URUTE 2

₁UNawomi gade anesihlobo sendodakhe ekungesomndeni wakwa-Elimeleki, indoda enjingileko; ibizo layo kunguBhowazi. ₂URute uMowabikazi wathi kuNawomi: “Akhese ungivumele bonyana ngiyoburuja esimini yananyana ngubani ongivumelako.” UNawomi wathi kuye: “Khamba, ndodakazami.”

₃Wakhamba-ke wafika esimini wathoma ukuburuja ngemuva kwabavuni. Wazithola asebenza esimini yakaBhowazi ongowomndeni wakwa-Elimeleki. ₄Khonokho uBhowazi wafika eBhethe-Lehema walotjhisa abavuni wathi: “USomnini akabe nani!” Baphendula bathi: “USomnini akubusise!”

₅UBhowazi wabuza inceku eyinduna yabavuni wathi: “Ngekabani incekukazi le?” ₆Inceku eyinduna yabavuni yaphendula yathi: “Incekukazi le nguMowabikazi obuye noNawomi enarheni yakwaMowabi. ₇Ithe kimi, ‘Akhese ungivumele bonyana ngiburukuje bengidobhe hlanu kweentjherefu ngemuva kwabavuni.’ Soloko ifike lapha ekuseni bekube nje isebenza. Yeke khona iphumuphumulako emthunzini.”

₈UBhowazi wathi kuRute: “Ndodakazami, akhe ungilalele: Ungasaburuja esimini enye begodu ungasaya ndawo nawusuka lapha. Zibandakanye neencekukazi zamezi. ₉Phosa amehlo esimini evunwako, ulandela iincekukazezi. Ngizitjelile iinceku zami bonyana zingakuwalazeli. Lokha nawomileko, ukhambe uyokusela emijekeni yamanzi lapha kusela khona iinceku.” ₁₀URute wawa ngobuso equlwaneni, wathi kuye: “Kubayini ungenzele umusa ongaka ngokungitjheja ngiliphandle na?” ₁₁UBhowazi wamphendula wathi: “Ngibikelwe koke okwenzele unosokanakho, soloko kwahlongakala umyenakho nokuthi watjhiya uyihlo nonyoko kanye nenarha owabelethelwa kiyo wazokuhlala nabantu ongakhange ubazi ngaphambilini. ₁₂Kwanga uSomnini angakwandisela ngalokho okwenze kwabanye. Inga ungafumana umvuzo ophuphumako kuSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli okhosele ngaphasi kwamaphikwakhe.” ₁₃URute wathi: “Angifumane umusa njalo kuwe, kosami. Ngombana ungiduduzile begodu ukhulume kamnandi nekhobokakazi lakho nanyana bengingafani nelinye lawo.”

₁₄Ngesikhathi sokugoma uBhowazi wabiza uRute wathi: “Yewuzapha! Nghwatha isikwa usitjhebe ewayinini emunyu.” Kuthe lokha uRute nakahlala phasi nabavuni, uBhowazi wamnikela ikoroyi ekhanzingiweko. URute wagoma wanela bekwasala.

₁₅Kuthe lokha nakasikimako ukuyokuburuja, uBhowazi wayala iinceku zakhe wathi: “Nanyana angaburuja hlangana neentjherefu, ningamfakeli amehlo. ₁₆Nimkhithizele iinqwambi emidini nimlise aziburukujele; ningamkhalimeli.”

₁₇Yeke uRute waburuja esimini bekwahlwa. Wayibhula ibhali ayibutheleleko yalingana nopumpana. ₁₈Wamthwala-ke wakhamba naye emzini, unosokanakhe wakubona akuburukujileko. URute godu wapha unosokanakhe okwasala nakagomako. ₁₉Unosokanakhe wambuza wathi: “Bewuburujaphi namhlanjesi? Bewusebenzaphi na? Akabusiswe umuntu okutjhejileko!” URute wabikela unosokanakhe ngomuntu agade asebenza kuye wathi: “Ibizo lendoda ebengisebenza kiyo namhlanjesi nguBhowazi.”

₂₀UNawomi wathi kumalukazanakhe: “USomnini ambusise! Kutjho ukuthi uSomnini akalisi ukwethembeka kwabaphilako nabafileko.” Waraga wathi: “Indoda le sihlobo sethu; ingomunye wabahlengi.” ₂₁Yeke uRute uMowabikazi wathi: “Begodu uthe kimi ngizibandakanye neenceku zakhe beziqede isivuno sakhe.” ₂₂UNawomi wathi kuRute umalukazanakhe: “Kube kuhle ndodakazami bonyana ukhambisane neencekukazi zakhe ngombana nange waya esimini yomunye umuntu bangakuwalazela.”

₂₃URute wazibandakanya neencekukazi zakaBhowazi, waburuja bekwaphela isikhathi sokuvunwa kwebhali nekoroyi. Wahlala nonosokanakhe.