Ruth Is Loyal to Naomi
1-2 Before Israel was ruled by kings, Elimelech from the clan of Ephrath lived in the town of Bethlehem. His wife was named Naomi, and their two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. But when their crops failed in Israel, they moved to the country of Moab. And while they were there, 3 Elimelech died, leaving Naomi with only her two sons.
4 Later, Naomi's sons married Moabite women. One was named Orpah and the other Ruth. About ten years later, 5 Mahlon and Chilion also died. Now Naomi had no husband or sons.
6-7 When Naomi heard that the Lord had given his people a good harvest, she and her two daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab and go to Judah. As they were on their way there, 8 Naomi said to them, “Don't you want to go back home to your own mothers? You were kind to my husband and sons, and you've always been kind to me. I pray that the Lord will be just as kind to you. 9 May he give each of you another husband and a home of your own.”
Naomi kissed them. They cried 10 and said, “We want to go with you and live among your people.”
11 But she replied, “My daughters, why don't you return home? What good will it do you to go with me? Do you think I could have more sons for you to marry? 12 You must go back home, because I am too old to marry again. Even if I got married tonight and later had more sons, 13 would you wait for them to become old enough to marry? No, my daughters! Life is harder for me than it is for you, because the Lord has turned against me.”
14 They cried again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth held on to her. 15 Naomi then said to Ruth, “Look, your sister-in-law is going back to her people and to her gods! Why don't you go with her?”
16 Ruth answered,
“Please don't tell me
to leave you
and return home!
I will go where you go,
I will live where you live;
your people will be my people,
your God will be my God.
17 I will die where you die
and be buried beside you.
May the Lord punish me
if we are ever separated,
even by death!”
18 When Naomi saw that Ruth had made up her mind to go with her, she stopped urging her to go back.
19 They reached Bethlehem, and the whole town was excited to see them. The women who lived there asked, “Can this really be Naomi?”
20 Then she told them, “Don't call me Naomi any longer! Call me Mara, because God has made my life bitter. 21 I had everything when I left, but the Lord has brought me back with nothing. How can you still call me Naomi, when God has turned against me and made my life so hard?”
22 The barley harvest was just beginning when Naomi and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, arrived in Bethlehem.
Elimelek neṱunḓu re mave tjindire kOmoab
1 Rukuru Ovaisrael tji va honaparererwe i ovapangure, mwa ri ondjara mehi ndo. Nomurumendu worive ngwa zire kObetlehem mehi ra Juda wa sekamene okukatura oruveze oruṱiṱi mehi ra Moab otja owozonganda; nomukazendu we novazandu ve vevari va ire puna ye. 2 Nu indi ena romurumendu ra ri Elimelek, indi romukazendu ra ri Naomi, novazandu ve vevari va ri ooMahlon na Kilion. Elimelek wa ri Omuefrat na katura kObetlehem mehi ra Juda. Nowo va ire kOmoab nave katura ngo. 3 Nu Elimelek wa koka, nomukazendu we Naomi ongwa sewa puna ovazandu ve aveyevari. 4 Novazandu mba va kupa ovasuko vOvamoab; omusuko umwe wa rukirwe Orpa, nomukwao Rut. Nowo va turire ngo oure wozombura omurongo. 5 Mahlon na Kilion wina va koka, nu Naomi wa sewa erike, nokuhinovazandu ve aveyevari, nokuhinomurumendu we wina.
Naomi na Rut mave yaruka kObetlehem
6 Naomi tja zuva kutja Muhona wa vaterere ovandu ve, indu tje ve pere ovikurya, eye otje rirongera okuyaruka, narire tja tjindi okuza mOmoab puna ovakazendu mba ovakwe ve aveyevari. 7 Neye wa sekama na yaruka kOjuda puna wo. 8 Nungwari mondjira Naomi wa tja nai ku wo: “Yarukeye, auhe konganda yaina. Muhona nga kare notjari na eṋe otja tji mwa tjita ku imba mba koka na ku ami wina. 9 Nu Muhona nga tjite kutja auhe weṋu a kupwe rukwao nokukara nonganda.” Naomi arire tje ve hupite. Nungwari owo va uta okurira tjinene, 10 nave tja ku ye: “Kako, eṱe matu vanga okuyenda puna ove komuhoko woye.”
11 Nu Naomi we ve zira a tja: “Yarukeye, vanatje vandje! Okutjavi tji mamu vanga okuyenda puna ami? Ami nai mee kakara novazandu rukwao okukemukupa are? 12 Yarukeye kozoyeṋu! Ami mba kurupa tjinene okukupwa rukwao. Andakuzu me ripura kutja mbi nomaundjiro okukupwa poo andakuzu me kupwa ndino ongurova ne panduka ovazandu, 13 eṋe hapo atja mu undja nga tji ve kuru kutja ve mu kupe are? Atja mu ritjaera okukupwa i ovarumendu varwe are? Vasuko vandje, eṋe mamu tjiwa kutja kape nokuyenena; orondu Muhona wendji tanaukira, nu me ṱondjenda na eṋe tjinene.”
14 Nowo va uta okurira tjinene rukwao. Orpa wa hupita nokuvirikiza ina omukwe we na yaruka komuhoko wawo; nungwari ingwi Rut we rimanga mu ye. 15 Naomi wa tja ku Rut: “Tara, omukweṋu wa yaruka komuhoko na koomukuru vawo. Ove wina yaruka, kongorera omukweṋu!”
16 Nungwari Rut wa zira a tja: “O ndji ṋiṋikiza okuza po pove; o ndji tjaere okuyenda puna ove. Akuhe ku mo i, ami oku me i, akuhe ku mo katura, ami oku me katura. Omuhoko woye owo omuhoko wandje; nu Ndjambi woye eye Ndjambi wandje. 17 Ove ku mo kakokera, ami oku me kakokera, nu oku me kapakwa. Muhona nga tjite ku ami atjihe tji ma vanga; onḓiro porwayo nga rire ndje tu haṋa.”
18 Nu Naomi tja muna kutja Rut we rimana okuyenda puna ye, eye ka uharere ama hungire rukwao.
19 Nowo aveyevari va kayenda pamwe nga tji va kavaza kObetlehem, nu tji va kahita mu tjo, otjirongo atjihe arire tji tja kumwa, nu imba ovakazendu ve ripura ave tja: “ONaomi ngwi are?”
20 Neye wa zira a tja: “Amu ndji isana Naomi, okutja Omuṋingandu; ndji isaneye Mara, okutja Omunandjenda; orondu Ndjambi, Omunamasaaehe, tje ndji munisa ouzeu tjinene. 21 Ami tji mba zire muno mba ri novingi, nungwari Muhona we ndji kotora tjo. Okutjavi tji mamu ndji isana Naomi, Omunamasaaehe ngunda e ndji etera oviwonga nu e ndji hihamisa?”
22 Komuhingo mbwi Naomi otja kotoka okuza kOmoab puna Rut, omukwe we Omumoab. Nowo va vaza kObetlehem moruveze rwomakondero wovirya.
