< Rut 1 >

1 Le esime ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo nɔ Israel dzi ɖum la, dɔ va to ɖe anyigba la dzi. Ŋutsu aɖe si tso Efraim ƒe to la me, tso Betlehem le Yudanyigba dzi la ʋu kple srɔ̃a kple viawo yi ɖanɔ Moabnyigba dzi.
In the time when the judges ruled, there was once a famine in the land. A man from Bethlehem in Judah took his wife and two sons to live in the territory of Moab.
2 Ŋutsu la ŋkɔe nye Elimelek, srɔ̃a ŋkɔe nye Naomi, eye wo viŋutsu eveawo ŋkɔwoe nye Maxlon kple Kilion. Wonye Efraimtɔwo tso Betlehem, Yuda heʋu va Moabnyigba dzi, eye wonɔ afi ma.
His name was Elimelech and his wife’s was Naomi, and his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. After they had been living in Moab for some time,
3 Elimelek, Naomi srɔ̃ ku, eye wòsusɔ Naomi kple via ŋutsu eveawo.
Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons,
4 Viŋutsu eve siawo ɖe Moab nyɔnuwo; ɖeka ŋkɔe nye Orpa, eye evelia ŋkɔe nye Rut. Esi wonɔ afi ma abe ƒe ewo ene la,
who married Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years,
5 Maxlon kple Kilion hã ku, ale wòsusɔ wo dada Naomi ko; srɔ̃ kple vi aɖeke meganɔ esi o.
Mahlon and Chilion both died, and Naomi was left alone, without husband or sons.
6 Azɔ Naomi ɖoe be yeatrɔ ayi ɖe aƒe le Israelnyigba dzi, elabena ese le Moab be Yehowa gave Israelviwo nu, ale be woƒe agblemenukuwo ganyo.
So she set out with her daughters-in-law to return from the land of Moab, for she had heard that the Lord had remembered his people and given them food.
7 Eya ta eya kple lɔ̃xoyɔvi eveawo dzra ɖo hedze mɔ ɖo ta aƒe.
As they were setting out together on the journey to Judah,
8 Ke esi wonɔ mɔa dzi yina la, Naomi trɔ eƒe susu, eye wògblɔ na lɔ̃xoyɔvi eveawo be, “Mitrɔ miayi aƒe le mia dzilawo gbɔ. Yehowa nave mia nu abe ale si miewɔ nyui na mia srɔ̃wo kple nye ŋutɔ ene.
Naomi said to her daughters-in-law, ‘Go, return both of you to the home of your mother. May the Lord be kind to you as you have been kind to the dead and to me.
9 Yehowa ŋutɔ nana be mia dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe nakpɔ dzidzeme le srɔ̃ŋutsu bubu ƒe aƒe me.” Naomi gbugbɔ nu na wo, eye wofa avi hehehe.
The Lord grant that each of you may find peace and happiness in the house of a new husband.’ Then she kissed them; but they began to weep aloud
10 Wogblɔ na Naomi be, “Míakplɔ wò ɖo ayi wò ƒometɔwo gbɔ.”
and said to her, ‘No, we will return with you to your people.’
11 Ke Naomi gblɔ na wo be, “Vinyenyɔnuwo, mitrɔ dzo. Nu ka ta miayi kplim ɖo? Ɖe mate ŋu adzi viŋutsuwo na mi miaɖea?
But Naomi said, ‘Go back, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Can I still bear sons who might become your husbands?
12 Vinyenyɔnuwo, mitrɔ yi miaƒe aƒe me. Ne mesusu be mɔkpɔkpɔ gale asinye, eye meɖe srɔ̃ zã sia me, eye medzi viŋutsuwo hã la,
Go back, my daughters, go your own way, because I am too old to have a husband. Even if I should say, “I have hope,” even if I should have a husband tonight and should bear sons,
13 ɖe mialala va se ɖe esime woatsia? Ɖe mianɔ anyi srɔ̃maɖemaɖee va se ɖe ɣe ma ɣia? Ao, vinyenyɔnuwo, ele veyem na mi wu miawo ŋutɔ gɔ̃ hã, elabena Yehowa do asi ɖe gbɔnye!”
would you wait for them until they were grown up? Would you remain single for them? No, my daughters! My heart grieves for you, for the Lord has sent me adversity.’
14 Wogade asi avifafa me. Orpa gbugbɔ nu na lɔ̃xoa hedo hedenyui nɛ, eye wòtrɔ yi aƒe me, ke Rut ya lé ɖe lɔ̃xoa ŋu.
Then they again wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth stayed with her.
15 Ale Naomi gblɔ nɛ be, “Rut, atsuwòsi trɔ yi eƒe amewo kple eƒe mawuwo gbɔ; wò hã, trɔ nàyi aƒe me kplii.”
‘Look,’ said Naomi, ‘your sister-in-law is going back to her own people and to her own gods. Go along with her!’
16 Rut ɖo eŋu be, “Mègaƒoe ɖe nunye be magblẽ wò ɖi alo matrɔ le yowòme o. Afi si nàyi la, afi mae mayi, eye afi si nànɔ la, afi mae manɔ. Wò dukɔ anye nye dukɔ, eye wò Mawu anye nye Mawu.
But Ruth answered, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or to go back. I will go where you go, and I will stay wherever you stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God;
17 Afi si nàku ɖo la, afi mae maku ɖo, eye afi mae woaɖim ɖo. Yehowa nefiam, ne wòagafiam ɖe edzi. Naneke mama nye kple wò dome o, negbe ku ko.”
I will die where you die, and be buried there. May the Lord bring a curse upon me, if anything but death separate you and me.’
18 Esi Naomi kpɔ be Rut ɖo kplikpaa be yeayi kpli ye la, edzudzɔ nyaƒoƒo ɖe enu,
When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she ceased urging her to return.
19 ale woyi mɔzɔzɔa dzi va se ɖe esime woɖo Betlehem. Zi ƒo le du blibo la me. Nyɔnuwo bia be, “Naomi nye esia nyateƒea?”
So they journeyed on until they came to Bethlehem. Their arrival stirred the whole town, and the women said, ‘Can this be Naomi?’
20 Naomi ɖo eŋu be, “Migayɔm azɔ be Naomi o. Naomi gɔmee nye dzidzɔnu. Miyɔm azɔ be Mara. Mara gɔmee nye vevesese, elabena Aƒetɔ Mawu, Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la na nye agbenɔnɔ zu vevesese sɔŋ.
‘Do not call me Naomi,’ she said to them, ‘call me Mara, for the Almighty has given me a bitter lot.
21 Nu geɖewo nɔ asinye esi medzo le afi sia, ke Yehowa na metrɔ gbɔ kple asi ƒuƒlu. Nu ka ta miayɔm be Naomi esime Yehowa Ŋusẽkatãtɔ trɔ megbe dem, eye wòna fukpekpe va dzinye ɖo?”
I had plenty when I left, but the Lord has brought me back empty handed. Why should you call me Naomi, now that the Lord has afflicted me, and the Almighty has brought misfortune on me?’
22 Ale Naomi kple lɔ̃xoyɔvia Rut, Moab nyɔnu la gbɔ tso Moabnyigba dzi. Wova ɖo Betlehem le nuŋeɣi la ƒe gɔmedzedze.
So Naomi and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, returned from Moab. They reached Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

< Rut 1 >