< Ruth 3 >
1 Kisha Naomi akamwambia mkwewe, “Binti yangu, je, nisingelikutafutia pumziko ambako utatunzika vyema?
Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
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] not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
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.
Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: [but] make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
4 Atakapokwenda kulala, angalia mahali atakapolala. Kisha uende ufunue miguu yake, ulale. Naye atakuambia utakalofanya.”
And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
5 Ruthu akajibu, “Lolote usemalo nitatenda.”
And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.
6 Basi akashuka mpaka kwenye sakafu ya kupuria, akafanya kila kitu mama mkwe wake alichomwambia kufanya.
And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade 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.
And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
8 Usiku wa manane, kitu kilimshtua Boazi, akajigeuza, akagundua yupo mwanamke amelala miguuni pake.
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay 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 [art] thou? And she answered, I [am] Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou [art] a near kinsman.
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, Blessed [be] thou of the LORD, my daughter: [for] thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
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, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou [art] a virtuous woman.
12 Ingawa ni kweli kwamba mimi ndiye jamaa aliye karibu, bado kuna mtu mwingine wa jamaa aliye karibu zaidi wa kukomboa kuliko mimi.
And now it is true that I [am thy] near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman 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.”
Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, [that] if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, [as] the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.
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 lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
15 Pia akamwambia, “Leta shela yako uliyoivaa, uitandaze.” Naye alipoitandaza, akamimina vipimo sita vya shayiri, akamtwika. Kisha Ruthu akarudi zake mjini.
Also he said, Bring the vail that [thou hast] upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six [measures] of barley, and laid [it] on her: and she went into the city.
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 to her mother in law, she said, Who [art] thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
17 Akaendelea kusema, “Amenipa shayiri vipimo sita akisema, ‘Usiende kwa mama mkwe wako mikono mitupu.’”
And she said, These six [measures] of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
18 Kisha Naomi akasema, “Subiri binti yangu, mpaka utakapojua kwamba hili jambo limekwendaje. Kwa sababu mtu huyu hatatulia mpaka akamilishe jambo hili leo.”
Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.