1, 2. (a) Chaza uhambo lukaRuthe loNawomi kanye losizi ababephakathi kwalo. (b) Uhambo lukaRuthe lwalwehlukene njani lolukaNawomi?

URUTHE wayesemuthe nzo uninazala uNawomi, ezibuza ukuthi kasikatshayi yini isikhathi sokuthi badinge indawo yokubeka umhlubulo phansi njengoba nanko laselimathunzi. Wayesethe sece kuNawomi besehla ngomgwaqo owawudabula phakathi kwamagceke aseMowabi. Khathesi basebebodwa qekele endaweni le eyayinkulu, ikhawula lapho ilihlo lomuntu elalicina khona. URuthe wayemthanda ngenhliziyo yonke uNawomi njalo wayezimisele ukumenzela loba yini.

² Kodwa abesifazana laba babephakathi kosizi. Kwasekuleminyaka uNawomi efelwe ngumkakhe, kodwa khathesi wayeselilela amadodana akhe amabili ayesetshonile, uKhiliyoni loMaheloni. URuthe laye wayekhala ezimathonsi ngoba uMaheloni wayekade engumkakhe. Lanxa bobabili babesiya edolobheni laseBhethilehema elizweni lako-Israyeli, umahluko owawukhona yikuthi uNawomi wayebuyela kibo, kodwa kuRuthe kwakumnyama phambili. Wayetshiye izihlobo, ilizwe lakibo, amasiko akibo kanye labonkulunkulu bakibo.—Bala uRuthe 1:3-6.

3. Yiphi imibuzo esizayiphendula ezasisiza ukuthi silingisele uRuthe?

³ Kwakutheni owesifazana lo owayesesemutsha aze enze untshintsho olungaka? Wayezakwenelisa yini ukuphila impilo entsha lokunakekela uNawomi? Izimpendulo esizazithola zizasitshengisa ukuthi kunengi uRuthe umMowabi akwenzayo esingakulingisela. (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ Ibhuku Elincane Elalotshwa Ngobunono.”) Okokuqala ake sikhulume ngokuthi kwakutheni abesifazana laba bobabili baze babambisane indlela besiya eBhethilehema.

4, 5. (a) Kuyini okwenza ukuthi uNawomi lemuli yakhe bathuthele eMowabi? (b) Yibuphi ubunzima obehlela uNawomi eMowabi?

⁴ URuthe wakhulela eMowabi, eyayililizwe elincane elalisempumalanga koLwandle Lwetshwayi. Ilizwe leli lalisendaweni eyayilezihotsha ezazidabula phakathi kwamagceke ayelezihlahla ezithe gqa gqa. ‘Ilizwe lamaMowabi’ lalivundile futhi babekuthola okuya ethunjini langesikhathi indlala ibhahile ko-Israyeli. Lokhu yikho okwenza ukuthi uRuthe abonane loMaheloni kanye lemuli yangakibo.—Ruthe. 1:1.

 ⁵ Kwakulesomiso ko-Israyeli. Yikho u-Elimeleki wakubona kungcono ukuthi zibotshwe, yena lomkakhe kanye lamadodana abo amabili bayehlala njengabezizweni eMowabi. Lokhu kwakungaluxegisa ukholo lwemuli le ngoba phela ama-Israyeli kwakufanele ake ayekhonza endaweni engcwele uJehova ayeyikhethile. (Dute. 16:16, 17) Kodwa uNawomi waqhubeka elokholo oluqinileyo. Loba kunjalo, wadabuka enhliziyweni lapho umkakhe etshona.—Ruthe. 1:2, 3.

6, 7. (a) Kuyini okwakungenza ukuthi uNawomi akhathazeke lapho amadodana akhe ethatha abesifazana abangamaMowabi? (b) UNawomi wayebaphatha njani omalokazana bakhe?

⁶ Kumele ukuthi uNawomi waphinda wezwa ubuhlungu ngesikhathi amadodana akhe ethatha abesifazana baseMowabi. (Ruthe. 1:4) Wayekwazi ukuthi ukhokho wabo u-Abhrahama wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuthi adingele indodana yakhe u-Isaka umfazi phakathi kwabantu bakibo ababekhonza uJehova. (Gen. 24:3, 4) Kanti njalo ngemva kweminyaka, uMthetho kaMosi waxwayisa ama-Israyeli ukuthi kwakungafanelanga endiselane labezizweni ngenxa yokuthi ayengacina ephambuka akhonze izithombe.—Dute. 7:3, 4.

⁷ Lanxa kunjalo, uMaheloni loKhiliyoni bathatha abesifazana baseMowabi. Mhlawumbe lokhu kwamdanisa njalo kwamkhathaza uNawomi. Kodwa kufanele ukuthi wayebathanda omalokazana bakhe uRuthe lo-Opha, futhi wayebaphatha kuhle. Kungenzeka ukuthi wayelethemba lokuthi ngelinye ilanga labo babezakhonza uJehova njengaye. Esikunanzelelayo yikuthi uRuthe lo-Opha babemthanda kakhulu uNawomi. Kwaba lula ukuthi balwisane losizi olwaselubehlele ngoba babengamathe lolimi. URuthe lo-Opha basebefelwe ngomkabo bengakabi labantwana.—Ruthe. 1:5.

8. Kuyini okungabe kwenza ukuthi uRuthe asondele kuJehova?

⁸ Indlela uRuthe akhula ekhonza ngayo yamsiza yini ukuthi alwisane lobuhlungu ayesephakathi kwabo? Kukhanya kayizange imsize ngalutho. Abantu baseMowabi babekhonza onkulunkulu abanengi futhi ingqungquthela yabonkulunkulu laba kwakunguKhemoshi. (Nani. 21:29) Kukhanya angathi abantu baseMowabi babethatha abantwana banikele ngabo kubonkulunkulu babo njalo babesenza lezinye izinto ezilesihluku esitshwaqisa igazi. Kodwa kufanele ukuthi uMaheloni loNawomi bafundisa uRuthe ngoJehova, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli owayelothando lesihawu. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi lokho uRuthe akuzwayo kwammangalisa. UJehova wayengabethuseli abantu bakhe kodwa wayefuna ukuthi bamkhonze ngoba bemthanda. (Bala uDutheronomi 6:5.) Kumele ukuthi ngesikhathi uRuthe esezinhlungwini zokufelwa ngumkakhe wasondela kuNawomi bazwanana kakhulu. Wayethiya indlebe ngesikhathi uninazala owayesekhulile emtshela ngoJehova uNkulunkulu onguSomandla, ngemisebenzi yakhe emangalisayo kanye lesihawu asitshengisa abantu bakhe.

9-11. (a) UNawomi, uRuthe kanye lo-Opha bakhetha ukwenzani? (b) Singafundani endabeni yosizi olwehlela uNawomi, uRuthe kanye lo-Opha?

 ⁹ UNawomi yena wayehlala efisa ukuzwa udletshana lokuthi izinto zazihamba njani kibo. Ngelinye ilanga wezwa ukuthi ko-Israyeli indlala yayisiphelile. Mhlawumbe wancwetshwa indlebe ngumuntu owayehamba ethengisa. UJehova wayesebophule eziko elivuthayo abantu bakhe. Edolobheni laseBhethilehema, okutsho ukuthi “Indlu Yesinkwa,” abantu basebesidla basuthe. Yikho-ke uNawomi wakubona kufanele ukuthi abuyele ekhaya.—Ruthe. 1:6.

¹⁰ URuthe lo-Opha bona-ke? (Ruthe. 1:7) Basebezimbila zantabanye loNawomi ngoba nanko phela bobathathu babelwisane lobuhlungu bokufelwa. URuthe kumele ukuthi wayesemthanda kakhulu uNawomi ngoba wayebona ukuthi wayelomusa njalo elokholo oluqinileyo. Ngakho-ke bobathathu abafelokazi laba bangena indlela eya elizweni lakoJuda.

¹¹ Indaba kaRuthe isikhumbuza ukuthi ubunzima kabucezi muntu, behlela olungileyo longalunganga. (UmTshu. 9:2, 11) Isitshengisa lokuthi nxa singehlelwa ngumonakalo kufanele sidinge induduzo, ikakhulu kulabo abaphephela kuJehova, uNkulunkulu owayekhonzwa nguNawomi.—Zaga. 17:17.

12, 13. Kungani uNawomi wayefuna ukuthi uRuthe lo-Opha babuyele kibo kulokuthi bahambe laye, njalo abesifazana laba bathini?

¹² Batsholobela-ke abafelokazi laba abathathu. Kodwa uNawomi wayehamba esidla amathambo engqondo. Wayecabanga ngabomalokazana bakhe ababeseceleni kwakhe langendlela ababemthanda ngayo yena lamadodana akhe. Kwakumkhathaza ukuthi wayezaphinda abathwalise nzima bona bevele behlezi emalahleni. Kambe nxa wayengahamba labo eBhethilehema wayezafika abenzeleni yena enguNawomi nje?

¹³ Ekucineni uNawomi wathi: “Buyelani emuva, ngulowo aye emzini kanina. Engani uJehova angalenzela umusa, onjengalowo eliwutshengise abenu asebedlule, kanye lami.” Waveza ukuthi wayelethemba lokuthi uJehova wayezabusisa ngamunye wabo athole umendo kanye lempilo enhle. “Wasebanga, basebekhala kakhulu.” Kuyakhanya-ke  ukuthi okwakusenza ukuthi uRuthe lo-Opha bamthande kakhulu uNawomi yikuthi wayelomusa futhi ebakhathalela abanye. Yikho baphikelela besithi: “Sizahamba lawe ebantwini bakini.”—Ruthe. 1:8-10.

14, 15. (a) U-Opha wabuyela kubobani? (b) UNawomi wazama njani ukwenza ukuthi uRuthe ehlukane laye?

¹⁴ Kodwa uNawomi wala. Wabonisana labo wabacacisela ukuthi akulanto ayengabasiza ngayo nxa babengabuyela laye ko-Israyeli njengoba laye wayengasela ndoda eyayingamnakekela, engaselamadodana ayengabathatha futhi kungathembisi ukuthi angawathola. Wabatshela lokuthi kwakumzwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu ukuthi wayengenelisi ukubanakekela. Ku-Opha amazwi la ahlaba ephukela. Kwakukhanya kulengqondo sibili ukuzisalela eMowabi ngoba phela wayesetshiya unina, abangakibo kanye lomuzi wakwabo. Yikho-ke lanxa inhliziyo yakhe yayibuhlungu wamanga uNawomi, wasemvalelisa.—Ruthe. 1:11-14.

¹⁵ Pho-ke uRuthe yena wathini njengoba uNawomi wayekhuluma labo bobabili? IBhayibhili lithi: “Kodwa uRuthe wanamathela kuye.” Mhlawumbe uNawomi wayesefulathele esehamba, wasenanzelela ukuthi uRuthe wayemlandela. Wagcizelela wathi: “Khangela, unyanewenu usebuyela kwabakibo kanye labonkulunkulu bakhe. Phenduka ubuyele laye.” (Ruthe. 1:15) Amazwi kaNawomi aveza okunye okuqakathekileyo. U-Opha wayesebuyele ‘kubonkulunkulu bakhe,’ hatshi ebantwini bakibo kuphela. Wayezimisele ukuqhubeka ezikhonzela uKhemoshi labanye onkulunkulu bamanga. URuthe-ke?

16-18. (a) URuthe watshengisa njani ukuthi wayelothando oluqotho? (b) Kuyini esikufunda kuRuthe endabeni yokuba lothando oluqotho? (Khangela lemifanekiso yabesifazana laba ababili.)

¹⁶ Khathesi uRuthe wayesesele loNawomi kuphela. Wayeyazi into  ayifunayo njalo wayemthanda ngenhliziyo yonke uNawomi kanye loNkulunkulu weqiniso ayemkhonza. Ngakho-ke wathi: “Ungangifundekeli ukuba ngikutshiye loba ukuba ngikufulathele. Lapho oya khona ngizakuya khona, lalapho ozahlala khona ngizahlala khona. Abantu bakini bazakuba ngabakithi, loNkulunkulu wakho uzakuba nguNkulunkulu wami. Lapho ozafela khona ngizafela khona, njalo ngizangcwatshelwa khona. Sengathi uJehova angangihlanekela nxa ngingehlukana lawe ngenxa yolunye ulutho olungesikufa.”—Ruthe. 1:16, 17.

¹⁷ Amazwi kaRuthe ayahlabusa okokuthi abantu balokhu bewazi lanxa sekuleminyaka engaba ngu-3 000 wafa. Akuveza mgceke ukuthi ukuba lothando oluqotho kuqakathekile. URuthe wayemthanda okumangalisayo uNawomi futhi wayeqotho kuye, ezimisele ukunamathela kuye loba engaya ngaphi. Akula okwakungabehlukanisa ngaphandle kokufa. Abakibo kaNawomi babezakuba ngabakibo ngoba wayezimisele ukutshiya konke ayelakho eMowabi kanye labonkulunkulu bakhona. URuthe wayengafanani lo-Opha. Wakutsho ngenhliziyo yonke ukuthi wayefuna ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu kaNawomi abe nguNkulunkulu wakhe. *

¹⁸ Khathesi basebebabili kuphela emgwaqweni lo owawusiya eBhethilehema. Baqhubeka ngohambo lwabo. Kucatshangelwa ukuthi lwathatha iviki yonke. Kodwa kumele ukuthi babeduduzana njengoba bonke babephakathi kosizi.

19. Ubona angathi singamlingisela njani uRuthe endabeni yokuba lothando oluqotho phakathi kwezimuli, kubangane bethu lasebandleni?

¹⁹ Lamuhla abantu abanengi bayabubula, baphakathi kosizi. IBhayibhili lithi siphila ‘ezikhathini ezinzima,’ yikho sisehlelwa lusizi lezinto ezimbi ezinengi kakhulu. (2 Tim. 3:1) Ngakho-ke sekuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi sibe lothando oluqotho njengoRuthe. Umuntu olothando oluqotho unamathela nama entweni ethile, agagadlele kuyo kumnyama kubomvu. Uthando lolu lusikhuthaza ukuthi senze okuhle emhlabeni lo olokhu usiba mubi. Kumele lube khona ezimulini, phakathi kwabantu abatshadileyo, phakathi kwabangane lasebandleni lobuKhristu. (Bala u-1 Johane 4:7, 8, 20.) Nxa singazama ukuba lothando oluqotho, siyabe silingisela isibonelo sikaRuthe esihle kakhulu.

20-22. (a) UNawomi wabuya esenjani evela eMowabi? (b) Yikuphi okungaqondanga uNawomi ayekucabanga? (Khangela loJakhobe 1:13.)

²⁰ Lanxa singakukhuluma ngomlomo ukuthi silothando oluqotho,  izenzo yizo ezikuvezayo ukuthi silalo yini sibisibili. URuthe wayelethuba lokutshengisa ukuthi wayelothando oluqotho kuNawomi lakuJehova uNkulunkulu ayesemkhethile.

²¹ URuthe loNawomi bafika-ke eBhethilehema. IBhethilehema yayilidolobho elincane elaliseningizimu yeJerusalema futhi elaliqhelelane layo ngamakhilomitha angaba yi-10. Kukhanya uNawomi lemuli yakhe babeke baba ngabantu abadumileyo endaweni le, ngoba kwahle kwaba yindaba esematheni ukuthi wayesephendukile. Abesifazana babemthapha ngamehlo besebesithi, “Angabe enguNawomi lo na?” Kumele ukuthi wayengasenguye Nawomi ababemazi engakayi eMowabi. Mhlawumbe lejwabu lakhe laselitshwabhene ngenxa yendubo ezazimhlasele kanye losizi ayedlule phakathi kwalo iminyaka yonke le.—Ruthe. 1:19.

²² UNawomi waxoxela izihlobo zakhe labomakhelwana bakhe bakudala ukuthi umhlaba wawumhlabe waswela ongambangula. Waze wathi kungcono angasabizwa ngokuthi Nawomi, okutsho ukuthi “Intokozo Yami,” kodwa abizwe ngokuthi Mara okutsho “Ukuba Munyu.” UNawomi wayehlezi emeveni sibili! Laye wayecabanga okwake kwacatshangwa nguJobe, esithi nguJehova uNkulunkulu owayemehlisele ubunzima bonke lobu.—Ruthe. 1:20, 21; Jobe. 2:10; 13:24-26.

23. Kuyini uRuthe aqala ukunakana ngakho, njalo uMthetho kaMosi wawulaluphi uhlelo olwalusiza abayanga? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.)

²³ Bathi sebeyijayele impilo yaseBhethilehema, uRuthe waqalisa ukucabanga ngalokho ayengakwenza ukuze yena loNawomi bathole okokuziphilisa. Wezwa ukuthi uMthetho uJehova ayewuphe abako-Israyeli wawulohlelo oluhle olwalusiza abayanga. Babevunyelwa ukuthi ngesikhathi sokuvuna baye emasimini, badobhe okwakuyabe kutshiywe ngabavunayo kanye lalokho okwakuyabe kusemaphethelweni ensimu. *—Levi. 19:9, 10; Dute. 24:19-21.

24, 25. URuthe wafika wenzani ensimini kaBhowazi, futhi wawunjani umsebenzi awenzayo?

²⁴ Kwakuyisikhathi sokuvunwa kwebhali,  mhlawumbe esasiqondana lenyanga kaMabasa kukhalenda yalamuhla. URuthe waya emasimini ukuthi ake ayebona langabe ukhona owayengamvumela ukuthi adobhadobhe okwakutshiywe ngabavunayo. Kwaya ngasifudlana, wavunyelwa ukuthi adobhe okwakusensimini yendoda okwakuthiwa nguBhowazi. Yayiyisinothi futhi iyisihlobo sikamuyi u-Elimeleki, owayengumkaNawomi. Lanxa kwakuseMthethweni ukuthi uRuthe adobhe okwakutshiywe ngabavunayo, kazange abone angathi kwakulilungelo lakhe. Wacela kulowo owayekhangele abavunayo. Wathi esemvumele, wahle wawusukela umsebenzi.—Ruthe. 1:22–2:3, 7.

²⁵ Akumbone elandela abavunayo. Nxa sebedlulile lamasikela abo, yena wayefika akhothame abesedobha lokho ababekuwisile kumbe ababekutshiyile, abesekubopha kube yizithungo, akuthwale akuse endaweni ayezakubhulela kuyo. Kwakungumsebenzi othatha isikhathi futhi odinisayo, ikakhulu nxa ilanga lilokhu likhwela. Lanxa kunjalo, uRuthe waqina ngawo umsebenzi, esima kuphela nxa esesula izithukuthuku kumbe esesiyathola okokubamba ithumbu “emthunzini.” Umthunzi lo kwakungabe kuyindawo eyayakhelwe izisebenzi.

26, 27. UBhowazi wayengumuntu onjani, futhi wamphatha njani uRuthe?

²⁶ Kumele ukuthi uRuthe wayesebenza ngenhliziyo yonke engenzeli ukubukwa. Kodwa uBhowazi wambona, wasebuza ufolomani ukuthi ngubani owesifazana lo. UBhowazi wayelokholo oluqinileyo futhi wayebingelela izisebenzi zakhe esithi: “UJehova kabe lani!” Lazo zazimphendula zithi: “UJehova akubusise!” Ezinye zakhona kwakungabe kungabezizweni loba izisebenzi ezazihola ngelanga. Indoda le eyayimthanda uJehova yaphatha uRuthe njengendodakazi yayo.—Ruthe. 2:4-7.

 ²⁷ Yambiza ngokuthi “ndodakazi yami,” yamtshela ukuthi angadeli ukuza emasimini ayo azodobha okuseleyo. Yaphinda yathi angatshiyani lamantombazana ayeyizincekukazi zakhe ukuze angahlutshwa ngamadoda ayesebenza lapho. Yaba leqiniso lokuthi uRuthe uyakuthola lokudla kwemini. (Bala uRuthe 2:8, 9, 14.) Kodwa okuhle kakhulu yikuthi yamncoma futhi yamkhuthaza. Njani?

28, 29. (a) Abantu babesithini ngoRuthe? (b) Wena ungaphephela njani kuJehova?

²⁸ Lapho uRuthe ebuza uBhowazi ukuthi kwakutheni aze amenzele umusa yena engowezizweni, wamtshela ukuthi wayesezwile ngakho konke ayekwenzele uninazala uNawomi. Kufanele ukuthi uNawomi wayetshele amanina eBhethilehema ngezinto ezinhle ayezenzelwe nguRuthe, kwasekufika lasezindlebeni zikaBhowazi. UBhowazi wayesekwazi lokuthi uRuthe wayesekhonza uJehova. Yikho wathi: “Sengathi uJehova angakupha umvuzo ngalokhu okwenzileyo. Sengathi uJehova, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, oze ukuphephela ngaphansi kwamaphiko akhe angakupha umvuzo omkhulu.”—Ruthe. 2:12.

²⁹ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi amazwi la amkhuthaza uRuthe. Lakanye wayephephele emthunzini wamaphiko kaJehova uNkulunkulu, njengetsiyane elicatsha ngaphansi kwesikhukhukazi. URuthe wambonga kakhulu uBhowazi ngokuthi wayemkhuthazile. Waqhubeka-ke ngomsebenzi kwaze kwahlwa.—Ruthe. 2:13, 17.

30, 31. Indaba kaRuthe isifundisani ngokusebenza, ngokubonga kanye lokuba lothando oluqotho?

³⁰ Lamuhla abanengi bethu bakuthola nzima okokuziphilisa. Ngakho-ke lokho okwenziwa nguRuthe kungasinceda. Wayengazitsheli ukuthi abanye babelomlandu wokumsiza, yikho wayebonga konke ababemenzela khona. Kwakungamyangisi ukusebenza liphuma lize liyetshona ezama ukunakekela lowo ayemthanda lanxa umsebenzi ayewenza wawungowabayanga. Wayelalela nxa wayetshelwa ukuthi asebenze njani futhi labobani ukuze angehlelwa yingozi. Okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi kazange alibale ukuthi kwakumele aphephele kuYise, uJehova uNkulunkulu owayemvikela.

³¹ Ukholo lwethu luzasiza abanye nxa lathi singaba lothando oluqotho njengoRuthe, sizithobe njengaye, sikhuthale njalo sibonge konke esikutholayo. Kodwa uJehova wamnakekela njani uRuthe loNawomi? Le yiyo indaba esizaxoxa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo.