URuthe 3

1 Ngelinye ilanga uNawomi, uninazala wathi kuye, “Ndodakazi yami, akungcono ngikudingele umuzi lapho ozagcineka khona kuhle na?

And Naomi her mother-in-law saith to her, 'My daughter, do not I seek for thee rest, that it may be well with thee?

2 UBhowazi lo obusebenza lamantombazana akhe, yisihlobo sethu. Ngobusuku balamhlanje uzabe esela ibhali esizeni.

and now, is not Boaz of our acquaintance, with whose young women thou hast been? lo, he is winnowing the threshing-floor of barley to-night,

3 Geza, uziqhole ngamakha, ugqoke izigqoko zakho zokuceca. Ubususiya esizeni, kodwa ungaze waziveza kuye aze aqede ukudla lokunatha.

and thou hast bathed, and anointed thyself, and put thy garments upon thee, and gone down to the threshing-floor; let not thyself be known to the man till he complete to eat and to drink;

4 Nxa eselala, uqaphelise indawo alala kuyo, ubusufika wambule ezinyaweni zakhe ulale lapho. Uzakutshela ukuthi wenzeni.”

and it cometh to pass when he lieth down, that thou hast known the place where he lieth down, and hast gone in, and uncovered his feet, and lain down, — and he doth declare to thee that which thou dost do.'

5 URuthe wathi, “Ngizakwenza lokho ongitshela khona.”

And she saith unto her, 'All that thou sayest — I do.'

6 Wasesuka waya esizeni, wenza konke ayekutshelwe nguninazala.

And she goeth down [to] the threshing-floor, and doth according to all that her mother-in-law commanded her

7 Kwathi uBhowazi esethabe kakhulu ngemva kokudla lokunatha, wasuka wayalala ekucineni kwenqumbi yamabele. URuthe wasondela ngokuthula, wembula inyawo zakhe, waselala lapho.

And Boaz eateth and drinketh, and his heart is glad; and he goeth in to lie down at the end of the heap; and she cometh in gently, and uncovereth his feet, and lieth down.

8 Kwathi phakathi kobusuku indoda yethuswa ngokuthile, yasiphenduka yathola owesifazane elele ezinyaweni zayo.

And it cometh to pass, at the middle of the night, that the man trembleth, and turneth himself, and lo, a woman is lying at his feet.

9 Yabuza yathi, “Ungubani wena?” Yena waphendula wathi, “NginguRuthe, incekukazi yakho. Ngembathisa ngesembatho sakho, njengoba uyisihlobo sethu esingumhlengi.”

And he saith, 'Who [art] thou?' and she saith, 'I [am] Ruth thy handmaid, and thou hast spread thy skirt over thy handmaid, for thou [art] a redeemer.'

10 Yena wathi, “UThixo akubusise, ndodakazi yami. Umusa wakho lo mkhulu ukwedlula lokho okwenze kuqala. Awuzange ukhethe ukulandelana lamajaha, ingabe nganothileyo loba angabayanga.

And he saith, 'Blessed [art] thou of Jehovah, my daughter; thou hast dealt more kindly at the latter end than at the beginning — not to go after the young men, either poor or rich.

11 Ngakho-ke, ungesabi ndodakazi yami. Ngizakwenzela konke okucelayo. Bonke abantu bakulo umuzi bayakwazi ukuthi wena ungowesifazane oqotho.

And now, my daughter, fear not, all that thou sayest I do to thee, for all the gate of my people doth know that thou [art] a virtuous woman.

12 Lanxa kuliqiniso ukuthi mina ngiyisihlobo esihlengayo, kodwa ukhona oyisihlobo esiseduze okwedlula mina.

And now, surely, true, that I [am] a redeemer, but also there is a redeemer nearer than I.

13 Hlala lapha lobubusuku, kuthi ekuseni nxa efuna ukukuhlenga; uzakwenza njalo. Kodwa nxa engakavumi lokho, mina ngizakwenza lokho njengoba uThixo ephila. Lala lapha kuze kuse.”

Lodge to night, and it hath been in the morning, if he doth redeem thee, well: he redeemeth; and if he delight not to redeem thee, then I have redeemed thee — I; Jehovah liveth! lie down till the morning.'

14 Ngakho walala kwaze kwasa, wasevuka engakananzelelwa muntu; uBhowazi wathi kuye, “Ungaze watshela muntu ukuthi ukhona owesifazane oke weza esizeni.”

And she lieth down at his feet till the morning, and riseth before one doth discern another; and he saith, 'Let it not be known that the woman hath come into the floor.'

15 Wengeza wathi, “Letha kimi isembatho leso osembetheyo usivule.” Kwathi esenzenjalo, wathela kuso ibhali eyizilinganiso eziyisithupha wamethesa. Wasesuka wabuyela ngekhaya.

And he saith, 'Give the covering which [is] on thee, and keep hold on it;' and she keepeth hold on it, and he measureth six [measures] of barley, and layeth [it] on her; and he goeth into the city.

16 URuthe wathi efika kuninazala, uNawomi wabuza wathi, “Kuhambe njani ndodakazi yami?” Yena wamtshela konke ayekwenzelwe nguBhowazi,

And she cometh in unto her mother-in-law, and she saith, 'Who [art] thou, my daughter?' and she declareth to her all that the man hath done to her.

17 wengeza esithi, “Ungiphe izilinganiso eziyisithupha zebhali wathi, ‘Ungaze wabuyela kunyokozala ungelalutho.’”

And she saith, 'These six [measures] of barley he hath given to me, for he said, Thou dost not go in empty unto thy mother-in-law.'

18 UNawomi wasesithi, “Mana ndodakazi yami, uze ubone okuzakwenzakala. Umuntu lo kasoke aphumule indaba le ize ilungiswe lamhlanje.”

And she saith, 'Sit still, my daughter, till thou dost know how the matter falleth, for the man doth not rest except he hath completed the matter to-day.'