< Ruth 1 >

1 And it cometh to pass, in the days of the judging of the judges, that there is a famine in the land, and there goeth a man from Beth-Lehem-Judah to sojourn in the fields of Moab, he, and 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 And the name of the man [is] Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites from Beth-Lehem-Judah; and they come into the fields of Moab, and are 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 And Elimelech husband of Naomi dieth, and she is left, she and her two sons;
Elimeleki mumewe Naomi akafa, hivyo Naomi akabaki na wanawe wawili.
4 and they take to them wives, Moabitesses: the name of the one [is] Orpah, and the name of the second Ruth; and they dwell there about ten years.
Nao wakaoa wanawake Wamoabu, jina la mmoja aliitwa Orpa, na wa pili aliitwa Ruthu. Baada ya kama miaka kumi,
5 And they die also, both of them — Mahlon and Chilion — and the woman is left of her two children and of her husband.
Maloni na Kilioni pia wakafa. Basi Naomi akabaki hana mume wala wanawe wawili.
6 And she riseth, she and her daughters-in-law, and turneth back from the fields of Moab, for she hath heard in the fields of Moab that God hath looked after His people, — to give to them bread.
Aliposikia akiwa huko Moabu kwamba Bwana amewasaidia watu wake kwa kuwapa chakula, Naomi na wakweze wakajiandaa kurudi nyumbani.
7 And she goeth out from the place where she hath been, and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they go in the way to turn back unto the land of Judah.
Yeye na wakweze wawili wakaondoka pale walipokuwa wakiishi na kushika njia kurudi nchi ya Yuda.
8 And Naomi saith to her two daughters-in-law, 'Go, turn back, each to the house of her mother; Jehovah doth with you kindness as ye have done with the dead, and with 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 Jehovah doth grant to you, and find ye rest each in the house of her husband;' and she kisseth them, and they lift up their voice and weep.
Bwana na amjalie kila mmoja wenu maisha mema nyumbani kwa mume mwingine.” Kisha akawabusu, nao wakalia kwa sauti kubwa,
10 And they say to her, 'Surely with thee we go back to thy people.'
wakamwambia, “Tutarudi pamoja na wewe nyumbani kwa watu wako.”
11 And Naomi saith, 'Turn back, my daughters; why do ye go with me? are there yet to me sons in my bowels that they have been to you for 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, for I am too aged to be to a husband; though I had said, There is for me hope, also, I have been to-night to a husband, and also I have borne 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 for them do ye wait till that they grow up? for them do ye shut yourselves up, not to be to a husband? nay, my daughters, for more bitter to me than to you, for the hand of Jehovah hath 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 And they lift up their voice, and weep again, and Orpah kisseth her mother-in-law, and Ruth hath cleaved to her.
Kisha wakalia tena kwa sauti. Orpa akambusu mama mkwe wake, akaenda zake, lakini Ruthu akaambatana naye.
15 And she saith, 'Lo, thy sister-in-law hath turned back unto her people, and unto her god, turn thou back after thy sister-in-law.'
Naomi akamwambia, “Tazama, mwenzako anarejea kwa watu wake na kwa miungu yake. Rudi pamoja naye.”
16 And Ruth saith, 'Urge me not to leave thee — to turn back from after thee; for whither thou goest I go, and where thou lodgest I lodge; thy people [is] my people, and thy God 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 thou diest I die, and there I am buried; thus doth Jehovah to me, and thus doth He add — for death itself doth part between me and thee.'
Pale utakapofia nami nitafia hapo, na papo hapo nitazikwa. Bwana na aniadhibu vikali, kama kitu kingine chochote kitanitenga nawe isipokuwa kifo.”
18 And she seeth that she is strengthening herself to go with her, and she ceaseth to speak unto her;
Naomi alipotambua kwamba Ruthu amenuia kufuatana naye, hakuendelea kumsihi tena.
19 and they go both of them till their coming in to Beth-Lehem; and it cometh to pass at their coming in to Beth-Lehem, that all the city is moved at them, and they say, '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 And she saith unto them, 'Call me not Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly to me,
Akawaambia, “Msiniite tena Naomi, niiteni Mara, kwa sababu Mwenyezi amenitendea mambo machungu sana.
21 I went out full, and empty hath Jehovah brought me back, why do ye call me Naomi, and Jehovah hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath done evil to me?'
Mimi niliondoka hali nimejaa, lakini Bwana amenirudisha mtupu. Kwa nini kuniita Naomi? Bwana amenitendea mambo machungu; Mwenyezi ameniletea msiba.”
22 And Naomi turneth back, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who hath turned back from the fields of Moab, and they have come in to Beth-Lehem at the commencement of barley-harvest.
Kwa hiyo Naomi alirudi pamoja na Ruthu Mmoabu mkwe wake, nao wakafika Bethlehemu mwanzoni mwa kuvuna shayiri.

< Ruth 1 >