Ke kaloku kwathi ngemihla yokulawula kwabagwebi, kwabakho indlala elizweni. Yahamba indoda yaseBhetelehem yakwaYuda, yaza yaphambukela elizweni lakwaMowabhi, yona nomkayo, noonyana bayo bobabini.

Ke igama laloo ndoda lalinguElimeleki, igama lomkayo linguNahomi; amagama oonyana bayo babengooMalon noKiliyon, bengamaEfrata aseBhetelehem yakwaYuda. Baya ke elizweni lakwaMowabhi, baba khona.

Wafa uElimeleki indoda kaNahomi; washiywa ke yena noonyana bakhe bobabini.

Bazeka abafazi abangamaMowabhikazi; igama lomnye lalinguOrpa, igama lomnye lalinguRute; bahlala khona iminyaka eseshumini.

Bafa kananjalo bobabini ooMalon noKiliyon; washiywa ke loo mfazi ngoonyana bakhe bobabini nayindoda yakhe.

Wesuka yena noomolokazana bakhe, ebuya elizweni lakwaMowabhi; ngokuba weva eselizweni lakwaMowabhi, ukuba uYehova ubavelele abantu bakhe ngokubanika isonka.

Waphuma kuloo ndawo abekuyo, enoomolokazana bakhe bobabini; wahamba ngendlela ebuyela ezweni lakwaYuda.

Wathi uNahomi koomolokazana bakhe bobabini, Hambani, nibuyele elowo endlwini yonina; uYehova makanenzele inceba, njengoko nenze ngako kubafi nakum.

UYehova makaninike nifumane indawo yokuphumla, elowo endlwini yendoda yakhe. Wabanga; baliphakamisa ilizwi labo, balila.

Bathi kuye, Hayi, siya kubuyela nawe kubantu bakowenu.

Wathi uNahomi, Buyani, zintombi zam; kungani na ukuba nihambe nam? Ndisenoonyana yini na embilinini wam, ukuze babe ngamadoda kuni?

Buyani, zintombi zam; hambani, ngokuba sendikwaluphalele ukuba nendoda. Khona ukuba ndibe ndisithi, Ndisenethemba, nokuba bendithe ndaba ngonendoda ngobu busuku, nokuba bendithe ndazala oonyana,

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.

Baliphakamisa ilizwi labo, babuya balila. UOrpa wamanga uninazala; ke yena uRute wanamathela kuye.

Wathi yena, Uyabona, umkhuluwakazi wakho ubuyele kubantu bakowabo, nakoothixo bakowabo; buya nawe, ulandele umkhuluwakazi wakho.

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;

apho ufela khona, ndiya kufela khona, ndingcwatyelwe khona. Makenjenje uYehova kum, aphinde ukwenjenje: kukufa kodwa okuya kundahlula nawe.

Wabona ukuba uzimisele ukuhamba naye, wayeka ukuthetha kuye.

Bahamba ke bobabini, bada bafika eBhetelehem. Kwathi, xa bangenayo eBhetelehem, wazamazama wonke umzi ngenxa yabo, bathi, NguNahomi na lo?

Wathi kubo, Musani ukuthi ndinguNahomi; yithini ndinguMara, ngokuba uSomandla undenze ndakrakra kunene.

Ndemka mna ndizele; ke uYehova undibuyisa ndilambatha. Yini na ukuba nithi ndinguNahomi; uYehova engqinile nje ngam, uSomandla endenzele ububi nje.

Wabuya ke uNahomi enoRute umMowabhikazi, umolokazana wakhe, owabuya elizweni lakwaMowabhi; bafika bona eBhetelehem ekuqalekeni kokuvunwa kwerhasi.

Ke kaloku uNahomi ebenesihlobo sendoda yakhe, indoda esisityebi emzalwaneni kaElimeleki; igama layo libe linguBhohazi.

Wathi uRute umMowabhikazi kuNahomi, Makhe ndiye entsimini, ndibhikice izikhwebu emva kwalowo ndiya kubabalwa nguye. Wathi kuye, Hamba, ntombi yam.

Wahamba waya, wabhikica entsimini emva kwabavuni. Ithamsanqa lakhe lawela phezu kwesahlulo sentsimi kaBhohazi, obengowomzalwane kaElimeleki.

Wathi gqi uBhohazi, evela eBhetelehem, wathi kubavuni, UYehova makabe nani. Bathi kuye, UYehova makakusikelele.

Wathi uBhohazi kwindodana yakhe ephethe abavuni, Yekabani na le nkazana?

Yaphendula indodana ephethe abavuni, yathi. Yinkazana engumMowabhikazi, efike noNahomi, bevela elizweni lakwaMowabhi;

yathi ke, Makhe ndibhikice, ndibuthe phakathi kwezithungu emva kwabavuni; yeza ke, yema kwakusasa kwada kwangoku; ukuhlala kwayo endlwini kukancinane.

Wathi uBhohazi kuRute, Uyeva na, ntombi yam? Musa ukuya kubhikica ntsimini yimbi; kananjalo uze ungadluli apha; namathela wenjenje kumthinjana wam lo;

amehlo akho makabe sentsimini oyivunayo wona, uwulandele; yabona, abafana bakwam ndibawisele umthetho wokuba bangakuchukumisi; xa unxaniweyo, yiya ezityeni, usele into ekhiwe ngabafana.

Wawa ngobuso bakhe, waqubuda emhlabeni, wathi kuye, Kutheni na ukuba ndibabalwe nguwe, undibuke, ndiyinkazana yolunye uhlanga nje?

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.

UYehova makakubuyekeze ukwenza kwakho, uzaliseke umvuzo wakho ovela kuYehova uThixo kaSirayeli, oze wazimela phantsi kwamaphiko akhe wena.

Wathi yena, Mandibabalwe nguwe, nkosi yam; ngokuba undithuthuzele, ngokuba uthethe kakuhle nomkhonzazana wakho, ndingenjengomnye wabakhonzazana bakho nje.

Wathi uBhohazi kuye, Ngexesha lokudla sondela apha, udle isonka, uncinde iviniga ngeqhekeza lakho. Wahlala phantsi ngasecaleni labavuni. Wamnika ikhweba; wadla, wahlutha, washiya.

Wesuka ke waya kubhikica; uBhohazi waluwisela umthetho ulutsha olulolwakhe, wathi, Makabhikice naphakathi kwezithungu, ningamdanisi;

nimrholele nokumrholela inxenye ezithungwini, nishiye, abhikice, ningamkhalimeli.

Wabhikica entsimini leyo kwada kwahlwa; wayibhula into abeyibhikicile, yanga yiefa yerhasi.

Wathwala, waya ekhaya; wayibona uninazala into ayibhikicileyo; wakurhola, wamnika abekushiyile akuba ehluthi.

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.

Wathi uNahomi kumolokazana wakhe, Makasikelelwe yena nguYehova, ongayekelelanga ukwenza inceba yakhe kwabaphilileyo nakwabafileyo. Wathi uNahomi kuye, Indoda leyo iyalamana nathi; ingowabakhululi bethu.

Wathi uRute umMowabhikazi, Kananjalo ithe yona kum, Uze unamathele kulutsha olulolwam, lude lulugqibe lonke uvuno olulolwam.

Wathi uNahomi kuRute umolokazana wakhe, Kulungile, ntombi yam, ukuba uphume nomthinjana wakhe, ukuze ungafikelwa mntu ukwenye intsimi.

Wanamathela kumthinjana kaBhohazi, wabhikica, kwada kwagqitywa ukuvunwa kwerhasi nokuvunwa kwengqolowa; wahlala noninazala.

Wathi uNahomi uninazala kuye, Ntombi yam, ndingakufuneli na ukuphumla okokulungela?

Kaloku akasihlobo sethu na uBhohazi, lowo umthinjana ubunawo? Nanko esela irhasi ngobu busuku esandeni.

Zihlambe, uthambise, unxibe iingubo zakho, uhle uye esandeni. Uze ungazazisi endodeni leyo, ide igqibe ukudla nokusela.

Wothi, ukulala kwayo phantsi, uqonde indawo eye kulala kuyo, uye uyityhile ingubo ngasezinyaweni zayo, ulale phantsi; yokuxelela ke yona into owoyenza.

Wathi kuye, Yonke into oyithethayo ndoyenza.

Wehla ke waya esandeni, wenza ngako konke abemwisele umthetho ngako uninazala.

Wadla uBhohazi, wasela, yachwayitha intliziyo yakhe; waya walala phantsi ekupheleni kwentlaba. Waya ke ecotha, wamtyhila ingubo ngasezinyaweni zakhe, walala phantsi.

Kwathi phakathi kobusuku, yothuka indoda leyo, yaguquka, yabona kulele inkazana ngasezinyaweni zayo.

Yathi, Ungubani? Wathi, NdinguRute, umkhonzazana wakho; twabulula isondo lengubo yakho phezu komkhonzazana wakho, ngokuba ungumkhululi wena.

Yathi, Usikelelwe nguYehova, ntombi yam. Inceba yakho yamva nje ingaphezu kweyokuqala, ungalandelanga madodana nje, nokuba ngasweleyo nokuba nganobutyebi.

Kaloku ke, ntombi yam, musa ukoyika; konke okuthethileyo ndokwenzela; ngokuba bonke abantu bomzi wakowethu bayazi ukuba uyinkazana enesidima.

Ewe! Kuyinene, ndingumkhululi inyaniso. Ke kukho umkhululi osondeleyo kuwe kunam.

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.

Walala ke ngasezinyaweni zakhe kwada kwasa; wavuka bengekanakanani abantu. Yathi, Makungaziwa ukuba bekuze inkazana esandeni.

Yathi, Ethe ingubo yakho yokwaleka, ukhongozele. Wakhongozela ke ngayo. Yalinganisa izilinganiso zerhasi ezithandathu, yamthwalisa; wagoduka.

Waya kuninazala, wathi yena, Utheni, ntombi yam? Wamxelela konke emenzele khona indoda leyo.

Wathi, Indinike ezi zilinganiso zerhasi; ngokuba yayisithi, Musa ukuya kunyokozala ulambatha.

Wathi, Hlala, ntombi yam, ude wazi okuya kuhla; kuba indoda leyo ayiyi kuphumla, ingakuphelisanga oku namhla.

Ke kaloku wenyuka uBhohazi, waya esangweni lomzi, wahlala khona; nanko egqitha umkhululi lowa abethetha yena uBhohazi; wathi, Wa, Nantsi, khawuphambukele apha, uhlale phantsi.

Waphambuka, wahlala. Wathabatha ishumi lamadoda kumadoda amakhulu omzi, wathi, Hlalani apha; ahlala ke.

Wathi kumkhululi lowo, Isahlulo somhlaba obungowomzalwana wethu uElimeleki, uthengise ngaso uNahomi, obuye elizweni lakwaMowabhi;

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.

Wathi uBhohazi, Mhlenikweni uwuzuzayo umhlaba esandleni sikaNahomi, uwuzuza nakuRute, umMowabhikazi, umkamfi, ukuba uvuse igama lomfi elifeni lakhe.

Wathi umkhululi lowo, Andinakuzikhululela ngentlawulelo ngokwam, hleze ndilonakalise elam ilifa. Zikhululele ngentlawulelo isilunga sam eso; ngokuba andinako mna ukuwukhulula ngentlawulelo.

Ke kaloku kwakusithiwa kudala kwaSirayeli, ukukhulula ngentlawulelo nokwanana, ukuze yonke into ibe iqiniselwe, ubani anyothule imbadada yakhe ayinike ummelwane wakhe; oko kwaye kububungqina kwaSirayeli.

Wathi umkhululi lowo kuBhohazi, Zithengele. Wanyothula imbadada yakhe.

Wathi ke uBhohazi kumadoda amakhulu nakubantu bonke, Ningamangqina namhla, ukuba ndikuthengile konke okukaElimeleki, nako konke okukaKiliyon noMalon, esandleni sikaNahomi;

noRute umMowabhikazi, umkaMalon, ndimzuzile ukuba abe ngumkam, ukuze kuvuswe igama lomfi elifeni lakhe, linganqanyulwa igama lomfi ebazalwaneni bakhe, nasesangweni lendawo yakhe: ningamangqina namhla.

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;

indlu yakho ibe njengendlu kaPeretse, awamzalayo uTamare kuYuda, ngembewu leyo aya kukunika uYehova ngale ntombazana.

UBhohazi wamzeka ke uRute waba ngumkakhe, wamngena; waza uYehova wamnika ukuzala; wazala unyana.

Bathi abafazi kuNahomi, Makabongwe uYehova ongakuyekelanga uswele umkhululi namhla; igama lakhe malivakale kwaSirayeli;

abe ngumbuyisi womphefumlo kuwe, nomnqaki wezimvi zakho; ngokuba umolokazana wakho okuthandayo, lowo ulungileyo kuwe ngaphezu koonyana abasixhenxe, umzele.

UNahomi wamthabatha umntwana lowo, wambeka esifubeni sakhe, waba ngumondli wakhe.

Lwamthiya igama ummelwanekazi, lwathi, UNahomi uzalelwe unyana, lwathi igama lakhe nguObhedi; yena nguyise kaYese, uyise kaDavide.

Yiyo le ke inzala kaPeretse: uPeretse wazala uHetseron;

uHetseron wazala uRam; uRam wazala uAminadabhi;

uAminadabhi wazala uNashon; uNashon wazala uSalemon;

uSalemon wazala uBhohazi; uBhohazi wazala uObhedi;

UObhedi wazala uYese; uYese wazala uDavide.