Ruth at the Threshing Floor

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.”