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].
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 Because of the famine, they left Bethlehem and went east to [live for a while in] Moab [region].
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 While they were there, Elimelech died, and Naomi had only her two sons with her.
Ɛbaa sɛ Naomi kunu Elimelek wu ma ɛkaa ne mmabarima 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 Moabfo mmea. Na ɔbaako din de Orpa na nea ɔka ho no nso din de Rut. Wɔtenaa hɔ bɛyɛ sɛ mfe du no,
5 Mahlon and Chilion died. So then Naomi had no husband and no sons.
Mahlon ne Kilion nso wuwui. Enti ɛmaa Naomi tenaa ase a wahwere ne mmabarima 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].
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 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 fii beae hɔ faa kwan a ɛde wɔn bɛkɔ akosi 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 se, “Monsan nkɔ mo nanom fi. Awurade ne mo nni no yiye sɛnea mo ne awufo ne me dii no yiye 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 onya ɔhome wɔ okunu foforo fi.” Afei, ofifew wɔn ano na wɔn nyinaa maa wɔn nne so sui.
10 They each said, “No, we want to go with you as you return to your relatives.”
Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Naomi se, “Yɛne wo bɛsan akɔ wo nkurɔfo 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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.
Wɔsan twaa adwo bio. Afei, Orpa few 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 se, “Hwɛ, wo kora asan kɔ ne nkurɔfo 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 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 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 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 When Naomi realized that Ruth was very determined to go with her, she stopped urging her [to return home].
Enti Naomi huu sɛ Rut ayɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔne no bɛkɔ no, ogyaa 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 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 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.
Ɔkae se, “Mommfrɛ me Naomi, na mmom, momfrɛ me Mara, efisɛ Awurade ama asetena ayɛ nwen 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.”
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 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 fi Moab bae a, nʼase Rut, Moabni babun ka ne ho. Woduu Betlehem atokotwa bere mfiase no mu.
