To The Word – Day 69

₁Kwathi emihleni abahlulela ngayo abahluleli kwaba khona indlala ezweni. Umuntu othile waseBetlehema Juda waya ukuyohlala ezweni lakwaMowabi, yena nomkakhe, namadodana akhe amabili. ₂Igama lalowo muntu lalingu-Elimeleki, igama lomkakhe lalinguNawomi, amagama amadodana akhe amabili ayengoMahaloni noKiliyoni; babe ngama-Efratha aseBetlehema Juda. Bafika ezweni lakwaMowabi, bahlala khona.

₃U-Elimeleki umyeni kaNawomi wafa; kepha yena wasala namadodana akhe amabili. ₄Azithathela abafazi kwabesifazane bakwaMowabi; igama lomunye lalingu-Orpa, igama lomunye lalinguRuthe; bahlala khona kwangathi iminyaka eyishumi. ₅OMahaloni noKiliyoni bafa bobabili; owesifazane washiywa-ke ngabantwana bakhe ababili nangumyeni wakhe.

₆Wayesesuka nawomalokazana bakhe ukuba abuye ezweni lakwaMowabi, ngokuba wayezwile ezweni lakwaMowabi ukuthi uJehova uhambele abantu bakhe ukuba abaphe ukudla. ₇Waphuma endaweni lapho wayekhona, omalokazana bakhe benaye; bahamba ngendlela yokubuyela ezweni lakwaJuda.

₈UNawomi wathi komalokazana bakhe ababili: “Hambani nibuyele, kube yilowo nalowo endlini kanina; uJehova makanenzele umusa, njengalokho nanenza kwabafileyo nakimi. ₉UJehova makaninike ukuba nifumane ukuphumula, kube yilowo nalowo endlini yomyeni wakhe.” Wayesebanga, badazuluka, bakhala. ₁₀Bathi kuye: “Hhayi! Kepha sobuyela nawe kubantu bakini!”

₁₁Wayesethi uNawomi: “Buyani, madodakazi ami; nohambelani nami na? Ngisenamadodana ezibilinini zami ukuba abe ngabayeni benu na? ₁₂Buyani, madodakazi ami, nihambe, ngokuba sengimdala ukuba ngibe nomyeni. Noma ngangithi nginethemba, noma ngingaba nendoda kulobu busuku, ngizale amadodana, ₁₃beningawahlalela aze abe ngakhulileyo na? Beniyakuzivimbela ningabi namadoda na? Hhayi, madodakazi ami, kumunyu kimi ngenxa yenu, ngokuba isandla sikaJehova siphumele kimi.”

₁₄Badazuluka, baphinda bakhala; u-Orpa wamanga uninazala, kepha uRuthe wanamathela kuye.

₁₅Wathi: “Bheka, umnakwenu usebuyele kwabakubo nakunkulunkulu wakhe; buya nawe, umlandele umnakwenu.”

₁₆Kepha uRuthe wathi: “Ungangincengi ukuba ngikushiye, ngibuye, ngingakulandeli, ngokuba lapho uya khona, ngiyakuya khona nami, nalapho uhlala khona, ngiyakuhlala khona nami; abantu bakho bayakuba ngabantu bami, uNkulunkulu wakho abe nguNkulunkulu wami. ₁₇Lapho ufela khona, ngiyakufela khona nami, ngimbelwe khona; uJehova akenze njalo kimi, enezele futhi, ngokuba ngukufa kuphela okuyakusahlukanisa.” ₁₈Esebonile ukuthi uzimisele ukuhamba naye, wayeka ukukhuluma kuye.

₁₉Base behamba bobabili baze bafika eBetlehema. Kwathi sebefikile eBetlehema, wonke umuzi wanyakaziswa, bathi: “Lo unguNawomi na?”

₂₀Wathi kubo: “Ningangibizi ngokuthi uNawomi;* ngibizeni ngokuthi uMara,* ngokuba uSomandla ungiphathe ngomunyu omkhulu. ₂₁Ngahamba ngigcwele, uJehova ungibuyise ngize; ningibizelani ngokuthi uNawomi, lokhu uJehova efakazile ngami, uSomandla engenzele okubi, na?”

₂₂Wabuya-ke uNawomi kanye noRuthe wakwaMowabi umalokazana wakhe owabuya ezweni lakwaMowabi, bafika eBetlehema ekuqaleni kokuvunwa kwebhali.*

₁UNawomi wayenesihlobo somyeni wakhe, umuntu ocebileyo, owomndeni ka-Elimeleki, igama lakhe linguBowazi.

₂URuthe wakwaMowabi wathi kuNawomi: “Mangihambe, ngiye ensimini, ngikhothoze ezikhwetshini emva kwalowo engiyakufumana umusa emehlweni akhe.”

Wathi kuye: “Hamba, ndodakazi yami.” ₃Wahamba, waya wakhothoza ensimini emva kwabavuni; kwase kwenzeka ukuba afike esiqeshini sensimu sikaBowazi womndeni ka-Elimeleki.

₄Bheka, uBowazi wafika evela eBetlehema, wathi kwabavunayo: “UJehova makabe nani.”

Bathi kuye: “UJehova makakubusise.”

₅Wayesethi uBowazi encekwini yakhe eyayibekwe phezu kwabavuni: “Ngekabani le ntombazana na?”

₆Inceku eyayibekwe phezu kwabavuni yaphendula yathi: “Kuyintombazana yakwaMowabi ebuye noNawomi ezweni lakwaMowabi; ₇ithe: ‘Ake ngikhothoze, ngibuthe ezithungwini emva kwabavuni.’ Selokhu ifikile, iqhubekile kusukela ekuseni kuze kube manje, ihlale kancane endlini kuphela.”

₈UBowazi wayesethi kuRuthe: “Angithi uyezwa, ndodakazi yami? Ungayi ukukhothoza kwenye insimu, futhi ungasuki lapha, kepha namathela kuwo amantombazana ami lapha. ₉Amehlo akho mawabe sensimini ayivunayo, uwalandele; angithi ngiyalile abafana ukuba bangakuthinti na? Nxa womile, yana ezitsheni, uphuze lokho abakukhileyo abafana.”

₁₀Wayesewa ngobuso bakhe, wakhothamela emhlabathini, wathi kuye: “Ngifumaneleni umusa emehlweni akho ukuba unginake, lokhu ngingowezizwe, na?”

₁₁UBowazi waphendula, wathi kuye: “Kubikiwe kimi konke omenzele khona unyokozala selokhu afa umyeni wakho nokuthi ushiyile uyihlo nonyoko nezwe lokuzalwa kwakho, weza kubantu ongabazanga ngaphambili. ₁₂UJehova makakuvuze ngomsebenzi wakho, uphiwe umvuzo opheleleyo nguJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli oze ukuba uphephele phansi kwamaphiko akhe.”

₁₃Wathi: “Mangifumane umusa emehlweni akho, nkosi, ngokuba ungiduduzile nangokuba ukhulume kahle kuyo incekukazi yakho, noma ngingenjengenye yezincekukazi zakho.”

₁₄Ngesikhathi sokudla uBowazi wathi kuye: “Woza lapha, udle isinkwa, ugcobhoze ucezu lwakho kuviniga.” Wahlala eceleni kwabavuni, wamnika utshwele, wadla wasutha, washiya phansi. ₁₅Esesukile ekukhothozeni uBowazi wayala abafana bakhe, wathi: “Makakhothoze nasezithungwini, ningamkhathazi. ₁₆Anoke nimkhiphele nokuthile ezithungwini, nikushiye ukuba akukhothoze, ningamsoli.”

₁₇Wakhothoza-ke ensimini kwaze kwahlwa; wakubhula lokho abekukhothozile, kwakungathi i-efa* lebhali.* ₁₈Wakuthatha, wangena emzini; uninazala wabona lokho abekukhothozile; wakhipha, wamnika lokho akushiyile esesuthile.

₁₉Uninazala wathi kuye: “Ukhothozephi namuhla na? Usebenzephi? Makabusiswe lowo okunakileyo.”

Wamtshela uninazala ukuthi ubesebenza kubani, wathi: “Igama lomuntu engisebenzile kuye namuhla linguBowazi.”

₂₀UNawomi wathi kumalokazana wakhe: “Makabusiswe nguJehova ongayekanga umusa wakhe kwabaphilileyo nakwabafileyo.” UNawomi wathi kuye: “Lowo muntu uyisihlobo sethu, ungowabahlengi bethu.”

₂₁URuthe wakwaMowabi wathi: “Yebo, wathi kimi: ‘Wonamathela kubafana bami, baze baqede konke ukuvuna kwami.’ ”

₂₂UNawomi wayesethi kuRuthe umalokazana wakhe: “Kuhle, ndodakazi yami, ukuba uphume namantombazana akhe, ungafikelwa kwenye insimu.”

₂₃Wayesenamathela-ke kuwo amantombazana kaBowazi ukukhothoza kwaze kwaba sekugcineni kokuvunwa kwebhali* nokukakolweni; wahlala-ke noninazala.

₁UNawomi uninazala wathi kuye: “Ndodakazi yami, angiyikukufunela ukuphumula ukuba kube kuhle kuwe na? ₂Angithi uBowazi owawunamantombazana akhe uyisihlobo sethu na? Bheka, uyela ibhali* kusihlwa esibuyeni. ₃Ngakho-ke geza, ugcobe, ugqoke isambatho sakho, wehlele esibuyeni, kepha ungazazisi kulowo muntu, aze aqede ukudla nokuphuza. ₄Kuyakuthi nxa eselala, uqaphele indawo ayakulala kuyo, ungene, wambule izinyawo zakhe, ulale; uyakukutshela lokhu oyakukwenza.”

₅Wathi kuye: “Konke okushoyo ngiyakukwenza.” ₆Wehlela esibuyeni, wenza njengakho konke amyale ngakho uninazala.

₇UBowazi wadla waphuza, inhliziyo yakhe yathokoza, waya ukulala ngasekugcineni kwenqwaba yamabele; wafika kahle, wambula izinyawo zakhe, walala. ₈Kwathi phakathi kwamabili yethuka leyo ndoda, yaphenduka; bheka, kwakulele owesifazane ngasezinyaweni zayo.

₉Yathi: “Ungubani?”

Wathi: “NginguRuthe incekukazi yakho; yembesa incekukazi yakho umphetho wengubo yakho, ngokuba ungumhlengi.”

₁₀Yathi: “Mawubusiswe nguJehova, ndodakazi yami; ubonakalisile umusa ekugcineni kakhulu kunasekuqaleni, ngokuba awulandelanga izinsizwa, noma zimpofu noma zicebile. ₁₁Manje, ndodakazi yami, ungesabi; ngiyakukwenzela konke okushoyo, ngokuba wonke umuzi wabantu bakithi uyazi ukuthi ungowesifazane olungileyo. ₁₂Yebo, kuqinisile ukuthi ngingumhlengi, kepha kukhona umhlengi omkhulu kunami. ₁₃Hlala lobu busuku; kuyakuthi ekuseni, uma ekuhlenga, kulungile, makakuhlenge; kepha uma engathandi ukukuhlenga, mina ngiyakukuhlenga, kuphila kukaJehova; lala kuze kuse.”

₁₄Walala ngasezinyaweni zakhe kwaze kwasa, wavuka bengakazani. Ngokuba yathi: “Makungaziwa ukuthi owesifazane wafika esibuyeni.”

₁₅Yayisithi: “Letha ingubo ephezu kwakho, uyibambe.” Wayibamba, yalinganisa kasithupha ibhali,* yamthwesa lona, wangena emzini.

₁₆Wafika kuninazala; wathi yena: “Ungubani, ndodakazi yami?”

Wamtshela konke leyo ndoda ebimenzele khona. ₁₇Wathi: “Ingiphile lezi zilinganiso eziyisithupha zebhali,* ngokuba yathi kimi: ‘Ungayi kunyokozala ungaphethe lutho.’ ”

₁₈Wathi: “Hlala, ndodakazi yami, uze wazi ukuba le ndaba iyakuphethelaphi, ngokuba leyo ndoda ayiyikuphumula ingakaqedi indaba namuhla.”

₁UBowazi wenyukela esangweni, wahlala phansi khona; bheka, umhlengi akhuluma ngaye uBowazi, wadlula; wathi kuye: “We wena sibanibani, phambuka, uhlale lapha.” Waphambuka, wahlala phansi. ₂Wathatha amadoda ayishumi kuwo amalunga omuzi, wathi: “Hlalani phansi lapha.” Ahlala. ₃Wayesethi kuye umhlengi: “UNawomi obuyile ezweni lakwaMowabi uyathengisa ngesiqephu sezwe esasingesika-Elimeleki; ₄bengithi ngiyakukwambulela kuwe, ngithi: Lithenge phambi kwabahleziyo lapha naphambi kwamalunga abantu bakithi; uma ulithenga, lihlenge; kepha uma ungalithengi, ngitshele ukuba ngazi, ngokuba akakho ongalihlenga ngaphandle kwakho, mina ngisemva kwakho.”

Wayesethi: “Ngiyakulihlenga.”

₅Wathi uBowazi: “Msukwana ulithenga izwe esandleni sikaNawomi, ulithenga nakuRuthe wakwaMowabi umkamufi ukuba ulivuse igama lofileyo efeni lakhe.”

₆Umhlengi wathi: “Anginakuzihlengela lona, funa ngone ifa lami; zihlengele wena, ngokuba anginakukuhlenga.”

₇Lokhu kwakunje ngokuhlenga nokwenana endulo kwa-Israyeli ukuba kuqiniswe izindaba zonke: umuntu wakhumula isicathulo sakhe, wasinika umakhelwane wakhe; lokho kwakungubufakazi kwa-Israyeli.

₈Umhlengi wayesethi kuBowazi: “Zithengele.” Wakhumula isicathulo sakhe.

₉UBowazi wayesethi kumalunga nakubantu bonke: “Ningofakazi namuhla ukuthi ngithengile konke okwakungokuka-Elimeleki, nakho konke okwakungokukaKiliyoni nokukaMahaloni esandleni sikaNawomi. ₁₀NoRuthe wakwaMowabi umkaMahaloni ngimthengile abe ngumkami ukuvusa igama lofileyo efeni lakhe ukuba igama lofileyo linganqunywa phakathi kwabafowabo nasesangweni lendawo yakhe; nina ningofakazi namuhla.”

₁₁Bonke abantu ababesesangweni namalunga bathi: “Singofakazi; uJehova makenze lowo wesifazane ongene endlini yakho abe njengoRaheli noLeya abakha bobabili indlu yakwa-Israyeli, ucebe e-Efratha, ube nodumo eBetlehema; ₁₂indlu yakho mayibe njengendlu kaPheresi uTamari amzalela uJuda ngenzalo uJehova ayakukunika yona ngale ntombazana.”

₁₃UBowazi wayesemthatha uRuthe, waba ngumkakhe; wangena kuye; uJehova wamnika ukuba akhulelwe; wazala indodana. ₁₄Abesifazane bathi kuNawomi: “Makabusiswe uJehova ongakushiyanga namuhla ungenamhlengi; igama lakhe malidume kwa-Israyeli. ₁₅Uyakuba ngumbuyisi wokuphila kuwe, nomondli ebudaleni bakho, ngokuba umalokazana wakho okuthandayo, omuhle kuwe kunamadodana ayisikhombisa umzele.”

₁₆UNawomi wamthatha umntwana, wamgona esifubeni sakhe, waba ngumzanyana wakhe. ₁₇Abesifazane abakhelene naye bametha igama, bathi: “Kuzelwe indodana kuNawomi.” Baqamba igama lakhe ngokuthi u-Obede; yena unguyise kaJese, uyise kaDavide.

₁₈Nazi izizukulwane zikaPheresi: uPheresi wazala uHesironi; ₁₉uHesironi wazala uRamu; uRamu wazala u-Aminadaba; ₂₀u-Aminadaba wazala uNaheshoni; uNaheshoni wazala uSalimoni; ₂₁uSalimoni wazala uBowazi; uBowazi wazala u-Obede; ₂₂u-Obede wazala uJese; uJese wazala uDavide.