< Rut 1 >

1 Nʼoge ndị ahụ, mgbe ndị ikpe na-achị, oke ụnwụ dara nʼala Izrel. Nʼihi ụnwụ a, otu nwoke, onye Betlehem, obodo dị na Juda, kwakọọrọ ihe ya niile, duru nwunye ya, na ụmụ ya ndị ikom abụọ, hapụ obodo ya gaa biri dịka ọbịa nʼala Moab.
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 Aha nwoke a bụ Elimelek. Aha nwunye ya bụ Naomi, ma aha ụmụ ya ndị ikom abụọ bụ Mahlọn na Kilịọn. Ha bụ ndị Efrat si Betlehem nke dị na Juda. Ha bịarutere nʼala Moab biri nʼebe ahụ.
Because of the famine, they left Bethlehem and went east to [live for a while in] Moab [region].
3 Ma Elimelek di Naomi nwụrụ, hapụ naanị Naomi, na ụmụ ya ndị ikom abụọ.
While they were there, Elimelech died, and Naomi had only her two sons with her.
4 Ha lụrụ ndị nwunye site nʼetiti ndị inyom Moab. Aha nke mbụ bụ Ọpa, ebe aha nke abụọ bụ Rut. Ha biri nʼebe ahụ ihe dị ka afọ iri.
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 Mahlọn na Kilịọn mechara nwụọ. Ya mere, Naomi ghọrọ onye gba aka di, na onye gba aka ụmụ.
Mahlon and Chilion died. So then Naomi had no husband and no sons.
6 Mgbe Naomi nọ nʼala Moab nụ na Onyenwe anyị eletala ndị Izrel site nʼinye ha ihe oriri, Naomi na ndị nwunye ụmụ ya abụọ kwadoro ịlaghachi azụ nʼala Izrel.
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 Ya mere, Naomi na ndị nwunye ụmụ ya abụọ hapụrụ ala Moab ebe ha bi kemgbe, malite ịgbaso ụzọ ha ga-esi laghachi nʼala Juda.
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 Mgbe ahụ, Naomi gwara ndị nwunye ụmụ ya abụọ okwu sị ha, “Ngwa, onye ọbụla nʼime unu laghachi nʼụlọ nne ya. Ka Onyenwe anyị gosi unu obiọma dịka unu si gosi mụ onwe m, na ndị unu nwụrụ anwụ.
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 Ka Onyenwe anyị nyekwa unu di ọzọ ma meekwa ka unu chọta udo nʼezinaụlọ ọzọ.” Mgbe ahụ Naomi suturu ha ọnụ, ha niile kwara akwa.
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 Ma Ọpa na Rut zara Naomi sị ya, “E, anyị agaghị ala. Anyị ga-esoro gị laghachikwuru ndị gị.”
They each said, “No, we want to go with you as you return to your relatives.”
11 Naomi zara sị ha, “Laghachinụ ụmụ m, ọ bụ nʼihi gịnị ka unu ga-eji soro m laa? E nwere m ike ịmụta ụmụ ndị ikom ọzọ ndị ga-abụ di unu?
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 Laghachinụ azụ ụmụ m. Emeela m agadi ịlụ di ọzọ. A sịkwarị na olileanya fọdụụrụ m ịlụ di na ịmụta ụmụ ndị ikom nʼabalị taa,
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 unu ga-echere ruo mgbe ha tolitere? Unu ga-anọ na-alụghị di ọzọ? Mba, ụmụ m ndị inyom, ọnọdụ m dị ilu karịa nke unu, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị esepụtala aka ya imegide m.”
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 Ha welitere olu ha kwaa akwa ọzọ. Mgbe ahụ Ọpa suturu nne di ya ọnụ ma Rut kwusịrị ike nʼebe ọ nọ.
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 Ma Naomi gwara ya sị, “Lee, nwunye nwanne di gị alaghachikwurula ndị nwe ya na chi ya niile, soro ya laa.”
Naomi said to her, “Look! Your sister-in-law is going back to her relatives and to her gods! Go back with her!”
16 Ma Rut zara, “Akwagidela m ka m hapụ gị, maọbụ ime ka m site nʼiso gị chigharịa. Aga m esoro gị gaa ebe ọbụla ị na-aga. Aga m esokwa gị biri nʼebe ọbụla ị ga-ebi; ndị gị ga-abụ ndị m, Chineke gị ga-abụkwa Chineke m,
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 ebe ị nwụrụ ka m ga-anwụ, ebe ahụ kwa ka a ga-eli m. Ka Onyenwe anyị mesoo m mmeso, otu ọbụla mmeso ahụ si dị njọ, ma ọ bụrụ na m ekwere ka ihe ọzọ, ma ọ bụghị ọnwụ, kewaa mụ na gị.”
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 Mgbe Naomi hụrụ na Rut ekpebiela nʼime onwe ya iso ya, ọ kwụsịrị ịgwa ya okwu ọzọ.
When Naomi realized that Ruth was very determined to go with her, she stopped urging her [to return home].
19 Ya mere, ha abụọ gagidere ije rute Betlehem. Mgbe ha batara Betlehem, obodo ahụ mere mkpọtụ, nʼihi nlọta ha. Ndị inyom jụrụ sị, “Ọ bụ Naomi bụ nke a nʼezie?”
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 Ma Naomi zara ha sị, “Unu akpọkwala m Naomi, kama kpọọnụ m Mara, nʼihi na Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile emeela ka ndụ m jupụta nʼihe ilu.
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 Aka m juru eju mgbe m si nʼebe a pụọ, ma Onyenwe anyị emeela ka m gbara aka lọta. Gịnị mere unu ji akpọ m Naomi ebe ọ bụ na Onyenwe anyị gbakụtara m azụ, ebe ọ bụ na Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile mere ka nsogbu dakwasị m.”
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 Otu a ka Naomi na Rut onye Moab bụ nwunye nwa ya si laghachi nʼala Juda. Oge ha ji lọbata nʼobodo Betlehem bụ oge a na-amalite ịghọ ọka balị.
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.

< Rut 1 >