< Rute 3 >

1 Rimwe zuva Naomi, vamwene vake vakati kwaari, “Mwanasikana wangu, handingaedzi kukuwanira musha here, paungawana zvinokuriritira zvakakwana?
One day, Naomi said to Ruth, ‘My daughter, should I not seek to secure a home for you where you will be happy and prosperous?
2 Ko, Bhoazi ane vasikana vawanga uchishanda navo haasi hama yedu yapedyo here? Achange ari paburiro achirudza bhari nhasi manheru.
Is not Boaz, with whose girls you have been, a relative of ours?
3 Shamba ugozora mafuta anonhuhwira, ugopfeka nguo dzako dzakaisvonaka. Ipapo ugodzika kuburiro, asi usaite kuti azive kuti iwe uripo kusvikira apedza kudya nokunwa.
Tonight he is going to winnow barley on the threshing-floor. So bathe and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing-floor. But do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
4 Kana orara, ucherechedze nzvimbo yaanorara. Ipapo ugoenda ufukure tsoka dzake ugorara pasi. Achakuudza zvaunofanira kuita.”
Then when he lies down, mark the place where he lies. Go in, uncover his feet, lie down, and then he will tell you what to do.’
5 Rute akapindura akati, “Ndichaita zvose zvamareva.”
‘I will do as you say.’ Ruth said to her.
6 Naizvozvo akadzika kuburiro akaita zvose zvaakataurirwa navamwene vake.
So she went down to the threshing-floor and did just as her mother-in-law told her.
7 Bhoazi akati apedza kudya nokunwa uye mwoyo wake wafara, akaenda akandorara kumuchetocheto kwomurwi wezviyo. Rute akaswedera kwaari chinyararire, akafukura tsoka dzake akarara pasi.
When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in a happy mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth came quietly and uncovered his feet and lay down.
8 Pakati pousiku chimwe chinhu chakavhundutsa murume, akashanduka akaona mukadzi akarara kumakumbo kwake.
At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and there was a woman lying at his feet!
9 Akamubvunza akati, “Ndiwe aniko?” Iye akati, “Ndini murandakadzi wenyu Rute. Tambanudzai chikamu chenguo yenyu muchiise pamusoro pangu, sezvo muri hama yapedyo nomudzikinuri.”
‘Who are you?’ he said. ‘I am Ruth your servant,’ she answered, ‘Spread your cloak over your servant, for you are a near relative.’
10 Akapindura akati kwaari, “Jehovha akuropafadze, mwanasikana wangu. Tsitsi idzi dzakakura kupinda zvawakaratidza pakutanga. Hauna kumhanyira majaya, hazvinei kuti varombo kana vapfumi.
He said, ‘May you be blest by the Lord, my daughter. You have shown me greater favour now than at first, for you have not followed young men, whether poor or rich.
11 Naizvozvo zvino, mwanasikana wangu, usatya. Ndichakuitira zvose zvawakakumbira. Varume vose vagere neni muguta vanoziva kuti uri mukadzi akatsiga.
My daughter, have no fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for the whole town knows that you are a virtuous woman.
12 Kunyange zvazvo chiri chokwadi kuti ndiri hama yapedyo, pane imwe hama yapedyo ari pedyo kupfuura ini.
Now it is true that I am a near relative, but there is another man nearer than I.
13 Chigara hako usiku huno, uye mangwanani kana achida kudzikinura, zvakanaka, ngaadzikinure hake. Asi kana asingadi, naJehovha mupenyu ini ndichazviita. Chivata pano kusvikira mangwanani.”
Stay here tonight, and then in the morning, if he will perform for you the duty of a kinsman, well, let him do it. But if he will not perform for you the duty of a kinsman, then as surely as the Lord lives, I will do it for you. Lie down until morning.’
14 Naizvozvo akarara kumakumbo ake kusvikira mangwanani, asi akamuka mambakwedza pasina aigona kuzivikanwa kuti ndiani; uye Bhoazi akati, “Usaita kuti zvizivikanwe kuti pane mukadzi akauya paburiro.”
So she lay at his feet until morning, but rose before anyone could recognise her, for Boaz said, ‘No one must know that a woman came to the threshing-floor.’
15 Akati kwaarizve, “Ndipe kuno mucheka wawakamonera ugoutambanudza.” Akati aita izvozvo, Bhoazi akadururira zviyero zvebhari zvitanhatu mauri akamutakudza pamusoro. Ipapo akadzokera kuguta.
He also said, ‘Bring the cloak which you have on and hold it.’ So she held it while he poured into it six measures of barley and laid it on her shoulders. Then he went into the city.
16 Zvino Rute akati asvika kuna vamwene vake, Naomi akamubvunza akati, “Zvaita mafambiroi mwanasikana wangu?” Ipapo iye akamuudza zvose zvaakanga aitirwa naBhoazi,
When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, ‘Is it you, my daughter?’ Then Ruth told Naomi all that the man had done for her.
17 uye akatizve, “Andipa zviyero zvitanhatu izvi zvebhari, akati, ‘Usadzokera kuna vamwene vako usina chinhu.’”
‘He gave me these six measures of barley,’ she said, ‘for he said I should not go to my mother-in-law empty-handed.’
18 Ipapo Naomi akati, “Chimira, mwanasikana wangu, kusvikira waona zvinoitika. Nokuti murume uyu haangazorori kusvikira agadzirisa nyaya iyi nhasi.”
‘Wait quietly, my daughter.’ Naomi said, ‘Until you know how the affair will turn out, for the man will not rest unless he settles it all today.’

< Rute 3 >