< Ruth 3 >

1 Naomi, mama mkwe wake, alimwambia, “Mwanangu, hainilazimu kutafuta mahali pa wewe kupumzika, ili kwamba mambo yako yaende vizuri?
And Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
2 Naye Boazi, mtu ambaye umekuwa pamoja na wasichana wake wa kazi, yeye si jamaa yetu? Tazama, jioni hii atakuwa akikung'uta shairi katika sakafu ya kupuria.
And now, is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he is winnowing barley in the threshing-floor to-night.
3 Kwa hiyo, oga, jipake mafuta, uvae nguo zako nzuri, na ushuke kwenda kwenye sakafu ya kupuria. Lakini usijulikane kwa mtu huyu mpaka atakapo maliza kula na kunywa.
Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thyself, and put thy raiment upon thee, and go down to the floor; make not thyself known to the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
4 Na uhakikishe kuwa, atakapo lala chini, ukumbuke mahali alipo lala ili kwamba baadaye uende kwake, ufunue miguu yake, na ulale hapo. Kisha atakuambia cha kufanya.”
And it shall be, when he lies down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall have lain down, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thyself down; and he will shew thee what thou shalt do.
5 Ruth alimwambia Naomi, “Nitafanya kila kitu ulicho sema.”
And she said to her, All that thou sayest will I do.
6 Alishuka kwenda kwenye sakafu ya kupuria, na alifuata maelekezo aliyopewa na mama mkwe wake.
And she went down to the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law had bidden her.
7 Boazi alipomaliza kula na kunywa na moyo wake ulikuwa na furaha, alienda kulala chini mwisho wa sehemu ya kuhifadhia nafaka. Kisha Ruth akaenda taratibu, akaaifunua miguu ya Boazi, na kulala hapo chini.
And Boaz ate and drank, and his heart was merry, and he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn. Then she went softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid herself down.
8 Panapo usiku wa manane Boazi alisituka. Akajigeuza, na hapo mwanamke alikuwa amelala katika miguu yake!
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.
9 Akamwambia, “Wewe ni nani?” Akajibu, “Mimi ni Ruth, mtumishi wako wa kike. Nifunike shuka lako mimi mtumishi wako wa kike, kwa kuwa wewe ni jamaa wa karibu.”
And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth, thy handmaid: spread thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou hast the right of redemption.
10 Boazi akamwambia, “Mwanangu, Yahweh akubariki. Umeonyesha wema mwishoni kuliko mwazoni, kwa sababu hukwenda kwa wanaume vijana, awe tajiri au masikini.
And he said, Blessed be thou of Jehovah, my daughter! Thou hast shewn more kindness at the end than at the first, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
11 Na sasa, mwanangu, usiogope! Nitakufanyia yote unayosema, kwa sababu mji wa watu wangu wote wanajua kuwa wewe ni mwanamke unayestahili.
And now, my daughter, fear not: all that thou sayest will I do to thee; for all the gate of my people knows that thou art a woman of worth.
12 Nikweli kuwa mimi ni jamaa wa karibu; hata hivyo, kuna jamaa wa karibu kuliko mimi.
And now, truly I am one that has the right of redemption, yet there is one that has the right of redemption who is nearer than I.
13 Baki hapa usiku huu, na asubuhi, ikiwa atafanya jukumu lake la jamaa wa karibu, vizuri, muache afanye jukumu lake la kindugu. lakini kama hata fanya jukumu la kindugu kwako, ndipo mimi nitafanya, kama Yahweh aishivyo. Lala mpaka asubuhi.”
Stay over to-night, and it shall be in the morning, if he will redeem thee, well — let him redeem; but if he like not to redeem thee, then will I redeem thee, [as] Jehovah liveth. Lie down until the morning.
14 Kwa hiyo Ruth alilala kwenye miguu ya Boazi hadi asubuhi. Lakini aliamka mapema kabla ya yeyote kuweza kumtambua mtu mwingine. Kwa kuwa alikwisha mwambia, “Isijulikane kuwa mwanamke alikuja 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 threshing-floor.
15 Kisha Boazi akamwambia, lete mtandio wako na uushikilie.” Alipo fanya hivyo, alipima vipimo vikubwa sita vya shairi katika mtandio na kumtwisha Ruth. Kisha Boazi akaenda mjini.
And he said, Bring the cloak that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And she held it, and he measured six [measures] of barley, and laid [it] on her; and he went into the city.
16 Ruth aliporudi kwa mama mkwe wake, alisema, “Ulifanyaje, mwanangu?” Ndipo Ruth akamwambia mambo yote aliyotendewa na mtu huyo.
And she came to her mother-in-law; and she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
17 Alimwambia, “Hivi vipimo sita vya shairi ni vile alivyonipa yeye, kwa kuwa alisema, 'Usiende mikono mitupu kwa mama mkwe wako.'”
And she said, These six [measures] of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty to thy mother-in-law.
18 Kisha Naomi akasema, “Baki hapa, mwanangu, mpaka utakapojua yatakavyo kuwa, kwa kuwa Boazi hata pumzika mpaka atakapolimaliza jambo hili leo.”
Then she said, Be still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest until he have completed the matter this day.

< Ruth 3 >