Rute
3 UNahomi, umazala wakhe, wathi kuye: “Ntombi yam, ndingakufuneli umzi,*+ ukuze izinto zikuhambele kakuhle? 2 Andithi siyazalana noBhohazi?+ Nguye lo ubukunye nezicakakazi zakhe. Uza kwela irhasi kwibala lokubhula ngobu busuku. 3 Hlamba ke, uthambise ioli enuka kamnandi, unxibe kakuhle,* uhle uye kwibala lokubhula. Angakuboni uBhohazi de agqibe ukutya nokusela. 4 Mgade ukuba ulala phi, uze uyokulala ezinyaweni zakhe. Uza kukuxelela into omele uyenze.”
5 URute wathi kuye: “Ndiza kuyenza yonke le nto uyithethayo.” 6 Ngoko waya kwibala lokubhula waza wenza yonke into awayeyiyalelwe ngumazala wakhe. 7 Ngelo xesha, uBhohazi wayesitya, esela, onwabile. Emva koko, waya kulala ngakwimfumba yerhasi. Wachwechwa ke uRute, walala ezinyaweni zakhe. 8 Kwathi ezinzulwini zobusuku uBhohazi waqalisa ukungcangcazela, wakroba waza wabona umfazi elele ezinyaweni zakhe. 9 Wathi: “Ungubani?” Yena wathi: “NdinguRute, isicakakazi sakho. Yambathisa isicakakazi sakho ngesambatho* sakho, kuba ungumhlawuleli.”+ 10 Ngoko wathi: “Kwanga uYehova angakusikelela, ntombi yam. Ngoku uthando lwakho olungagungqiyo lubonakele ngakumbi kunakuqala,+ ngokungaleqi abafana, nokuba bangamahlwempu okanye bazizityebi. 11 Ngoko ke ntombi yam, sukoyika. Ndiza kukwenzela yonke into oyitshoyo,+ kuba wonke umntu okwesi sixeko* uyazi ukuba ungumfazi ogqwesileyo. 12 Ewe kona ndinguye umhlawuleli,+ kodwa ukho umhlawuleli ozalana ngakumbi nani kunam.+ 13 Hlala apha ngobu busuku; ukuba uyakuhlawulela kusasa, kulungile! Makakuhlawulele.+ Kodwa ukuba akafuni, ephila nje uYehova ndiza kukuhlawulela ngokwam. Lala apha de kube kusasa.”
14 Walala ezinyaweni zakhe de kwasa, waza wavuka kungekathi qheke ukusa ukuze angabonwa. Emva koko wathi: “Makungabikho mntu waziyo ukuba bekuze umfazi kweli bala lokubhula.” 15 Waphinda wathi: “Zisa ingubo yakho yokwaleka, ukhongozele.” Ngoko wakhongozela, wamgalelela iibhaskithi ezintandathu* zerhasi, emva koko uBhohazi waya esixekweni.
16 URute wahamba indlela yakhe waya kumazala wakhe, owathi: “Uhambe njani* ntombi yam?” Wamxelela yonke into ayenzelwe nguBhohazi. 17 Waphinda wathi: “Undinike le rhasi izibhaskithi ezintandathu, waza wathi, ‘Ungafiki ungaphethanga nto kumazala wakho.’” 18 Akuva loo nto uNahomi wathi: “Hlala apha ntombi yam, de wazi ukuba le nto iza kuphelela phi, kuba le ndoda ayizukuphumla de iyilungise le nto namhlanje.”