To The Word – Day 69

₁Ngexesha leenkokheli kwabakho indlala enkulu elizweni. Kwasuka mfo uthile waseBhetelehem kwaJuda, waphambukela eMowabhi kunye nomkakhe noonyana bakhe ababini. ₂Igama lale ndoda lalinguElimeleki; elomkakhe lalinguNawomi, oonyana benguMalon noKiliyon. BabengamaEfrayim awayemi eBhetelehem kwaJuda, baza baya kuma elizweni laseMowabhi. ₃Waza ke uElimeleki indoda kaNawomi wasweleka, uNawomi wasala noonyana bakhe bobabini, ₄ababetshathe iintombi zamaMowabhi. Inkulu yayizeke uOrpa, inci izeke uRute. Bahlala khona iminyaka emalunga neshumi, ₅basweleka nabo ooMalon noKiliyon, wasala uNawomi engumhlolokazi engasenandoda nanyana.

₆Akuva uNawomi ukuba *uNdikhoyo ubabonelele abantu bakhe ngesivuno esihle, uye walungiselela ukuya kowabo kunye noomolokazana bakhe ababini. ₇Wayishiya loo ndawo wayehlala kuyo, wanduluka kunye noomolokazana bakhe, wangena endleleni esinga kwilizwe lakwaJuda. ₈Wavakala esithi uNawomi koomolokazana bakhe: “Buyelani kumakhaya enu. Ubenga uNdikhoyo anganenzela izibele njengoko benisenza kum nakwabo basishiyileyo. ₉Ubenga uNdikhoyo anganinika indawo yokuphumla, elowo endlwini yendoda yakhe.”

UNawomi wabanga ebabulisa. Kodwa bona basuka basitsho isikhalo, ₁₀bathi: “Hayi, nakanjani siza kuya kowenu kunye nawe!”

₁₁“Hayini, zintombi zam, godukani,” watsho uNawomi. “Kutheni nafuna ukuhamba nam? Niba ndingabe ndiphinde ndizale oonyana, nize nina nibe ngabafazi babo? ₁₂Hayi bo, godukani, zintombi zam; noko sendaluphele ngoku ukuba ndingabuye ndende. Kambe ke nokuba bendisenalo ithemba ndide mhlawumbi ndende nokwenda ngokuhlwanje, ndide ndizale noonyana, ₁₃beningade nilinde bade bakhule, ningendeli kwabanye abantu? Hayi, zintombi zam, imeko yam ikrakra kuneyenu, kuba mna uNdikhoyo ngathi undifulathele.”

₁₄Babuya bathathisa kwakhona ukukhala oomolokazana bakaNawomi. UOrpa wamanga embulisa uninazala, kodwa yena uRute wathana nca noNawomi. ₁₅Wathi uNawomi: “Uyabona, umkhuluwakazi wakho ubuyele ebantwini bakhe nakoothixo bakhe. Nawe goduka kunye naye.”

₁₆Waphendula uRute wathi: “Sukundinyanzela usithi mandikushiye. Apho uya khona, nam ndiya kuya, ndiye kuhlala nalapho uhlala khona, amawenu abe ngamawethu, noThixo wakho abe nguThixo wam. ₁₇Ndiya kufa apho ufa khona, ndingcwatyelwe apho nam. *UNdikhoyo aze andihlisele elona shwangusha xa ndinokwahlulwa nto nawe; ewe, nditsho nokufa!”

₁₈UNawomi akabanga saphinda awuvule owakhe umlomo, akubona okungako kona ukuzimisela kukaRute ukungahlukani naye.

₁₉Bahamba ke bada baya kufika eBhetelehem. Bathi bakufika khona kwatsho kwathabatheka wonke ubani. Abafazi bathi: “Hi bethu, nithi nguNawomi nyani na lo?”

₂₀UNawomi yena wathi: “Sanukuthi Nawomi kum, yithini Mara, kuba wabenza bakrakra kum ubomi uSomandla. ₂₁Ekumkeni kwam apha ndandingenanto ndingenayo, kodwa ngoku uNdikhoyo undibuyisa ndiyimpula kalujaca. Nisatsholo ni ukuthi ndinguNawomi xa yena uNdikhoyo esuke wandicinezela nje – xa yena uSomandla esuke wandizisela iinkxwaleko?”

₂₂Kwaba njalo ke ukubuya kukaNawomi evela eMowabhi, ehamba nomolokazana wakhe uRute umMowabhikazi. Kwakuxa kanye kuqaliswa ukuvunwa kwerhasi ukufika kwabo eBhetelehem.

₁Kwakukho mfo uthile ogama linguBhowazi owayesisizalwane sasemzini kaNawomi. Wayengowesiduko sikaElimeleki, engumfo owaziwayo.

₂UmMowabhikazi uRute wathi kuNawomi: “Mandikhe ndiye emasimini, ndibhikice kulaa ngqolowa ivunwayo, ndikhwahlaze emva komntu ondivumelayo.”

“Hayi kulungile, ungahamba, mntwan' am,” watsho uNawomi.

₃Wanduluka ke uRute ukuya emasimini. Wafika walandela abavuni, ehamba ebhikica. Kwathi kanti loo nto uyenza entsimini kaBhowazi owayezalana noElimeleki.

₄Ke wafika uBhowazi, evela eBhetelehem. Wababulisa abavuni, esithi: “UNdikhoyo ubenga angaba nani!”

Baphendula bathi bona: “Camagu! Akuthamsanqelise nawe uNdikhoyo!”

₅Emva koko uBhowazi ubuze kwinduna ephethe abavuni, wathi: “Kanene yintombi yasemanini leya ndiyibonayo?”

₆Yona ithe: “NgumMowabhikazi lowa, lo ufike noNawomi ukubuya kwakhe kwelamaMowabhi. ₇Ucele ukuba ndimvumele abhikice, akhwahlaze phakathi kwezithungu, elandela abavuni. Kudala elapha; akakhange aphumle oko kusile – usandula ukuyeka ngoku umbona ehleli phaya endaweni yokuphumla nje.”

₈UBhowazi wathi kuRute: “Uyabona ke, ntombi yam, uzungemki apha, ungabi saya kubhikica kumasimi abanye abantu. Uze uncamathele kwiintombi ezi zisebenza kula masimi am. ₉Uze uzilandele, ubhikice apho zivuna khona. Ndibaxelele abafana aba ukuba bangakukhathazi. Ukuba unxaniwe uze uye kusela kwezaa ngqayi zamanzi akhiwe ngabafana.”

₁₀Waqubuda phambi koBhowazi uRute, wathi: “Mhlekazi, ngani ukuba undenzele ububele obungaka undihoye ndingowelinye ilizwe nje?”

₁₁UBhowazi wathi: “Ndivile ngawe ukuba ubumphethe kakuhle unyoko-zala, naxa umyeni wakho selengasekho. Ude washiya uyihlo nonyoko, nditsho namawenu la embala, weza kuhlala phakathi kwabantu obungazani nabo. ₁₂Ubenga ke uNdikhoyo angakuvuza ngomsebenzi wakho. Ewe, ubenga uNdikhoyo, uThixo kaSirayeli, lo wena uze kuzifaka phantsi kwamaphiko akhe, angakubuyekeza kanobom.”

₁₃URute wathi: “Ngenene, mhlekazi, unenceba; undithobe uvalo xa wenjenje ukuthetha nam ngobubele, mna sicakakazi sakho, naxa ndingoyena unganeno nakwizicakakazi zakho.”

₁₄Kuthe xa kutyiwayo, uBhowazi wathi kuye: “Yiz' apha, uthathe isonka, usithi nkxu kwiwayini.” Ke uRute wahlala phantsi kunye neentombi ezingabavuni; waza uBhowazi wamnika ugcado, watya wahlutha, kwada kwasala. ₁₅Ubuye waya kubhikica kwakhona uRute. UBhowazi yena wayalela izicaka zakhe, wathi: “Ze nimyeke ningamnqandi nokuba selebhikica ngasezithungwini. ₁₆Ngaphaya koko ze nide nimrhutyele nasezithungwini ingqolowa, nishiye abhikice, ningamkhalimeli.”

₁₇Kwada kwatshona ilanga uRute ekhwahlaza. Uthe akuyibhula wafumana malunga neshumi leekhilogram zengqolowa. ₁₈Wayithwala wagoduka nayo, wayibonisa uninazala. Wamnika nokutya awayembekele kona kwisidlo sasemini. ₁₉UNawomi wambuza wathi: “Ubhikice phi namhlanje? Ubusebenza kwabani? Wanga angasikeleleka lowo ukwenzele ububele.”

URute wamxelela uninazala ukuba ubebhikica kumasimi kabani, esithi: “Ndisebenze entsimini yomfo ekuthiwa nguBhowazi.”

₂₀Wavakala uNawomi esithi kumolokazana: “UNdikhoyo ozibele zihlala zihleli kwabaphilayo nabafileyo makamthamsanqelise uBhowazi!” Uqokele wathi: “Loo mfo usisizalwane esisondeleyo kuthi. Ungomnye wabantu esijonge kubo njengomkhululi.”

₂₁Ke uRute umMowabhikazi wathi: “Kananjalo uBhowazi uthe mandincamathele kubasebenzi bakhe de kugqitywe ukuvunwa.”

₂₂UNawomi uthe: “Ewe, mntwan' am, kuhle uhambe neentombi zaphaya kwaBhowazi. Usenokuhlelwa yinto embi kumasimi abanye abantu.”

₂₃URute wancamathela kwezo ntombi zakwaBhowazi, ekhwahlaza kwada kwagqitywa ukuvunwa kwerhasi nengqolowa. Wayehlala no ninazala ngalo lonke elo xesha.

₁UNawomi wathi kumolokazana wakhe: “Kufuneka ndikufunele owakho umzi, mntwan' am, apho uya konwaba khona. ₂Laa mfo uBhowazi, lowa ubuthe nca kubasebenzi bakhe ukhwahlaza, sisizalwane esisondeleyo kuthi, esijonge kuye njengomkhululi. Ngokuhlwanje uza kubhula ele irhasi esandeni sakhe. ₃Wena ke uze uhlambe, uziqhole, wambathe kakuhle, wandule ke ukuya esandeni sakhe. Kodwa ke uze ungazivezi kuye de agqibe isidlo sakhe. ₄Xa eya kulala uze uqaphele apho aya kulala khona, uye kutyhila ingubo, ungqengqe ngasezinyaweni zakhe. Yena ke wokuxelela ukuba makuthiweni na.”

₅URute wathi ku ninazala: “Ndokwenza konke ondixeleleyo.”

₆Wahamba ke uRute, waya esandeni, wafika wenza njengoko uninazala wayemyalele. ₇Emva kwesidlo sakhe, kunye nezinto zokusithoba zakhona, uBhowazi waziva echulumacha. Wahamba waya kulala emazantsi esitha. Walandela uRute, echwechwa, wafika watyhila ingubo ngasezinyaweni zikaBhowazi, wangqengqa. ₈Ezinzulwini zobusuku uBhowazi wothuka, weva ngesandla ukuba kukho umntu obhinqileyo ongqengqe ngasezinyaweni zakhe. ₉Wambuza wathi: “Ungubani?”

Waphendula yena wathi: “Ndim, mhlekazi, uRute isicakakazi sakho. Ndikhusele phantsi kwamaphiko akho. Kaloku wena usisizalwane esijonge kuso njengomkhululi.”

₁₀“*UNdikhoyo makakuthamsanqelise, ntombi yam,” watsho uBhowazi. “Ubonakalisa intembeko engaphezulu kuleya yangaphambili. Akuzifunelanga umyeni osemtsha – nokuba ngosisityebi, nokuba ngongesiso. ₁₁Thoba uvalo ke, ntombi yam. Yonke into oyifunayo ndoyenza, kuba kaloku nkqu nomzi uphela uyazi ukuba ungumfazi onesidima. ₁₂Yinyaniso ukuba ndisisizalwana esisondeleyo, kodwa ke kukho esinye isizalwane esingumkhululi esisondeleyo kuwe ngaphezu kwam. ₁₃Lala apha obu busuku. Kusasa ngomso siya kuva kuye ukuba uya kuncedwa nguye na okanye hayi. Ukuba ùza kukhululwa nguye, koba kulungile; kanti ke xa kungenjalo, ndifunga uNdikhoyo ongasoze afe, ndim oya kukukhulula. Lala ke, ntombi yam, kude kube kusasa.”

₁₄Wangqengqa apho ke uRute ngasezinyaweni zikaBhowazi. Uvuke kunye neenkuku, bengekabi namanakani abantu, kuba kaloku uBhowazi wayethe: “Mayingaziwa bani into yokuba umntu obhinqileyo ukhe walala esandeni.”

₁₅UBhowazi wathi kuRute: “Yiza nengubo oyambetheyo, ukhongozele,” waza wagalela kuyo ingqolowa eninzi (malunga namashumi amabini eekhilogram) wamthwalisa wabuyela edolophini.

₁₆Akufika ekhaya uRute, uninazala uNawomi umbuze wathi: “Kwehla ntoni ke, mntwan' am?”

URute wabalisa konke okwenziwe nguBhowazi. ₁₇Watsho nokuthi: “Undiphe nale ngqolowa ingaka, esithi: ‘Mawungabuyeli kunyoko-zala ulambatha.’ ”

₁₈UNawomi wathi: “Linda, mntan' am, kude kucace okuza kwenzeka; indoda leyo ayiyi kuphumla lo mcimbi ungafikanga esiphelweni sawo.”

₁Wenjenjeya uBhowazi ukusinga kwindawo yembizo ngasemasangweni omzi, wafika wahlala phantsi. Esahleli apho, kwathi gqi isizalwana sikaElimeleki esingumkhululi, esiya wayethethe ngaso kuRute, wasibiza esithi: “Khawuz' apha, mfondini, uhlale phantsi.”

Siyile ke, safika sahlala phantsi, ₂waza uBhowazi wabiza ishumi lamadoda amakhulu omzi, wathi kuwo: “Khanikhe nithi nqwadalala apha.” Enjenjalo ke. ₃UBhowazi wabhekisa kwisizalwana sakhe esingumkhululi wenjenje: “UNawomi obuyileyo eMowabhi ufuna ukuwuthengisa lowa mhlaba womntakwethu uElimeleki. ₄Ndithe lo mbandela ndokha ndiwuphalaze kuwe apha phambi kwaba bantu balapha kunye nala madoda makhulu akowethu, ndiqonde ukuba uyawuthatha na. Ukuba uyawuthatha, wuthathe; kodwa ukuba akuwuthathi, ndixelele. Kaloku akukho mntu unelungelo ngaphezu kwakho; nkqu nam ndilandela wena.”

“Hayi, ndiza kuyithatha loo ntsimi,” watsho loo mfo.

₅UBhowazi wathi: “Uze uqonde ukuba mhla wathatha laa ntsimi kuNawomi uthatha noRute, umka-mfi, ukuze lingaze licime igama lakhe kwilifa lakhe.”

₆Uthe loo mfo: “Xa kunjalo ke mna andizi kuyithatha loo ntsimi, kuba ndiya kuba ndizifaka engxakini yokubeka umzi wam esichengeni. Ungayithatha wena; mna andinako.”

₇Ngaloo maxesha xa kuthengiswa okanye kunananiselwana umthengisi wayekhulula imbadada, anike umthengi. Ayebonakalisa ngaloo ndlela amaSirayeli ukuba umcimbi ugqityiwe.

₈Wathi ke lo mfo akuthi kuBhowazi: “Yithathe,” watsho ekhulula imbadada yakhe.

₉UBhowazi ubhekise kwababelapho kunye namadoda amakhulu, wathi: “Namhlanje nonke ningamangqina okuba namhla ndithathe konke okukaElimeleki kuNawomi. Nditsho nokukaKiliyon noMalon oonyana bakhe. ₁₀Ngaphezu koko umka-Malon, umMowabhikazi uRute, uza kuba ngumkam. Loo nto iya kwenza ukuba izinto zikamfi zihlale zizezakubo, lize negama lakhe lingaze licime kumawabo nasezimbalini zakowabo. Ningamangqina aloo nto ke namhlanje.”

₁₁Amadoda amakhulu nabo bonke ababelapho ngasemasangweni bavuma bathi: “Singamangqina. *UNdikhoyo ubenga angamenza lo mfazi umthathayo afuze ooRakeli noLeya, bona bayakhayo indlu kaSirayeli. Nawe sikunqwenelela iwonga phakathi kwabemi base-Efrata, igama lakho libe nodumo eBhetelehem. ₁₂Ngenzala oya kuyinikwa nguNdikhoyo ngalo mfazi yanga indlu yakho ingafana nekaPerezi unyana kaJuda ngoTamare.”

₁₃UBhowazi ke wamthatha uRute waba ngumfazi wakhe. *UNdikhoyo wamthamsanqelisa, wamitha, wazala umntwana oyinkwenkwe. ₁₄Abafazi balapho bathi kuNawomi: “Makabongwe uNdikhoyo ngokukupha umzukulwana onokujonga kuye! Belinga lingaba nodumo igama lakhe kwaSirayeli! ₁₅Uya kubuhlaziya ubomi bakho, akulondoloze ekwaluphaleni kwakho. Umzalelwe ngumolokazana wakho okuthandayo noxabiso lakhe kuwe ligqitha ixabiso loonyana abasixhenxe.”

₁₆Wamfunqula loo mntwana uNawomi, wamsingatha, waba yimpelesi yakhe.

₁₇Abafazi balapho bathi: “UNawomi unomntwana oyinkwenkwe.” Baza bamthiya igama, bathi nguObhedi.

UObhedi yena ngulo wazala uJese uyise kaDavide.

₁₈Nguwo ke lo umlibo osuka kuPerezi use kuDavide: UPerezi uzele uHezeron; uHezeron uzele uRam; ₁₉uRam uzele uAminadabhi; ₂₀uAminadabhi uzele uNashon; uNashon uzele uSalman; ₂₁uSalman uzele uBhowazi; uBhowazi uzele uObhedi; ₂₂uObhedi uzele uJese; uJese uzele uDavide.