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.”