“Apho Uya Khona Ndiya Kuya”

URUTE wayehamba noNahomi kwindlela eyayinqumla kumathafa akwaMowabhi, amade nabhudla umoya. Babehamba bodwa kulo mathafa athe nkcwe. Yiba nomfanekiso ngqondweni, kaRute ebona ukuba amathunzi anabile, aze ajonge uninazala ezibuza ukuba akungebi lixesha lokuba bafumane indawo abaza kufihla kuyo intloko ngobo busuku. Umthanda gqitha uNahomi yaye ukulungele ukwenza nantoni na ukuze amnyamekele.

Omabini la mabhinqa ayesentlungwini. Sele kuqengqeleke iminyaka uNahomi engumhlolokazi, kodwa ngoku uzilile ngenxa yokubhujelwa ngoonyana bakhe ababini uKiliyon noMahalon. NoRute wayesentlungwini. UMahalon ebengumyeni wakhe. Yena noNahomi basinge eBhetelehem kwaSirayeli. Kodwa uhambo lwabo alufani ncam. UNahomi uyagoduka. URute yena uya kwilizwe lasemzini, ushiya ngasemva izalamane zakhe, ilizwe lakhe izithethe—kuquka noothixo bakhe.—Rute 1:3-6.

Yintoni eyabangela eli bhinqa liselula lenze utshintsho olungaka ebomini balo? URute wayeza kuphila njani kweli lizwe lasemzini aze anyamekele noNahomi? Kwiimpendulo zale mibuzo, sifumana izinto ezininzi esinokuzixelisa kukholo lukaRute umMowabhikazi. Okokuqala, makhe sibone ukuba kwenzeka njani ukuba loo mabhinqa mabini abe kuloo ndlela inde ibuyela eBhetelehem.

Intsapho Ethwaxwa Yintlekele

URute wakhulela kwaMowabhi, ilizwe elincinane elikwimpuma yoLwandle Olufileyo. Lo mmandla unamathafa nemithi egqagqeneyo nemiwonyo enzulu. “Amathafa akwaMowabhi” ayechuma nokuba sele kubalele kwaSirayeli. Esi sisizathu esabangela ukuba uRute adibane noMahalon nentsapho yakhe.—Rute 1:1.

Indlala eyayigquba kwaSirayeli yenza umyeni kaNahomi, uElimeleki, emke elizweni lakhe ayokuhlala kwaMowabhi njengomphambukeli. Le mfuduko ifanele ukuba yaluvavanya ukholo lwelungu ngalinye lalo ntsapho, amaSirayeli kwakufuneka anqule rhoqo kwindawo engcwele ekhethwe nguYehova. (Duteronomi 16:16, 17) UNahomi wakwazi ukulondoloza ukholo lwakhe. Kodwa ke, waba buhlungu gqitha kusa kubhubha umyeni wakhe.—Rute 1:2, 3.

Ufanele ukuba waba buhlungu kwakhona xa oonyana bakhe batshata iintombi zakwaMowabhi. (Rute 1:4) UNahomi wayesazi ukuba ukhokho wohlanga lwakhe, uAbraham, wawa evuka efuna ukuqinisekisa ukuba unyana wakhe uIsake, utshata nomfazi onqula uYehova. (Genesis 24:3, 4) Kamva, uMthetho kaMoses walumkisa amaSirayeli ukuba angabavumeli oonyana neentombi zabo ukuba batshate neentlanga, kuba zazinokubenza banqule izithixo.—Duteronomi 7:3, 4.a

Phezu kwazo nje ezi zilumkiso, uKiliyon noMahalon batshata iintombi zakwaMowabi. Nokuba uNahomi wayekhathazekile okanye ephoxekile, wabaphatha ngobubele nothando oomolokazana bakhe. Mhlawumbi wayenethemba lokuba nabo ngenye imini baza kuba ngabanquli bakaYehova njengaye. Nakuba kunjalo, uRute noOrpa babemthanda uNahomi. Ulwalamano oluhle ababenalo lwabanceda kusakwehla intlekele. Bobabini baba ngabahlolokazi bengekabi nabantwana.—Rute 1:5.

Ngaba unqulo lukaRute lwamxhobisela le ntlekele? Kubonakala kungekho ndlela yakukuqonda oko. AmaMowabhi ayenqula oothixo abaninzi, oyena uphambili kubo yayinguKemoshe. (Numeri 21:29) Kubonakala ukuba unqulo lwamaMowabhi nalo lwalukhohlakele kuba lwalusenza amadini nangabantwana. Nantoni na eyafundwa nguRute kuMahalon okanye kuNahomi ngothando nenceba yoThixo wamaSirayeli uYehova, yayahluke gqitha. UYehova ulawula ngothando kungekhona ngoloyiko! (Duteronomi 6:5) Emva kokuba uRute ehlelwe yile ntlekele, umele ukuba wasondela ngakumbi kuNahomi emphulaphula ngenyameko njengoko wayethetha ngoThixo usomandla, uYehova, imisebenzi yakhe emihle, uthando nenceba nendlela aqhubana ngayo nabantu bakhe.

Kwelinye icala, uNahomi, wayekulangazelela ukuva ukuba kwenzeka ntoni kowabo. Mhlawumbi weva ngenye imini, ngomrhwebi ohambahambayo, ukuba indlala iphelile kwaSirayeli. UYehova wayebavelele abantu bakhe. IBhetelehem yayiphila ngokuvisisana negama layo, elithetha “Indlu Yesonka.” UNahomi wagqiba ekubeni agoduke.—Rute 1:6.

Yintoni ababeza kuyenza uRute no-Orpa? (Rute 1:7) Iintlungu abatyhubela kuzo zabasondeza gqitha kuNahomi. Ngokukodwa uRute, kubonakala ukuba watsaleleka gqitha kububele bukaNahomi nakukholo lwakhe kuYehova olungagungqiyo. Aba bahlolokazi baqalisa uhambo lokuya kwaYuda kunye.

Ingxelo kaRute isikhumbuza ukuba izinto ezibuhlungu zehlela bonke abantu abalungileyo nabangendawo. (INtshumayeli 9:2, 11) Ikwabonisa ukuba xa sibhujelwe, sakuba senza ngobulumko xa sifuna intuthuzelo kwabanye—ngokukodwa abo basabela kuYehova, uThixo owayenqulwa nguNahomi.—IMizekeliso 17:17.

Uthando LukaRute Lokunyaniseka

Njengoko aba bahlolokazi bathathu babewucutha umgama, uNahomi waqalisa ukukhathazwa yenye into. Wacinga ngala mabhinqa aselula ayehamba naye nendlela ababemthanda ngayo yena noonyana bakhe. Wayengafuni ukongeza kwintlungu yabo. Ukuba bashiya ilizwe labo baze bahambe naye, yintoni awayenokubenzela yona eBhetelehem?

Ekugqibeleni wade wathetha uNahomi wathi: “Hambani, buyelani, ngamnye kwindlu kanina. Wanga uYehova anganenzela ububele bothando, kanye njengoko niye nabenza kula madoda afileyo ngoku nakum.” Kwakhona wabachazela ukuba uYehova uza kubasikelela ngobomi nangamadoda amatsha. “Waza wabanga,” le ngxelo ihlabela mgama isithi, “yaye baphakamisa amazwi abo balila.” Akukho nzima ukubona isizathu esabangela ukuba uRute noOrpa bazive besondele kangaka kweli bhinqa linobubele nelingazingciyo. Bobabini bazingisa bathi: “Hayi, siza kubuyela nawe ebantwini bakowenu.”—Rute 1:8-10.

Noko ke, uNahomi akazange acengeke. Waqiqa nabo esithi akukho nto ingako anokubenzela yona kwaSirayeli, ekubeni wayengenaye umyeni oza kumnyamekela, akanabo oonyana abaza kutshata nabo, akukho nto abathembisa ngayo. Wabachazela ukuba ukungakwazi kwakhe ukubanyamekela kwakumenza buhlungu gqitha.—Rute 1:11-13.

UOrpa woselwa ngamazwi kaNahomi. Wayenentsapho kwaMowabhi, umama nekhaya. Kwakubonakala kukuhle ukusala kwaMowabhi. Etyumkile emoyeni wamanga uNahomi waza wathi ndlela ntle wabuyela kowabo.—Rute 1:14.

Kuthekani ngoRute? Izinto ezazithethwa nguNahomi zazibhekiswa nakuye. Kodwa sifunda oku: “Ke yena uRute, wanamathela kuye.” Mhlawumbi, uNahomi waqhubeka nohambo lwakhe kodwa wafumanisa ukuba uRute uthe chu emva kwakhe. Wamkhalimela wathi: “Khangela! Umninawakazi wakho ongumhlolokazi ubuyele ebantwini bakowabo nakoothixo bakhe. Buyela nomninawakazi wakho ongumhlolokazi.” (Rute 1:15) Amazwi kaNahomi aveza ingcombolo ebalulekileyo kumfundi. UOrpa akazange abuyele kubantu bakowabo kuphela kodwa wabuyela “nakoothixo bakhe.” Wayenelisekile kukunqula uKemoshe nabanye oothixo bobuxoki. Ngaba leyo yindlela awayevakalelwa ngayo uRute?

Njengoko wayejongene noNahomi kuloo ndlela, intliziyo kaRute yayiqinisekile. Wayemthanda uNahomi noThixo awayemnqula. Wathi: “Musa ukundibongoza ukuba ndikushiye, ndijike ekukuphelekeni; kuba apho uya khona ndiya kuya, nalapho uchitha ubusuku khona ndiya kuchitha ubusuku. Abantu bakowenu baya kuba ngabantu basekhaya, noThixo wakho abe nguThixo wam. Apho ufela khona ndiya kufela khona, ndingcwatyelwe khona. Wanga uYehova angenjenjalo kum aze ongeze kuko ukuba kungabikho nantoni na enokusahlula ngaphandle kokufa.”—Rute 1:16, 17.

Amazwi kaRute anamandla—kangangokuba asasebenza nangoku nangona sele kudlule iinkulungwane ezingama-30. Abonisa uphawu oluxabisekileyo, uthando lokunyaniseka. Lwalunamandla, lunyanisekile uthando lukaRute, kangangokuba wayeza kunamathela kuNahomi nokuba uyaphi. Kukufa kuphela okwakunokubohlula. Abantu bakaNahomi babeza kuba ngabantu bakhe kuba uRute wayekulungele ukuyishiya ngasemva yonke into awayeyazi kwaMowabhi—kwanoothixo bakwaMowabhi. Ngokungafaniyo no-Orpa, uRute wayenokuthi ufuna uThixo kaNahomi uYehova ngentliziyo yakhe yonke, ukuba abe nguThixo wakhe naye.b

Baqhubeka nohambo lwabo, ingabo bobabini, kuloo ndlela inde isinga eBhetelehem. Olunye uqikelelo luthi olu hambo lumele ukuba lwathabatha iveki. Kucacile ukuba babethuthuzelana.

Nanamhlanje zisekho izinto ezibenza abantu babebuhlungu. Kula maxesha ethu, iBhayibhile ewabiza ngokuba ‘ngamaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo,’ sishiywa ngabantu kwaye siva nentlungu. (2 Timoti 3:1) Ngenxa yoko uphawu esilufumana kuRute lubaluleke gqitha kunanini na ngaphambili. Uthando olunyanisekileyo—uhlobo lothando oluqhubekayo ide igqitywe loo nto yenziwayo—luluncedo kakhulu kweli hlabathi. Siyalufuna emtshatweni, siyalufuna entsatsheni, siyalufuna xa siqhubana nabahlobo bethu, siyalufuna kwibandla lamaKristu. Njengoko sihlakulela olo thando sixelisa umzekelo obalaseleyo kaRute.

URute NoNahomi EBhetelehem

Zizinto ezimbini ezahlukeneyo ukuthi unothando olunyanisekileyo nokwenza ngokuvisisana nalo. Ngaphambili, uRute ebe nethuba lokubonisa uthando lwakhe olunyanisekileyo kungekhona kuNahomi kuphela kodwa nakuThixo azikhethele yena, uYehova.

Ekugqibeleni la mabhinqa mabini ade afika eBhetelehem, idolophana emalunga neekhilomitha ezilishumi emazantsi eYerusalem. Kubonakala ukuba, uNahomi nentsapho yakhe, babesaziwa kule dolophana, kuba wonke umntu wayethetha ngokubuya kwakhe. Amabhinqa ayemjonga aze athi, “NguNahomi lo?” Kucacile, ukuba wayetshintshe gqitha kwinto awayeyiyo ngaphambi kokuba aye kwaMowabhi; ubuso bakhe babuxhwalekile.—Rute 1:19.

UNahomi wachazela izalamane nabamelwane bakhe indlela obabunzima ngayo ubomi bakhe. Wade wathi negama lakhe lifanele litshintshwe angabi nguNahomi, othetha “Ubumnandi bam,” abe nguMara, othetha “krakra.” UNahomi! NjengoYobhi owayephila ngaphambi kwakhe, wayekholelwa ukuba uYehova uThixo umzisele ubunzima.—Rute 1:20, 21; Yobhi 2:10; 13:24-26.

Njengoko la mabhinqa mabini ezinza eBhetelehem, uRute ucinga ngendlela anokuzinyamekela ngayo yena noNahomi. Wafumanisa ukuba uMthetho uYehova awayewunike amaSirayeli abantu bakhe wawunelungiselelo lokuncedwa kwamahlwempu. Ayevumelekile ukuba aye emasimini ngexesha lokuvuna aze alandele abavuni, abhikice emva kwabo naseludinini lwentsimi.c—Levitikus 19:9, 10; Duteronomi 24:19-21.

Yayilixesha lokuvunwa kwerhasi, kumele ukuba kwakungoAprili ngokwekhalenda yale mihla, uRute waya emasimini ukuze abone ukuba ngubani owayeza kumvumela abhikice entsimini yakhe. Waya entsimini kaBhohazi, indoda esisityebi nesisalamane somyeni kaNahomi ongasekhoyo, uElimeleki. Nangona uMthetho wawunika ilungelo lokubhikica, akazange asuke alisebenzise, wacela imvume kwityendyana lo mfana elaliphethe abavuni. Wayinikwa, uRute akazange avundise maseko waqalisa ukusebenza.—Rute 1:22–2:3, 7.

Yiba nomfanekiso ngqondweni kaRute elandela abavuni. Njengoko besipha irhasi, umana echolachola leyo bayiwisayo okanye abayishiya ngasemva, aze enze izithungu, azise kwibala aza kuzibhulela kulo. Yayingumsebenzi onzima oqobayo ngokukodwa xa kutshisa ilanga. Sekunjalo uRute waqhubeka esebenza, ephumla kuphela xa ezosula ukubila naxa eza kutya “endlwini”—ifanele ukuba yayiligxamesi elenzelwe abasebenzi.

URute ufanele ukuba wayengazi ukuba uza kuphawuleka—kodwa wabonakala. UBhohazi wambona waza wabuza elo tyendyana lo mfana ukuba wayengubani. UBhohazi indoda enokholo olubalaseleyo, wabulisa abasebenzi bakhe—abanye babo bafanele ukuba babesebenza imini enye nje kuphela okanye bengabantu basemzini—ngala mazwi: “UYehova abe nani.” Nabo bambulisa kwangaloo ndlela. Le ndoda ithanda izinto zobuthixo yaba nomdla wobuzali kuRute.—Rute 2:4-7.

Embiza ngokuthi “ntombi yam,” uBhohazi wayalela uRute ukuba aqhubeke esiza kubhikica yaye anamathele kubafazana bendlu yakhe ukuze angaphazanyiswa ngabafana. Waqinisekisa ukuba unokutya ngexesha lesidlo sasemini. Ngaphezu koko, wamncoma waza wamkhuthaza. Njani?—Rute 2:8, 9, 14.

Xa uRute wabuza uBhohazi ukuba yintoni le ayenzileyo lento amphatha kakuhle, wamphendula wathi uye weva ukuba uye wamphatha kakuhle uninazala uNahomi. Ufanele ukuba uNahomi wamncoma uRute kubafazi baseBhetelehem, kwaza oko kunconywa kwaya kufika nakuBhohazi. Wayesazi ukuba uRute uguqukile waba ngumnquli kaYehova, wathi: “Wanga uYehova angayivuza indlela owenza ngayo, yaye kwanga unganomvuzo ogqibeleleyo ovela kuYehova uThixo kaSirayeli, oye wafuna indawo yokusabela phantsi kwamaphiko akhe.”—Rute 2:12.

Afanele ukuba amkhuthaza gqitha uRute loo mazwi! Kakade ke, wayegqibe ekubeni akhuselwe ngamaphiko kaYehova uThixo, njengentshontsho lentaka elikhuselwe ngunina. Wambulela uBhohazi ngokumqinisekisa ngolo hlobo. Waqhubeka esebenza de latshona ilanga.—Rute 2:13, 17.

Ukholo lukaRute ngumzekelo omhle kuthi sonke namhlanje abatsala nzima kwezoqoqosho kula maxesha. Wayengacingi ukuba umele axhomekeke kwabanye abantu, wayeyixabisa yonke into awayeyinikwa. Wayengenazintloni ngokusebenza ixesha elide ukuze anyamekele lowo wayemthanda, nangona yayingumsebenzi ophantsi. Walamkela ngobubele icebiso lobulumko lokuba ufanele asebenze njani ngendlela ekhuselekileyo nabantu abafanelekileyo. Okona kubalulekileyo kukuba, akazange alibale ukuba wayekhuselwe ngubani—nguBawo wakhe, uYehova uThixo.

Ukuba sinothando olunyanisekileyo njengoRute size silandele umzekelo wakhe wokuthobeka, ukukhuthala nokuba noxabiso, siya kufumanisa ukuba ukholo lwethu luya kubakhuthaza abanye. UYehova wamnyamekela njani uRute noNahomi? Lo mbandela siza kuwushukuxa kwinqaku elilandelayo lolu ngcelele.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 26]

Incwadi YeBhayibhile Eneenkcukacha Ezingephi Kodwa Enamandla

Incwadi kaRute ichazwa njengesacholo esincinane, umsebenzi wobugcisa oncomekayo. Kuyavunywa ukuba ayigubungeli inkcazelo efana nencwadi yabagwebi, eyandulelayo echaza nexesha ezenzeka ngalo iziganeko athetha ngazo. (Rute 1:1) Zombini ezi ncwadi zabhalwa ngumprofeti uSamuweli. Sekunjalo, njengoko ufunda iBhayibhile, unokuvuma ukuba incwadi kaRute ibekwe kwindawo efanelekileyo eBhayibhileni. Emva kokufunda ngeemfazwe, ukuthinjwa kwezinto kwincwadi yaBagwebi, ufumana le ncwadi incinane esikhumbuza ukuba uYehova akabalibali abantu abaseluxolweni abazamazamana neengxaki zobomi. Eli bali lichukumisayo linezifundo ezibalulekileyo ngothando, ukulahlekelwa, ukholo nokunyaniseka okunokusinceda sonke.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

URute wasondelelana noNahomi ngexesha lentlungu nokubhujelwa

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24, 25]

“Abantu bakowenu baya kuba ngabantu basekhaya, noThixo wakho abe nguThixo wam”

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]

URute wayekulungele ukwenza umsebenzi onzima nophantsi ukuze anyamekele yena noNahomi