< Ruth 4 >

1 Ndipo Boazi akaenda kwenye lango la Bethelehemu na kukaa chini. Muda mfupi tu akaja ndugu wa karibu ambaye Boazi alimuongelea. Boazi akamwambia, “Rafiki yangu, njoo hapa na uketi. Kisha mtu huyo akaja na kuketi.
But Bo'az went up to the gate, and sat down there; and, behold, the kinsman of whom Bo'az had spoken came passing by; and he said unto him, Turn aside hither, sit down here, such a one. And he turned aside, and sat down.
2 Ndipo Boazi akakusanya viongozi kumi wa mji na kusema, “Katini hapa.” Hivyo wakaketi.
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
3 Boazi alimwambia yule jamaa wa karibu, “Naomi aliyerudi kutoka mji wa Moabu, anauza sehemu ya aridhi ambayo ilikuwa ni miliki ya kaka yetu Elimeleki.
And he said unto the kinsman, Na'omi, that is returned out of the field of Moab, hath to sell a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's.
4 Nilifikiria kukujulisha na kukwambia, 'Inunue mbele ya hawa waliokaa hapa, na mbele ya viongozi wa watu wangu.' Ikiwa utapenda kuikomboa, ikomboe. Lakini ikiwa hauhitaji kuikomboa, uniambie, ili nijue, kwa kuwa hakuna mwingine wa kuikomboa isipokuwa wewe, na mimi ni mdogo wako.” Ndipo huyo mtu mwingine akasema, “Nitalikomboa.”
And I thought to inform thee of it, saying, Buy it before those sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it; but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is none beside thee to redeem it, and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
5 Kisha Boazi akasema, “Ile siku utakayonunua shamba kutoka mkononi mwa Naomi, yakupasa pia kumchukua Ruth Mmoabu, mjane wa mtoto wa Elimeleki, ili kuliinua jina la marehemu kama urithi wake.”
Then said Bo'az, On the day that thou buyest the field out of the hand of Na'omi, thou buyest it also from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
6 Ndipo yule jamaa wa karibu akasema, “Mimi siwezi kuikomboa ardhi kwa ajili yangu bila kuleta athari kwenye urithi wangu binafsi. Nakupa wewe haki ya kuikomboa kwa ajili yako mwenyewe, kwa kuwa mimi sitoweza.”
And the kinsman said, I am not able to redeem it for myself, lest I injure my own inheritance: redeem thou what I should redeem for thyself; for I am not able to redeem it.
7 Hii ilikuwa ni desturi ya zamani ya Israeli kuhusu ukombozi na kubadilishana mazuri. Kudhibitisha mambo haya yote, mtu huyu alivua kiatu chake na kumpatia jirani yake; hii ilikuwa ni namna ya kufanya makubaliano ya kisheria katika Israeli.
Now this was formerly the custom in Israel at a redeeming and at an exchanging, to confirm any thing, that a man pulled off his shoe, and gave it to the other; and this was the manner of testimony in Israel.
8 Kwa hiyo huyu jamaa wa karibu akamwambia Boazi, “Inunue mwenyewe.” Kisha akavua kiatu chake.
Thereupon said the kinsman unto Bo'az, Buy it for thee. And he pulled off his shoe.
9 Ndipo Boazi akawaambia viongozi na watu wote, “Ninyi ni mashaidi kuwa nimenunua kila kilichokuwa cha Elimeleki na kila kilichokuwa na Kileoni na Mahilon kutoka kwenye mikono ya Naomi.
And Bo'az said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that belonged to Elimelech, and all that belonged to Kilyon and Machlon, out of the hand of Na'omi.
10 Zaidi ya hayo kumhusu Ruth Mmoabu, mke wa Mahlon: nimempa kibali cha kuwa mke wangu, ili kuendeleza jina na urithi wa marehumu, ili kwamba jina lake lisipotee kati ya ndugu zake na lango la watu wake. Ninyi ni mashahidi leo.”
And also Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Machlon, have I obtained for myself as my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.
11 Watu wote na viongozi waliokuwa katika lango, walisema, “Tu mashahidi. Yahweh amfanye mwanamke huyu ambaye amekuja nyumbani kwako kama Raheli na Leya, ambao wawili hawa wameijenga nyumba ya Israeli. Na ubarikiwe katika Efrata na kuwa mashuhuri katika Bethelehem.
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, [We are] witnesses. The Lord grant that the woman that is coming into thy house be like Rachel and like Leah, who did both build up the house of Israel: and acquire thou wealth in Ephrathah, and let thy name become famous in Beth-lechem;
12 Na nyumba yako kama nyumba ya Peres, ambaye Tamari alimzalia yuda, kupitia uzao ambao Yahweh atakupatia pamoja na msichana huyu.”
And may thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Thamar bore unto Judah, through the seed which the Lord will give thee of this young woman.
13 Hivyo Boazi alimchukua Ruth, na akawa mke wake. Boazi alilala naye, na Yahweh alimruhusu kupata mimba, na alizaa mtoto wa kiume.
And Bo'az took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in unto her: and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.
14 Wanamke huyu akamwambia Naomi, “Yahweh abarikiwe, ambaye hajakuacha bila ndugu wa karibu, yaani mtoto huyu. Jina lake na liwe maarufu katika Israeli.
And the women said unto Na'omi, Blessed be the Lord, who hath not allowed to be wanting unto thee a kinsman this day: and may his name become famous in Israel.
15 Na awe kwako mrutubishaji wa maisha na mwenye ruzuku uzeeni mwako, kwa kuwa mtoto wako mkwe, ambaye anakupenda, ambaye ni bora kwako kuliko watoto wa kiume saba, amemzaa.
And may he be unto thee one who refresheth thy soul, and who nourisheth thy old age; for thy daughter-in-law, who loveth thee, hath born him, she who is better to thee than seven sons.
16 Kisha naomi akamchukua mtoto, akamlaza kifuani pake, na kumhudumia.
And Na'omi took the child, and laid it in her lap, and she became a nurse unto it.
17 Na majirani wa yule mwanamke, wakampa jina, wakisema, “Mtoto amezaliwa kwa Naomi.” Wakawita Obedi. Ambaye alikuja kuwa baba yake na Jese, ambaye alikuja kuwa baba yake na Daudi.
And the neighboring women gave him a name, saying, There hath been a son born unto Na'omi: and they called his name 'Obed, who is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 Hiki kilikuwa ni kizazi cha Peresi: Peres alimzaa Hezroni,
And these are the generations of Perez: Perez begat Chezron;
19 Hezroni akamzaa Ram, Ram akamzaa Aminadabu,
And Chezron begat Ram; and Ram begat 'Amminadab;
20 Aminadabu akamzaa Nashon, Nashon akamzaa Salmon,
And 'Amminadab begat Nachshon; and Nachshon begat Salmah;
21 Salmon akamzaa Boazi, Boazi akamzaa Obed,
And Salmon begat Bo'az; and Bo'az begat 'Obed;
22 Obedi akamzaa Jese, na Jese akamzaa Daudi.
And 'Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

< Ruth 4 >