< URuthe 3 >

1 UNawomi uninazala wasesithi kuye: Ndodakazi yami, ngingakudingeli ukuphumula yini ukuze kube kuhle kuwe?
And Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her: 'My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
2 Ngakho-ke uBhowazi ayisuye wezihlobo zethu yini, obulamantombazana akhe? Khangela, wela ibhali ebaleni lokubhulela ngalobubusuku.
And now is there not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing-floor.
3 Ngakho geza uzigcobe, ugqoke isembatho sakho, wehlele ebaleni lokubhulela; ungazivezi endodeni ize iqede ukudla lokunatha.
Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the threshing-floor; but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
4 Kuzakuthi-ke lapho eselala, uqaphelise indawo alala kiyo, ungene, ubususembula inyawo zakhe, ulale phansi; yena-ke uzakutshela ozakwenza.
And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.'
5 Wasesithi kuye: Konke okutshoyo kimi ngizakwenza.
And she said unto her: 'All that thou sayest unto me I will do.'
6 Wasesehlela ebaleni lokubhulela, wenza njengakho konke ayemlaye khona uninazala.
And she went down unto the threshing-floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her.
7 Kwathi uBhowazi esedlile wanatha, lenhliziyo yakhe yathokoza, wayalala phansi ekucineni kwenqumbi yamabele. URuthe wasenyenya, wembula inyawo zakhe, walala phansi.
And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn; and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
8 Kwasekusithi phakathi kobusuku indoda yethuka, yaphenduka, khangela-ke owesifazana elele enyaweni zayo.
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
9 Yathi: Ungubani? Wasesithi: NginguRuthe incekukazi yakho; ngakho yendlala umphetho wesembatho sakho phezu kwencekukazi yakho, ngoba ungumhlengi.
And he said: 'Who art thou?' And she answered: 'I am Ruth thine handmaid; spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.'
10 Yasisithi: Kawubusiswe yiNkosi, ndodakazi yami, usuwenze umusa wakho ube mkhulu ekucineni kulowokuqala, njengoba ungalandelanga amajaha loba angabayanga loba anothileyo.
And he said: 'Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter; thou hast shown more kindness in the end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou didst not follow the young men, whether poor or rich.
11 Ngakho-ke, ndodakazi yami, ungesabi, ngizakwenzela konke okutshoyo, ngoba umuzi wonke wabantu bakithi uyazi ukuthi ungowesifazana oqotho.
And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou sayest; for all the men in the gate of my people do know that thou art a virtuous woman.
12 Yebo-ke, sibili, kuliqiniso ukuthi ngiyisihlobo esingumhlengi, kanti-ke kukhona isihlobo esingumhlengi esiseduze kulami.
And now it is true that I am a near kinsman; howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
13 Hlala lobubusuku; kuzakuthi-ke ekuseni uba ezakwenza imfanelo yesihlobo esingumhlengi, kulungile, kakuhlenge; kodwa uba engathandi ukukuhlenga, mina-ke ngizakuhlenga, kuphila kukaJehova. Lala kuze kuse.
Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part; but if he be not willing to do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth; lie down until the morning.'
14 Waselala enyaweni zayo kwaze kwasa; wavuka omunye engakananzeleli omunye. Yasisithi: Kakungaziwa ukuthi owesifazana ufikile ebaleni lokubhulela.
And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before one could discern another. For he said: 'Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor.'
15 Yasisithi: Letha isembatho osigqokileyo, usibambe; wasesibamba, yasilinganisa izilinganiso eziyisithupha zebhali, yamethesa; wasengena emzini.
And he said: 'Bring the mantle that is upon thee, and hold it'; and she held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; and he went into the city.
16 Kwathi esefike kuninazala, wathi: Ungubani, ndodakazi yami? Wasemtshela konke indoda eyayimenzele khona.
And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said: 'Who art thou, my daughter?' And she told her all that the man had done to her.
17 Wathi: Ingiphe lezizilinganiso eziyisithupha zebhali, ngoba ithe kimi: Ungayi kunyokozala ungelalutho.
And she said: 'These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me: Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law.'
18 Wasesithi: Hlala, ndodakazi yami, uze wazi ukuthi udaba luzaphetha njani, ngoba indoda kayiyikuphumula ize iluqede udaba lamuhla.
Then said she: 'Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest, until he have finished the thing this day.'

< URuthe 3 >