1

1 Ga dirala e rile mo metlheng ya fa baatlhodi ba atlhola, ga bo go le leuba mo lefatsheng. Monna mongwe wa Bethelehema wa Juta a ya go jaka mo lefatsheng la Moabe, ene le mosadi wa gagwe, le bomorwawe ba le babedi.

2 Leina la monna yoo e ne e le Elimeleke, leina la mosadi wa gagwe e le Naomi, maina a bomorwawe ba babedi e le Mahelone, le Kilione, e le Baeferatha ba Bethelehema wa Juta. Ba tla mo lefatsheng la Moabe, ba agaaga gone.

3 Elimeleke monna wa ga Naomi a swa; mme mosadi a tlogelwa, le bomorwawe ba babedi.

4 Mme ba itseela basadi mo basading ba Moabe; leina la mongwe e ne e le Orepa, leina la yo mongwe e le Ruthe. Ba aga gone e ka ne e le dinyaga di le some.

5 Mahelone le Kilione ba swa boo babedi; mme mosadi a tlogelwa ke bana ba gagwe ba babedi, le ke monna wa gagwe.

6 Foo a nanoga le betsi ba gagwe, a re o boa kwa lefatsheng la Moabe, gonne e ne ya re a le mo lefatsheng la Moabe a utlwa fa Jehofa a lekotse batho ba ga gabo ka go ba naya dijo.

7 A tswa felong fa o ne a le gone, le betsi ba gagwe ba babedi ba na nae; ba tswelela mo tseleng, ba re ba boela lefatsheng la Juta.

8 Naomi a raya betsi ba gagwe ba babedi a re: “Tsamayang, mongwe le mongwe wa lona a boele kwa ga mmaagwe; a Jehofa a lo direle ka pelonomi, jaaka lona lo diretse baswi le nna.

9 A Jehofa a lo neye gore lo bone boikhutso, mongwe le mongwe wa lona mo ntlong ya monna wa gagwe.” Foo a ba atla; mme ba tsholetsa mantswe ba lela.

10 Ba mo raya ba re: “Nnyaa, re tlaa boa nao re ya kwa bathong ba gaeno.”

11 Naomi a re: “Bang lo boe bomorwadiaka; lo bo lo elang le nna? A ke sa na le bana ba basimane mo sebopelong sa me, gore ba tle ba nne banna ba lona?

12 Bang lo boe bomorwadiaka, lo tsamaye; gonne nna ke tsofetse bobe, ga ke na go bona monna. Fa nka bo ke re, ke na le tsholofelo, fa nka bo ke ne ke ka bona monna fela bosigong jono, ka bona bana ba basimane,

13 ka re: A lo ne lo tlaa ba leta go tsamaya ba gola? A lo ne lo tlaa ithiba mo go tseweng ke banna ka ntlha ya moo? Nnyaa, bomorwadiaka; gonne go a nkhutsafatsa thata ka ntlha ya lona, gonne letsogo la ga Jehofa le nkwetse go tlhabana le nna.”

14 Ba tsholetsa mantswe ba lela gape; Orepa a atla matsalaagwe; mme Ruthe ene a mo ngaparela.

15 A re: “Bona, mogwakao o boetse kwa bathong ba ga gabo, le kwa modimong wa gagwe; boa le wena o latele mogwakao.”

16 Ruthe a re: “O se ka wa nthapela gore ke go tlogele, ke boe, ke kgaogane le go go sala morago; gonne kwa o yang gone, ke tlaa ya gone; kwa o lalang gone, ke tlaa lala gone; batho ba gaeno e tlaa nna batho ba gaetsho, le Modimo wa gago e tlaa nna Modimo wa me;

17 kwa o swelang gone ke tlaa swela gone, ke ba ke fitlhwa gone; a Jehofa a ntirele jalo, a ba a fetise, fa sengwe se ka nkgaoganya nao fa e se loso fela.”

18 E rile a bona fa a itlhomamiseditse ruri go ya nae, a lesa go tlhola a bua nae.

19 Jalo ba babedi bao ba tsamaya fela ba fitlha mo Bethelehema. Ga dirala ya re ba tla mo Bethelehema, motse otlhe wa huduega ka ga bone, mme basadi ba re: “A ke ene Naomi?”

20 A ba raya a re: “Lo se ka lwa mpitsa Naomi, mme lo mpitse Mara: gonne Mothatayotlhe o ntiretse mo go botlhoko thata.

21 Ka tswa ke tletse, mme Jehofa o mpuseditse gae ke iphotlhere fela; lo mpiletsang Naomi, ka e le fa Jehofa a ntshupile ka go nnyatsa, le Mothatayotlhe o nkutlwisitse botlhoko?”

22 Jalo Naomi a boa, le Ruthe wa Momoabe, ngwetsi wa gagwe a nna nae, yo o boileng kwa lefatsheng la Moabe; mme ba tla mo Bethelehema ka tshimologo ya thobo ya barele.

2

1 Naomi o ne a na le tsala ya losika lwa monna wa gagwe, a le senatla se se humileng, wa losika lwa ga Elimeleke; leina la gagwe go twe Boase.

2 Ruthe wa Momoabe a raya Naomi a re: “Mma ke ye kwa masimo, ke ye go ronopa mo gare ga diako tsa mabele ke setse mongwe morago yo ke tlaa bonang botsalano mo matlhong a gagwe.” Mme a mo raya a re: “Ya morwadiaka.”

3 A ya, mme a fitlha a ronopa mo masimong, a setse basegi morago; mme a tshogana ka a wela ntlheng ya maota mo e leng ga Boase, yo e neng e le wa losika lwa ga Elimeleke.

4 Mme bonang, Boase a tswa Bethelehema, a fitlha a raya basegi ba mabele a re: “A Jehofa a nne le lona,” bone ba mo fetola ba re: “A Jehofa a go segofatse.”

5 Foo Boase a raya motlhanka wa gagwe yo o beilweng mogolo wa basegi ba mabele a re: “Morweetsana yo ke wa ga mang?”

6 Motlhanka yo o beilweng mogolo wa basegi ba mabele a mo fetola a re: “Ke morweetsana wa Momoabe yo o boileng le Naomi kwa lefatsheng la Moabe.

7 O ne a nthaya a re: ‘A ko lo mme ke ronope ke setse basegi morago mo gare ga dingata;’ mme a tla. O sa le a dira ka moso le jaana, fa e se gore, o kile a nna ka lobakanyana mo ntlong.”

8 Foo Boase a raya Ruthe a re: “A ga o a utlwa, morwadiaka? O se ka wa ya go ronopa mo tshimong epe e sele, o se ka wa tswa fano fa; o tlhomame gone fa, le barweetsana ba gaetsho.

9 A matlho a gago a nne mo tshimong e ba e segang, mme o ba sale morago; a ga ke a laela makau gore ba se ka ba go ama? Fa o le lenyora, o ye dinkgwaneng, o nwe se makau a se gileng.”

10 Foo a wela fa fatshe ka sefatlhogo, a ikobela fa fatshe, a mo raya a re: “Ana ke bonye botsalano mo matlhong a gago ka ntlha yang, fa e bo ne ne o ntlhokometse jaana ke le moeng?”

11 Boase a mo fetola, a mo raya a re: “Ke boleletswe ka botlalo gotlhe mo o go diretseng matsalaago, monna wa gago a sena go swa; le jaaka o tlogetse rraago le mmaago, le lefatshe la gaeno, mme o tsile mo bathong ba o sa ba itseng gale.

12 A Jehofa a leboge tiro ya gago, o bo o newe tuelo e e tletseng ke Jehofa Modimo wa Iseraele, yo tsileng botshabelong tlase ga diphuka tsa gagwe.”

13 Foo Ruthe a re: “A nke ke bone botsalano mo matlhong a gago, morna wa me gonne o nkgomoditse, le gonne o buile ka pelonomi le lelata la gago, le fa ke sa nna jaaka lengwe la malata a gago.”

14 E rile go jewa, Boase a mo raya a re: “Tla kwano, o je dijo, o ine thathana ya gago mo botšarareng.” Mme a dula fa baseging; a mo fa mabele a a gadikilweng; a ja, a kgora, a ba a sadisa.

15 E rile a tlogile a ile go ronopa, Boase a laola makau a gagwe a re: “A a ronope fela mo teng ga dingata, mme lo se ka lwa mo omanya.

16 Le gone lo mo somolele mangwe mo dingateng lo a tlogele, a a ronope fela, lo se ka lwa mo omanya.”

17 Jalo a ronopa mo tshimong go ya maitseboeng, a photha mo o ne a go ronopile, ya nna e ka ne e ne e le emere ya barele.

18 A a tsaya, a ya motseng; mme matsalaagwe a bona mo o ne a go ronopile; a ba a ntsha a mo naya mo o ne a go beile a sena go kgora.

19 Matsalaagwe a mo raya a re: “O tlhotse o ronopa kae? O tlhotse o dira kae? A go segofale monna yo o go tlhokometseng.” A bolelela matsalaagwe yo o tlhotseng a dira nae, a ba a re: “Leina la monna yo ke tlhotseng ke dira nae ke Boase.”

20 Naomi a raya ngwetsi ya gagwe a re: “A a segofadiwe ke Jehofa, yo o se kang a khutlisetsa batshedi le baswi bopelonomi jwa gagwe.” Naomi a mo raya a re: “Monna yo ke wa losika lwa rona yo o gaufi le rona, ke mongwe wa ba ba gaufi le rona ka go tsalwa.”

21 Ruthe wa Momoabe a re: “Ruri, o ntheile a re: ‘Tlhomama mo makaung a gaetsho, go tle go tsamaye ba wetse thobo ya me yotlhe fela.’ ”

22 Naomi a raya Ruthe ngwetsi wa gagwe a re: “Go molemo morwadiaka, fa o ka tswa le barweetsana ba gagwe, gonne kwa tshimong ya motho o sele o ka tla wa tshwenyega.”

23 Jalo a tlhomama mo barweetsaneng ba ga Boase go ronopa, go ya bokhutlong jwa thobo ya barele, le jwa thobo ya mabele; mme a aga le matsalaagwe.

3

1 Naomi matsalaagwe a mo raya a re: “Morwadiaka, a ga o mme ka go senkela boikhutso, gore go tle go nne molemo mo go wena?

2 Jaana a Boase ga se wa losika lwa rona, yo barwetsana ba gagwe o ne wa nna nabo? Bona, o olosa barele bosigong jono mo seboping.

3 Ke gone tlhapa, o iphorole, o apare, o ye kwa seboping; mme o se ka wa ikitsise motho ope, go tsamaye a swetse go ja le go nwa.

4 Mme, fa a ya go robala, o tlhokomele thata golo fa o robalang gone, mme o tsene, o fenole dinao tsa gagwe, o robale; mme ene o tlaa go bolelela se o tlaa se dirang.”

5 A mo raya a re: “Gotlhe mo o go buang, ke tlaa go dira.”

6 A ya kwa seboping, a dira jaaka tsotlhe tse matsalaagwe o di mo kaetseng.

7 E rile Boase a sena go ja le go nwa, pelo ya gagwe e le mokete, a ya go robala kwa ntlheng ya mokoa wa mabele; Ruthe a tla ka bonya, a fenola dinao tsa gagwe, a robala.

8 Ga dirala ya re bosigogare, monna yo a tshoga, a ipitikolola; a fitlhela mosadi mongwe a robetse fa dinaong tsa gagwe.

9 A re: “O mang?” A mo fetola a re: “Ke Ruthe lelata la gago; ke gone phuthololela lelata la gago kobo ya gago; gonne o wa losika gaufi le rona ka go tsalwa.”

10 A re: “O segofadiwe mo go Jehofa, morwadiaka; o itshupile pelonomi mo bokhutlong bogolo go mo tshimologong, ka o se ka wa latela a e leng makau a a humanegileng kgotsa a a humileng.

11 Jaana, morwadiaka, o se ka wa boifa; ke tlaa go direla gotlhe mo o go buang, gonne motse otlhe wa batho ba gaetsho o a itse fa o le mosadi yo o siameng.

12 Ruri ke wa losika lwa gago, gaufi ka go tsalwa, le fa go ntse jalo, go na le monna mongwe wa losika yo o gaufi bogolo go nna.

13 Lala bosigo jono; mme go tlaa dirala e tlaa re ka moso, fa a tla go direla tshwanelo ya monna wa losika, go tlaa nna molemo; a a dire tshwanelo ya monna wa losika; e tlaa re fa a gana go go direla tshwanelo ya monna wa losika, foo ke tlaa go direla tshwanelo ya monna wa losika, jaaka Jehofa a tshedile; o robale go ya mosong.”

14 Mme a robala fa dinaong tsa gagwe go ya mosong; mme a tsoga bosigo bo ise bo se mo batho ba ka lemoganang gonne Boase o ne a rile: “A go se itsiwe fa mosadi yo a ne a tsile mo seboping.”

15 A re: “Lere kobo e e mo go wena o e tshegetse;” mme a e tshegetsa, a ela dielo di le thataro tsa barele, a di baya mo go ene; mme Ruthe a ya motseng.

16 E rile Ruthe a fitlha kwa go matsalaagwe, a re: “Go rileng, morwadiaka?” A mmolelela gotlhe mo monna yo o go mo diretseng.

17 Mme a re: “A nnaya dielo tse thataro tse, tsa barele; gonne a re: ‘O se ka wa ya go matsalaago o iphotlhere fela.’ ”

18 Foo a re: “Dula fela, morwadiaka, go tsamaye o itse ka fa go tlaa nnang ka gone, gonne monna yo ga a ketla a ikhutsisa, a ise a swetse selo se gompieno.”

4

1 Boase a ya kgotleng a dula gone. Mme bonang, monna wa losika yo o gaufi, yo Boase o ne a buile ka ga gagwe, a tla gone. A mo raya a re: “He, wena semangmang, fapoga, o tle go dula fa.” A fapoga, a dula.

2 A tsaya banna ba le some ba bagolwane ba motse a re: “Dulang fa”; mme ba dula.

3 A raya monna wa losika yo o gaufi ka go tsalwa a re: “Naomi, yo o bileng a tsile a tswa kwa lefatsheng la Moabe, o rekisa sebata sa lefatshe se e neng e le sa ngwanaa rra rona Elimeleke.

4 Ke gopotse go go loma tsebe ke re: A ko o se reke fa pele ga bone ba ba dutseng fa, le fa pele ga bagolwane ba batho ba gaetsho. Fa o rata go se rekolola o se rekolole; fa o gana go se rekolola, foo o mpolelele, gore ke tle ke itse; gonne ga go na ope yo o ka se rekololang kwa ntle ga gago; nna ke tla morago ga gago.” Mme a re: “Ke tla se rekolola.”

5 Foo Boase a re: “Tsatsing le o rekang lotlhagare mo seatleng sa ga Naomi, o na le go se reka le mo go Ruthe wa Momoabe, mosadi wa moswi, go tsosa leina la moswi mo bosweng jwa gagwe.”

6 Monna wa losika yo o gaufi, a re: “Ga nkake ka se ithekololela, nka tla ka senya jo e leng boswa jwa me; o itseele tshiamo ya me ya go rekolola; gonne nna ga nkake ka se rekolola.”

7 Gale mo Iseraele, mokgwa wa go rekolola le wa go ananya, go tlhomamisa dilo tsotlhe, e ne e le o: Motho o ne a tle a role setlhako, mme a se neye wa ga gabo; e ne e le one mokgwa wa go tlhomamisa mo Israele.

8 Monna wa losika yo o gaufi a raya Boase, a re: “A ko o se ithekele.” Mme a rola setlhako.

9 Boase a raya bagolwane, le batho botlhe, a re: “Lo basupi gompieno, fa ke rekile gotlhe mo e neng e le ga Elimeleke, le gotlhe mo e ne e le ga Kilione, le ga Mahelone, mo seatleng sa ga Naomi.

10 Gape Ruthe wa Momoabe, mosadi wa ga Mahelone, ke mo rekile gore a tle a nne mosadi wa me, go tsosa leina la moswi mo bosweng jwa gagwe, gore leina la moswi le se ka la kgaolwa la tswa mo baneng ba ga rraagwe, le mo kgotleng ya felo ga gagwe; lo basupi gompieno.”

11 Batho botlhe ba ba mo kgotleng le bagolwane botlhe ba re: “Re basupi, mosadi yo o tsileng mo ntlong ya gago, a Jehofa a mo dire jaaka Ragele le jaaka Lea, ba e leng bone ba agileng ntlo ya Iseraele ka bobedi jwa bone; o dire mo go tshwanetseng mo Eferatha, o bo o nne motho yo o itsegeng mo Bethelehema.

12 A ntlo ya gago e tshwane le ntlo ya ga Perese yo Tamare o ne a mmona le Juta, wa losika lo Jehofa o tlaa lo go nayang ka morweetsana yo.”

13 Jalo Boase a tsaya Ruthe a nna mosadi wa gagwe, mme a tsena kwa go ene; Jehofa a mo naya boimana, a bona ngwana wa mosimane.

14 Basadi ba raya Naomi ba re: “A go bakweng Jehofa, yo o sa go tlogelang gompieno o se na monna wa losika yo o gaufi ka go tsalwa, a leina la gagwe le itsege mo Iseraele.

15 O tlaa nna mo go wena morudisi wa botshelo, le mootli wa botsofe jwa gago; gonne ngwetsi wa gago, yo o go ratang, yo o molemo mo go wena bogolo go bana ba basimane basupa, o mmelege.”

16 Naomi a tsaya ngwana, a mmaya mo sehubeng sa gagwe, a nna mmelegi wa gagwe.

17 Basadi ba ga gabo ba mo raya leina ba re: “Naomi o tsaletswe ngwana wa mosimane”; ba mo raya leina ba re, Obete; ke ene rraagwe Jese rraagwe Dafite.

18 Tse ke dikokomana tsa ga Perese:

19 Perese a tsala Heserone; Heserone a tsala Rame, Rame a tsala Aminatabe;

20 Aminatabe a tsala Našone, Našone a tsala Salemone;

21 Salemone a tsala Boase, Boase a tsala Obete;

22 Obete a tsala Jese, mme Jese a tsala Dafite.