< Luusi 1 >

1 Awo olwatuuka mu nnaku ezo abalamuzi ze baafugiramu, enjala n’egwa mu nsi. Awo omusajja ow’e Besirekemu mu Yuda ne mukazi we, ne batabani be bombi, ne basengukira mu nsi ya Mowaabu.
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 Erinnya ly’omusajja yali Erimereki, erya mukazi we Nawomi, n’amannya ga batabani be bombi, Maloni ne Kiriyoni. Baali Bayefulaasi ab’e Besirekemu mu Yuda, bwe baatuuka mu nsi ya Mowaabu, ne babeera omwo.
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 Naye Erimereki bba wa Nawomi n’afa; nnamwandu Nawomi n’asigalawo ne batabani be bombi.
Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons,
4 Batabani be baawasa ku bakazi Abamowaabu, omu Olupa, n’omulala Luusi, ne babeera eyo okumala emyaka nga kkumi.
who married Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years,
5 Oluvannyuma Maloni ne Kiriyoni ne bafa, Nawomi n’asigala nga talina baana wadde bba.
Mahlon and Chilion both died, and Naomi was left alone, without husband or sons.
6 Bwe yawulira ng’ali mu nsi ya Mowaabu nti Mukama Katonda yajjira abantu be n’abawa emmere, n’agolokoka ne baka baana be okuddayo mu Isirayiri.
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 Ye ne baka baana be, ne bava mu kifo mwe baali, ne bakwata ekkubo okuddayo mu nsi ya Yuda.
As they were setting out together on the journey to Judah,
8 Awo Nawomi n’agamba baka baana be nti, “Mugende muddeeyo buli muntu mu nnyumba ya nnyina, era Mukama Katonda abakolere ebyekisa, nga nammwe bwe mwakolera abaafa era ne bye mwakolera nze.
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 Mukama Katonda abawe omukisa era buli omu ku mmwe, amuwe omusajja omulala.” N’alyoka abanywegera, nabo ne bayimusa amaloboozi gaabwe, ne bakaaba amaziga,
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 nga bagamba nti, “Nedda, tuligenda naawe ng’oddayo eri abantu bo.”
and said to her, ‘No, we will return with you to your people.’
11 Naye Nawomi n’abagamba nti, “Muddeeyo ewammwe bawala bange. Kiki ekibaagaza okugenda nange? Sikyasobola kuzaala baana balala bafuuke babba mmwe.
But Naomi said, ‘Go back, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Can I still bear sons who might become your husbands?
12 Mweddireyo ewammwe, bawala bange, kubanga nze nkaddiye nnyo sikyafumbirwa. Ne bwe nnandifumbiddwa ne nzaala abaana aboobulenzi;
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 mwandibalindiridde okutuusa lwe bandikuze nga temunnafumbirwa? Nedda, bawala bange. Nnumwa nnyo okusinga mmwe, kubanga omukono gwa Mukama Katonda tegubadde nange.”
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 Bwe baawulira ekyo, ne baddamu okukaaba. Awo Olupa n’anywegera nnyazaala we, n’amusiibula. Naye Luusi namunywererako ddala.
Then they again wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth stayed with her.
15 Awo Nawomi bwe yalaba ekyo, namugamba nti, “Laba, munno azzeeyo eri abantu be ne balubaale be, naawe kwata ekkubo omugoberere.”
‘Look,’ said Naomi, ‘your sister-in-law is going back to her own people and to her own gods. Go along with her!’
16 Naye Luusi n’amwegayirira ng’agamba nti, “Tompaliriza kukuvaako, wadde obutakugoberera, kubanga gy’onoogendanga, nange gye nnaagendanga, gy’onooberanga, nange gye nnaaberanga, era abantu bo be banaabanga abantu bange, era ne Katonda wo y’anaaberanga Katonda wange.
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 Gy’olifiira nange gye ndifiira era eyo gye balinziika. Mukama Katonda ankangavvule nnyo bwe ndyawukana naawe wabula mpozi okufa.”
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 Awo Nawomi bwe yalaba nga Luusi amaliridde okugenda naye, n’atayongerako kigambo kirala.
When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she ceased urging her to return.
19 Oluvannyuma bombi ne batambula okutuuka e Besirekemu. Bwe batuuka e Besirekemu, ekibuga kyonna ne kisasamala ku lwabwe, era abakazi ne beebuuza nti, “Ddala ono ye Nawomi?”
So they journeyed on until they came to Bethlehem. Their arrival stirred the whole town, and the women said, ‘Can this be Naomi?’
20 Bwe yawulira ekyo, n’abaddamu nti, “Temumpita Nawomi, naye mumpite Mala, kubanga Ayinzabyonna yalumya obulamu bwange n’okukaawa bunkayiridde.
‘Do not call me Naomi,’ she said to them, ‘call me Mara, for the Almighty has given me a bitter lot.
21 Nagenda nnina ebintu bingi, naye Mukama Katonda ankomezzaawo nga sirina kantu, kale lwaki mumpita Nawomi? Mukama ambonerezza. Ayinzabyonna yandeetera okubonaabona.”
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 Bw’atyo Nawomi n’akomawo e Besirekemu, okuva mu Mowaabu ne muka mwana we Luusi Omumowaabu, mu kiseera eky’okukungula sayiri nga kyakatandika.
So Naomi and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, returned from Moab. They reached Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

< Luusi 1 >