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.”
[Meanwhile], Boaz went up to the town gate and sat there. [That was the place where people met together to decide important matters]. When the man that Boaz had mentioned came there, the close relative of Ruth and Naomi’s dead husbands [who had a responsibility to take care of Naomi and Ruth], Boaz said to him, “My friend, come over here and sit down.” So the man went and sat down.
2 Wonɔ anyi, eye Boaz yɔ dua ƒe ame tsitsiwo be woava nɔ anyi abe ɖasefowo ene.
Boaz then gathered ten of the elders of the town and asked them to sit down [there also]. After they sat down,
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,
he said to the man who had the responsibility to take care of Naomi, “Naomi has returned from Moab [region]. She wants to sell the field that belonged to our relative Elimelech.
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 thought that I should tell you about that, and suggest that you buy it, while these elders who are sitting here are listening. If you are willing to buy the property, do that. But if you do not want to buy it, tell me, so that I will know. I am suggesting this to you because you are the one who has the first right to buy it, and I am the one who has the second/next right to buy it.” The man replied, “I will buy it!”
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.”
Then Boaz told him, “When you buy the land from Naomi, you will also be taking Ruth, [the woman] who is from Moab, [to be your wife], in order that she may [give birth to a son who will] inherit the property of her dead husband [MTY].”
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.”
Then the close relative [of Ruth’s dead husband] said, “[If that is so], I do not [want to] buy the field, because then my own [children] would not inherit the property; [Ruth’s children would inherit it]. You buy the property!”
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.
At that time, it was the custom in Israel, when a person bought property that belonged to another person, that the man who was selling the property would take off one of his sandals and give it to the one who was buying the property. That was the way they finalized sales in Israel.
8 Ale ŋutsu la ɖe eƒe afɔkpa esi wògblɔ na Boaz be, “Wò ŋutɔ àte ŋu aƒlee faa.”
So that close relative said to Boaz, “You buy the field yourself!” And he took off [one of] his sandals [and gave it to Boaz].
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 [other] people [who were there], “Today you have all seen that I have bought from Naomi all the property that belonged to [her dead husband] Elimelech and [his dead sons] 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 am also taking Ruth, [the woman] from Moab, Mahlon’s widow, to be my wife, in order that she may give birth to a son who will inherit the property of the dead man. In that way, Elimelech’s name will continue [LIT] among the members of his family and among all the people of this town. Today you all are witnesses [of what I have done].”
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.
All the elders and the [others] who were sitting at the [town] gate [agreed, and one of them] said, “[Yes, ] we are witnesses. We hope/desire that Yahweh will enable this woman, who will be coming into your home, to give birth to many children, as Rachel and Leah did. They are the women from whom all [us] people [MTY] of Israel are descended. We hope that you will become rich in the clan of Ephratah, and become famous [MTY] [here] 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.”
We hope/desire that Yahweh will enable you and this young woman to have many descendants. And we hope/desire that your family will be as important as the family of your ancestor Perez, the son of Judah and Tamar.”
13 Ale Boaz ɖe Rut wòzu srɔ̃a, eye esi wòdɔ egbɔ la, Yehowa na wòfɔ fu dzi ŋutsuvi.
So Boaz took Ruth [home], and she became his wife. He (slept with/had sexual relations with) her [EUP] and Yahweh enabled 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 Bethlehem] said to Naomi, “Praise Yahweh! Now he has given [LIT] you a grandson who will be the one who will have the responsibility to take care of you. We hope that he will become famous [MTY] 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 make you feel young again, and he will take care of you when you become old. Your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given birth to a son, who will (be better to/do more for) you than [if you had] seven sons [of your own].”
16 Naomi xɔ ɖevi la da ɖe atata, eye wòkpɔ edzi.
Then Naomi took the baby and put him on her lap, and took care of him.
17 Nyɔnu siwo nɔ afi ma la gblɔ be, “Naomi dzi viŋutsu.” Wona ŋkɔe be Obed. Eyae dzi Yese, David fofo.
The women who were living near her said, “[It is as though] Naomi [now] has a son!” And they named him Obed. [Later], Obed became the father of Jesse, and [later] Jesse became the father of [King] David.
18 Perez ƒe dzidzimeviwo yi ale: Perez dzi Hezron,
Here is [a list of] the ancestors of [King David]: Perez’s son was Hezron. Hezron’s son was Ram. Ram’s son was Amminadab. Amminadab’s son was Nahshon. Nahshon’s son was Salmon. Salmon’s son was Boaz. Boaz’s son was Obed. Obed’s son was Jesse. Jesse’s son was [King] David.
19 Hezron dzi Ram, Ram dzi Aminadab, eye
20 Aminadab dzi Nahson, Naheson dzi Salma,
21 Salma dzi Boaz, eye Boaz dzi Obed,
22 Obed dzi Yese, eye Yese dzi David.
