Hunger for Bethlehem
For di dark days of di judges, one quiet story of loyalty and redemption: one foreign woman wey be widow enter we Papa family through one kinsman-redeemer, and she come be great-grandmama of King David.
1 1For di time wey di judges dey rule, hunger fall for di land, and one man from Bethlehem for Judah waka go stay small time for di fields of Moab together with im wife and im two sons. 2Dem call di man Elimelech, im wife na Naomi, and im two sons na Mahlon and Chilion—dem be Ephrathites from Bethlehem for Judah. Dem go di territory of Moab go stay for dia. 3Den Elimelech, Naomi husband, die, and na she and her two sons remain. 4Dem marry Moabite women—Orpah and Ruth—and dem live for dia about ten years. 5Mahlon and Chilion, di two of dem, come die too, and na Naomi one remain, without her two children and her husband.
Ruth Bond Wey No Fit Break
6For di fields of Moab, Naomi hear say our Papa don come visit im people, dey give dem food, so she comot with her two daughters-in-law make dem go back from dia. 7She comot for di place wey she dey, together with her two daughters-in-law, and dem waka for di road wey dey go back to di land of Judah. 8Naomi tell her two daughters-in-law, “Make una go back, each of una to your mama house. Make our Papa do you well well, di same way wey una do di ones wey don die and how una do me. 9Make our Papa give each of una rest for anoda husband house.” Den she kiss dem, and dem cry loud loud.
10And dem tell am, “No—we go go back with you go your people.”
11Naomi talk say, “Make una go back, my pikin dem. Why una wan follow me? I still get sons for my belle wey go come be una husbands? 12Make una go back, my pikin dem, go, becos I don old too much to marry. Even if I talk say hope still dey, even if I get husband dis night and born sons, 13una go wait for dem reach wen dem grow? Una go stay without marriage becos of dem? No, my pikin dem—e bitter for me pass how e bitter for una, becos our Papa hand don turn against me.”
14For dis one dem cry loud loud again. Den Orpah kiss her mother-in-law bye-bye, but Ruth hold am tight. 15Naomi talk say, “Look, your sister-in-law don go back to her people and her gods. Follow am go back.”
16Ruth talk say, “No push me make I leave you or make I turn back from following you. Where you go, na dia I go go; where you stay, na dia I go stay. Your people go be my people, and your God go be my God. a a v16 Ruth vow na one of di special entry-points wey one Gentile tie herself to di God of Israel — and through am, our Papa weave one Moabite woman inside di family line wey lead to David and to Jesus. 17Where you die na dia I go die, and na dia dem go bury me. Make our Papa punish me well well pass if anything apart from death come separate me and you.”
18Wen Naomi see say Ruth don set her mind to follow am go, she no talk anything again to am.
19So di two of dem waka reach Bethlehem. Wen dem enter Bethlehem, di whole town start to dey shake becos of dem, and di women dey ask, “Na Naomi be dis?”
20“No call me Naomi,” she talk. “Call me Mara—di Almighty don deal with me bitter well well. b b v20 Naomi mean “sweet”; Mara mean “bitter.” She change her own name make e match di grief wey she dey carry go house. 21I comot go with full hand, but our Papa don bring me back empty. Why una go call me Naomi, wen our Papa don afflict me and di Almighty don bring trouble come on top me?” 22So Naomi comot from di fields of Moab come back with Ruth di Moabite, her daughter-in-law, wey come back with am. Dem reach Bethlehem as di barley harvest just dey start.
