Rite 1
1 Na mikolo oyo bilombe bazalaki koyangela, nzala makasi ezalaki kati na mokili. Mobali moko ya Beteleemi ya Yuda, elongo na mwasi na ye mpe bana na ye mibale ya mibali, bakendeki kovanda na mboka Moabi.
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 Kombo ya mobali yango ezalaki « Elimeleki; » kombo ya mwasi na ye ezalaki « Naomi; » mpe bakombo ya bana na ye ya mibali ezalaki « Maaloni » mpe « Kilioni. » Bazalaki bato ya libota ya Efrate mpe bawutaki na Beteleemi ya Yuda. Bakendeki na Moabi mpe bavandaki kuna.
Because of the famine, they left Bethlehem and went east to [live for a while in] Moab [region].
3 Elimeleki, mobali ya Naomi, akufaki; mpe Naomi atikalaki ye moko elongo na bana na ye mibale ya mibali.
While they were there, Elimelech died, and Naomi had only her two sons with her.
4 Bana na ye mibale ya mibali babalaki basi ya Moabi: ya liboso, kombo na ye ezalaki « Oripa; » mpe ya mibale, « Rite. » Sima na bango kowumela kuna mibu pene zomi,
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 Maaloni mpe Kilioni bakufaki. Naomi atikalaki ye moko, azangaki bana na ye mibale ya mibali mpe mobali na ye.
Mahlon and Chilion died. So then Naomi had no husband and no sons.
6 Tango Naomi ayokaki wuta na Moabi ete Yawe ayaki mpo na kosunga bato na Ye na kopesa bango biloko ya kolia, ye elongo na babokilo na ye ya basi babongamaki mpo na kozonga na Yuda wuta na Moabi.
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 Elongo na babokilo na ye mibale ya basi, Naomi alongwaki na esika oyo azalaki kovanda mpe azwaki nzela mpo na kozonga na mokili ya Yuda.
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 Bongo Naomi alobaki na babokilo na ye mibale ya basi: — Bozonga, moto na moto na ndako ya mama na ye. Tika ete Yawe asalela bino bolamu ndenge bosalaki bolamu epai ya bato oyo bakufaki mpe epai na ngai moko.
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 Tika ete Yawe apesa na moko na moko na bino bopemi kati na ndako ya mobali mosusu. Bongo Naomi apesaki bango beze, mpe balelaki makasi.
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 Sima, balobaki na ye: — Tokokende elongo na yo, epai ya bato na yo.
They each said, “No, we want to go with you as you return to your relatives.”
11 Kasi Naomi azongiselaki bango: — Bana na ngai ya basi, bozonga na bandako na bino. Mpo na nini kolanda ngai? Boni, nakoki lisusu kobota bana mibali oyo bakoki kozala mibali na bino?
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 Bana na ngai, bozonga epai na bino; nakomi mobange makasi, nakokoka lisusu kobala te. Ata soki nakanisi ete nazali nanu na elikya ya kobota, mpe, na butu ya lelo, nasangisi nzoto na mobali, mpe naboti bana mibali,
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 boni, bokokoka penza kozela kino bakokola? Bokokoba kaka kozanga kobala mpo na bango? Te, bana na ngai! Mawa na ngai ezali makasi koleka mawa na bino, pamba te loboko na Yawe eyokisi ngai pasi makasi.
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 Tango bayokaki bongo, balelaki lisusu. Boye Oripa apesaki mama-bokilo na ye beze mpe mbote ya suka. Kasi Rite akangamaki kaka na ye.
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 Naomi alobaki na Rite: — Tala, mbanda na yo azongi epai ya bato na ye mpe epai ya banzambe na ye; yo mpe zonga elongo na ye.
Naomi said to her, “Look! Your sister-in-law is going back to her relatives and to her gods! Go back with her!”
16 Kasi Rite azongiselaki ye: — Kotindika ngai na makasi te ete natika yo to napengwa na nzela na yo; pamba te na esika nyonso oyo yo okokende nde ngai mpe nakokende, mpe na esika nyonso oyo yo okovanda nde ngai mpe nakovanda; bato na yo bakozala bato na ngai, mpe Nzambe na yo akozala Nzambe na ngai.
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 Na esika oyo yo okokufa nde ngai mpe nakokufa, mpe na esika yango nde bakokunda ngai. Tika ete Yawe apesa ngai etumbu ya makasi soki eloko mosusu ekaboli biso longola kaka kufa.
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 Tango Naomi amonaki ete Rite atingami kaka kokende na ye elongo, atikaki kotindika ye na makasi.
When Naomi realized that Ruth was very determined to go with her, she stopped urging her [to return home].
19 Yango wana, bango mibale bakendeki kino bakomaki na Beteleemi. Tango bakomaki na Beteleemi, engumba mobimba eyokaki mawa mpo na bango. Mpe basi batunaki: — Oyo Naomi?
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 Ye alobaki na bango: — Bobenga ngai lisusu Naomi te, kasi Mara; pamba te Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso ayokisi ngai mawa mingi.
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 Nazalaki na biloko ebele tango nakendeki, kasi Yawe azongisi ngai maboko pamba. Bongo mpo na nini kobenga ngai lisusu Naomi? Yawe ayokisi ngai pasi, mpe Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso ayokisi ngai mawa.
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 Ndenge wana nde Naomi azongaki na Yuda wuta na Moabi, elongo na Rite, moto ya Moabi, bokilo na ye ya mwasi. Bakomaki na Beteleemi, na ebandeli ya tango oyo babukaka bambuma ya orje.
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.
