< Ruth 3 >
1 Naomi, mama mkwe wake, alimwambia, “Mwanangu, hainilazimu kutafuta mahali pa wewe kupumzika, ili kwamba mambo yako yaende vizuri?
Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, —My daughter! shall I not seek for thee a place of rest, in which 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.
Now, therefore, is not, Boaz, of our kindred, with whose maidens thou hast been? Lo! he is winnowing the barley 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.
Thou wilt, therefore, bathe thee, and anoint thee, and put thine apparel upon thee, and go down to the threshing-floor, —do not make thyself known to the man, until he 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 lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he doth lie, and shalt go in and turn aside the covering of his feet, and lay thee down, —and, he, will tell thee what thou shalt do.
5 Ruth alimwambia Naomi, “Nitafanya kila kitu ulicho sema.”
And she said unto her, —All that thou sayest, will I do.
6 Alishuka kwenda kwenye sakafu ya kupuria, na alifuata maelekezo aliyopewa na mama mkwe wake.
So she went down to the threshing-floor, —and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded 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, when Boaz had eaten, and drunk, and his heart was glad, he went in to lie down at the end of the heap of corn. Then came she in softly, and turned aside the covering of his feet, and laid her down.
8 Panapo usiku wa manane Boazi alisituka. Akajigeuza, na hapo mwanamke alikuwa amelala katika miguu yake!
And it came to pass, in the middle of the night, that the man started up, and turned, —and lo! a woman, lying 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 said, I, am Ruth, thy handmaid, spread, therefore, thy wing over thy handmaid, for, a kinsman, thou art.
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 Yahweh, my daughter, for thou hast made thy last lovingkindness better than the first, —in not following after 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.
Now, therefore, my daughter, do not fear, whatsoever thou shalt say, I will do for thee, —for all the gate of my people doth know, that, a virtuous woman, thou art.
12 Nikweli kuwa mimi ni jamaa wa karibu; hata hivyo, kuna jamaa wa karibu kuliko mimi.
And, now, although it is true that, a kinsman, am I, yet is there a kinsman 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.”
Tarry the night, and it shall be, in the morning, if he will act as kinsman to thee, well, let him so act, but, if he inclineth not to act as kinsman to thee, then will, I, so act to thee—by the life of Yahweh, —Lie still, 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.”
So she lay at his feet, until the morning, and rose up before one could know his neighbour. And he said—Do not let it 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 is upon thee, and hold it. So she held it, —and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it upon 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, when she came unto her mother-in- law, she said—Who art, thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done for 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 unto me, —for he said, Do not go in empty, unto 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.”
And she said—Abide, my daughter, until that thou get to know, how the matter will fall out, —for the man will not rest, except he have finished the thing to-day.