Icebo likaNawomi
UNawomi uthuma uRute ebaleni lokubhula ebusuku ukuba acele uBowazi ukuba amembese ngengubo yakhe. Uyethuka, bese ejabula: umbiza ngowesifazane ofanelekile, ambusise ngoBaba wethu, futhi afunge ukumhlenga uma isihlobo esiseduze kakhulu singavumi.
3 1UNawomi uninazala wayesethi kuye: “Ndodakazi yami, akufanele yini ngikufunele ikhaya, ukuze kukuhambele kahle? 2UBhowazi, owawukanye namantombazane akhe, akasona yini isihlobo sethu? Namuhla ebusuku wela ibhali esibuyeni. 3Geza, uzigcobe amakha, ugqoke ingubo yakho, wehlele esibuyeni. Ungaziveli kule ndoda ize iqede ukudla nokuphuza. 4Kuyakuthi lapho eselele, uqaphele indawo alele kuyo; uye wembule izinyawo zakhe, ulale phansi—uyakukutshela ukuthi wenzeni.”
5URuthe wathi kuye: “Konke okushoyo ngizakukwenza.” 6Wehlela esibuyeni, wenza konke uninazala ayemtshele khona. 7UBhowazi wadla, waphuza, inhliziyo yakhe yathokoza, wayeselala phansi ekupheleni kwenqwaba yamabele. URuthe weza ngasese, wembula izinyawo zakhe, walala phansi. 8Phakathi kobusuku indoda yethuka, yaphenduka, bheka nanko owesifazane elele ngasezinyaweni zayo! 9Yabuza yathi: “Ungubani wena?” Wathi: “NginguRuthe, incekukazi yakho. Yendlala umphetho wengubo yakho phezu kwencekukazi yakho, ngokuba ungumhlengi.” a a v9 Ukwendlala umphetho wengubo phezu komuntu kwakuyisicelo somshado nokuvikelwa.
10Wathi: “Ubusisiwe nguBaba wethu, ndodakazi yami. Lo musa wakho wokugcina mkhulu kunowokuqala, ngokuba awuzange ujahe izinsizwa, noma ezimpofu noma ezicebile. 11Manje, ndodakazi yami, ungesabi. Ngizakwenza konke okucelayo, ngokuba umuzi wami wonke uyazi ukuthi ungowesifazane oqotho. 12Manje kuyiqiniso ukuthi ngingumhlengi, kodwa ukhona umhlengi oseduze kunami. 13Hlala kulobu busuku. Ekuseni, uma ezakuhlenga—kuhle, akakuhlenge. Uma kungenjalo, kuphila kukaBaba wethu, ngizakuhlenga mina. Lala phansi kuze kuse.”
14Walala ngasezinyaweni zakhe kwaze kwasa, wavuka abantu bengakakwazi ukubonana, ngokuba wathi: “Makungaziwa muntu ukuthi kwafika owesifazane esibuyeni.” 15Wathi: “Letha ingubo oyembethe, uyelule.” Wayelula. Walinganisa izilinganiso eziyisithupha zebhali, wazibeka phezu kwakhe, wangena emzini.
16URuthe esefikile kuninazala, uNawomi wabuza wathi: “Kuhambe kanjani, ndodakazi yami?” Wayesemtshela konke indoda eyayimenzele khona. 17Wathi: “Unginike lezi zilinganiso eziyisithupha zebhali, ethi: ‘Ungabuyeli kunyokozala ungaphethe lutho.’”
18UNawomi wathi: “Linda, ndodakazi yami, uze wazi ukuthi kuphetha kanjani, ngokuba indoda ingeke iphumule ize iyiqede le ndaba namuhla.”
