< Rut 4 >

1 Boaz yi ɖanɔ dua ƒe ƒuƒoƒe, eye eteƒe medidi o la, ekpɔ Elimelek ƒe ƒometɔ si ƒe nya wògblɔ na Rut. Eyɔe gblɔ nɛ be, “Nɔvinye, va nɔ gbɔnye le afii; medi be matsɔ nya aɖe aɖo wò ŋkume.”
Boaz went to the town gate, and sat down there. The family redeemer that Boaz had mentioned happened to pass by, so Boaz said to him, “Come over here, friend, and sit down.” The man came over and sat down.
2 Wonɔ anyi, eye Boaz yɔ dua ƒe ame tsitsiwo be woava nɔ anyi abe ɖasefowo ene.
Then Boaz selected ten of the town elders and asked them to sit there with them.
3 Boaz gblɔ na eƒe ƒometɔ la be, “Ènya Naomi, nyɔnu si gbɔ tso Moabnyigba dzi va mía gbɔa? Ele mía nɔvi Elimelek ƒe anyigba dzram,
Boaz said to the family redeemer, “Naomi who has returned from the country of Moab is selling the piece of land that belonged to Elimelech, our relative.
4 eye mekpɔ be ele be maƒo nu kpli wò tso eŋu, ale be ne èlɔ̃ la, nàƒlee le bubume siawo, ame siwo nye míaƒe ɖasefowo la ƒe ŋkume. Ne èdi be yeaƒlee la, ekema nàna manya fifi laa, elabena ne màƒlee o la, maƒlee. Wòe nye ame gbãtɔ si aƒlee; nyee nye evelia.” Ŋutsu la ɖo eŋu be, “Enyo, maƒlee.”
I decided I should tell you in case you want to buy it here in the presence of these elders of the people. If you want to redeem it, then go ahead. But it you don't, then tell me so I'll know, because you are first in line to redeem it, and I'm next.” “I want to redeem it,” said the family redeemer.
5 Boaz yi edzi be, “Ne èƒle anyigba la le Naomi si la, ekema ele na wò be nàɖe Rut, Moab nyɔnu la, ale be wòate ŋu adzi vi si alé srɔ̃a kukua ƒe ŋkɔ ɖe te, eye anyigba la nazu eƒe domenyinu.”
“When you buy the land from Naomi you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon's widow, so you can marry her and have children with her to ensure the man's line continues,” Boaz explained.
6 Ŋutsu la ɖo eŋu be, “Ekema nyemate ŋui o, elabena Rut viŋutsu ava anyi nye hã nye dome, eye wòagblẽ vinyewo ƒe domenyinuwo me, eya ta àte ŋu aƒlee faa.”
“Well, I can't do it then,” the family redeemer replied. “If I were to redeem it, that could jeopardize what I already own. You redeem it for yourself, because I can't.”
7 Enye kɔnu le Israel ɣe ma ɣi be ne ame aɖe di be yeatsɔ yeƒe ɖuƒe na ame bubu la, ekema aɖe eƒe afɔkpa le afɔ atsɔ na amea le ɖasefowo ƒe ŋkume. Nuwɔna sia nye kpeɖodzi na amewo be nua zu ame evelia tɔ.
(Now during those times it was the custom in Israel to confirm the action of family redeemer, property transfer, or any similar legal matter by removing a sandal and handing it over. This was the way of validating a transaction in Israel.)
8 Ale ŋutsu la ɖe eƒe afɔkpa esi wògblɔ na Boaz be, “Wò ŋutɔ àte ŋu aƒlee faa.”
So the family redeemer took off his sandal and told Boaz, “You buy it.”
9 Ale Boaz gblɔ na ɖasefoawo kple ame siwo nɔ tsitre ƒo xlã wo la be, “Miekpɔ be egbe, eya ta meƒle Elimelek, Kilion kple Maxlon ƒe nuwo katã le Naomi si,
Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people present, “You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion.
10 eye mexɔ Rut, Moab nyɔnu la, ame si nye Maxlon srɔ̃ hã wòzu srɔ̃nye, ale be wòate ŋu adzi ŋutsuvi be srɔ̃a kukua ƒe ŋkɔ natsi eƒe domenyinuwo ŋu, eye eƒe ŋkɔ magabu le ƒomea kple dua me o.”
I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon's widow, as my wife. By having children who may inherit his property his name will be kept alive in his family and in his home town. You are witnesses of this today.”
11 Ale ame siwo katã nɔ agboa nu la gblɔ be, “Míenye ɖasefowo. Yehowa nana be nyɔnu sia, ame si gbɔna wò aƒe me fifia la nazu abe Rahel kple Lea, ame siwo tu Israel ƒe aƒe la katã la ene. Wò alɔ nade dzi le Efrata, eye nàxɔ ŋkɔ le Betlehem.
The elders and all the people present at the town gate said, “Yes, we are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah who between them gave birth to the people of Israel. May you become prosperous in Ephrathah, and famous in Bethlehem.
12 Wò dzidzimevi siwo Yehowa ana wò to nyɔnu sia dzi la nana wò ƒome nanɔ abe Perez, ame si Tamar dzi na Yuda la tɔ ene.”
May your descendants the Lord gives you through this young woman become like the descendants of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah.”
13 Ale Boaz ɖe Rut wòzu srɔ̃a, eye esi wòdɔ egbɔ la, Yehowa na wòfɔ fu dzi ŋutsuvi.
Boaz took Ruth home, and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the Lord arranged for her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.
14 Nyɔnuwo gblɔ na Naomi be, “Woakafu Yehowa, ame si megblẽ wò ɖi le egbeŋkekea dzi, ale be ƒometɔ manɔ asiwò o; ɖevia naxɔ ŋkɔ le Israel blibo la me,
The women of the town came to Naomi and said, “Praise the Lord, for today he didn't leave you without a family redeemer by giving you this grandson—may he become famous throughout Israel.
15 nena wò agbenɔnɔ nazu yeye, eye wòakpɔ dziwò le wò nyagãkuku me, elabena lɔ̃xoyɔviwò, ame si lɔ̃ wò, ame si sɔ gbɔ na wò wu ŋutsuvi adre lae dzii na wò.”
He will give you a new lease of life and provide for you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better than seven sons to you, has given birth to him.”
16 Naomi xɔ ɖevi la da ɖe atata, eye wòkpɔ edzi.
Naomi picked up the child and hugged him. She looked after him like her own son.
17 Nyɔnu siwo nɔ afi ma la gblɔ be, “Naomi dzi viŋutsu.” Wona ŋkɔe be Obed. Eyae dzi Yese, David fofo.
The neighbor women named him Obed, saying “Naomi now has a son!” He was the father of Jesse who was the father of David.
18 Perez ƒe dzidzimeviwo yi ale: Perez dzi Hezron,
This is the family line of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron.
19 Hezron dzi Ram, Ram dzi Aminadab, eye
Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab.
20 Aminadab dzi Nahson, Naheson dzi Salma,
Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
21 Salma dzi Boaz, eye Boaz dzi Obed,
Salmon was the father of Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed.
22 Obed dzi Yese, eye Yese dzi David.
Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David.

< Rut 4 >