1
Kisha Naomi akamwambia mkwewe, Je! Mwanangu, si vizuri nikutafutie raha, ili upate mema?
One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek a resting place for you, that it may be well with you?
2
Basi na huyu Boazi, je! Siye wa mbari yetu, ambaye ulikuwapo pamoja na wasichana wake? Tazama, usiku wa leo atakuwa akipepeta shayiri pale ugani.
Now is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been working, a relative of ours? In fact, tonight he is winnowing barley on the threshing floor.
3
Basi wewe oga, ujipake mafuta ujivike mavazi yako, kisha uende kwenye uga; walakini usijionyeshe kwake mtu yule, ila atakapokwisha kula na kunywa.
Therefore wash yourself, put on perfume, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but do not let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.
4
Nayo itakuwa wakati atakapolala, utapaangalia mahali alalapo, nawe uingie, uifunue miguu yake ujilaze hapo; na yeye atakuambia utakalofanya.
When he lies down, note the place where he lies. Then go in and uncover his feet, and lie down, and he will explain to you what you should do.”
5
Akamwambia, Hayo yote unenayo mimi nitayafanya.
“I will do everything you say,” Ruth answered.
6
Basi akashuka mpaka ugani; akafanya yote kama vile mkwewe alivyomwagiza.
So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her to do.
7
Ikawa huyo Boazi alipokwisha kula na kunywa, na moyo wake umekunjuka, alikwenda kulala penye mwisho wa chungu ya nafaka; na huyo mwanamke akaja taratibu, akaifunua miguu yake, akajilaza papo hapo.
After Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth went in secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
8
Na ikawa usiku wa manane yule mtu akasituka, akajigeuza; na kumbe! Yupo mwanamke amelala miguuni pake.
At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman!
9
Akasema, Ama! Ni nani wewe? Akamjibu, Ni mimi, Ruthuu, mjakazi wako; uitande nguo yako juu ya mjakazi wako; kwa kuwa ndiwe wa jamaa aliye karibu.
“Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.”
10
Akamwambia, Mwanangu, ubarikiwe na Bwana; umezidi kuonyesha fadhili zako mwisho kuliko mwanzo, kwa vile usivyowafuata vijana, kama ni maskini kama ni matajiri.
Then Boaz said, “May the LORD bless you, my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before, because you have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.
11
Basi, mwanangu, usiogope; mimi nitakufanyia yote uyanenayo; kwa maana mji wote pia wa watu wangu wanakujua ya kwamba u mwanamke mwema.
And now do not be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you whatever you request, since all my fellow townspeople know that you are a woman of noble character.
12
Tena ndiyo kweli ya kuwa mimi ni wa jamaa yako aliye karibu; lakini kuna mtu wa jamaa aliye karibu kuliko mimi.
Yes, it is true that I am a kinsman-redeemer, but there is a redeemer nearer than I.
13
Wewe ungoje usiku huu; kisha, asubuhi, kama akikubali kukufanyia impasavyo jamaa, haya, na akufanyie; lakini ikiwa hataki yeye, basi mimi nitakufanyia impasavyo jamaa; Bwana aishivyo. Ulale wewe hata asubuhi.
Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, good. Let him redeem you. But if he does not want to redeem you, as surely as the LORD lives, I will. Now lie here until morning.”
14
Hivyo huyo mwanamke akalala miguuni pake hata asubuhi; akaondoka mapema asijaweza mtu kumtambua mwenziwe; maana Boazi amesema, Isijulikane kabisa ya kuwa mwanamke alifika penye uga.
So she lay down at his feet until morning, but she got up before anyone else could recognize her. Then Boaz said, “Do not let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.”
15
Tena alisema, Lete hapa shela yako uliyoivaa, uishike; naye akaishika; naye akampimia vipimo sita vya shayiri akamtwika; kisha huyo mwanamke akaenda zake mjini.
And he told her, “Bring the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured in six measures of barley and placed it on her. Then he went into the city.
16
Basi alipofika kwa mkwewe, huyo akamwuliza, Je! Mwanangu, imekuwaje? Akamwambia yote yule mtu aliyomfanyia.
When Ruth returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked her, “How did it go, my daughter?” Then Ruth told her all that Boaz had done for her.
17
Akasema, Na vipimo hivi sita vya shayiri amenipa; maana akaniambia, Usiende kwa mkweo mikono mitupu.
And she said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”
18
Naye mkwewe akasema, Basi, mwanangu, tulia; hata utakapojua jinsi litakavyotukia jambo hili; kwa sababu mtu huyu hataridhika, asipolimaliza jambo hilo leo.
“Wait, my daughter,” said Naomi, “until you find out how things go, for he will not rest unless he has resolved the matter today.”