< Ruth 4 >

1 Boaz went to the town gate, and sat down there. The family redeemer that Boaz had mentioned happened to pass by, so Boaz said to him, “Come over here, friend, and sit down.” The man came over and sat down.
Kusenjalo uBhowazi waya esangweni ledolobho wahlala lapho. Kwathi isihlobo esihlengayo ayekhulume ngaso sisedlula lapho, uBhowazi wathi, “Woza lapha mngane wami, uhlale phansi.” Waya kuye wahlala phansi.
2 Then Boaz selected ten of the town elders and asked them to sit there with them.
UBhowazi wabiza abadala bakulelodolobho abalitshumi wathi, “Hlalani lapha,” benza njalo.
3 Boaz said to the family redeemer, “Naomi who has returned from the country of Moab is selling the piece of land that belonged to Elimelech, our relative.
Wasesithi esihlotsheni esihlengayo, “UNawomi osebuyile evela eMowabi uthengisa isiqinti esasingesomnewethu u-Elimeleki.
4 I decided I should tell you in case you want to buy it here in the presence of these elders of the people. If you want to redeem it, then go ahead. But it you don't, then tell me so I'll know, because you are first in line to redeem it, and I'm next.” “I want to redeem it,” said the family redeemer.
Ngibone kufanele ukuthi ngilethe loludaba kuwe njalo ngicebise ukuthi usithenge phambi kwabo laba abahlezi lapha laphambi kwabadala bakithi. Nxa usihlenga, yenza njalo. Kodwa nxa ungasihlengi ungazise. Phela kakho olelungelo lokwenza lokho ngaphandle kwakho, besekulandela mina.” Yena wathi, “Ngizasihlenga.”
5 “When you buy the land from Naomi you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon's widow, so you can marry her and have children with her to ensure the man's line continues,” Boaz explained.
UBhowazi wasesithi, “Mhla uthenga umhlabathi kuNawomi loRuthe umʼMowabi, uzazuza lomfelokazi womufi, ukuze umise ibizo lomufi kanye lempahla yakhe.”
6 “Well, I can't do it then,” the family redeemer replied. “If I were to redeem it, that could jeopardize what I already own. You redeem it for yourself, because I can't.”
Sikuzwa lokho, isihlobo esingumhlengi sathi, “Angingeke-ke ngisihlenge ngoba sekungonakala okwelifa lami. Sihlenge wena ngokwakho. Mina anganelisi.”
7 (Now during those times it was the custom in Israel to confirm the action of family redeemer, property transfer, or any similar legal matter by removing a sandal and handing it over. This was the way of validating a transaction in Israel.)
(Ngalezonsuku zakuqala ko-Israyeli, ukuze umkhuba wokuhlenga impahla zisuka komunye zisiya komunye uphelele, oyedwa wayekhupha inyathela lakhe aliphe omunye. Le yayiyindlela yokuqinisa isivumelwano ko-Israyeli.)
8 So the family redeemer took off his sandal and told Boaz, “You buy it.”
Ngakho isihlobo esihlengayo sakhupha inyathela laso sathi kuBhowazi, “Sithenge wena.”
9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people present, “You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion.
UBhowazi wasebika ebadaleni lakubo bonke abantu wathi, “Lamhlanje lingofakazi bokuthi sengithengile kuNawomi yonke impahla ka-Elimeleki, loKhiliyoni loMaheloni.
10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon's widow, as my wife. By having children who may inherit his property his name will be kept alive in his family and in his home town. You are witnesses of this today.”
LoRuthe umʼMowabi, umfelokazi kaMaheloni sengimzuzile ukuba abe ngumkami, ukuze kugcinakale ibizo lomufi kanye lempahla yakhe, lokuze ibizo lakhe linganyamalali emulini loba embalini yomuzi. Lingofakazi lamhlanje!”
11 The elders and all the people present at the town gate said, “Yes, we are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah who between them gave birth to the people of Israel. May you become prosperous in Ephrathah, and famous in Bethlehem.
Abadala kanye labo bonke ababesesangweni bathi, “Singofakazi. Sengathi uThixo angenza owesifazane ozayo emzini wakho abe njengoRasheli loLeya, abayakhayo indlu ka-Israyeli bendawonye. Sengathi ungahlonitshwa e-Efrathi ube lodumo eBhethilehema.
12 May your descendants the Lord gives you through this young woman become like the descendants of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah.”
Ngenzalo uThixo azakunika yona ngalo owesifazane, sengathi imuli yakho ingaba njengekaPherezi, uThamari ayizalela uJuda.”
13 Boaz took Ruth home, and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the Lord arranged for her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.
UBhowazi wamthatha uRuthe waba ngumkakhe. Wembatha laye, uThixo wenza wakhulelwa, wasezala indodana.
14 The women of the town came to Naomi and said, “Praise the Lord, for today he didn't leave you without a family redeemer by giving you this grandson—may he become famous throughout Israel.
Abesifazane bathi kuNawomi, “Kadunyiswe uThixo, yena ongakutshiyanga wasala ungelasihlobo esihlengayo. Sengathi angaba lodumo kulolonke elako-Israyeli!
15 He will give you a new lease of life and provide for you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better than seven sons to you, has given birth to him.”
Uzakwenza impilo yakho ibentsha, akulondoloze ebudaleni bakho. Ngoba umalukazana wakho, yena okuthandayo njalo ongcono kulamadodana ayisikhombisa, usemuphe inzalo.”
16 Naomi picked up the child and hugged him. She looked after him like her own son.
UNawomi wasethatha umntwana, wamanga, wamondla.
17 The neighbor women named him Obed, saying “Naomi now has a son!” He was the father of Jesse who was the father of David.
Abesifazane ababehlala lapho bathi, “UNawomi uselendodana.” Bamutha ibizo bathi ngu-Obhedi. Nguye owaba nguyise kaJese, uyise kaDavida.
18 This is the family line of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron.
Lesi yiso isizukulwane sikaPherezi: uPherezi wayenguyise kaHezironi,
19 Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab.
uHezironi enguyise kaRamu, uRamu enguyise ka-Aminadabi,
20 Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
u-Aminadabi enguyise kaNahashoni, uNahashoni enguyise kaSalimoni,
21 Salmon was the father of Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed.
uSalimoni enguyise kaBhowazi, uBhowazi enguyise ka-Obhedi,
22 Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David.
u-Obhedi enguyise kaJese, uJese enguyise kaDavida.

< Ruth 4 >