Rut 1
1 Bere a na atemmufo di Israel so no, ɔkɔm baa asase no so. Ɔbarima bi a ofi Betlehem wɔ Yuda ne ne yere ne ne mmabarima baanu tutu fii asase no so kɔtenaa 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 Na ɔbarima no din de Elimelek na ne yere nso din de Naomi. Ne mmabarima baanu no nso, na wɔn din de Mahlon ne Kilion. Wɔyɛ Efratifo a wofi Betlehem wɔ Yuda. Wɔkɔɔ Moab kɔtenaa hɔ.
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 Ɛbaa sɛ Naomi kunu Elimelek wu ma ɛkaa ne mmabarima baanu no.
Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons,
4 Wɔwarewaree Moabfo mmea. Na ɔbaako din de Orpa na nea ɔka ho no nso din de Rut. Wɔtenaa hɔ bɛyɛ sɛ mfe du no,
who married Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years,
5 Mahlon ne Kilion nso wuwui. Enti ɛmaa Naomi tenaa ase a wahwere ne mmabarima baanu no ne ne kunu.
Mahlon and Chilion both died, and Naomi was left alone, without husband or sons.
6 Bere a ɔtee wɔ Moab hɔ sɛ Awurade abɛdom ne nkurɔfo a wɔwɔ Yuda na wama wɔn aduan no, Naomi ne ne nsenom yi yɛɛ ahoboa sɛ wɔrefi Moab asan akɔ ne kurom.
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 Ɔne ne nsenom baanu yi tutu fii beae hɔ faa kwan a ɛde wɔn bɛkɔ akosi Yuda so.
As they were setting out together on the journey to Judah,
8 Afei, Naomi ka kyerɛɛ ne nsenom yi se, “Monsan nkɔ mo nanom fi. Awurade ne mo nni no yiye sɛnea mo ne awufo ne me dii no yiye no.
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 Awurade mmoa mo mu biara na onya ɔhome wɔ okunu foforo fi.” Afei, ofifew wɔn ano na wɔn nyinaa maa wɔn nne so sui.
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 Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Naomi se, “Yɛne wo bɛsan akɔ wo nkurɔfo nkyɛn.”
and said to her, ‘No, we will return with you to your people.’
11 Nanso Naomi kae se, “Me mma, monsan nkɔ fie. Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ mo ne me kɔ? Merekɔwo mmabarima bio a wobetumi awareware mo ana?
But Naomi said, ‘Go back, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Can I still bear sons who might become your husbands?
12 Me mma, monsan nkɔ fie. Manyin, sɛ meware kunu bio a, ɛrenyɛ yiye. Mpo, sɛ midwen sɛ anidaso bi wɔ hɔ ma me sɛ nso anadwo yi ara minya okunu na me ne no wo mmabarima a,
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 mobɛtwɛn kosi sɛ wobenyinyin? Mobɛtena atwɛn wɔn ana? Dabi, me mma. Asɛm no yɛ den ma me sen mo, efisɛ Awurade ayi ne nsa afi me so!”
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 Wɔsan twaa adwo bio. Afei, Orpa few nʼase ano de gyaa no kwan, nanso Rut bebaree Naomi sɛ ɔne no bɛtena.
Then they again wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth stayed with her.
15 Nanso Naomi ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Hwɛ, wo kora asan kɔ ne nkurɔfo ne nʼanyame nkyɛn. Ɛsɛ sɛ wo nso woyɛ saa ara.”
‘Look,’ said Naomi, ‘your sister-in-law is going back to her own people and to her own gods. Go along with her!’
16 Na Rut buae se, “Nhyɛ me sɛ mimfi wo nkyɛn nsan nkɔ. Baabiara a wobɛkɔ no, mɛkɔ hɔ bi na baabiara a wobɛtena no nso, mɛtena hɔ bi. Wo nkurɔfo bɛyɛ me nkurɔfo na wo Nyankopɔn ayɛ me Nyankopɔn.
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 Baabi a wubewu no, mewu hɔ bi na wɔasie me hɔ. Sɛ mamma owu antetew me ne wo ntam na ɛnam biribi foforo biara so a, Awurade ntwe mʼaso.”
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 Enti Naomi huu sɛ Rut ayɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔne no bɛkɔ no, ogyaa ne pɛ maa no.
When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she ceased urging her to return.
19 Ɛno nti, wɔn baanu no toaa wɔn akwantu no so. Bere a woduu Betlehem no, wɔn nti kurow mu no nyinaa bɔɔ twi. Mmea no bisae se, “Naomi ni ana?”
So they journeyed on until they came to Bethlehem. Their arrival stirred the whole town, and the women said, ‘Can this be Naomi?’
20 Ɔkae se, “Mommfrɛ me Naomi, na mmom, momfrɛ me Mara, efisɛ Awurade ama asetena ayɛ nwen ama me.
‘Do not call me Naomi,’ she said to them, ‘call me Mara, for the Almighty has given me a bitter lot.
21 Merefi ha akɔ no na mewɔ biribiara, nanso Awurade de me aba fie nsapan. Adɛn nti na mofrɛ me Naomi wɔ bere a Awurade ama mahu amane na Otumfo de saa abɛbrɛsɛ yi aba me so?”
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 Enti Naomi fi Moab bae a, nʼase Rut, Moabni babun ka ne ho. Woduu Betlehem atokotwa bere mfiase no mu.
So Naomi and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, returned from Moab. They reached Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
