17 Wakhothoza-ke ensimini kwaze kwahlwa; wakubhula lokho abekukhothozile, kwakungathi i-efa* lebhali.*
18 Wakuthatha, wangena emzini; uninazala wabona lokho abekukhothozile; wakhipha, wamnika lokho akushiyile esesuthile.
19 Uninazala wathi kuye: “Ukhothozephi namuhla na? Usebenzephi? Makabusiswe lowo okunakileyo.”Wamtshela uninazala ukuthi ubesebenza kubani, wathi: “Igama lomuntu engisebenzile kuye namuhla linguBowazi.”
20 UNawomi wathi kumalokazana wakhe: “Makabusiswe nguJehova ongayekanga umusa wakhe kwabaphilileyo nakwabafileyo.” UNawomi wathi kuye: “Lowo muntu uyisihlobo sethu, ungowabahlengi bethu.”
21 URuthe wakwaMowabi wathi: “Yebo, wathi kimi: ‘Wonamathela kubafana bami, baze baqede konke ukuvuna kwami.’ ”
22 UNawomi wayesethi kuRuthe umalokazana wakhe: “Kuhle, ndodakazi yami, ukuba uphume namantombazana akhe, ungafikelwa kwenye insimu.”
23 Wayesenamathela-ke kuwo amantombazana kaBowazi ukukhothoza kwaze kwaba sekugcineni kokuvunwa kwebhali* nokukakolweni; wahlala-ke noninazala.