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.
During the time before kings ruled Israel, (there was a famine/the people there had nothing to eat). There was a man who lived there whose name was Elimelech. His wife’s name was Naomi, and his sons’ names were Mahlon and Chilion. They were all from Bethlehem [town], from the Ephrath [clan] in Judah [region].
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.
Because of the famine, they left Bethlehem and went east to [live for a while in] Moab [region].
3 Elimelek, Naomi srɔ̃ ku, eye wòsusɔ Naomi kple via ŋutsu eveawo.
While they were there, Elimelech died, and Naomi had only her two sons with her.
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,
They married women from Moab. One of them was named Orpah, and the other one was named Ruth. But after they had lived in that area for 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 died. So then Naomi had no husband and no 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.
One day while Naomi was in Moab, she heard someone say that Yahweh had helped his people in Israel and that now there was plenty of food to eat. So she prepared to return [to Bethlehem].
7 Eya ta eya kple lɔ̃xoyɔvi eveawo dzra ɖo hedze mɔ ɖo ta aƒe.
She left the place where she had been living and started to walk [with her daughters-in-law] along the road back 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.
Then as the three of them were walking, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Each of you should turn around and go back to your mother’s home. You treated [your husbands] kindly [before] they died, and you have treated me kindly.
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.
Now I desire that Yahweh will enable each of you to have another husband in whose home you will [feel] secure.” Then she kissed both of them, and they cried aloud.
10 Wogblɔ na Naomi be, “Míakplɔ wò ɖo ayi wò ƒometɔwo gbɔ.”
They each said, “No, we want to go with you as you return to your relatives.”
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, “No, my daughters, return home. (It will not do any good for you to come with me!/What good will it do for you to come with me?) [RHQ] Do you think I will get married again and have more sons who could 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,
Even if I thought I could have another husband, and even if I got married today and became pregnant [EUP] tonight and later gave birth to 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 remain single/unmarried until they grew up [and became old enough] for you to marry? No, my daughters, [you would not do that]. Your situations are bad [because your husbands have died, but it is possible that you will each marry again]. My situation is much worse, because Yahweh [SYN] has opposed me, [and now I am too old to get married again].”
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 Ruth and Orpah cried again [because of what Naomi said]. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, [and left], but Ruth clung to Naomi.
15 Ale Naomi gblɔ nɛ be, “Rut, atsuwòsi trɔ yi eƒe amewo kple eƒe mawuwo gbɔ; wò hã, trɔ nàyi aƒe me kplii.”
Naomi said to her, “Look! Your sister-in-law is going back to her relatives and to her gods! Go back 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 replied, “No! Don’t urge me to leave you! I [want to] go with you. Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your relatives will be my relatives, and the God you [worship] will be the God I [worship].
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.”
Where you die, I will die. Where you are buried, I will be buried. May Yahweh punish me severely if I separate from you. I will be separated from you only [when one of us] dies.”
18 Esi Naomi kpɔ be Rut ɖo kplikpaa be yeayi kpli ye la, edzudzɔ nyaƒoƒo ɖe enu,
When Naomi realized that Ruth was very determined to go with her, she stopped urging her [to return home].
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 the two women continued walking until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived there, everyone in town was excited [to see] them. The women [of the town] exclaimed, “(Can this be Naomi?/It is difficult to believe that this is Naomi!)” [RHQ]
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.
Naomi said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi, [which means ‘pleasant’]. Instead, call me Mara, [which means ‘bitter’], because God Almighty has made my life very unpleasant.
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?”
When I left here, I [felt] rich, [because I had a family]. But Yahweh has brought me back here and now I [feel] poor, [because I have no family]. Do not call me Naomi [RHQ]. [I feel as though] Yahweh has spoken against (OR, afflicted) me. Almighty [God] has caused me to experience a great tragedy.”
22 Ale Naomi kple lɔ̃xoyɔvia Rut, Moab nyɔnu la gbɔ tso Moabnyigba dzi. Wova ɖo Betlehem le nuŋeɣi la ƒe gɔmedzedze.
That [summarizes the account] of Naomi returning home along with her daughter-in-law Ruth, the woman from Moab. And [it happened that] when they arrived in Bethlehem, the barley [grain] harvest was just beginning.
