< Ruth 2 >

1 Basi Naomi alikuwa na jamaa wa upande wa mume wake, kutoka ukoo wa Elimeleki, mtu maarufu ambaye aliitwa Boazi.
And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
2 Ruthu, Mmoabu, akamwambia Naomi, “Nitakwenda mashambani nikaokote mabaki ya nafaka nyuma ya yule nitakayepata kibali machoni pake.” Naomi akamwambia, “Nenda, binti yangu.”
And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said to her, Go, my daughter.
3 Basi akaenda, akaokota mabaki ya nafaka mashambani nyuma ya wavunaji. Ikatokea kwamba alijikuta anafanya kazi kwenye shamba lililokuwa mali ya Boazi, ambaye alitoka kwenye ukoo wa Elimeleki.
And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and she happened to come to a part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
4 Papo hapo Boazi akarudi kutoka Bethlehemu, akawasalimu wavunaji, akasema, “Bwana awe nanyi!” Nao wakamjibu, “Bwana akubariki.”
And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.
5 Boazi akamuuliza msimamizi wa wavunaji, “Je, yule mwanamwali ni wa nani?”
Then said Boaz to his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?
6 Msimamizi akamjibu, “Ni yule Mmoabu aliyerudi kutoka nchi ya Moabu pamoja na Naomi.
And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi from the country of Moab:
7 Yeye aliomba, ‘Tafadhali niruhusu niokote na kukusanya miongoni mwa miganda nyuma ya wavunaji.’ Naye ameshinda shambani tangu asubuhi pasipo kupumzika, isipokuwa kwa muda mfupi kivulini.”
And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.
8 Kisha Boazi akamwambia Ruthu, “Binti yangu, nisikilize. Usiende kuokota mabaki ya mavuno katika shamba lingine, na usiondoke hapa. Kaa hapa na hawa watumishi wangu wa kike.
Then said Boaz to Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from here, but abide here close by my maidens:
9 Angalia shamba wanaume wanamovuna, ufuate nyuma yao. Nimewaamuru wanaume hawa wasikuguse. Wakati wowote ukiona kiu, nenda kwenye mitungi ukanywe maji waliyoyateka wanaume hawa.”
Let thy eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.
10 Kwa ajili ya hili, akasujudu mpaka nchi, akamwambia, “Jinsi gani nimepata kibali machoni pako, hata ukanijali mimi mgeni?”
Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found grace in thy eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?
11 Boazi akamjibu, “Nimeambiwa yote uliyomtendea mama mkwe wako tangu mume wako alipofariki, na jinsi ulivyomwacha baba yako na mama yako na nchi yako ulimozaliwa, ukaja kuishi na watu ambao hukuwafahamu awali.
And Boaz answered and said to her, It hath fully been shown to me, all that thou hast done to thy mother in law since the death of thy husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and hast come to a people which thou knewest not before.
12 Bwana na akulipe kwa yale uliyoyatenda. Ubarikiwe kwa wingi na Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, ambaye umekimbilia mabawani mwake.”
The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou hast come to trust.
13 Kisha Ruthu akasema, “Naomba niendelee kupata kibali machoni pako, bwana wangu. Kwa maana umenifariji na umezungumza kwa ukarimu na mjakazi wako, hata ingawa mimi si bora kama mmoja wa watumishi wako wa kike.”
Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken kindly to thy handmaid, though I am not like one of thy handmaidens.
14 Wakati wa chakula, Boazi akamwambia Ruthu, “Karibia hapa. Kula mkate na uchovye ndani ya siki.” Alipoketi pamoja na wavunaji, akampa nafaka zilizookwa. Akala kiasi alichotaka na kusaza.
And Boaz said to her, At mealtime come thou here, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached for her roasted grain, and she ate, and was satisfied, and left.
15 Alipoinuka ili kuokota mabaki ya nafaka, Boazi akawaagiza watu wake, “Hata kama atakusanya kati ya miganda, msimzuie.
And when she had risen to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
16 Badala yake, toeni masuke katika miganda, mwachieni ayaokote, na msimkemee.”
And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
17 Basi Ruthu akaokota masazo shambani hata jioni. Akatwanga ile shayiri aliyokusanya, ikajaa efa moja.
So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out that which she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.
18 Akaibeba na kuelekea mjini, naye mama mkwe wake akaona jinsi alivyoweza kuokota nafaka nyingi. Pia Ruthu akachukua kile alichobakiza baada ya kula na kushiba, akampa.
And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought out, and gave to her what she had reserved after she was satisfied.
19 Basi mkwewe akamuuliza, “Je, umeokota wapi leo? Umefanya kazi wapi? Abarikiwe mtu yule aliyekujali.” Ndipo Ruthu akamwambia mama mkwe wake juu ya yule ambaye yeye alikuwa amefanyia kazi katika shamba lake. Akasema, “Yule mtu niliyefanyia kazi kwake leo, anaitwa Boazi.”
And her mother in law said to her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where hast thou laboured? blessed be he that took knowledge of thee. And she showed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
20 Naye Naomi akamwambia mkwewe, “Bwana ambariki! Hakuacha kuonyesha fadhili zake kwa walio hai na kwa waliokufa.” Pia akamwambia, “Huyo mtu ni mmoja wa jamaa yetu wa karibu anayestahili kutukomboa.”
And Naomi said to her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not withheld his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said to her, The man is near of kin to us, one of our next kinsmen.
21 Kisha Ruthu, Mmoabu, akasema, “Hata aliniambia, ‘Kaa pamoja na watumishi wangu mpaka watakapomaliza kuvuna nafaka yangu yote.’”
And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said to me also, Thou shalt keep close by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.
22 Kisha Naomi akamwambia Ruthu mkwewe, “Binti yangu, itakuwa vyema wewe ufuatane na wasichana wake, kwa sababu katika shamba la mtu mwingine wanaweza kukudhuru.”
And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou shouldest go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.
23 Kwa hivyo Ruthu akafuatana na watumishi wa kike wa Boazi, akaokota mpaka mwisho wa mavuno ya shayiri na ya ngano. Naye aliishi na mama mkwe wake.
So she kept close by the maidens of Boaz to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.

< Ruth 2 >