< Rite 3 >

1 Mokolo moko, Naomi, mama-bokilo ya Rite, alobaki na ye: — Mwana na ngai, nasengeli te koluka nzela mpo na bolamu na yo?
One day, Naomi said to Ruth, ‘My daughter, should I not seek to secure a home for you where you will be happy and prosperous?
2 Pamba te oyebi malamu ete Boazi, oyo osalaki elongo na basali na ye ya basi, azali ndeko na biso. Na pokwa ya lelo, akoyungola orje oyo basilaki kosopa na etando.
Is not Boaz, with whose girls you have been, a relative of ours?
3 Boye, sukola malamu nzoto na yo, pakola mafuta mpe lata bilamba na yo, oyo eleki kitoko. Bongo, okokende na etando epai wapi akobeta orje na ye; kasi sala ete Boazi ayeba te ete ozali na esika yango kino akosilisa kolia mpe komela.
Tonight he is going to winnow barley on the threshing-floor. So bathe and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing-floor. But do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
4 Tango akokende kolala, okotala malamu esika nini akozala. Sima, okopusana, okolongola elamba oyo ezipi makolo na ye mpe okomilalisa wana, na makolo na ye. Ye moko akoyebisa yo makambo oyo osengeli kosala.
Then when he lies down, mark the place where he lies. Go in, uncover his feet, lie down, and then he will tell you what to do.’
5 Rite azongiselaki ye: — Nakosala nyonso oyo oyebisi ngai.
‘I will do as you say.’ Ruth said to her.
6 Bongo Rite akendeki na etando mpe asalaki makambo nyonso oyo mama-bokilo na ye ayebisaki ye.
So she went down to the threshing-floor and did just as her mother-in-law told her.
7 Tango Boazi asilisaki kolia mpe komela, motema na ye ezalaki na esengo; akendeki kolala na suka ya mipiku ya orje. Bongo Rite apusanaki malembe-malembe, alongolaki elamba oyo ezipaki makolo ya Boazi mpe amilalisaki wana.
When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in a happy mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth came quietly and uncovered his feet and lay down.
8 Na kati-kati ya butu, tango Boazi ayokaki malili, aminyololaki mpe amonaki mwasi alali na makolo na ye.
At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and there was a woman lying at his feet!
9 Atunaki ye: — Yo ozali nani? Azongisaki: — Ezali ngai Rite, mwasi mosali na yo. Tanda songe ya elamba na yo kino epai na ngai, pamba te ozali na ndingisa ya kosikola.
‘Who are you?’ he said. ‘I am Ruth your servant,’ she answered, ‘Spread your cloak over your servant, for you are a near relative.’
10 Boazi azongiselaki ye: — Tika ete Yawe apambola yo, mwana na ngai ya mwasi! Bosembo oyo otalisi sik’oyo, ezali monene koleka bosembo oyo otalisaki liboso; pamba te otambolaki te sima na bilenge mibali, ezala bazwi to babola.
He said, ‘May you be blest by the Lord, my daughter. You have shown me greater favour now than at first, for you have not followed young men, whether poor or rich.
11 Mpe sik’oyo mwana na ngai ya mwasi, kobanga te; nakosalela yo nyonso oyo okosenga, pamba te bato nyonso ya esika oyo bayebi ete ozali mwasi ya malonga.
My daughter, have no fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for the whole town knows that you are a virtuous woman.
12 Sik’oyo, atako solo nazali na ndingisa ya kosikola, kasi ezali na mosikoli mosusu oyo azali pene na yo koleka ngai.
Now it is true that I am a near relative, but there is another man nearer than I.
13 Boye, lekisa butu awa; bongo lobi na tongo, tokotala soki moto yango akolinga kosikola yo. Soki akolinga, wana tika ye asikola yo; kasi soki aboyi, nalaki yo na Kombo na Yawe ete ngai nakosikola yo. Boye liboso ete tongo etana, lala awa.
Stay here tonight, and then in the morning, if he will perform for you the duty of a kinsman, well, let him do it. But if he will not perform for you the duty of a kinsman, then as surely as the Lord lives, I will do it for you. Lie down until morning.’
14 Boye Rite alalaki na makolo na ye mpe alamukaki na tongo-tongo, wana molili ezalaki nanu kopekisa bato komonana malamu; pamba te Boazi alobaki: « Moto moko te ayeba ete mwasi moko ayaki na etando oyo. »
So she lay at his feet until morning, but rose before anyone could recognise her, for Boaz said, ‘No one must know that a woman came to the threshing-floor.’
15 Liboso ete akende, Boazi ayebisaki ye: « Pesa ngai elamba oyo olati, simba yango malamu. » Wana Rite asimbaki yango malamu, Boazi atielaki ye bakilo pene tuku mibale ya orje mpe asungaki ye mpo na kotombola mpe kotia yango na moto. Mpe Rite azongaki na engumba.
He also said, ‘Bring the cloak which you have on and hold it.’ So she held it while he poured into it six measures of barley and laid it on her shoulders. Then he went into the city.
16 Tango Rite akomaki epai ya mama-bokilo na ye, Naomi atunaki ye: — Mwana na ngai ya mwasi, makambo eleki ndenge nini? Boye Rite ayebisaki ye makambo oyo Boazi asalaki mpo na ye.
When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, ‘Is it you, my daughter?’ Then Ruth told Naomi all that the man had done for her.
17 Mpe abakisaki: « Apesaki ngai kutu bakilo tuku mibale ya orje oyo, pamba te ayebisaki ngai: ‹ Kozonga maboko pamba te epai ya mama-bokilo na yo. › »
‘He gave me these six measures of barley,’ she said, ‘for he said I should not go to my mother-in-law empty-handed.’
18 Bongo Naomi alobaki na ye: — Sik’oyo mwana na ngai ya mwasi, vanda awa kino okomona ndenge makambo oyo ekosuka; pamba te mobali wana akozala na kimia te kino akosilisa likambo oyo, kaka na mokolo ya lelo.
‘Wait quietly, my daughter.’ Naomi said, ‘Until you know how the affair will turn out, for the man will not rest unless he settles it all today.’

< Rite 3 >