1:1 Ke kaloku kwathi ngemihla yokulawula kwabagwebi, kwabakho indlala elizweni. Yahamba indoda yaseBhetelehem yakwaYuda, yaza yaphambukela elizweni lakwaMowabhi, yona nomkayo, noonyana bayo bobabini.
1:2 Ke igama laloo ndoda lalinguElimeleki, igama lomkayo linguNahomi; amagama oonyana bayo babengooMalon noKiliyon, bengamaEfrata aseBhetelehem yakwaYuda. Baya ke elizweni lakwaMowabhi, baba khona.
1:3 Wafa uElimeleki indoda kaNahomi; washiywa ke yena noonyana bakhe bobabini.
1:4 Bazeka abafazi abangamaMowabhikazi; igama lomnye lalinguOrpa, igama lomnye lalinguRute; bahlala khona iminyaka eseshumini.
1:5 Bafa kananjalo bobabini ooMalon noKiliyon; washiywa ke loo mfazi ngoonyana bakhe bobabini nayindoda yakhe.
1:6 Wesuka yena noomolokazana bakhe, ebuya elizweni lakwaMowabhi; ngokuba weva eselizweni lakwaMowabhi, ukuba uYehova ubavelele abantu bakhe ngokubanika isonka.
1:7 Waphuma kuloo ndawo abekuyo, enoomolokazana bakhe bobabini; wahamba ngendlela ebuyela ezweni lakwaYuda.
1:8 Wathi uNahomi koomolokazana bakhe bobabini, Hambani, nibuyele elowo endlwini yonina; uYehova makanenzele inceba, njengoko nenze ngako kubafi nakum.
1:9 UYehova makaninike nifumane indawo yokuphumla, elowo endlwini yendoda yakhe. Wabanga; baliphakamisa ilizwi labo, balila.
1:10 Bathi kuye, Hayi, siya kubuyela nawe kubantu bakowenu.
1:11 Wathi uNahomi, Buyani, zintombi zam; kungani na ukuba nihambe nam? Ndisenoonyana yini na embilinini wam, ukuze babe ngamadoda kuni?
1:12 Buyani, zintombi zam; hambani, ngokuba sendikwaluphalele ukuba nendoda. Khona ukuba ndibe ndisithi, Ndisenethemba, nokuba bendithe ndaba ngonendoda ngobu busuku, nokuba bendithe ndazala oonyana,
1:13 beniya kuthi ngenxa yoko nilinde bade bakhule, yini na? Beniya kuthi ngenxa yoko nizibambe ningabi namadoda, yini na? Hayi, zintombi zam; ngokuba kukrakra kunene kum ngenxa yenu, kuba isandla sikaYehova siphumelene nam.
1:14 Baliphakamisa ilizwi labo, babuya balila. UOrpa wamanga uninazala; ke yena uRute wanamathela kuye.
1:15 Wathi yena, Uyabona, umkhuluwakazi wakho ubuyele kubantu bakowabo, nakoothixo bakowabo; buya nawe, ulandele umkhuluwakazi wakho.
1:16 Wathi uRute, Musa akundibongoza ngokuthi mandikushiye, ndibuye, ndingakulandeli; ngokuba apho uya khona, ndiya kuya nam; apho uya kuthi vu khona, ndiya kuthi vu khona; abantu bakowenu baya kuba ngabantu bam, uThixo wakho abe nguThixo wam;
1:17 apho ufela khona, ndiya kufela khona, ndingcwatyelwe khona. Makenjenje uYehova kum, aphinde ukwenjenje: kukufa kodwa okuya kundahlula nawe.
1:18 Wabona ukuba uzimisele ukuhamba naye, wayeka ukuthetha kuye.
1:19 Bahamba ke bobabini, bada bafika eBhetelehem. Kwathi, xa bangenayo eBhetelehem, wazamazama wonke umzi ngenxa yabo, bathi, NguNahomi na lo?
1:20 Wathi kubo, Musani ukuthi ndinguNahomi; yithini ndinguMara, ngokuba uSomandla undenze ndakrakra kunene.
1:21 Ndemka mna ndizele; ke uYehova undibuyisa ndilambatha. Yini na ukuba nithi ndinguNahomi; uYehova engqinile nje ngam, uSomandla endenzele ububi nje.
1:22 Wabuya ke uNahomi enoRute umMowabhikazi, umolokazana wakhe, owabuya elizweni lakwaMowabhi; bafika bona eBhetelehem ekuqalekeni kokuvunwa kwerhasi.
2:1 Ke kaloku uNahomi ebenesihlobo sendoda yakhe, indoda esisityebi emzalwaneni kaElimeleki; igama layo libe linguBhohazi.
2:2 Wathi uRute umMowabhikazi kuNahomi, Makhe ndiye entsimini, ndibhikice izikhwebu emva kwalowo ndiya kubabalwa nguye. Wathi kuye, Hamba, ntombi yam.
2:3 Wahamba waya, wabhikica entsimini emva kwabavuni. Ithamsanqa lakhe lawela phezu kwesahlulo sentsimi kaBhohazi, obengowomzalwane kaElimeleki.
2:4 Wathi gqi uBhohazi, evela eBhetelehem, wathi kubavuni, UYehova makabe nani. Bathi kuye, UYehova makakusikelele.
2:5 Wathi uBhohazi kwindodana yakhe ephethe abavuni, Yekabani na le nkazana?
2:6 Yaphendula indodana ephethe abavuni, yathi. Yinkazana engumMowabhikazi, efike noNahomi, bevela elizweni lakwaMowabhi;
2:7 yathi ke, Makhe ndibhikice, ndibuthe phakathi kwezithungu emva kwabavuni; yeza ke, yema kwakusasa kwada kwangoku; ukuhlala kwayo endlwini kukancinane.
2:8 Wathi uBhohazi kuRute, Uyeva na, ntombi yam? Musa ukuya kubhikica ntsimini yimbi; kananjalo uze ungadluli apha; namathela wenjenje kumthinjana wam lo;
2:9 amehlo akho makabe sentsimini oyivunayo wona, uwulandele; yabona, abafana bakwam ndibawisele umthetho wokuba bangakuchukumisi; xa unxaniweyo, yiya ezityeni, usele into ekhiwe ngabafana.
2:10 Wawa ngobuso bakhe, waqubuda emhlabeni, wathi kuye, Kutheni na ukuba ndibabalwe nguwe, undibuke, ndiyinkazana yolunye uhlanga nje?
2:11 Waphendula uBhohazi, wathi kuye, Ndiyixelelwe kakuhle yonke into oyenzileyo kunyokozala, emva kokufa kwendoda yakho; ukuba ushiye uyihlo nonyoko, nelizwe owazalelwa kulo, weza ebantwini obungabazi ngaphambili.
2:12 UYehova makakubuyekeze ukwenza kwakho, uzaliseke umvuzo wakho ovela kuYehova uThixo kaSirayeli, oze wazimela phantsi kwamaphiko akhe wena.
2:13 Wathi yena, Mandibabalwe nguwe, nkosi yam; ngokuba undithuthuzele, ngokuba uthethe kakuhle nomkhonzazana wakho, ndingenjengomnye wabakhonzazana bakho nje.
2:14 Wathi uBhohazi kuye, Ngexesha lokudla sondela apha, udle isonka, uncinde iviniga ngeqhekeza lakho. Wahlala phantsi ngasecaleni labavuni. Wamnika ikhweba; wadla, wahlutha, washiya.
2:15 Wesuka ke waya kubhikica; uBhohazi waluwisela umthetho ulutsha olulolwakhe, wathi, Makabhikice naphakathi kwezithungu, ningamdanisi;
2:16 nimrholele nokumrholela inxenye ezithungwini, nishiye, abhikice, ningamkhalimeli.
2:17 Wabhikica entsimini leyo kwada kwahlwa; wayibhula into abeyibhikicile, yanga yiefa yerhasi.
2:18 Wathwala, waya ekhaya; wayibona uninazala into ayibhikicileyo; wakurhola, wamnika abekushiyile akuba ehluthi.
2:19 Wathi uninazala kuye, Ubhikice phi na namhla? Ubusebenza phi na? Makasikelelwe okubukileyo wena. Wamxelela uninazala umntu abesebenza kuye, wathi, Igama lendoda endisebenze kuyo namhla nguBhohazi.
2:20 Wathi uNahomi kumolokazana wakhe, Makasikelelwe yena nguYehova, ongayekelelanga ukwenza inceba yakhe kwabaphilileyo nakwabafileyo. Wathi uNahomi kuye, Indoda leyo iyalamana nathi; ingowabakhululi bethu.
2:21 Wathi uRute umMowabhikazi, Kananjalo ithe yona kum, Uze unamathele kulutsha olulolwam, lude lulugqibe lonke uvuno olulolwam.
2:22 Wathi uNahomi kuRute umolokazana wakhe, Kulungile, ntombi yam, ukuba uphume nomthinjana wakhe, ukuze ungafikelwa mntu ukwenye intsimi.
2:23 Wanamathela kumthinjana kaBhohazi, wabhikica, kwada kwagqitywa ukuvunwa kwerhasi nokuvunwa kwengqolowa; wahlala noninazala.
3:1 Wathi uNahomi uninazala kuye, Ntombi yam, ndingakufuneli na ukuphumla okokulungela?
3:2 Kaloku akasihlobo sethu na uBhohazi, lowo umthinjana ubunawo? Nanko esela irhasi ngobu busuku esandeni.
3:3 Zihlambe, uthambise, unxibe iingubo zakho, uhle uye esandeni. Uze ungazazisi endodeni leyo, ide igqibe ukudla nokusela.
3:4 Wothi, ukulala kwayo phantsi, uqonde indawo eye kulala kuyo, uye uyityhile ingubo ngasezinyaweni zayo, ulale phantsi; yokuxelela ke yona into owoyenza.
3:5 Wathi kuye, Yonke into oyithethayo ndoyenza.
3:6 Wehla ke waya esandeni, wenza ngako konke abemwisele umthetho ngako uninazala.
3:7 Wadla uBhohazi, wasela, yachwayitha intliziyo yakhe; waya walala phantsi ekupheleni kwentlaba. Waya ke ecotha, wamtyhila ingubo ngasezinyaweni zakhe, walala phantsi.
3:8 Kwathi phakathi kobusuku, yothuka indoda leyo, yaguquka, yabona kulele inkazana ngasezinyaweni zayo.
3:9 Yathi, Ungubani? Wathi, NdinguRute, umkhonzazana wakho; twabulula isondo lengubo yakho phezu komkhonzazana wakho, ngokuba ungumkhululi wena.
3:10 Yathi, Usikelelwe nguYehova, ntombi yam. Inceba yakho yamva nje ingaphezu kweyokuqala, ungalandelanga madodana nje, nokuba ngasweleyo nokuba nganobutyebi.
3:11 Kaloku ke, ntombi yam, musa ukoyika; konke okuthethileyo ndokwenzela; ngokuba bonke abantu bomzi wakowethu bayazi ukuba uyinkazana enesidima.
3:12 Ewe! Kuyinene, ndingumkhululi inyaniso. Ke kukho umkhululi osondeleyo kuwe kunam.
3:13 Lala ngobu busuku; kothi kusasa, ukuba uthe wakukhulula ngentlawulelo, kulunge, makakukhulule ngentlawulelo; ke ukuba akathanga akunanze ukukukhulula ngentlawulelo, ndokukhulula ngentlawulelo mna, ehleli nje uYehova. Lala kude kuse.
3:14 Walala ke ngasezinyaweni zakhe kwada kwasa; wavuka bengekanakanani abantu. Yathi, Makungaziwa ukuba bekuze inkazana esandeni.
3:15 Yathi, Ethe ingubo yakho yokwaleka, ukhongozele. Wakhongozela ke ngayo. Yalinganisa izilinganiso zerhasi ezithandathu, yamthwalisa; wagoduka.
3:16 Waya kuninazala, wathi yena, Utheni, ntombi yam? Wamxelela konke emenzele khona indoda leyo.
3:17 Wathi, Indinike ezi zilinganiso zerhasi; ngokuba yayisithi, Musa ukuya kunyokozala ulambatha.
3:18 Wathi, Hlala, ntombi yam, ude wazi okuya kuhla; kuba indoda leyo ayiyi kuphumla, ingakuphelisanga oku namhla.
4:1 Ke kaloku wenyuka uBhohazi, waya esangweni lomzi, wahlala khona; nanko egqitha umkhululi lowa abethetha yena uBhohazi; wathi, Wa, Nantsi, khawuphambukele apha, uhlale phantsi.
4:2 Waphambuka, wahlala. Wathabatha ishumi lamadoda kumadoda amakhulu omzi, wathi, Hlalani apha; ahlala ke.
4:3 Wathi kumkhululi lowo, Isahlulo somhlaba obungowomzalwana wethu uElimeleki, uthengise ngaso uNahomi, obuye elizweni lakwaMowabhi;
4:4 ndathi ke mna, mandivule indlebe yakho, ndithi, Wuthenge ngaphambi kwaba bahleliyo apha, phambi kwamadoda amakhulu abantu bakowethu. Ukuba uyawukhulula ngentlawulelo, wukhulule ngentlawulelo; ukuba akuwukhululi ngentlawulelo, ndixelele ndazi; ngokuba akukho bani unokuwukhulula ngentlawulelo, ingenguwe; ndisemva kwakho mna. Wathi, Ndowukhulula ngentlawulelo mna.
4:5 Wathi uBhohazi, Mhlenikweni uwuzuzayo umhlaba esandleni sikaNahomi, uwuzuza nakuRute, umMowabhikazi, umkamfi, ukuba uvuse igama lomfi elifeni lakhe.
4:6 Wathi umkhululi lowo, Andinakuzikhululela ngentlawulelo ngokwam, hleze ndilonakalise elam ilifa. Zikhululele ngentlawulelo isilunga sam eso; ngokuba andinako mna ukuwukhulula ngentlawulelo.
4:7 Ke kaloku kwakusithiwa kudala kwaSirayeli, ukukhulula ngentlawulelo nokwanana, ukuze yonke into ibe iqiniselwe, ubani anyothule imbadada yakhe ayinike ummelwane wakhe; oko kwaye kububungqina kwaSirayeli.
4:8 Wathi umkhululi lowo kuBhohazi, Zithengele. Wanyothula imbadada yakhe.
4:9 Wathi ke uBhohazi kumadoda amakhulu nakubantu bonke, Ningamangqina namhla, ukuba ndikuthengile konke okukaElimeleki, nako konke okukaKiliyon noMalon, esandleni sikaNahomi;
4:10 noRute umMowabhikazi, umkaMalon, ndimzuzile ukuba abe ngumkam, ukuze kuvuswe igama lomfi elifeni lakhe, linganqanyulwa igama lomfi ebazalwaneni bakhe, nasesangweni lendawo yakhe: ningamangqina namhla.
4:11 Bathi bonke abantu abasesangweni namadoda amakhulu, Singamangqina. UYehova makamenze lo mfazi ungenayo endlwini yakho, abe njengoRakeli nanjengoLeya, abayakhayo indlu kaSirayeli bobabini, avelise amandla e-Efrata, akwenzele udumo eBhetelehem;
4:12 indlu yakho ibe njengendlu kaPeretse, awamzalayo uTamare kuYuda, ngembewu leyo aya kukunika uYehova ngale ntombazana.
4:13 UBhohazi wamzeka ke uRute waba ngumkakhe, wamngena; waza uYehova wamnika ukuzala; wazala unyana.
4:14 Bathi abafazi kuNahomi, Makabongwe uYehova ongakuyekelanga uswele umkhululi namhla; igama lakhe malivakale kwaSirayeli;
4:15 abe ngumbuyisi womphefumlo kuwe, nomnqaki wezimvi zakho; ngokuba umolokazana wakho okuthandayo, lowo ulungileyo kuwe ngaphezu koonyana abasixhenxe, umzele.
4:16 UNahomi wamthabatha umntwana lowo, wambeka esifubeni sakhe, waba ngumondli wakhe.
4:17 Lwamthiya igama ummelwanekazi, lwathi, UNahomi uzalelwe unyana, lwathi igama lakhe nguObhedi; yena nguyise kaYese, uyise kaDavide.
4:18 Yiyo le ke inzala kaPeretse: uPeretse wazala uHetseron;
4:19 uHetseron wazala uRam; uRam wazala uAminadabhi;
4:20 uAminadabhi wazala uNashon; uNashon wazala uSalemon;
4:21 uSalemon wazala uBhohazi; uBhohazi wazala uObhedi;
4:22 UObhedi wazala uYese; uYese wazala uDavide.