URuthe engasezinyaweni zikaBowazi
1UNawomi uninazala wathi kuye: “Ndodakazi yami, angiyikukufunela ukuphumula ukuba kube kuhle kuwe na? 2Angithi uBowazi owawunamantombazana akhe uyisihlobo sethu na? Bheka, uyela ibhali* kusihlwa esibuyeni. 3Ngakho-ke geza, ugcobe, ugqoke isambatho sakho, wehlele esibuyeni, kepha ungazazisi kulowo muntu, aze aqede ukudla nokuphuza. 4Kuyakuthi nxa eselala, uqaphele indawo ayakulala kuyo, ungene, wambule izinyawo zakhe, ulale; uyakukutshela lokhu oyakukwenza.”
5Wathi kuye: “Konke okushoyo ngiyakukwenza.” 6Wehlela esibuyeni, wenza njengakho konke amyale ngakho uninazala.
7UBowazi wadla waphuza, inhliziyo yakhe yathokoza, waya ukulala ngasekugcineni kwenqwaba yamabele; wafika kahle, wambula izinyawo zakhe, walala. 8Kwathi phakathi kwamabili yethuka leyo ndoda, yaphenduka; bheka, kwakulele owesifazane ngasezinyaweni zayo.
9Yathi: “Ungubani?”
Wathi: “NginguRuthe incekukazi yakho; yembesa incekukazi yakho umphetho wengubo yakho, ngokuba ungumhlengi.”
10Yathi: “Mawubusiswe nguJehova, ndodakazi yami; ubonakalisile umusa ekugcineni kakhulu kunasekuqaleni, ngokuba awulandelanga izinsizwa, noma zimpofu noma zicebile. 11Manje, ndodakazi yami, ungesabi; ngiyakukwenzela konke okushoyo, ngokuba wonke umuzi wabantu bakithi uyazi ukuthi ungowesifazane olungileyo. 12Yebo, kuqinisile ukuthi ngingumhlengi, kepha kukhona umhlengi omkhulu kunami. 13Hlala lobu busuku; kuyakuthi ekuseni, uma ekuhlenga, kulungile, makakuhlenge; kepha uma engathandi ukukuhlenga, mina ngiyakukuhlenga, kuphila kukaJehova; lala kuze kuse.”
14Walala ngasezinyaweni zakhe kwaze kwasa, wavuka bengakazani. Ngokuba yathi: “Makungaziwa ukuthi owesifazane wafika esibuyeni.”
15Yayisithi: “Letha ingubo ephezu kwakho, uyibambe.” Wayibamba, yalinganisa kasithupha ibhali,* yamthwesa lona, wangena emzini.
16Wafika kuninazala; wathi yena: “Ungubani, ndodakazi yami?”
Wamtshela konke leyo ndoda ebimenzele khona. 17Wathi: “Ingiphile lezi zilinganiso eziyisithupha zebhali,* ngokuba yathi kimi: ‘Ungayi kunyokozala ungaphethe lutho.’ ”
18Wathi: “Hlala, ndodakazi yami, uze wazi ukuba le ndaba iyakuphethelaphi, ngokuba leyo ndoda ayiyikuphumula ingakaqedi indaba namuhla.”
