URuthe 4
1 UBhowazi wasesenyukela esangweni, wahlala phansi lapho. Khangela-ke, kwedlula isihlobo esingumhlengi leso uBhowazi ayekhulume ngaso. Wasesithi: Phambuka uhlale phansi lapha, we zibanibani. Wasephambuka, wahlala phansi.
Then Boaz went up to the gate and sat down. Just then the near kinsman of whom Boaz had spoken came along. Boaz said, ‘Hello, So-and-so (calling him by name), come here and sit down.’ So he stopped and sat down.
2 Wasethatha amadoda alitshumi ebadaleni bomuzi, wathi: Hlalani phansi lapha. Asehlala phansi.
Boaz also took ten of the town elders and said, ‘Sit down here.’ So they sat down.
3 Wasesithi kulesosihlobo esingumhlengi: Isiqinti sensimu esasingesomfowethu uElimeleki, uyasithengisa uNawomi, osebuyile evela elizweni lakoMowabi.
Then he said to the near relative, ‘Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is offering for sale the piece of land which belonged to our relative Elimelech,
4 Ngakho mina ngithe: Ngikwembule endlebeni yakho ngisithi: Sithenge phambi kwabahlali laphambi kwabadala babantu bakithi. Uba uzasihlenga, sihlenge. Kodwa uba engekho ongasihlenga, ungitshele, ukuze ngazi; ngoba engekho ngaphandle kwakho ongasihlenga, mina-ke ngilandela wena. Wasesithi: Mina ngizasihlenga.
and I thought that I would lay the matter before you, suggesting that you buy it in the presence of these men who sit here and of the elders of my people. If you will buy it and so keep it in the possession of the family, do so; but if not; then tell me, so that I may know; for no one but you has the right to buy it, and I am next to you.’ ‘I will buy it,’ he said.
5 UBhowazi wasesithi: Mhla uthenga insimu esandleni sikaNawomi, uzayithenga lakuRuthe umMowabikazi, umfazi womuyi, ukuze umise ibizo lomuyi elifeni lakhe.
Then Boaz said, ‘On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you must also marry Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to preserve the name of the dead in connection with his inheritance.’
6 Lesosihlobo esingumhlengi sasesisithi: Ngingeke ngazihlengela sona, hlezi ngone ilifa lami. Zihlengele wena ilungelo lami lokuhlenga, ngoba kangilamandla okuhlenga.
‘I cannot buy it for myself without spoiling my own inheritance,’ the near relative said. ‘You take my right of buying it as a relative, because I cannot do so.’
7 Lokhu-ke kwakukhona mandulo koIsrayeli mayelana lokuhlenga lokuntshintsha, ukuqinisa lonke udaba: umuntu akhiphe inyathela lakhe, alinike umakhelwane wakhe; lokhu-ke kwakuyibufakazi koIsrayeli.
Now this used to be the custom in Israel: to make valid anything relating to a matter of redemption or exchange, a man drew off his sandal and gave it to the other man; and this was the way contracts were attested in Israel.
8 Ngakho isihlobo esingumhlengi sathi kuBhowazi: Zithengele yona; sasesikhipha inyathela laso.
So when the near relative said to Boaz, ‘Buy it for yourself,’ Boaz drew off the man’s sandal.
9 UBhowazi wasesithi kubadala lakubo bonke abantu: Lingabafakazi lamuhla bokuthi ngithengile konke okwakungokukaElimeleki lakho konke okwakungokukaKiliyoni lokukaMaheloni esandleni sikaNawomi.
Then Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, ‘You are witnesses at this time that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s from Naomi.
10 LoRuthe laye umMowabikazi, umkaMaheloni, ngizithengele ukuze abe ngumkami, ukuze ngimise ibizo likamuyi elifeni lakhe, ukuze ibizo lomuyi lingaqunywa lisuke phakathi kwabafowabo lesangweni lendawo yakhe. Lingabafakazi lamuhla.
Moreover I have secured Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in connection with his inheritance, so that his name will not disappear from among his relatives and from the household where he lived. You are witnesses this day.’
11 Bonke abantu ababesesangweni labadala basebesithi: Singabafakazi; kungathi iNkosi ingamenza lo owesifazana ongena endlini yakho abe njengoRasheli lanjengoLeya abakha bobabili indlu kaIsrayeli. Njalo wenze ngamandla eEfratha, uzenzele ibizo eBhethelehema,
Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, ‘We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you do well in Ephrata, and become famous in Bethlehem.
12 lendlu yakho ibe njengendlu kaPerezi uTamari amzalela uJuda, ngenzalo iNkosi ezakunika yona ngalo owesifazana omutsha.
From the children whom the Lord will give you by this young woman may your household become like the household of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.’
13 Ngakho uBhowazi wamthatha uRuthe, waba ngumkakhe; wasengena kuye, iNkosi yamnika ukuthi athathe isisu, wazala indodana.
So Boaz married Ruth, and she became his wife; and the Lord gave to her a son.
14 Abesifazana basebesithi kuNawomi: Kayibusiswe iNkosi engakutshiyanga ungelaso isihlobo esingumhlengi lamuhla, ukuthi ibizo laso limenyezelwe koIsrayeli!
Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the Lord who has not left you at this time without a near relative, and may his name be famous in Israel.
15 Uzakuba kuwe ngumbuyisi wempilo lomondli wobudala bakho, ngoba umzele umalokazana wakho okuthandayo, ongcono kuwe kulamadodana ayisikhombisa.
This child will restore your vigor and nourish you in your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is worth more to you than seven sons, has borne a son to Boaz!’
16 UNawomi wasemthatha umntwana, wamfaka esifubeni sakhe, waba ngumlizane wakhe.
So Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him as if he was her own.
17 Omakhelwanekazi basebemutha ibizo besithi: Kulendodana ezalelwe uNawomi. Babiza ibizo layo uObedi; nguyise kaJese, uyise kaDavida.
The women of the neighbourhood gave him a name, saying, ‘A son is born to Naomi!’ They named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.
18 Lalezi yizizukulwana zikaPerezi. UPerezi wazala uHezironi,
This is the genealogy of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron,
19 uHezironi wasezala uRamu, uRamu wasezala uAminadaba,
Hezron of Ram, Ram of Amminadab,
20 uAminadaba wasezala uNashoni, uNashoni wasezala uSalimoni,
Amminidab of Nashon, Nashon of Salmon,
21 uSalimoni wasezala uBhowazi, uBhowazi wasezala uObedi,
Salmon of Boaz, Boaz of Obed,
22 uObedi wasezala uJese, uJese wasezala uDavida.
Obed of Jesse, Jesse of David.
