URuthe ukhothoza emasimini kaBhowazi

2Njalo uNawomi wayelesihlobo somkakhea, umuntu oliqhawe onothileyo owosendo lukaElimeleki, lebizo lakhe lalinguBhowazib. 2 URuthe umMowabikazi wasesithi kuNawomi: Ake ngiye emasimini, ngiyekhothoza okwezikhwebu ngemva kwalowo engizathola umusa emehlweni akhec. Wasesithi kuye: Hamba, ndodakazi yami. 3 Wasehamba wafika wakhothoza ensimini ngemva kwabavuni. Waqabuka efika kungxenye yensimu kaBhowazi owayengowosendo lukaElimeleki.

4 Khangela-ke, uBhowazi wafika evela eBhethelehema, wasesithi kubavuni: INkosi ibe lanid. Basebesithi kuye: INkosi ikubusise. 5 UBhowazi wasesithi encekwini yakhe eyayibekwe phezu kwabavuni: Le yintombi kabani? 6 Inceku eyayibekwe phezu kwabavuni yasiphendula yathi: Yintombi umMowabikazi eyabuya loNawomi evela elizweni lakoMowabie. 7 Yasisithi: Ake ngikhothoze ngibuthe phakathi kwezithungo ngemva kwabavuni. Ngakho ifikile, iqhubekile kusukela ekuseni kuze kube khathesi; lokuhlala kwayo endlini kuncinyane. 8 UBhowazi wasesithi kuRuthe: Kawuzwa yini, ndodakazi yami? Ungayikhothoza kwenye insimu, futhi ungedluli usuke lapha, kodwa unamathele lapha emantombazaneni ami. 9 Amehlo akho kawabe sensimini ayivunayo, uwalandele. Angithi ngiwalayile amajaha ukuthi angakuthinti. Nxa usuwomile uye ezimbizeni, unathe kulokhu amajaha akukhileyo. 10 Khona wathi mbo ngobusof bakhe wakhothamela emhlabathini, wathi kuye: Ngitholelani umusa emehlweni akho ukuthi unginanze lokhu ngingowezizweni? 11 UBhowazi wasephendula wathi kuye: Kutshengisiwe lokutshengiswa kimi konke owakwenzela unyokozala emva kokufa kwendoda yakhog, ukuthi utshiye uyihlo lonyoko lelizwe lokuzalwa kwakho, weza ebantwini owawungabazi ngaphambili. 12 INkosi kayiwuvuze umsebenzi wakhoh, sengathi umvuzo wakho opheleleyo kawuvele eNkosini uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, oze ngaphansi kwempiko zayo ukuphephelai. 13 Wasesithi: Ake ngithole umusa emehlweni akhoj, nkosi yami, ngoba ungiduduzile, njalo ngoba ukhulume enhliziyweni yencekukazi yakho, lanxa mina ngingenjengenye yencekukazi zakhok. 14 UBhowazi wathi kuye: Ngesikhathi sokudla sondela lapha, udle okwesinkwa, utshebe ucezu lwakho kuvinigal. Ngakho wahlala eceleni kwabavuni, wasemkhangeza amabele akhanzingiweyo; wadla wasutham watshiya. 15 Kwathi esukuma ukukhothoza, uBhowazi walaya amajaha akhe esithi: Myekeleni ukuthi akhothoze laphakathi kwezithungo, lingamyangisi, 16 laye limhwatshele-ke ngabomu okunye ezinyandeni, likutshiye ukuze akukhothoze, lingamkhuzi. 17 Wakhothoza-ke ensimini kwaze kwahlwa. Wabhula lokho ayekukhothozile, kwaba phose yi-efan yebhali*.

18 Wakuthwala wangena emzini, loninazala wabona akukhothozileyo; wakhupha wamnika akutshiya esesuthio. 19 Uninazala wasesithi kuye: Ubukhothoza ngaphi lamuhla? Usebenze ngaphi? Kabusiswe lowo okunanzeleleyop. Wasemtshela uninazala ukuthi usebenze kobani, wathi: Ibizo lalowomuntu engisebenze kuye lamuhla nguBhowazi. 20 UNawomi wasesithi kumalokazana wakhe: Kabusiswe yiNkosiq engayekelanga umusa wayo kwabaphilayo lakwabafileyor. UNawomi wathi kuye: Lowomuntu uyisihlobo sethu esiseduze kithi, ongomunye wabahlengi bethu. 21 URuthe umMowabikazi wasesithi: Ngoba laye uthe kimi: Uzanamathela emajahenis engilawo aze aqede sonke isivuno engilaso. 22 UNawomi wasesithi kuRuthe umalokazana wakhe: Kuhle, ndodakazi yami, ukuthi uphume lamantombazanat akhe, hlezi bakuhlangabeze kwenye insimu. 23 Wasenamathela emantombazaneni kaBhowazi, ekhothoza kwaze kwaphela isivuno sebhali* lesivuno sengqoloyi. Wasehlala loninazala.