< Ruth 4 >

1 Boazi akakwea mpaka kwenye lango la mji, akaketi pale. Yule mtu wa jamaa aliyekuwa wa karibu wa kukomboa, ambaye Boazi alimtaja, akaja. Boazi akasema, “Njoo hapa, rafiki yangu. Karibu uketi.” Naye akakaribia, akaketi.
Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. Soon, the near kinsman of whom Boaz had spoken came by. Boaz said to him, “My friend, come over and sit down here.” The man came over and sat down.
2 Boazi akatwaa watu kumi miongoni mwa wazee wa mji, akawaambia, “Ketini hapa.” Nao wakaketi.
Then Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.
3 Kisha akamwambia yule jamaa wa karibu wa kukomboa, “Naomi, aliyerudi hapa kutoka nchi ya Moabu, anauza sehemu ya ardhi iliyokuwa mali ya ndugu yetu Elimeleki.
Boaz said to the near kinsman, “Naomi, who has returned from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that was our brother Elimelek's.
4 Nami niliwaza nikujulishe wewe na kukuambia uinunue mbele ya hawa waliopo hapa, na mbele ya wazee wa watu wangu. Kama wewe utaikomboa, haya fanya hivyo. Lakini kama hutaikomboa, uniambie, ili nijue. Kwa kuwa hakuna mtu mwingine mwenye haki ya kuikomboa ila wewe na baada yako ni mimi.” Naye akasema, “Nitaikomboa mimi.”
I thought to inform you and say to you, 'Buy it in the presence of those who are sitting here, and in the presence of the elders of my people.' If you wish to redeem it, redeem it. But if you do not wish to redeem it, then tell me, so that I may know, for there is no one to redeem it besides you, and I am after you.” Then the other man said, “I will redeem it.”
5 Ndipo Boazi akasema “Siku utakaponunua hiyo ardhi kutoka kwa Naomi na Ruthu, Mmoabu, itakubidi kumchukua pia huyo mjane, ili kudumisha jina la marehemu pamoja na mali yake.”
Then Boaz said, “On the day that you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also take Ruth the Moabite woman, the widow of a dead man, in order to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance.”
6 Aliposikia hili, yule jamaa wa karibu wa kukomboa akasema, “Basi mimi sitaweza kuikomboa, kwa sababu inaonekana nitauhatarisha urithi wangu. Wewe ikomboe mwenyewe. Mimi sitaweza.”
Then the near kinsman said, “I cannot redeem it for myself without damaging my own inheritance. You take my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
7 (Basi katika siku za kale huko Israeli, ili kukamilisha tendo la kukomboa na kukabidhiana mali, mmoja huvua kiatu chake na kumpatia mwingine. Hii ilikuwa ni njia ya kuhalalisha mabadilishano katika Israeli.)
Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and exchange of goods. To confirm all things, a man took off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor; this was the manner of making legal agreements in Israel.
8 Basi yule jamaa wa karibu wa kukomboa akamwambia Boazi, “Wewe inunue mwenyewe.” Naye huyo jamaa akavua kiatu chake.
So the near kinsman said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” and he took off his sandal.
9 Kisha Boazi akawatangazia wazee na watu wote waliokuwepo, “Leo ninyi ni mashahidi kwamba mimi nimenunua kutoka kwa Naomi yote yaliyokuwa mali ya Elimeleki, Kilioni na Maloni.
Then Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have bought all that was Elimelek's and all that was Kilion's and Mahlon's from the hand of Naomi.
10 Nimemchukua pia Ruthu, Mmoabu, mjane wa Maloni, awe mke wangu, ili kuendeleza jina la marehemu pamoja na mali zake, ili jina lake marehemu lisitoweke miongoni mwa jamaa yake, wala katika kumbukumbu za mji wake. Leo hivi ninyi ni mashahidi!”
Also Ruth the Moabite woman, the wife of Mahlon, I have acquired to be my wife, in order that I might raise up the name of the dead man on his inheritance, so that his name will not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his place. Today you are witnesses!”
11 Kisha wazee pamoja na watu wote waliokuwa langoni wakasema, “Sisi ni mashahidi. Bwana na amfanye mwanamke huyu aingiaye nyumbani mwako kuwa kama Raheli na kama Lea, wale wanawake wawili ambao pamoja waliijenga nyumba ya Israeli. Nawe ufanikiwe katika Efrathi na uwe mashuhuri katika Bethlehemu.
All the people who were in the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May Yahweh make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built up the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem.
12 Kupitia kwa watoto ambao Bwana atakupa kutokana na huyu mwanamwali, jamaa yako na ifanane na ya Peresi, ambaye Tamari alimzalia Yuda.”
May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring that Yahweh will give you with this young woman.”
13 Basi Boazi akamwoa Ruthu, naye akawa mke wake. Alipoingia kwake, Bwana akamjalia Ruthu, naye akapata mimba, akamzaa mtoto wa kiume.
So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. He slept with her, and Yahweh allowed her to become pregnant, and she bore a son.
14 Wanawake wakamwambia Naomi: “Ahimidiwe Bwana, asiyekuacha bila kuwa na jamaa wa karibu wa kukomboa. Na awe mashuhuri katika Israeli yote!
The women said to Naomi, “May Yahweh be blessed, who has not left you today without a near kinsman, this baby. May his name be famous in Israel.
15 Atakurejeshea uhai wako na kukuangalia katika siku za uzee wako. Kwa maana mkweo ambaye anakupenda, na ambaye kwako ni bora zaidi ya watoto wa kiume saba, ndiye alimzaa.”
May he be for you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.”
16 Basi Naomi akamchukua yule mtoto, akampakata na akawa mlezi wake.
Naomi took the child, laid him in her bosom, and took care of him.
17 Wanawake waliokuwa jirani zake wakasema, “Naomi ana mtoto wa kiume.” Wakamwita jina lake Obedi. Yeye ndiye baba yake Yese, aliye baba yake Daudi.
The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse, who became the father of David.
18 Hivi ndivyo vizazi vya Peresi: Peresi alimzaa Hesroni,
Now these were the descendants of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron,
19 Hesroni akamzaa Ramu, Ramu akamzaa Aminadabu,
Hezron became the father of Ram, Ram became the father of Amminadab,
20 Aminadabu akamzaa Nashoni, Nashoni akamzaa Salmoni,
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon became the father of Salmon,
21 Salmoni akamzaa Boazi, Boazi akamzaa Obedi,
Salmon became the father of Boaz, Boaz became the father of Obed,
22 Obedi akamzaa Yese, na Yese akamzaa Daudi.
Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.

< Ruth 4 >