi weva kutsi Simakadze ubabusisile bantfu bakubo ngekubapha inala. Ngako-ke wavele watilungiselela kuhamba nalaba bomalukatane bakhe. ₇Besuka lapho, base balibangisa eveni lakaJuda. ₈Nawomi wase ukhuluma kubomalukatane bakhe, watsi: “Ncandzekani, nibuyele emakhaya akini. Shangatsi Simakadze anganiphatsa ngemusa, njengobe benibaphetse ngemusa nani bafi, lababengemadvodzana ami, kantsi nami futsi beningiphetse kahle. ₉Shangatsi Simakadze anganibusisa aniphe emadvodza, nakhe imiti!”

Ngako Nawomi wabavalelisa ngekubanga, bakhala. ₁₀Bakhuluma kuye batsi: “Cha, sitawuhamba nawe siye esiveni sakini.”

₁₁Kodvwa Nawomi wakhuluma kubo, watsi: “Ncandzekani, madvodzakati ami, nitawuhambelani nami? Nitsi mine ngisenayo nje inhlanyelo kutsi ngingatala emadvodzana langaba ngemadvodza enu? ₁₂Ncandzekani, madvodzakati ami, sengimdzala kakhulu kutsi ngingaphindze ngendze manje. Nome bekungenteka ngibe nelitsemba, ngilale nendvodza kulobusuku, ngitale emadvodzana, ₁₃benitawemela yini adzimate akhule? Beningahlala ningendzi yini? Cha, madvodzakati ami, mine ngibuhlungu kabi ngani kutsi sandla saSimakadze simelene nami.”

₁₄Baphindze basicala phansi futsi sililo. Opha wanga uninatala wakhe wahamba, kodvwa Ruthe wanamatsela kuye. ₁₅Ngako-ke Nawomi wakhuluma kuRuthe, watsi: “Angitsi uyabona kutsi dzadzewenu sewuhambile wabuyela kubo, nawe-ke ncandzeka kanye naye.”

₁₆Ruthe waphendvula watsi: “Ngicela kutsi ungangincengi kutsi ngikushiye. Ngiyekele, ngihambe nawe. Lapho uya khona, nami ngitakuya khona; lapho uyawuhlala khona, nami ngiyawuhlala khona. Sive sakini, kuyawuba sive sami; naNkulunkulu wakho kube nguNkulunkulu wami. ₁₇Lapho uyawufela khona, nami ngiyawungcwatjwa khona. Shangatsi Simakadze angangijezisa kakhulu, nangabe mine ngivumela nome ngabe yini, ngaphandle kwekufa, kutsi kusehlukanise.”

₁₈Watsi kube Nawomi abone kutsi Ruthe utimisele kuhamba naye, wangabe asachubeka nekumncenga kutsi ancandzeke.

₁₉Bahamba bobabili badzimate bafika eBhetlehema. Batsi kube befike eBhetlehema, bonkhe bantfu kulelo dolobha babajabulela. Labasikati babutana bodvwana batsi: “Utsi ngabe nguNawomi lo?”

₂₀Wabaphendvula watsi: “Hhayi, ningasangibiti ngekutsi nginguNawomi, sale senitsi nginguMara, ngobe Nkulunkulu Somandla ungihlanekele, wangiletsela kuhlupheka. ₂₁Ngahamba ngiphelele, kodvwa Simakadze ungibuyise mahhala. Pho, nisangibitelani kutsi nginguNawomi, kantsi Simakadze ungihlanekele, wangiletsela kuhlupheka?”

₂₂Wancandzeka kanjalo-ke Nawomi namalukatane wakhe labengumMowabi, baphuma eveni lemaMowabi. Lapha eBhetlehema befika nakucala kuvunwa ibhali.