< Ruth 1 >

1 In the days of one of the judges, when the judges ruled, there came a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem Juda, went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons.
Bere a na atemmufo di Israel so no, ɔkɔm baa asase no so. Ɔbarima bi a ofi Betlehem wɔ Yuda ne ne yere ne ne mmabarima baanu tutu fii asase no so kɔtenaa Moab.
2 He was named Elimelech, and his wife, Noemi: and his two sons, the one Mahalon, and the other Chelion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Juda. And entering into the country of Moab, they abode there.
Na ɔbarima no din de Elimelek na ne yere nso din de Naomi. Ne mmabarima baanu no nso, na wɔn din de Mahlon ne Kilion. Wɔyɛ Efratifo a wofi Betlehem wɔ Yuda. Wɔkɔɔ Moab kɔtenaa hɔ.
3 And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died: and she remained with her sons.
Ɛbaa sɛ Naomi kunu Elimelek wu ma ɛkaa ne mmabarima baanu no.
4 And they took wives of the women of Moab, of which one was called Orpha, and the other Ruth. And they dwelt there ten years.
Wɔwarewaree Moabfo mmea. Na ɔbaako din de Orpa na nea ɔka ho no nso din de Rut. Wɔtenaa hɔ bɛyɛ sɛ mfe du no,
5 And they both died, to wit, Mahalon and Chelion: and the woman was left alone, having lost both her sons and her husband.
Mahlon ne Kilion nso wuwui. Enti ɛmaa Naomi tenaa ase a wahwere ne mmabarima baanu no ne ne kunu.
6 And she arose to go from the land of Moab to her own country with both her daughters in law: for she had heard that the Lord had looked upon his people, and had given them food.
Bere a ɔtee wɔ Moab hɔ sɛ Awurade abɛdom ne nkurɔfo a wɔwɔ Yuda na wama wɔn aduan no, Naomi ne ne nsenom yi yɛɛ ahoboa sɛ wɔrefi Moab asan akɔ ne kurom.
7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place of her sojournment, with both her daughters in law: and being now in the way to return into the land of Juda,
Ɔne ne nsenom baanu yi tutu fii beae hɔ faa kwan a ɛde wɔn bɛkɔ akosi Yuda so.
8 She said to them: Go ye home to your mothers: the Lord deal mercifully with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
Afei, Naomi ka kyerɛɛ ne nsenom yi se, “Monsan nkɔ mo nanom fi. Awurade ne mo nni no yiye sɛnea mo ne awufo ne me dii no yiye no.
9 May he grant you to find rest in the houses of the husbands which you shall take. And she kissed them. And they lifted up their voice and began to weep,
Awurade mmoa mo mu biara na onya ɔhome wɔ okunu foforo fi.” Afei, ofifew wɔn ano na wɔn nyinaa maa wɔn nne so sui.
10 And to say: We will go on with thee to thy people.
Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Naomi se, “Yɛne wo bɛsan akɔ wo nkurɔfo nkyɛn.”
11 But she answered them: Return, my daughters: why come ye with me? have I any more sons in my womb, that you may hope for husbands of me?
Nanso Naomi kae se, “Me mma, monsan nkɔ fie. Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ mo ne me kɔ? Merekɔwo mmabarima bio a wobetumi awareware mo ana?
12 Return again, my daughters, and go your ways: for I am now spent with age, and not fit for wedlock. Although I might conceive this night, and bear children,
Me mma, monsan nkɔ fie. Manyin, sɛ meware kunu bio a, ɛrenyɛ yiye. Mpo, sɛ midwen sɛ anidaso bi wɔ hɔ ma me sɛ nso anadwo yi ara minya okunu na me ne no wo mmabarima a,
13 If you would wait till they were grown up, and come to man’s estate, you would be old women before you marry. Do not so, my daughters, I beseech you: for I am grieved the more for your distress, and the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
mobɛtwɛn kosi sɛ wobenyinyin? Mobɛtena atwɛn wɔn ana? Dabi, me mma. Asɛm no yɛ den ma me sen mo, efisɛ Awurade ayi ne nsa afi me so!”
14 And they lifted up their voice, and began to weep again: Orpha kissed her mother in law and returned: Ruth stuck close to her mother in law.
Wɔsan twaa adwo bio. Afei, Orpa few nʼase ano de gyaa no kwan, nanso Rut bebaree Naomi sɛ ɔne no bɛtena.
15 And Noemi said to her: Behold thy kinswoman is returned to her people, and to her gods, go thou with her.
Nanso Naomi ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Hwɛ, wo kora asan kɔ ne nkurɔfo ne nʼanyame nkyɛn. Ɛsɛ sɛ wo nso woyɛ saa ara.”
16 She answered: Be not against me, to desire that I should leave thee and depart: for whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
Na Rut buae se, “Nhyɛ me sɛ mimfi wo nkyɛn nsan nkɔ. Baabiara a wobɛkɔ no, mɛkɔ hɔ bi na baabiara a wobɛtena no nso, mɛtena hɔ bi. Wo nkurɔfo bɛyɛ me nkurɔfo na wo Nyankopɔn ayɛ me Nyankopɔn.
17 The land that shall receive thee dying, in the same will I die: and there will I be buried. The Lord do so and so to me, and add more also, if aught but death part me and thee.
Baabi a wubewu no, mewu hɔ bi na wɔasie me hɔ. Sɛ mamma owu antetew me ne wo ntam na ɛnam biribi foforo biara so a, Awurade ntwe mʼaso.”
18 Then Noemi, seeing that Ruth was steadfastly determined to go with her, would not be against it, nor persuade her any more to return to her friends:
Enti Naomi huu sɛ Rut ayɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔne no bɛkɔ no, ogyaa ne pɛ maa no.
19 So they went together and came to Bethlehem. And when they were come into the city, the report was quickly spread among all: and the women said: This is that Noemi.
Ɛno nti, wɔn baanu no toaa wɔn akwantu no so. Bere a woduu Betlehem no, wɔn nti kurow mu no nyinaa bɔɔ twi. Mmea no bisae se, “Naomi ni ana?”
20 But she said to them: Call me not Noemi, (that is, beautiful, ) but call me Mara, (that is, bitter, ) for the Almighty hath quite filled me with bitterness.
Ɔkae se, “Mommfrɛ me Naomi, na mmom, momfrɛ me Mara, efisɛ Awurade ama asetena ayɛ nwen ama me.
21 I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me back empty. Why then do you call me Noemi, whom the Lord hath humbled and the Almighty hath afflicted?
Merefi ha akɔ no na mewɔ biribiara, nanso Awurade de me aba fie nsapan. Adɛn nti na mofrɛ me Naomi wɔ bere a Awurade ama mahu amane na Otumfo de saa abɛbrɛsɛ yi aba me so?”
22 So Noemi came with Ruth the Moabitess her daughter in law, from the land of her sojournment: and returned into Bethlehem, in the beginning of the barley harvest.
Enti Naomi fi Moab bae a, nʼase Rut, Moabni babun ka ne ho. Woduu Betlehem atokotwa bere mfiase no mu.

< Ruth 1 >