< Ruth 2 >

1 Basi Naomi alikuwa na jamaa wa upande wa mume wake, kutoka ukoo wa Elimeleki, mtu maarufu ambaye aliitwa Boazi.
Naomi had a relative 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.”
Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Let me now go to the field, and glean amongst the ears of grain after him in whose sight I find favour.” 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.
She went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
4 Papo hapo Boazi akarudi kutoka Bethlehemu, akawasalimu wavunaji, akasema, “Bwana awe nanyi!” Nao wakamjibu, “Bwana akubariki.”
Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “May the LORD be with you.” They answered him, “May the LORD bless you.”
5 Boazi akamuuliza msimamizi wa wavunaji, “Je, yule mwanamwali ni wa nani?”
Then Boaz said to his servant who was set over the reapers, “Whose young lady is this?”
6 Msimamizi akamjibu, “Ni yule Mmoabu aliyerudi kutoka nchi ya Moabu pamoja na Naomi.
The servant who was set over the reapers answered, “It is the Moabite lady who came back with Naomi out of 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.”
She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers amongst the sheaves.’ So she came, and has continued even from the morning until now, except that she rested 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 Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Don’t go to glean in another field, and don’t go from here, but stay here close to 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 your eyes be on the field that they reap, and go after them. Haven’t I commanded the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink from 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 favour in your sight, that you should take knowledge of me, since I am a foreigner?”
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.
Boaz answered her, “I have been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father, your mother, and the land of your birth, and have come to a people that you didn’t know before.
12 Bwana na akulipe kwa yale uliyoyatenda. Ubarikiwe kwa wingi na Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, ambaye umekimbilia mabawani mwake.”
May the LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given to you from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
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 your sight, my lord, because you have comforted me, and because you have spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not as one of your servants.”
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.
At meal time Boaz said to her, “Come here, and eat some bread, and dip your morsel in the vinegar.” She sat beside the reapers, and they passed her parched grain. She ate, was satisfied, and left some of it.
15 Alipoinuka ili kuokota mabaki ya nafaka, Boazi akawaagiza watu wake, “Hata kama atakusanya kati ya miganda, msimzuie.
When she had risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even amongst the sheaves, and don’t reproach her.
16 Badala yake, toeni masuke katika miganda, mwachieni ayaokote, na msimkemee.”
Also pull out some for her from the bundles, and leave it. Let her glean, and don’t rebuke her.”
17 Basi Ruthu akaokota masazo shambani hata jioni. Akatwanga ile shayiri aliyokusanya, ikajaa efa moja.
So she gleaned in the field until evening; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an efah 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.
She took it up, and went into the city. Then her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned; and she brought out and gave to her that which she had left after she had enough.
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.”
Her mother-in-law said to her, “Where have you gleaned today? Where have you worked? Blessed be he who noticed you.” She told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, “The man’s name with whom I worked today 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.”
Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the LORD, who has not abandoned his kindness to the living and to the dead.” Naomi said to her, “The man is a close relative to us, one of our near kinsmen.”
21 Kisha Ruthu, Mmoabu, akasema, “Hata aliniambia, ‘Kaa pamoja na watumishi wangu mpaka watakapomaliza kuvuna nafaka yangu yote.’”
Ruth the Moabitess said, “Yes, he said to me, ‘You shall stay close to my young men until they have finished 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.”
Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, and that they not meet you 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 stayed close to the maidens of Boaz, to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she lived with her mother-in-law.

< Ruth 2 >