< Ruth 4 >

1 Ndipo Boazi akaenda kwenye lango la Bethelehemu na kukaa chini. Muda mfupi tu akaja ndugu wa karibu ambaye Boazi alimuongelea. Boazi akamwambia, “Rafiki yangu, njoo hapa na uketi. Kisha mtu huyo akaja na kuketi.
Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
2 Ndipo Boazi akakusanya viongozi kumi wa mji na kusema, “Katini hapa.” Hivyo wakaketi.
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit all of you down here. And they sat down.
3 Boazi alimwambia yule jamaa wa karibu, “Naomi aliyerudi kutoka mji wa Moabu, anauza sehemu ya aridhi ambayo ilikuwa ni miliki ya kaka yetu Elimeleki.
And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that has come again out of the country of Moab, sells a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:
4 Nilifikiria kukujulisha na kukwambia, 'Inunue mbele ya hawa waliokaa hapa, na mbele ya viongozi wa watu wangu.' Ikiwa utapenda kuikomboa, ikomboe. Lakini ikiwa hauhitaji kuikomboa, uniambie, ili nijue, kwa kuwa hakuna mwingine wa kuikomboa isipokuwa wewe, na mimi ni mdogo wako.” Ndipo huyo mtu mwingine akasema, “Nitalikomboa.”
And I thought to advertise you, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it: but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside you; and I am after you. And he said, I will redeem it.
5 Kisha Boazi akasema, “Ile siku utakayonunua shamba kutoka mkononi mwa Naomi, yakupasa pia kumchukua Ruth Mmoabu, mjane wa mtoto wa Elimeleki, ili kuliinua jina la marehemu kama urithi wake.”
Then said Boaz, What day you buy the field of the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
6 Ndipo yule jamaa wa karibu akasema, “Mimi siwezi kuikomboa ardhi kwa ajili yangu bila kuleta athari kwenye urithi wangu binafsi. Nakupa wewe haki ya kuikomboa kwa ajili yako mwenyewe, kwa kuwa mimi sitoweza.”
And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin mine own inheritance: redeem you my right to yourself; for I cannot redeem it.
7 Hii ilikuwa ni desturi ya zamani ya Israeli kuhusu ukombozi na kubadilishana mazuri. Kudhibitisha mambo haya yote, mtu huyu alivua kiatu chake na kumpatia jirani yake; hii ilikuwa ni namna ya kufanya makubaliano ya kisheria katika Israeli.
Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, in order to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.
8 Kwa hiyo huyu jamaa wa karibu akamwambia Boazi, “Inunue mwenyewe.” Kisha akavua kiatu chake.
Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for you. So he drew off his shoe.
9 Ndipo Boazi akawaambia viongozi na watu wote, “Ninyi ni mashaidi kuwa nimenunua kila kilichokuwa cha Elimeleki na kila kilichokuwa na Kileoni na Mahilon kutoka kwenye mikono ya Naomi.
And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, All of you are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
10 Zaidi ya hayo kumhusu Ruth Mmoabu, mke wa Mahlon: nimempa kibali cha kuwa mke wangu, ili kuendeleza jina na urithi wa marehumu, ili kwamba jina lake lisipotee kati ya ndugu zake na lango la watu wake. Ninyi ni mashahidi leo.”
Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: all of you are witnesses this day.
11 Watu wote na viongozi waliokuwa katika lango, walisema, “Tu mashahidi. Yahweh amfanye mwanamke huyu ambaye amekuja nyumbani kwako kama Raheli na Leya, ambao wawili hawa wameijenga nyumba ya Israeli. Na ubarikiwe katika Efrata na kuwa mashuhuri katika Bethelehem.
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that has come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do you worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
12 Na nyumba yako kama nyumba ya Peres, ambaye Tamari alimzalia yuda, kupitia uzao ambao Yahweh atakupatia pamoja na msichana huyu.”
And let your house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give you of this young woman.
13 Hivyo Boazi alimchukua Ruth, na akawa mke wake. Boazi alilala naye, na Yahweh alimruhusu kupata mimba, na alizaa mtoto wa kiume.
So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.
14 Wanamke huyu akamwambia Naomi, “Yahweh abarikiwe, ambaye hajakuacha bila ndugu wa karibu, yaani mtoto huyu. Jina lake na liwe maarufu katika Israeli.
And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which has not left you this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.
15 Na awe kwako mrutubishaji wa maisha na mwenye ruzuku uzeeni mwako, kwa kuwa mtoto wako mkwe, ambaye anakupenda, ambaye ni bora kwako kuliko watoto wa kiume saba, amemzaa.
And he shall be unto you a restorer of your life, and a nourisher of your old age: for your daughter in law, which loves you, which is better to you than seven sons, has born him.
16 Kisha naomi akamchukua mtoto, akamlaza kifuani pake, na kumhudumia.
And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
17 Na majirani wa yule mwanamke, wakampa jina, wakisema, “Mtoto amezaliwa kwa Naomi.” Wakawita Obedi. Ambaye alikuja kuwa baba yake na Jese, ambaye alikuja kuwa baba yake na Daudi.
And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 Hiki kilikuwa ni kizazi cha Peresi: Peres alimzaa Hezroni,
Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez brings forth Hezron,
19 Hezroni akamzaa Ram, Ram akamzaa Aminadabu,
And Hezron brings forth Ram, and Ram brings forth Amminadab,
20 Aminadabu akamzaa Nashon, Nashon akamzaa Salmon,
And Amminadab brings forth Nahshon, and Nahshon brings forth Salmon,
21 Salmon akamzaa Boazi, Boazi akamzaa Obed,
And Salmon brings forth Boaz, and Boaz brings forth Obed,
22 Obedi akamzaa Jese, na Jese akamzaa Daudi.
And Obed brings forth Jesse, and Jesse brings forth David.

< Ruth 4 >