Ruth 1
1 It happened in the days when the judges ruled that there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem of Judah went to the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons.
Wakati Waamuzi walipotawala Israeli, kulikuwa na njaa katika nchi. Mtu mmoja kutoka nchi ya Bethlehemu ya Yuda, pamoja na mke wake na wanawe wawili, akaenda kuishi katika nchi ya Moabu.
2 The name of the man was Elimelek, and the name of his wife was Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion, who were Ephrathites of Bethlehem of Judah. They arrived at the country of Moab and lived there.
Mtu huyu aliitwa Elimeleki, mkewe aliitwa Naomi, na hao wanawe wawili waliitwa Maloni na Kilioni. Walikuwa Waefrathi kutoka Bethlehemu ya Yuda. Wakaenda katika nchi ya Moabu, wakaishi huko.
3 Then Elimelek, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.
Elimeleki mumewe Naomi akafa, hivyo Naomi akabaki na wanawe wawili.
4 These sons took wives from the women of Moab; the name of one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there for about ten years.
Nao wakaoa wanawake Wamoabu, jina la mmoja aliitwa Orpa, na wa pili aliitwa Ruthu. Baada ya kama miaka kumi,
5 Then both Mahlon and Kilion died, leaving Naomi without her husband and without her two children.
Maloni na Kilioni pia wakafa. Basi Naomi akabaki hana mume wala wanawe wawili.
6 Then Naomi decided to leave Moab with her daughters-in-law and return to Judah because she had heard in the region of Moab that Yahweh had helped his people in need and had given them food.
Aliposikia akiwa huko Moabu kwamba Bwana amewasaidia watu wake kwa kuwapa chakula, Naomi na wakweze wakajiandaa kurudi nyumbani.
7 So she left the place where she had been with her two daughters-in-law, and they walked down the road to return to the land of Judah.
Yeye na wakweze wawili wakaondoka pale walipokuwa wakiishi na kushika njia kurudi nchi ya Yuda.
8 Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return, each of you, to your mother's house. May Yahweh show kindness toward you, as you have shown kindness toward the dead and toward me.
Ndipo Naomi akawaambia wale wakwe zake wawili, “Rudini, kila mmoja wenu nyumbani kwa mama yake. Bwana na awatendee fadhili kama mlivyowatendea hao waliofariki, na pia mimi.
9 May the Lord grant you that you find rest, each of you in the house of another husband.” Then she kissed them, and they raised their voices and cried.
Bwana na amjalie kila mmoja wenu maisha mema nyumbani kwa mume mwingine.” Kisha akawabusu, nao wakalia kwa sauti kubwa,
10 They said to her, “No! We will return with you to your people.”
wakamwambia, “Tutarudi pamoja na wewe nyumbani kwa watu wako.”
11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters! Why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb for you, so that they may become your husbands?
Lakini Naomi akasema, “Rudini nyumbani, binti zangu. Kwa nini mnifuate? Je, mimi nitaweza tena kuwa na wana wengine ambao wataweza kuwaoa ninyi?
12 Turn back, my daughters, go your own way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said, 'I hope I get a husband tonight,' and then give birth to sons,
Rudini nyumbani, binti zangu; mimi ni mzee kiasi kwamba siwezi kumpata mume mwingine. Hata kama ningefikiria kuwa bado kuna tumaini kwangu, hata kama ningekuwa na mume usiku huu na kuwazaa wana,
13 would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you choose not to marry a husband? No, my daughters! It is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me.”
je, mngesubiri mpaka wakue? Mngebakia bila kuolewa mkiwasubiri? La, hasha, binti zangu. Nimepata uchungu kuliko ninyi, kwa sababu mkono wa Bwana umekuwa kinyume nami!”
14 Then her daughters-in-law lifted up their voices and cried again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell, but Ruth held on to her.
Kisha wakalia tena kwa sauti. Orpa akambusu mama mkwe wake, akaenda zake, lakini Ruthu akaambatana naye.
15 Naomi said, “Listen, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Go back with your sister-in-law.”
Naomi akamwambia, “Tazama, mwenzako anarejea kwa watu wake na kwa miungu yake. Rudi pamoja naye.”
16 But Ruth said, “Do not make me go away from you, for where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.
Lakini Ruthu akajibu, “Usinisihi nikuache au niache kukufuata. Utakakokwenda nami nitakwenda, na wewe utakapoishi nitaishi. Watu wako watakuwa watu wangu, na Mungu wako atakuwa Mungu wangu.
17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh punish me, and even more, if anything but death ever separates us.”
Pale utakapofia nami nitafia hapo, na papo hapo nitazikwa. Bwana na aniadhibu vikali, kama kitu kingine chochote kitanitenga nawe isipokuwa kifo.”
18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped arguing with her.
Naomi alipotambua kwamba Ruthu amenuia kufuatana naye, hakuendelea kumsihi tena.
19 So the two traveled until they came to the town of Bethlehem. It happened that when they arrived in Bethlehem, the entire town was very excited about them. The women said, “Is this Naomi?”
Kwa hiyo hao wanawake wawili wakaondoka, wakafika Bethlehemu. Walipofika Bethlehemu, mji mzima ulitaharuki, wanawake wakashangaa, wakasema, “Huyu aweza kuwa ni Naomi?”
20 But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi. Call me Bitter, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
Akawaambia, “Msiniite tena Naomi, niiteni Mara, kwa sababu Mwenyezi amenitendea mambo machungu sana.
21 I went out full, but Yahweh has brought me home again empty. So why do you call me Naomi, seeing Yahweh has condemned me, that the Almighty has afflicted me?”
Mimi niliondoka hali nimejaa, lakini Bwana amenirudisha mtupu. Kwa nini kuniita Naomi? Bwana amenitendea mambo machungu; Mwenyezi ameniletea msiba.”
22 So Naomi and Ruth the Moabite woman, her daughter-in-law, returned from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
Kwa hiyo Naomi alirudi pamoja na Ruthu Mmoabu mkwe wake, nao wakafika Bethlehemu mwanzoni mwa kuvuna shayiri.
