Lingisa Ukholo Lwabo

“Lapho Uya Khona Ngizoya Khona Nami”

URUTHE uhamba noNawomi endleleni ende enqamula emathafeni aphakeme navunguza umoya akwaMidiyani. Babukeka beyizithunzana njengoba bebodwa kula mathafa angodedangendlale. Mbone ngeso lengqondo uRuthe ebuka ilanga eseliyozilahla kunina, abese ebuka uninazala ezibuza ukuthi akungcono yini bathole indawo abazogoba kuyo amadlangala ngalobo busuku. Umthanda kakhulu uNawomi futhi angenza noma yini ukuze amnakekele.

Bobabili laba besifazane bakhungethwe usizi. Kwase kuyiminyaka eminingi uNawomi engumfelokazi, kodwa kulokhu ulilela okunye ukufelwa—ukushonelwa amadodana akhe amabili uKiliyoni noMahaloni. URuthe naye usosizini. UMahaloni bekungumyeni wakhe. Yena noNawomi balibangise endaweni eyodwa, emzini waseBhetlehema kwa-Israyeli. Nokho, izizathu zohambo lwabo azifani. UNawomi uphindela kubo. URuthe uya lapho engazi khona, ushiya umndeni wakubo, izwe lakubo nawo wonke amasiko akhona—kuhlanganise nonkulunkulu bakhona.—Ruthe 1:3-6.

Yini eyayingenza owesifazane osemusha enze ushintsho olungaka? URuthe wayezokwazi kanjani ukuqala ukuphila okusha aphinde anakekele noNawomi? Izimpendulo zale mibuzo zizosisiza sibone ukuthi kuningi esingakulingisa okholweni lukaRuthe uMmowabikazi. Okokuqala, ake sibone ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba labo besifazane bazithole sebehamba kulowo mgwaqo omude obheke eBhetlehema.

Umndeni Uhlukaniswa Usizi

URuthe wakhulela kwaMowabi, izwe elincane elisempumalanga yoLwandle Olufile. Lesi sifunda sasinezihlahla ezinde ezithé gqwa gqwa emathafeni aphakeme ahlukaniswe imihosha ejulile. ‘Indawo yakwaMowabi’ yayivame ukuba indawo enhle yokulima, ngisho nangesikhathi indlala idla lubi kwa-Israyeli. Eqinisweni, kulapho lapho uRuthe abonana okokuqala noMahaloni nomndeni wakubo.—Ruthe 1:1.

Indlala kwa-Israyeli yaphoqa umyeni kaNawomi, u-Elimeleki, ukuba athuthe umkakhe namadodana akhe amabili ezweni lakubo futhi bayohlala kwaMowabi njengabafokazi. Kumelwe ukuba ukuthutha kwabeka inselele okholweni lwelungu ngalinye lomkhaya, ngoba ama-Israyeli kwakudingeka akhulekele njalo endaweni engcwele eyayikhethwe uJehova. (Duteronomi 16:16, 17) UNawomi wakwazi ukugcina ukholo lwakhe luphila. Nakuba kunjalo, wezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu lapho umyeni wakhe efa.—Ruthe 1:2, 3.

Kungenzeka futhi ukuthi waphinde wezwa ubuhlungu lapho amadodana akhe eshada nabesifazane bakwaMowabi. (Ruthe 1:4) UNawomi wayazi ukuthi ukhokho wesizwe sakubo, u-Abrahama, wazikhandla kangakanani ukuze atholele indodana yakhe, u-Isaka, umfazi phakathi kwabantu bakubo abakhulekela uJehova. (Genesise 24:3, 4) Kamuva, uMthetho KaMose waxwayisa ama-Israyeli ukuba angaganiselani ngamadodana nangamadodakazi awo kubantu bezizwe, ngoba lokho kwakuyoholela abantu bakaNkulunkulu ekukhulekeleni izithombe.—Duteronomi 7:3, 4.a

Nakuba kunjalo, uMahaloni noKiliyoni bashada nabesifazane bakwaMowabi. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uNawomi wayekhathazekile noma edumazekile, kusobala ukuthi waqikelela ukuthi ubonisa omalokazana bakhe, uRuthe no-Orpa, umusa wangempela nothando. Mhlawumbe wayethemba ukuthi ngelinye ilanga bayokhulekela uJehova njengaye. Kunoma yikuphi, uNawomi wayebathanda oRuthe no-Orpa. Ubuhlobo obuhle ababenabo babasiza lapho kuhlasela usizi. Bobabili laba besifazane bashonelwa abayeni bengakabi nezingane.—Ruthe 1:5.

Ingabe onkulunkulu ayekhuliswe ngabo uRuthe bamhlomisela usizi olufana nalolu? Akubonakali kunjalo. AbakwaMowabi babekhulekela onkulunkulu abaningi, owayevelele kubo kwakunguKemoshi. (Numeri 21:29) Kubonakala sengathi inkolo yakwaMowabi yayingene shí ezenzweni zonya nezesabekayo ezazivamile ngalezo zinsuku, kuhlanganise nokwenza umhlatshelo ngezingane. Noma yini uRuthe ayizwa ngoMahaloni noma ngoNawomi mayelana noNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uJehova, onothando nesihe, yamenza wawubona umehluko. UJehova ubusa ngothando, hhayi ngendlakadla! (Duteronomi 6:5) Ngemva kokulahlekelwa okubuhlungu, kungenzeka ukuthi uRuthe wasondelana kakhulu noNawomi futhi wamlalela ngokuzimisela lo wesifazane osekhulile njengoba ekhuluma naye ngoNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke, uJehova, imisebenzi yakhe emangalisayo, uthando lwakhe nendlela asebenzelana ngayo ngesihe nabantu bakhe.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uNawomi wayelangazelela ukuzwa ukuthi kuhamba kanjani ezweni lenkaba yakhe. Mhlawumbe langa limbe umthengisi ohambahambayo wamtshela ukuthi indlala isiphelile kwa-Israyeli. UJehova useqalile ukubasiza abantu bakhe. IBetlehema lase liphinde lalilandela igama lalo, elisho ukuthi “Indlu Yesinkwa.” UNawomi wanquma ukuphindela ekhaya.—Ruthe 1:6.

Babezomisa kanjani oRuthe no-Orpa? (Ruthe 1:7) Usizi lwabo lwase lubenze baba amathe nolimi noNawomi. Ikakhulukazi uRuthe, kubonakala sengathi wayethathwe umusa kaNawomi kanye nokholo lwakhe olugxilile kuJehova. Bahamba bobathathu laba bafelokazi uma beya kwaJuda.

Ukulandisa kukaRuthe kusikhumbuza ukuthi usizi nokufelwa kwehlela bonke abantu, abalungile nababi. (UmShumayeli 9:2, 11) Kusibonisa nokuthi lapho sibhekene nosizi olungaphezu kwamandla, siyobe senza kahle uma sifuna induduzo nosizo kwabanye—ikakhulukazi kulabo abaphephela kuJehova, uNkulunkulu owayekhulekelwa uNawomi.—IzAga 17:17.

Uthando Oluqotho LukaRuthe

Njengoba laba bafelokazi base behambe amakhilomitha amaningi, uNawomi waqala ukukhathazwa okuthile. Wayecabanga ngalaba besifazane abasebasha ayehamba nabo nangothando abambonise lona namadodana akhe. Wayengafuni ukwenezela omunye umthwalo ekucindezelekeni kwabo. Uma behamba naye beshiya izwe lakubo, babeyoba umtshingo ubethwa ubani eBetlehema?

Ekugcineni, uNawomi wakhuluma nabo: “Hambani, buyelani emuva, yilowo nalowo endlini kanina. Kwangathi uJehova anganibonisa umusa wothando, njengoba nje niwubonisile kimi nasemadodeni asefile.” Wabuye wabaduduza ngokuthi uJehova uyobabusisa ngamanye amadoda nokuphila okusha. “Wayesebanga,” ukulandisa kuthi, “baphakamisa amazwi abo bakhala.” Kulula ukubona ukuthi kungani uRuthe no-Orpa bazizwa besondelene kangaka nalo wesifazane onenhliziyo enhle nongazicabangeli yena kuphela. Bobabili babelokhu bethi kuye: “Cha, sizobuyela nawe kubantu bakini.”—Ruthe 1:8-10.

Nokho, uNawomi akavumanga kalula. Wabachazela ukuthi kuncane kabi ayezokwazi ukubenzela kona kwa-Israyeli, kwazise wayesengumfelokazi ongenabani, engenawo namadodana azobashada futhi lingekho nethemba lokuthi kuyoke kulunge. Wabatshela ukuthi ukwehluleka kwakhe ukubanakekela kwakuyisizathu sangempela sokuba abe nomunyu.—Ruthe 1:11-13.

U-Orpa wabona ukuthi uNawomi ukhuluma iqiniso. Wayenomndeni lapha kwaMowabi, enonina futhi enekhaya elizomamukela. Kwabonakala ukuthi ngempela kunengqondo ukusala kwaMowabi. Ngakho ezwa ubuhlungu bokwehlukana, wanga uNawomi wabe esevalelisa, waphindela emuva.—Ruthe 1:14.

Wayezokwenzenjani uRuthe? Phela okushiwo uNawomi kwakusebenza nakuye. Nokho, siyafunda: “Kepha uRuthe, wanamathela kuye.” Kungenzeka ukuthi uNawomi wayesephinde waqhubeka nohambo lapho ethi jeqe emuva ebona uRuthe emlandela. Waphinde wabonisana naye: “Bheka! Umnakwenu ongumfelokazi ubuyele kubantu bakubo nakonkulunkulu bakhe. Buyela emuva nomnakwenu ongumfelokazi.” (Ruthe 1:15) Amazwi kaNawomi amembulela iqiniso elibalulekile umfundi. U-Orpa wayengaphindeli nje kuphela kubantu bakubo kodwa “nakonkulunkulu bakhe.” Kwakumenelisa ukuqhubeka ekhulekela uKemoshi nabanye onkulunkulu bamanga. Ingabe noRuthe wayezizwa ngaleyo ndlela?

Njengoba base bebodwa kulowo mgwaqo othule, uRuthe wayeqiniseka ngendlela azizwa ngayo. Wayemthanda uNawomi—noNkulunkulu owayekhonzwa uNawomi. Ngakho wathi: “Ungangincengi ukuba ngikushiye, ukuba ngibuyele emuva ngingahambi nawe; ngoba lapho uya khona ngizoya khona nami, nalapho ulala khona nami ngizolala khona. Abantu bakini bazoba ngabantu bakithi, noNkulunkulu wakho abe nguNkulunkulu wami. Lapho ufela khona nami ngiyofela khona, futhi yilapho ngiyongcwatshwa khona. Sengathi uJehova angenza kanjalo kimi futhi anezele kukho uma mina nawe siyohlukaniswa enye into ngaphandle kokufa.”—Ruthe 1:16, 17.

Amazwi kaRuthe ayaphawuleka—kangangokuba abantu basawakhumbula nakuba sekwadlula amakhulu angu-30 eminyaka awasho. Ayembula ngendlela ecacile imfanelo eyigugu, uthando oluqotho. Uthando lwakhe lwaluqinile futhi luqotho kangangokuba wayeyonamathela kuNawomi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uyaphi. Ukufa kuphela okwakungabahlukanisa. Abantu bakubo kaNawomi babezoba abakhe, ngoba uRuthe wayezimisele ukushiya konke ayekwazi kwaMowabi—ngisho nonkulunkulu bakwaMowabi. Ngokungafani no-Orpa, uRuthe wayengasho ngenhliziyo ephelele ukuthi ufuna uNkulunkulu kaNawomi, uJehova, ukuba abe uNkulunkulu wakhe.b

Ngakho baqhubeka nohambo lwabo bebabili nje emgwaqeni omude obheke eBhetlehema. Ukusikisela okuthile kuthi kungenzeka lolu hambo lwathatha isonto lonke. Nokho, esiqiniseka ngakho ukuthi baduduzana kulolu sizi ababebhekene nalo.

Abantu abaningi kuleli zwe babhekene nosizi. Ezinsukwini zethu, iBhayibheli elizibiza ngokuthi “izikhathi ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo,” sihlangabezana nazo zonke izinhlobo zokulahlekelwa kanye nosizi. (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Khona-ke, imfanelo esiyibona kuRuthe ibaluleke kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili. Uthando oluqotho—uhlobo lothando olunamathela entweni futhi lungafuni ukuyidedela—luyikhambi elinamandla kuleli zwe elimbozwe ifu elimnyama. Siyaludinga emshadweni, ekuphileni komndeni, ebunganini nasebandleni lobuKristu. Njengoba sihlakulela lolu hlobo lothando, siyobe silingisa isibonelo esivelele sikaRuthe.

URuthe NoNawomi EBhetlehema

Ukusho ngomlomo ukuthi unothando oluqotho akufani nokwenza izinto ezibonisa ukuthi unayo ngempela le mfanelo. URuthe walithola ithuba lokubonisa uthando lwakhe oluqotho, hhayi nje kuphela kuNawomi kodwa nakuNkulunkulu azikhethela yena, uJehova.

Laba besifazane ababili bagcina befikile eBetlehema, umuzi oqhele cishe ngamakhilomitha ayishumi eningizimu yeJerusalema. Kubonakala sengathi uNawomi nomndeni wakhe bake bavelela kulo muzi omncane, ngoba izindaba zokubuya kukaNawomi zabhebhetheka ngokushesha. Abesifazane babembuka bese bethi, “Akuyena yini uNawomi lo?” Kusobala ukuthi ukuhlala kwakhe kwaMowabi kwase kumshintshe kakhulu; ubuso bakhe nokubukeka komzimba kwakusho ukuthi miningi iminyaka yokukhandleka nosizi adlule kuyo.—Ruthe 1:19.

UNawomi wachazela izihlobo zakhe zabesifazane nomakhelwane ukuthi ibe muncu kanjani iminyaka edlule ekuphileni kwakhe. Waze waba nomuzwa wokuthi igama lakhe elithi Nawomi, elisho “Injabulo,” kufanele lishintshe libe nguMara, okusho “Umunyu.” Yeka isimo esidabukisayo! Cishe njengoba kwenza uJobe ngaphambili, naye wayekholelwa ukuthi ubunzima bakhe buvela kuJehova uNkulunkulu.—Ruthe 1:20, 21; Jobe 2:10; 13:24-26.

Njengoba base bezinza eBetlehema, uRuthe waqala ukucabanga ukuthi iyiphi indlela ayengazinakekela ngayo enoNawomi. Wezwa ukuthi uMthetho uJehova ayewunike abantu bakhe kwa-Israyeli wawuhlanganisa nelungiselelo lothando ngabampofu. Babevunyelwe ukungena emasimini ngenkathi yokuvuma balandele abavuni, bacoshe izinsalela futhi bavune nalokho okumila emaphethelweni ensimu.c—Levitikusi 19:9, 10; Duteronomi 24:19-21.

Kwakuyisikhathi sokuvunwa kwebhali, cishe ngo-April ngokwekhalenda lanamuhla, futhi uRuthe waya emasimini eyohlola ukuthi ubani owayezovuma angene ensimini yakhe ngokuvumelana nelungiselelo lokukhothoza. Wazithela emasimini endoda ogama layo linguBhowazi, umnikazi wezwe ocebile nesihlobo somyeni kaNawomi, u-Elimeleki. Nakuba uMthetho wawumnika igunya lokukhothoza, akazange amane azingenele ensimini; wacela imvume ensizweni eyayibekwe phezu kwabavuni. Yamvumela, uRuthe wabe esengena emsebenzini.—Ruthe 1:22–2:3, 7.

Mbone ngeso lengqondo uRuthe elandela abavuni ngemuva. Njengoba besika ngamasikela abo, uyagoba ukuze acoshe okuwayo noma okusalayo, uhlanganisa izikhwebu azenze izithungo, bese ezitshatha ayozibeka lapho azobhula khona okusanhlamvu. Lo msebenzi wawudinga isineke, ukhandla futhi uya uba nzima njengoba kuphakama ilanga. Noma kunjalo uRuthe waqhubeka, ephumula kuphela ukuze asule izithukuthuku futhi athibe nephango “endlini”—okungenzeka iqhugwana elalakhelwe ukunikeza izisebenzi ithunzi.

Cishe uRuthe wayengalindele ukuthi kungaba khona omnakayo noma omqaphelayo—kodwa ukhona owayemnakile. UBhowazi wambona wabe esebuza insizwa eyinduna ukuthi ungubani. Indoda enokholo oluphawulekayo, uBhowazi, yabingelela izisebenzi zayo—okungenzeka phakathi kwazo kwakukhona izisebenzi zosuku noma ezivela kwezinye izizwe—ngala mazwi: “UJehova abe nani.” Nazo zaphendula ngendlela efanayo. Le ndoda endala ethanda uNkulunkulu yaba nesithakazelo esinjengesikababa kuRuthe.—Ruthe 2:4-7.

Yabiza uRuthe ngokuthi “ndodakazi,” futhi yamyala ukuba aqhubeke ekhothoza emasimini akhe, ahambe eduze kwamantombazane asemzini wakhe ukuze kungabikho ndoda eyisisebenzi emkhathazayo. UBhowazi waqiniseka ukuthi uRuthe uyakuthola okuya ngasethunjini. Nokho, ngaphezu kwakho konke wamncoma futhi wamkhuthaza. Wakwenza kanjani lokho?—Ruthe 2:8, 9, 14.

Ngesikhathi uRuthe ebuza uBhowazi ukuthi yini ayenzile emenza afanelekele lo musa ebe eyisihambi, waphendula ngokuthi wayekuzwe konke akwenzele uninazala uNawomi. Kumelwe ukuba uNawomi wayemncoma lapho ephakathi kwabesifazane baseBhetlehema, futhi lokho kwaze kwafika nasezindlebeni zikaBhowazi. Wayazi futhi ukuthi uRuthe wayephendukele ekukhulekeleni uJehova, ngoba wathi: “Kwangathi uJehova angayivuza indlela owenza ngayo, futhi kwangathi ungaba nenkokhelo ephelele evela kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ozé ukuzofuna isiphephelo ngaphansi kwamaphiko akhe.”—Ruthe 2:12.

Yeka ukuthi lawo mazwi amkhuthaza kanjani uRuthe! Impela ilokho kanye ayenqume ukukwenza, ukufuna isiphephelo ngaphansi kwamaphiko kaJehova uNkulunkulu, kuhle kwephuphu elicashe ngaphansi kwamaphiko kanina avikelayo. Wambonga uBhowazi ngokukhuluma amazwi akhuthaza kangaka. Futhi waqhubeka esebenza ensimini kwaze kwahlwa.—Ruthe 2:13, 17.

Ukholo lukaRuthe olunemisebenzi luyisibonelo esivelele kithi namuhla esibhekene nalezi zikhathi ezinzima zomnotho. Akazange acabange ukuthi abanye bamkweleta okuthile, ngakho wayazisa noma yini ayenikwa yona. Akazange abe namahloni okusebenza kanzima amahora amaningi ukuze anakekele umuntu amthandayo, nakuba lo msebenzi wawuphansi. Wasamukela ngokubonga iseluleko sokuthi asebenze kanjani ngokuphepha futhi azihlanganise nabantu abahle. Okubaluleke nakakhulu, akazange alahlekelwe umbono wokuthi sikuphi ngempela isiphephelo sakhe seqiniso—kuBaba wakhe ovikelayo, uJehova uNkulunkulu.

Uma sibonisa uthando oluqotho njengoRuthe futhi silandele isibonelo sakhe sokuthobeka, ukukhuthala nokwazisa, ukholo lwethu luyoba yisibonelo esivelele kwabanye. Nokho, uJehova wabanakekela kanjani oRuthe noNawomi? Sizoxoxa ngale ndaba ezihlokweni ezilandelayo zalolu chungechunge.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 26]

Incwadi Encane Yobungcweti

Incwadi kaRuthe iye yachazwa njengetshe elincane eliyigugu, incwadi encane yobungcweti. Kuyavunywa, incwadi kaRuthe ayikufaki ukwaziswa okuhlukahlukene okusisiza sithole izikhathi okwenzeka ngazo lezi zenzakalo njengencwadi yabaHluleli eyandulelayo. (Ruthe 1:1) Zombili lezi zincwadi zalotshwa umprofethi uSamuweli. Nokho, njengoba ufunda iBhayibheli, uzovuma ukuthi incwadi kaRuthe ifakwe endaweni efanele ohlwini lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli. Ngemva kokufunda ngezimpi nokuhlasela okulotshwe kubaHluleli, ufika encwadini encane esikhumbuza ukuthi uJehova akakhohlwa abantu abanokuthula ababhekene nezinkathazo zansuku zonke. Le ndaba elula ekhuluma ngokuphila komndeni isinikeza isifundo esibalulekile ngothando, ukulahlekelwa, ukholo nokuba qotho okungasizuzisa sonke.

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

Ngokuhlakanipha uRuthe wasondela kuNawomi ngesikhathi sosizi nokulahlekelwa

[Isithombe emakhasini 24, 25]

“Abantu bakini bazoba ngabantu bakithi, noNkulunkulu wakho abe nguNkulunkulu wami”

[Isithombe ekhasini 27]

URuthe wayezimisele ukwenza umsebenzi onzima nophansi ukuze anakekele yena noNawomi