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.
Then Boaz went up to the gate and sat down. Just then the near kinsman of whom Boaz had spoken came along. Boaz said, “Hello, So-and-so (calling him by name), come here and sit down.” So he stopped and sat down.
2 Ndipo Boazi akakusanya viongozi kumi wa mji na kusema, “Katini hapa.” Hivyo wakaketi.
Boaz also took ten of the town elders and said, “Sit down here.” So 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.
Then he said to the near relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is offering for sale the piece of land which belonged to our relative Elimelech,
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 that I would lay the matter before you, suggesting that you buy it in the presence of these men who sit here and of the elders of my people. If you will buy it and so keep it in the possession of the family, do so; but if not; then tell me, so that I may know; for no one but you has the right to buy it, and I am next to you.” “I will buy it,” he said.
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 Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you must also marry Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to preserve the name of the dead in connection with 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.”
“I cannot buy it for myself without spoiling my own inheritance,” the near relative said. “You take my right of buying it as a relative, because I cannot do so.”
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 used to be the custom in Israel: to make valid anything relating to a matter of redemption or exchange, a man drew off his sandal and gave it to the other man; and this was the way contracts were attested in Israel.
8 Kwa hiyo huyu jamaa wa karibu akamwambia Boazi, “Inunue mwenyewe.” Kisha akavua kiatu chake.
So when the near relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” Boaz drew off the man’s sandal.
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.
Then Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses at this time that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s from Naomi.
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.”
Moreover I have secured Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in connection with his inheritance, so that his name will not disappear from among his relatives and from the household where he lived. You 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.
Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you do well in Ephrata, and become famous in Bethlehem.
12 Na nyumba yako kama nyumba ya Peres, ambaye Tamari alimzalia yuda, kupitia uzao ambao Yahweh atakupatia pamoja na msichana huyu.”
From the children whom the Lord will give you by this young woman may your household become like the household of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”
13 Hivyo Boazi alimchukua Ruth, na akawa mke wake. Boazi alilala naye, na Yahweh alimruhusu kupata mimba, na alizaa mtoto wa kiume.
So Boaz married Ruth, and she became his wife; and the Lord gave to her 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.
Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord who has not left you at this time without a near relative, and may his name be 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.
This child will restore your vigor and nourish you in your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is worth more to you than seven sons, has borne a son to Boaz!”
16 Kisha naomi akamchukua mtoto, akamlaza kifuani pake, na kumhudumia.
So Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him as if he was her own.
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.
The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi!” They named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.
18 Hiki kilikuwa ni kizazi cha Peresi: Peres alimzaa Hezroni,
This is the genealogy of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron,
19 Hezroni akamzaa Ram, Ram akamzaa Aminadabu,
Hezron of Ram, Ram of Amminadab,
20 Aminadabu akamzaa Nashon, Nashon akamzaa Salmon,
Amminidab of Nashon, Nashon of Salmon,
21 Salmon akamzaa Boazi, Boazi akamzaa Obed,
Salmon of Boaz, Boaz of Obed,
22 Obedi akamzaa Jese, na Jese akamzaa Daudi.
Obed of Jesse, Jesse of David.
