Ruth 1
1 Wakati Waamuzi walipotawala Israeli, kulikuwa na njaa katika nchi. Mtu mmoja kutoka nchi ya Bethlehemu ya Yuda, pamoja na mke wake na wanawe wawili, akaenda kuishi katika nchi ya Moabu.
And it comes to pass, in [the] days [when] the ones judging judge, that there is a famine in the land, and there goes a man from Beth-Lehem-Judah to sojourn in the fields of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
2 Mtu huyu aliitwa Elimeleki, mkewe aliitwa Naomi, na hao wanawe wawili waliitwa Maloni na Kilioni. Walikuwa Waefrathi kutoka Bethlehemu ya Yuda. Wakaenda katika nchi ya Moabu, wakaishi huko.
And the name of the man [is] Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephraimites from Beth-Lehem-Judah; and they come into the fields of Moab, and are there.
3 Elimeleki mumewe Naomi akafa, hivyo Naomi akabaki na wanawe wawili.
And Elimelech husband of Naomi dies, and she is left, she and her two sons;
4 Nao wakaoa wanawake Wamoabu, jina la mmoja aliitwa Orpa, na wa pili aliitwa Ruthu. Baada ya kama miaka kumi,
and they take to them wives, Moabitesses: the name of the first [is] Orpah, and the name of the second Ruth; and they dwell there about ten years.
5 Maloni na Kilioni pia wakafa. Basi Naomi akabaki hana mume wala wanawe wawili.
And they die also, both of them—Mahlon and Chilion—and the woman is left of her two children and of her husband.
6 Aliposikia akiwa huko Moabu kwamba Bwana amewasaidia watu wake kwa kuwapa chakula, Naomi na wakweze wakajiandaa kurudi nyumbani.
And she rises, she and her daughters-in-law, and turns back from the fields of Moab, for she has heard in the fields of Moab that God has looked after His people—to give to them bread.
7 Yeye na wakweze wawili wakaondoka pale walipokuwa wakiishi na kushika njia kurudi nchi ya Yuda.
And she goes out from the place where she has been, and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they go in the way to return to the land of Judah.
8 Ndipo Naomi akawaambia wale wakwe zake wawili, “Rudini, kila mmoja wenu nyumbani kwa mama yake. Bwana na awatendee fadhili kama mlivyowatendea hao waliofariki, na pia mimi.
And Naomi says to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return, each to the house of her mother; YHWH does with you kindness as you have done with the dead, and with me;
9 Bwana na amjalie kila mmoja wenu maisha mema nyumbani kwa mume mwingine.” Kisha akawabusu, nao wakalia kwa sauti kubwa,
YHWH grants to you, and you find rest each in the house of her husband”; and she kisses them, and they lift up their voice and weep.
10 wakamwambia, “Tutarudi pamoja na wewe nyumbani kwa watu wako.”
And they say to her, “Surely with you we go back to your people.”
11 Lakini Naomi akasema, “Rudini nyumbani, binti zangu. Kwa nini mnifuate? Je, mimi nitaweza tena kuwa na wana wengine ambao wataweza kuwaoa ninyi?
And Naomi says, “Turn back, my daughters; why do you go with me? Are there yet to me sons in my bowels that they have been to you for husbands?
12 Rudini nyumbani, binti zangu; mimi ni mzee kiasi kwamba siwezi kumpata mume mwingine. Hata kama ningefikiria kuwa bado kuna tumaini kwangu, hata kama ningekuwa na mume usiku huu na kuwazaa wana,
Turn back, my daughters, go, for I am too aged to be to a husband; though I had said, There is for me hope, also, I have been tonight to a husband, and also I have borne sons:
13 je, mngesubiri mpaka wakue? Mngebakia bila kuolewa mkiwasubiri? La, hasha, binti zangu. Nimepata uchungu kuliko ninyi, kwa sababu mkono wa Bwana umekuwa kinyume nami!”
do you wait for them until they grow up? Do you shut yourselves up for them, not to be to a husband? No, my daughters, for more bitter to me than to you, for the hand of YHWH has gone out against me.”
14 Kisha wakalia tena kwa sauti. Orpa akambusu mama mkwe wake, akaenda zake, lakini Ruthu akaambatana naye.
And they lift up their voice, and weep again, and Orpah kisses her mother-in-law, and Ruth has cleaved to her.
15 Naomi akamwambia, “Tazama, mwenzako anarejea kwa watu wake na kwa miungu yake. Rudi pamoja naye.”
And she says, “Behold, your sister-in-law has turned back to her people, and to her god, turn back after your sister-in-law.”
16 Lakini Ruthu akajibu, “Usinisihi nikuache au niache kukufuata. Utakakokwenda nami nitakwenda, na wewe utakapoishi nitaishi. Watu wako watakuwa watu wangu, na Mungu wako atakuwa Mungu wangu.
And Ruth says, “Do not urge me to leave you—to turn back from after you; for to where you go I go, and where you lodge I lodge; your people [is] my people, and your God my God.
17 Pale utakapofia nami nitafia hapo, na papo hapo nitazikwa. Bwana na aniadhibu vikali, kama kitu kingine chochote kitanitenga nawe isipokuwa kifo.”
Where you die I die, and there I am buried; thus does YHWH to me, and thus He adds—for death itself parts between me and you.”
18 Naomi alipotambua kwamba Ruthu amenuia kufuatana naye, hakuendelea kumsihi tena.
And she sees that she is strengthening herself to go with her, and she ceases to speak to her;
19 Kwa hiyo hao wanawake wawili wakaondoka, wakafika Bethlehemu. Walipofika Bethlehemu, mji mzima ulitaharuki, wanawake wakashangaa, wakasema, “Huyu aweza kuwa ni Naomi?”
and the two of them go until their coming to Beth-Lehem; and it comes to pass at their coming to Beth-Lehem, that all the city is moved at them, and they say, “Is this Naomi?”
20 Akawaambia, “Msiniite tena Naomi, niiteni Mara, kwa sababu Mwenyezi amenitendea mambo machungu sana.
And she says to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly to me,
21 Mimi niliondoka hali nimejaa, lakini Bwana amenirudisha mtupu. Kwa nini kuniita Naomi? Bwana amenitendea mambo machungu; Mwenyezi ameniletea msiba.”
I went out full, and YHWH has brought me back empty, why do you call me Naomi, and YHWH has testified against me, and the Almighty has done evil to me?”
22 Kwa hiyo Naomi alirudi pamoja na Ruthu Mmoabu mkwe wake, nao wakafika Bethlehemu mwanzoni mwa kuvuna shayiri.
And Naomi turns back, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who has turned back from the fields of Moab, and they have come to Beth-Lehem at the commencement of barley-harvest.
