URuthe 4:1-22

UBhowazi wayesekhuphukela esangweni, wahlala khona; owathi kuye: O, onjalo! phambuka, uhlale lapha. Wasuka wahlala phansi. Wathatha amadoda ayishumi kumalunga omuzi, wathi: “Hlalani lapha.” Bahlala phansi. Wathi kuso isihlobo: “UNawomi owabuya ezweni lakwaMowabi, wathengisa ngesiqephu somhlaba esingesomfowethu u-Elimeleki.” Futhi ngicabange ukukwazisa ngokuthi: Sithenge phambi kwabakhileyo naphambi kwamalunga abantu bakithi. Uma ufuna ukuyidedela, yiyeke ihambe; kepha uma ungakuyeki, ngitshele, ukuze ngikwazi; futhi ngilandela wena. Wathi: “Ngiyakushiya.” UBhowazi wasesithi: Mhla uthenga isiqinti sensimu esandleni sikaNawomi, uzakusithenga lakuRuthe, owesifazana wakoMowabi, umkafileyo, ukuze uvuse ibizo lomufi efeni lakhe. Wayesethi umhlengi: “Angikwazi ukuzihlenga ngokwami, ukuze ngingalimazi ifa lami; uyangishiya ngedwa; ngoba angikwazi ukukuhlenga. Lena bekuyindlela kwa-Israyeli mayelana nensindiso nenguquko, ukuqinisa konke; umuntu wakhumula isicathulo sakhe, wasinika umakhelwane wakhe; kwaba ngubufakazi kwa-Israyeli. Ngakho inceku yathi kuBhowazi: Zithengele yona. Ngakho ukhumula isicathulo sakhe. UBhowazi wayesethi emadodeni amadala nakubantu bonke: “Ningofakazi namuhla bokuthi ngithenge konke okungokuka-Elimeleki nakho konke okungokukaKiliyoni nokukaMagiloni esandleni sikaNawomi. Futhi ngathenga uRuthe, umMowabi, umkaMagiloni, ukuba abe ngumkami, ukuze ngivuse igama lofileyo efeni lakhe, ukuze igama lofileyo linganqunywa phakathi kwabafowabo naphakathi kwabafowabo. Isango lendawo yakhe: ningofakazi namuhla. Bonke abantu ababesesangweni namadoda amakhulu bathi: “Singofakazi.” UJehova makenze owesifazane ongene endlini yakho abe njengoRaheli nanjengoLeya abakha indlu yakwa-Israyeli bobabili; wenza kahle e-Efrati, waduma eBetlehema. Indlu yakho mayibe njengendlu kaPerezi uTamari amzalela uJuda, ngenzalo uJehova ayakukunika yona ngale ntombi. UBhowazi wayesemthatha uRuthe, waba ngumkakhe; lapho engena kuye, uJehova wamkhulelwa, wazala indodana. Abesifazane base bethi kuNawomi: “Makabongwe uJehova ongakushiyanga namuhla ungenasihlobo segazi, ukuze igama lakhe lidume kwa-Israyeli. Uzakuba ngumbuyisi wempilo yakho, lomondli ebudaleni bakho, ngoba umalokazana wakho okuthandayo, ongcono kuwe kulamadodana ayisikhombisa umzele. UNawomi wamthatha umfana, wambeka esifubeni sakhe, wamncelisa. Abesifazane abakhelene naye bametha igama, bathi: “Uzalelwa uNawomi indodana; baqamba igama layo ngokuthi u-Obede. Unguyise kaJese, uyise kaDavide. Lezi ziyizizukulwane zikaPheresi: uPheresi wazala uHezironi; UHezironi wazala uRamu, noRamu ka-Aminadaba, U-Aminadaba wazala uNagisoni, noNagisoni kaSalimoni, USalimoni wazala uBhowazi, uBhowazi wazala u-Obede, U-Obede wazala uJese noJese kuDavide.