< Rut 1 >

1 Nʼoge ndị ahụ, mgbe ndị ikpe na-achị, oke ụnwụ dara nʼala Izrel. Nʼihi ụnwụ a, otu nwoke, onye Betlehem, obodo dị na Juda, kwakọọrọ ihe ya niile, duru nwunye ya, na ụmụ ya ndị ikom abụọ, hapụ obodo ya gaa biri dịka ọbịa nʼala Moab.
In the time when the judges ruled, there was once a famine in the land. A man from Bethlehem in Judah took his wife and two sons to live in the territory of Moab.
2 Aha nwoke a bụ Elimelek. Aha nwunye ya bụ Naomi, ma aha ụmụ ya ndị ikom abụọ bụ Mahlọn na Kilịọn. Ha bụ ndị Efrat si Betlehem nke dị na Juda. Ha bịarutere nʼala Moab biri nʼebe ahụ.
His name was Elimelech and his wife’s was Naomi, and his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. After they had been living in Moab for some time,
3 Ma Elimelek di Naomi nwụrụ, hapụ naanị Naomi, na ụmụ ya ndị ikom abụọ.
Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons,
4 Ha lụrụ ndị nwunye site nʼetiti ndị inyom Moab. Aha nke mbụ bụ Ọpa, ebe aha nke abụọ bụ Rut. Ha biri nʼebe ahụ ihe dị ka afọ iri.
who married Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years,
5 Mahlọn na Kilịọn mechara nwụọ. Ya mere, Naomi ghọrọ onye gba aka di, na onye gba aka ụmụ.
Mahlon and Chilion both died, and Naomi was left alone, without husband or sons.
6 Mgbe Naomi nọ nʼala Moab nụ na Onyenwe anyị eletala ndị Izrel site nʼinye ha ihe oriri, Naomi na ndị nwunye ụmụ ya abụọ kwadoro ịlaghachi azụ nʼala Izrel.
So she set out with her daughters-in-law to return from the land of Moab, for she had heard that the Lord had remembered his people and given them food.
7 Ya mere, Naomi na ndị nwunye ụmụ ya abụọ hapụrụ ala Moab ebe ha bi kemgbe, malite ịgbaso ụzọ ha ga-esi laghachi nʼala Juda.
As they were setting out together on the journey to Judah,
8 Mgbe ahụ, Naomi gwara ndị nwunye ụmụ ya abụọ okwu sị ha, “Ngwa, onye ọbụla nʼime unu laghachi nʼụlọ nne ya. Ka Onyenwe anyị gosi unu obiọma dịka unu si gosi mụ onwe m, na ndị unu nwụrụ anwụ.
Naomi said to her daughters-in-law, ‘Go, return both of you to the home of your mother. May the Lord be kind to you as you have been kind to the dead and to me.
9 Ka Onyenwe anyị nyekwa unu di ọzọ ma meekwa ka unu chọta udo nʼezinaụlọ ọzọ.” Mgbe ahụ Naomi suturu ha ọnụ, ha niile kwara akwa.
The Lord grant that each of you may find peace and happiness in the house of a new husband.’ Then she kissed them; but they began to weep aloud
10 Ma Ọpa na Rut zara Naomi sị ya, “E, anyị agaghị ala. Anyị ga-esoro gị laghachikwuru ndị gị.”
and said to her, ‘No, we will return with you to your people.’
11 Naomi zara sị ha, “Laghachinụ ụmụ m, ọ bụ nʼihi gịnị ka unu ga-eji soro m laa? E nwere m ike ịmụta ụmụ ndị ikom ọzọ ndị ga-abụ di unu?
But Naomi said, ‘Go back, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Can I still bear sons who might become your husbands?
12 Laghachinụ azụ ụmụ m. Emeela m agadi ịlụ di ọzọ. A sịkwarị na olileanya fọdụụrụ m ịlụ di na ịmụta ụmụ ndị ikom nʼabalị taa,
Go back, my daughters, go your own way, because I am too old to have a husband. Even if I should say, “I have hope,” even if I should have a husband tonight and should bear sons,
13 unu ga-echere ruo mgbe ha tolitere? Unu ga-anọ na-alụghị di ọzọ? Mba, ụmụ m ndị inyom, ọnọdụ m dị ilu karịa nke unu, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị esepụtala aka ya imegide m.”
would you wait for them until they were grown up? Would you remain single for them? No, my daughters! My heart grieves for you, for the Lord has sent me adversity.’
14 Ha welitere olu ha kwaa akwa ọzọ. Mgbe ahụ Ọpa suturu nne di ya ọnụ ma Rut kwusịrị ike nʼebe ọ nọ.
Then they again wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth stayed with her.
15 Ma Naomi gwara ya sị, “Lee, nwunye nwanne di gị alaghachikwurula ndị nwe ya na chi ya niile, soro ya laa.”
‘Look,’ said Naomi, ‘your sister-in-law is going back to her own people and to her own gods. Go along with her!’
16 Ma Rut zara, “Akwagidela m ka m hapụ gị, maọbụ ime ka m site nʼiso gị chigharịa. Aga m esoro gị gaa ebe ọbụla ị na-aga. Aga m esokwa gị biri nʼebe ọbụla ị ga-ebi; ndị gị ga-abụ ndị m, Chineke gị ga-abụkwa Chineke m,
But Ruth answered, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or to go back. I will go where you go, and I will stay wherever you stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God;
17 ebe ị nwụrụ ka m ga-anwụ, ebe ahụ kwa ka a ga-eli m. Ka Onyenwe anyị mesoo m mmeso, otu ọbụla mmeso ahụ si dị njọ, ma ọ bụrụ na m ekwere ka ihe ọzọ, ma ọ bụghị ọnwụ, kewaa mụ na gị.”
I will die where you die, and be buried there. May the Lord bring a curse upon me, if anything but death separate you and me.’
18 Mgbe Naomi hụrụ na Rut ekpebiela nʼime onwe ya iso ya, ọ kwụsịrị ịgwa ya okwu ọzọ.
When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she ceased urging her to return.
19 Ya mere, ha abụọ gagidere ije rute Betlehem. Mgbe ha batara Betlehem, obodo ahụ mere mkpọtụ, nʼihi nlọta ha. Ndị inyom jụrụ sị, “Ọ bụ Naomi bụ nke a nʼezie?”
So they journeyed on until they came to Bethlehem. Their arrival stirred the whole town, and the women said, ‘Can this be Naomi?’
20 Ma Naomi zara ha sị, “Unu akpọkwala m Naomi, kama kpọọnụ m Mara, nʼihi na Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile emeela ka ndụ m jupụta nʼihe ilu.
‘Do not call me Naomi,’ she said to them, ‘call me Mara, for the Almighty has given me a bitter lot.
21 Aka m juru eju mgbe m si nʼebe a pụọ, ma Onyenwe anyị emeela ka m gbara aka lọta. Gịnị mere unu ji akpọ m Naomi ebe ọ bụ na Onyenwe anyị gbakụtara m azụ, ebe ọ bụ na Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile mere ka nsogbu dakwasị m.”
I had plenty when I left, but the Lord has brought me back empty handed. Why should you call me Naomi, now that the Lord has afflicted me, and the Almighty has brought misfortune on me?’
22 Otu a ka Naomi na Rut onye Moab bụ nwunye nwa ya si laghachi nʼala Juda. Oge ha ji lọbata nʼobodo Betlehem bụ oge a na-amalite ịghọ ọka balị.
So Naomi and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, returned from Moab. They reached Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

< Rut 1 >