Ruth 1
1 During the time before kings ruled Israel, (there was a famine/the people there had nothing to eat). There was a man who lived there whose name was Elimelech. His wife’s name was Naomi, and his sons’ names were Mahlon and Chilion. They were all from Bethlehem [town], from the Ephrath [clan] in Judah [region].
Ɛberɛ a na atemmufoɔ di Israel so no, ɛkɔm baa asase no so. Ɔbarima bi a ɔfiri Betlehem wɔ Yuda ne ne yere ne ne mmammarima baanu tutu firii asase no so kɔtenaa Moab.
2 Because of the famine, they left Bethlehem and went east to [live for a while in] Moab [region].
Na ɔbarima no din de Elimelek ɛnna ne yere nso din de Naomi. Ne mmammarima baanu no nso, na wɔn din de Mahlon ne Kilion. Wɔyɛ Efratifoɔ a wɔfiri Betlehem wɔ Yuda. Wɔkɔɔ Moab kɔtenaa hɔ.
3 While they were there, Elimelech died, and Naomi had only her two sons with her.
Ɛbaa sɛ Naomi kunu Elimelek wuiɛ ma ɛkaa ne mmammarima baanu no.
4 They married women from Moab. One of them was named Orpah, and the other one was named Ruth. But after they had lived in that area for about ten years,
Wɔwarewaree Moabfoɔ mmaa. Na ɔbaako din de Orpa na deɛ ɔka ho no nso din de Rut. Wɔtenaa hɔ bɛyɛ sɛ mfeɛ edu no,
5 Mahlon and Chilion died. So then Naomi had no husband and no sons.
Mahlon ne Kilion nso wuwuiɛ. Enti, ɛmaa Naomi tenaa ase a wahwere ne mmammarima baanu no ne ne kunu.
6 One day while Naomi was in Moab, she heard someone say that Yahweh had helped his people in Israel and that now there was plenty of food to eat. So she prepared to return [to Bethlehem].
Ɛberɛ a ɔtee wɔ Moab hɔ sɛ Awurade abɛdom ne nkurɔfoɔ a wɔwɔ Yuda na wama wɔn aduane no, Naomi ne ne nsenom yi yɛɛ ahoboa sɛ wɔrefiri Moab asane akɔ ne kurom.
7 She left the place where she had been living and started to walk [with her daughters-in-law] along the road back to Judah.
Ɔne ne nsenom baanu yi tutu firii beaeɛ hɔ faa ɛkwan a ɛde wɔn bɛkɔ akɔsi Yuda so.
8 Then as the three of them were walking, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Each of you should turn around and go back to your mother’s home. You treated [your husbands] kindly [before] they died, and you have treated me kindly.
Afei, Naomi ka kyerɛɛ ne nsenom yi sɛ, “Monsane nkɔ mo maamenom fie. Awurade ne mo nni no yie sɛdeɛ mo ne awufoɔ ne me dii no yie no.
9 Now I desire that Yahweh will enable each of you to have another husband in whose home you will [feel] secure.” Then she kissed both of them, and they cried aloud.
Awurade mmoa mo mu biara na ɔnnya ɔhome wɔ okunu foforɔ fie.” Afei, ɔfefee wɔn ano na wɔn nyinaa maa wɔn nne so suiɛ.
10 They each said, “No, we want to go with you as you return to your relatives.”
Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Naomi sɛ, “Yɛne wo bɛsane akɔ wo nkurɔfoɔ nkyɛn.”
11 But Naomi said, “No, my daughters, return home. (It will not do any good for you to come with me!/What good will it do for you to come with me?) [RHQ] Do you think I will get married again and have more sons who could become your husbands?
Nanso, Naomi kaa sɛ, “Me mma, monsane nkɔ fie. Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ mo ne me kɔ? Merekɔwo mmammarima bio a wɔbɛtumi awareware mo anaa?
12 Even if I thought I could have another husband, and even if I got married today and became pregnant [EUP] tonight and later gave birth to sons,
Me mma, monsane nkɔ fie. Manyini, sɛ meware kunu bio a, ɛrenyɛ yie. Mpo, sɛ medwene sɛ anidasoɔ bi wɔ hɔ ma me sɛ nso anadwo yi ara mɛnya kunu na me ne no wo mmammarima a,
13 would you remain single/unmarried until they grew up [and became old enough] for you to marry? No, my daughters, [you would not do that]. Your situations are bad [because your husbands have died, but it is possible that you will each marry again]. My situation is much worse, because Yahweh [SYN] has opposed me, [and now I am too old to get married again].”
mobɛtwɛn kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛnyinyini? Mobɛtena atwɛn wɔn anaa? Dabi, me mma. Asɛm no yɛ den ma me sen mo, ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade ayi ne nsa afiri me so!”
14 Then Ruth and Orpah cried again [because of what Naomi said]. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, [and left], but Ruth clung to Naomi.
Wɔsane twaa adwo bio. Afei, Orpa fee nʼase ano de gyaa no kwan, nanso Rut bebaree Naomi sɛ ɔne no bɛtena.
15 Naomi said to her, “Look! Your sister-in-law is going back to her relatives and to her gods! Go back with her!”
Nanso, Naomi ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Hwɛ, wo kora asane kɔ ne nkurɔfoɔ ne nʼanyame nkyɛn. Ɛsɛ sɛ wo nso woyɛ saa ara.”
16 But Ruth replied, “No! Don’t urge me to leave you! I [want to] go with you. Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your relatives will be my relatives, and the God you [worship] will be the God I [worship].
Na Rut buaa sɛ, “Nhyɛ me sɛ memfiri wo nkyɛn nsane nkɔ. Baabiara a wobɛkɔ no, mɛkɔ hɔ bi na baabiara a wobɛtena no nso, mɛtena hɔ bi. Wo nkurɔfoɔ bɛyɛ me nkurɔfoɔ na wo Onyankopɔn ayɛ me Onyankopɔn.
17 Where you die, I will die. Where you are buried, I will be buried. May Yahweh punish me severely if I separate from you. I will be separated from you only [when one of us] dies.”
Baabi a wobɛwuo no, mɛwu hɔ bi na wɔasie me hɔ. Sɛ mamma owuo antete me ne wo ntam na ɛnam biribi foforɔ biara so a, Awurade ntwe mʼaso.”
18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was very determined to go with her, she stopped urging her [to return home].
Enti, Naomi hunuu sɛ Rut ayɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔne no bɛkɔ no, ɔgyaa ne pɛ maa no.
19 So the two women continued walking until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived there, everyone in town was excited [to see] them. The women [of the town] exclaimed, “(Can this be Naomi?/It is difficult to believe that this is Naomi!)” [RHQ]
Ɛno enti, wɔn baanu no toaa wɔn akwantuo no so. Ɛberɛ a wɔduruu Betlehem no, wɔn enti kuro mu no nyinaa bɔɔ twi. Mmaa no bisaa sɛ, “Naomi nie anaa?”
20 Naomi said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi, [which means ‘pleasant’]. Instead, call me Mara, [which means ‘bitter’], because God Almighty has made my life very unpleasant.
Ɔkaa sɛ, “Mommfrɛ me Naomi, na mmom, momfrɛ me Mara, ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade ama asetena ayɛ nwono ama me.
21 When I left here, I [felt] rich, [because I had a family]. But Yahweh has brought me back here and now I [feel] poor, [because I have no family]. Do not call me Naomi [RHQ]. [I feel as though] Yahweh has spoken against (OR, afflicted) me. Almighty [God] has caused me to experience a great tragedy.”
Merefiri ha akɔ no na mewɔ biribiara nanso, Awurade de me aba fie nsapan. Adɛn enti na mofrɛ me Naomi wɔ ɛberɛ a Awurade ama me ahunu amane na Otumfoɔ de saa abɛbrɛsɛ yi aba me so?”
22 That [summarizes the account] of Naomi returning home along with her daughter-in-law Ruth, the woman from Moab. And [it happened that] when they arrived in Bethlehem, the barley [grain] harvest was just beginning.
Enti, Naomi firi Moab baeɛ a, nʼase Rut, Moabni babunu ka ne ho. Wɔduruu Betlehem atokotwa berɛ ahyɛaseɛ no mu.
