1 Wenjenjeya uBhowazi ukusinga kwindawo yembizo ngasemasangweni omzi, wafika wahlala phantsi. Esahleli apho, kwathi gqi isizalwana sikaElimeleki esingumkhululi, esiya wayethethe ngaso kuRute, wasibiza esithi: “Khawuz' apha, mfondini, uhlale phantsi.”Siyile ke, safika sahlala phantsi,
2 waza uBhowazi wabiza ishumi lamadoda amakhulu omzi, wathi kuwo: “Khanikhe nithi nqwadalala apha.” Enjenjalo ke.
3 UBhowazi wabhekisa kwisizalwana sakhe esingumkhululi wenjenje: “UNawomi obuyileyo eMowabhi ufuna ukuwuthengisa lowa mhlaba womntakwethu uElimeleki.
4 Ndithe lo mbandela ndokha ndiwuphalaze kuwe apha phambi kwaba bantu balapha kunye nala madoda makhulu akowethu, ndiqonde ukuba uyawuthatha na. Ukuba uyawuthatha, wuthathe; kodwa ukuba akuwuthathi, ndixelele. Kaloku akukho mntu unelungelo ngaphezu kwakho; nkqu nam ndilandela wena.”“Hayi, ndiza kuyithatha loo ntsimi,” watsho loo mfo.
5 UBhowazi wathi: “Uze uqonde ukuba mhla wathatha laa ntsimi kuNawomi uthatha noRute, umka-mfi, ukuze lingaze licime igama lakhe kwilifa lakhe.”
6 Uthe loo mfo: “Xa kunjalo ke mna andizi kuyithatha loo ntsimi, kuba ndiya kuba ndizifaka engxakini yokubeka umzi wam esichengeni. Ungayithatha wena; mna andinako.”
7 Ngaloo maxesha xa kuthengiswa okanye kunananiselwana umthengisi wayekhulula imbadada, anike umthengi. Ayebonakalisa ngaloo ndlela amaSirayeli ukuba umcimbi ugqityiwe.
8 Wathi ke lo mfo akuthi kuBhowazi: “Yithathe,” watsho ekhulula imbadada yakhe.
9 UBhowazi ubhekise kwababelapho kunye namadoda amakhulu, wathi: “Namhlanje nonke ningamangqina okuba namhla ndithathe konke okukaElimeleki kuNawomi. Nditsho nokukaKiliyon noMalon oonyana bakhe.
10 Ngaphezu koko umka-Malon, umMowabhikazi uRute, uza kuba ngumkam. Loo nto iya kwenza ukuba izinto zikamfi zihlale zizezakubo, lize negama lakhe lingaze licime kumawabo nasezimbalini zakowabo. Ningamangqina aloo nto ke namhlanje.”
11 Amadoda amakhulu nabo bonke ababelapho ngasemasangweni bavuma bathi: “Singamangqina. *UNdikhoyo ubenga angamenza lo mfazi umthathayo afuze ooRakeli noLeya, bona bayakhayo indlu kaSirayeli. Nawe sikunqwenelela iwonga phakathi kwabemi base-Efrata, igama lakho libe nodumo eBhetelehem.
12 Ngenzala oya kuyinikwa nguNdikhoyo ngalo mfazi yanga indlu yakho ingafana nekaPerezi unyana kaJuda ngoTamare.”
13 UBhowazi ke wamthatha uRute waba ngumfazi wakhe. *UNdikhoyo wamthamsanqelisa, wamitha, wazala umntwana oyinkwenkwe.
14 Abafazi balapho bathi kuNawomi: “Makabongwe uNdikhoyo ngokukupha umzukulwana onokujonga kuye! Belinga lingaba nodumo igama lakhe kwaSirayeli!
15 Uya kubuhlaziya ubomi bakho, akulondoloze ekwaluphaleni kwakho. Umzalelwe ngumolokazana wakho okuthandayo noxabiso lakhe kuwe ligqitha ixabiso loonyana abasixhenxe.”
16 Wamfunqula loo mntwana uNawomi, wamsingatha, waba yimpelesi yakhe.
17 Abafazi balapho bathi: “UNawomi unomntwana oyinkwenkwe.” Baza bamthiya igama, bathi nguObhedi.UObhedi yena ngulo wazala uJese uyise kaDavide.
18 Nguwo ke lo umlibo osuka kuPerezi use kuDavide: UPerezi uzele uHezeron; uHezeron uzele uRam;
19 uRam uzele uAminadabhi;
20 uAminadabhi uzele uNashon; uNashon uzele uSalman;
21 uSalman uzele uBhowazi; uBhowazi uzele uObhedi;
22 uObhedi uzele uJese; uJese uzele uDavide.