< Ruth 3 >

1 Kisha Naomi akamwambia mkwewe, “Binti yangu, je, nisingelikutafutia pumziko ambako utatunzika vyema?
And Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, My daughter, am I not to get you a resting-place where you may be in comfort?
2 Je, Boazi, ambaye umekuwa pamoja na watumishi wake wasichana, si jamaa yetu wa karibu? Usiku wa leo atakuwa anapepeta ngano kwenye sakafu ya kupuria.
And now, is there not Boaz, our relation, with whose young women you were? See, tonight he is separating the grain from the waste in his grain-floor.
3 Basi oga na ukajipake marashi, ujivalie nguo zako nzuri. Kisha uende kwenye sakafu ya kupuria, lakini angalia asijue kwamba upo pale mpaka atakapomaliza kula na kunywa.
So take a bath, and, after rubbing your body with sweet oil, put on your best robe, and go down to the grain-floor; but do not let him see you till he has come to the end of his meal.
4 Atakapokwenda kulala, angalia mahali atakapolala. Kisha uende ufunue miguu yake, ulale. Naye atakuambia utakalofanya.”
But see to it, when he goes to rest, that you take note of the place where he is sleeping, and go in there, and, uncovering his feet, take your place by him; and he will say what you are to do.
5 Ruthu akajibu, “Lolote usemalo nitatenda.”
And she said, I will do all you say.
6 Basi akashuka mpaka kwenye sakafu ya kupuria, akafanya kila kitu mama mkwe wake alichomwambia kufanya.
So she went down to the grain-floor and did all her mother-in-law had said to her.
7 Wakati Boazi alipomaliza kula na kunywa, naye akawa amejawa na furaha, alikwenda kulala mwisho wa lundo la nafaka. Ruthu akanyemelea polepole, akafunua miguu yake, na akalala.
Now when Boaz had taken meat and drink, and his heart was glad, he went to take his rest at the end of the mass of grain; then she came softly and, uncovering his feet, went to rest.
8 Usiku wa manane, kitu kilimshtua Boazi, akajigeuza, akagundua yupo mwanamke amelala miguuni pake.
Now in the middle of the night, the man awaking from his sleep in fear, and lifting himself up, saw a woman stretched at his feet.
9 Akauliza, “Wewe ni nani?” Akajibu, “Ni mimi Ruthu, mjakazi wako. Uitande nguo yako juu yangu, kwa sababu wewe ndiwe jamaa wa karibu wa kutukomboa.”
And he said, Who are you? And she answering said, I am your servant Ruth: take your servant as wife, for you are a near relation.
10 Akamwambia, “Binti yangu, ubarikiwe na Bwana. Wema huu wa sasa ni mkuu kushinda hata ule ulioonyesha mwanzoni. Hukuwakimbilia vijana, wakiwa matajiri au maskini.
And he said, May the Lord give you his blessing, my daughter: even better than what you did at the first is this last kind act you have done, in not going after young men, with or without wealth.
11 Sasa, binti yangu, usiogope. Nitakufanyia yote uliyoomba. Kwa maana mji wote wa watu wangu wanakujua ya kwamba wewe ni mwanamke mwenye tabia nzuri.
And now, my daughter, have no fear; I will do for you whatever you say: for it is clear to all my townspeople that you are a woman of virtue.
12 Ingawa ni kweli kwamba mimi ndiye jamaa aliye karibu, bado kuna mtu mwingine wa jamaa aliye karibu zaidi wa kukomboa kuliko mimi.
Now it is true that I am a near relation: but there is a relation nearer than I.
13 Wewe kaa hapa usiku huu, kisha asubuhi kama akikubali kukomboa, vyema na akomboe. La sivyo kama hayuko tayari, hakika kama Bwana aishivyo nitafanya hivyo. Lala hapa mpaka asubuhi.”
Take your rest here tonight; and in the morning, if he will do for you what it is right for a relation to do, very well, let him do so: but if he will not, then by the living Lord I myself will do so.
14 Hivyo huyo mwanamke akalala miguuni pake mpaka asubuhi, akaondoka mapema pasipo mtu kuweza kumtambua mwenzake, maana Boazi alisema, “Isijulikane kabisa ya kuwa mwanamke alifika kwenye sakafu ya kupuria.”
And she took her rest at his feet till the morning: and she got up before it was light enough for one to see another. And he said, Let it not come to anyone's knowledge that the woman came to the grain-floor.
15 Pia akamwambia, “Leta shela yako uliyoivaa, uitandaze.” Naye alipoitandaza, akamimina vipimo sita vya shayiri, akamtwika. Kisha Ruthu akarudi zake mjini.
And he said, Take your robe, stretching it out in your hands: and she did so, and he took six measures of grain and put them into it, and gave it her to take: and she went back to the town.
16 Basi Ruthu alipofika kwa mama mkwe wake Naomi, akamuuliza, “Je, binti yangu, ilikuwaje huko?” Ndipo akamwelezea kila kitu Boazi alichomfanyia.
And when she came back her mother-in-law said to her, How did it go with you, my daughter? And she gave her an account of all the man had done to her.
17 Akaendelea kusema, “Amenipa shayiri vipimo sita akisema, ‘Usiende kwa mama mkwe wako mikono mitupu.’”
And she said, He gave me these six measures of grain, saying, Do not go back to your mother-in-law with nothing in your hands.
18 Kisha Naomi akasema, “Subiri binti yangu, mpaka utakapojua kwamba hili jambo limekwendaje. Kwa sababu mtu huyu hatatulia mpaka akamilishe jambo hili leo.”
Then she said, Do nothing now, my daughter, till you see what will come of this; for the man will take no rest till he has put this thing through.

< Ruth 3 >