1, 2. (a) Chaza uhambo lukaRuthe noNawomi nosizi ababenalo. (b) Uhambo lukaRuthe lwaluhluke kanjani kolukaNawomi?

URUTHE wayehamba eceleni kukaNawomi endleleni enqamula amathafa akwaMowabi asendaweni ephakeme nenomoya. Base bebabili manje, besazithunzana nje emathafeni angodedangendlale. Mbone ngeso lengqondo uRuthe ephawula ukuthi selimathunzi manje, abese ebuka uninazala, azibuze ukuthi kazi akusona yini isikhathi sokufuna indawo yokugoba amadlangala ngoba sekuyahlwa. Wayemthanda ngenhliziyo yakhe yonke uNawomi futhi engenza konke ukuze amnakekele.

² Bobabili lab’ omame babegajwe usizi. Kwase kuphele iminyaka uNawomi engumfelokazi, kodwa wayesanda kushonelwa futhi—amadodana akhe amabili, uKiliyoni noMahaloni. URuthe naye wayedabukile. UMahaloni kwakungumyeni wakhe. Yena noNawomi babeya endaweni eyodwa, kwa-Israyeli emzini waseBhetlehema. Kepha ngomqondo othile, lolu hambo lwalusho izinto ezingefani kubo bobabili. UNawomi wayephindela ekhaya. URuthe wayeya endaweni angayazi, eshiya umndeni wakubo, izwe lakubo nawo wonke amasiko akubo—ngisho nonkulunkulu bakhona.—Funda uRuthe 1:3-6.

3. Izimpendulo zamiphi imibuzo ezizosisiza silingise ukholo lukaRuthe?

³ Konje yini nje engenza intokazi yenze ushintsho olukhulu kangaka? URuthe wayezowathola kanjani amandla okuqala ukuphila okusha anakekele noNawomi? Lapho sithola izimpendulo, kuningi esizokuthola esingalingisa kukho ukholo lukaRuthe umMowabikazi. (Bheka nebhokisi elithi  “Incwadi Encane Elotshwe Ngobuciko.”) Okokuqala, ake sizwe ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba lab’ omame babe kulo mgwaqo omude oya eBhetlehema.

4, 5. (a) Kungani umkhaya kaNawomi wathuthela kwaMowabi? (b) Yiziphi izinselele uNawomi abhekana nazo kwaMowabi?

⁴ URuthe wakhulela kwaMowabi, izwe elincane elalisempumalanga yoLwandle Olufile. Le ndawo yayidle ngokuba nezinkangala  eziphakeme, kunezihlahla ezithe gqwa gqwa, kubuye kube nezihosha ezijulile. “Amasimu akwaMowabi” ayevundile ngisho nalapho kubhoke indlala kwa-Israyeli. Empeleni yileso sizathu esenza uRuthe wabona uMahaloni nomkhaya wakubo.—Ruthe 1:1.

⁵ Indlala eyayikwa-Israyeli yaphoqa umyeni kaNawomi, u-Elimeleki, ukuba athuthe umkakhe namadodana abo amabili basuke ezweni lakubo bayohlala kwaMowabi njengabafokazi. Kumelwe ukuba lokhu kuthutha kwalubekela inselele ukholo lwelungu ngalinye lalo mkhaya ngoba ama-Israyeli kwakudingeka akhulekele njalo endaweni engcwele eyayikhethwe uJehova. (Dut. 16:16, 17) UNawomi wakwazi ukugcina ukholo lwakhe luqinile. Noma kunjalo, wezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu lapho eshonelwa umyeni wakhe.—Ruthe 1:2, 3.

6, 7. (a) Kungani ayengase akhathazeke uNawomi lapho amadodana akhe eshada nezintombi zakwaMowabi? (b) Kungani incomeka indlela uNawomi aphatha ngayo omalokazana bakhe?

⁶ Kungenzeka uNawomi waphinde wezwa ubuhlungu lapho amadodana akhe eshada nezintombi zakwaMowabi. (Ruthe 1:4) Wayazi ukuthi ukhokho wesizwe sakubo, u-Abrahama, wenza umzamo omkhulu ukuze atholele indodana yakhe, u-Isaka, inkosikazi kubantu bakubo ababekhulekela uJehova. (Gen. 24:3, 4) Kamuva, uMthetho KaMose waxwayisa ama-Israyeli ukuba angawavumeli amadodana namadodakazi awo ashade nabantu bezizwe ngoba kwesatshwa ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu babengayengekela ekukhonzeni izithombe.—Dut. 7:3, 4.

⁷ Noma kunjalo, uMahaloni noKiliyoni bashada nezintombi zakwaMowabi. Uma kwamkhathaza noma kwamdumaza lokho uNawomi, cishe waqikelela ukuthi ubabonisa umusa nothando lweqiniso omalokazana bakhe uRuthe no-Orpa. Mhlawumbe wayenethemba lokuthi ngelinye ilanga nabo bayokhulekela uJehova njengaye. Noma ngabe kwakungeke kugcine kunjalo, uRuthe no-Orpa babezifela ngoNawomi. Lobo buhlobo obuhle ababenabo babasiza lapho beshonelwa. Ngaphambi kokuba lab’ omakoti bathole abantwana, baba abafelokazi.—Ruthe 1:5.

8. Yini okungenzeka yenza uRuthe wathanda uJehova?

⁸ Ingabe inkolo kaRuthe yamsiza walungela ukuthwala lolo sizi? Yayingamsiza kanjani nje! Phela abakwaMowabi babekhulekela inqwaba yonkulunkulu, omkhulu kubo kunguKemoshi. (Num. 21:29) Kubonakala sengathi nasenkolweni yakwaMowabi kwakwenziwa izenzo zonya nezishaqisayo ezazivamile ngaleso sikhathi, ezihlanganisa ukunikela ngezingane. Noma yini uRuthe ayifunda kuMahaloni noma kuNawomi ngoNkulunkulu wama-Israyeli onothando nesihe, uJehova, kumelwe ukuba yamshiya emangele. UJehova ubusa ngothando hhayi ngokwesabisa abantu. (Funda uDuteronomi 6:5.) Ngemva kokushonelwa kwakhe okubuhlungu, kungenzeka ukuthi  uRuthe wasondelana ngisho nakakhulu noNawomi, wayilalela ngenhliziyo evumayo le nkosikazi esikhulile lapho imxoxela ngoNkulunkulu onamandla, uJehova, ngemisebenzi yakhe emangalisayo nendlela enothando nesihe ayesebenzelane ngayo nabantu bakhe.

9-11. (a) Yisiphi isinqumo esenziwa uNawomi, uRuthe no-Orpa? (b) Yini esingayifunda kokwehlela uNawomi, uRuthe no-Orpa?

⁹ UNawomi yena wayelangazelela ukuzwa ezivela kwelakubo. Langa limbe wezwa ukuthi yayisiphelile indlala kwa-Israyeli, mhlawumbe ezwa ngomthengisi othile. UJehova wayesebanakile abantu bakhe. EBhetlehema, igama elisho ukuthi “iNdlu Yesinkwa,” kwase kuphinde kwaba nezinkwa eziningi. UNawomi wanquma ukuphindela kwelakubo.—Ruthe 1:6.

¹⁰ Babezokwenzenjani oRuthe no-Orpa? (Ruthe 1:7) Base besondelene noNawomi ngenxa yosizi lwabo lokushonelwa abayeni. Kubonakala sengathi uRuthe yena wayedonswe umusa kaNawomi nokholo lwakhe oluqinile kuJehova. Labo bafelokazi abathathu bangena indlela balibangisa kwaJuda.

¹¹ Le ndaba kaRuthe isikhumbuza ukuthi izinhlekelele nokufelwa kwehlela abantu abalungile, abathembekile nababi. (UmSh. 9:2, 11) Isibonisa nokuthi lapho sizwa ubuhlungu bokufelwa, kuwukuhlakanipha ukufuna induduzo kwabanye—ikakhulukazi labo abaphephela kuJehova, uNkulunkulu owayekhulekelwa uNawomi.—IzAga 17:17.

12, 13. Kungani uNawomi ayefuna ukuba uRuthe no-Orpa baphindele emakubo kunokuba bamphelezele, futhi baqale basabela kanjani?

¹² Njengoba laba bafelokazi abathathu belibhadula izwe, kunenye into eyaqala ukukhathaza uNawomi. Wacabanga ngalezi zintokazi ayehamba nazo nothando ezazimbonise lona yena namadodana akhe. Wayengafuni ukuba umthwalo kuzo manje. Uma zishiya elakubo zihamba naye, yini ayengazenzela yona eBhetlehema?

¹³ Ekugcineni, uNawomi wathi kuzo: “Hambani, buyelani emuva, yilowo nalowo endlini kanina. Kwangathi uJehova anganibonisa umusa wothando, njengoba nje niwubonisile kimi nasemadodeni  asefile manje.” Waveza nokuthi ufisa sengathi uJehova angabavuza ngabayeni nokuphila okusha. Ukulandisa kuthi: “Wayesebanga, baphakamisa amazwi abo bakhala.” Kulula ukubona ukuthi kungani uRuthe no-Orpa babemthanda kangaka lo mama onenhliziyo enhle nongazicabangeli yena. Bobabili babelokhu bethi kuye: “Cha, sizobuyela nawe kubantu bakini.”—Ruthe 1:8-10.

14, 15. (a) Yini u-Orpa aphindela kuyo? (b) Wathini uNawomi lapho ezama ukukholisa uRuthe ukuba amshiye?

¹⁴ Kepha uNawomi akazange ayingene leyo. Wababonisa ngamazwi anamandla ukuthi kuncane kakhulu ayengabenzela kona kwa-Israyeli ngoba wayengasenandoda eyayizomondla, engasenamadodana ayengabathatha, lingekho nethuba lokuthi kungenzeka ngisho nokukodwa kwalokhu. Wabatshela ukuthi kwakumphatha kabi kakhulu ukuthi wayengasakwazi ukubanakekela. U-Orpa wawaqonda kahle amazwi kaNawomi. Yena wayenabakubo kwaMowabi, unina, nekhaya elalimlindile. Kwabonakala kuwukuhlakanipha okukhulu ukusala kwaMowabi. Ngakho, wanga uNawomi ngenhliziyo ebuhlungu, wamvalelisa wayesejika wagoduka.—Ruthe 1:11-14.

¹⁵ URuthe yena wenzenjani? Okwakushiwo uNawomi wayekusho nakuye. Nokho, siyafunda: “Kepha uRuthe, wanamathela kuye.” Mhlawumbe uNawomi wayeseqhubeka nohambo lapho ephawula ukuthi uRuthe uyamlandela. Wamkhuza: “Bheka! Umnakwenu ongumfelokazi ubuyele kubantu bakubo nakonkulunkulu bakhe. Buyela emuva nomnakwenu ongumfelokazi.” (Ruthe 1:15) Amazwi kaNawomi embulela umfundi okuthile okubaluleke kakhulu. U-Orpa wayengaphindeli nje kuphela kubantu bakubo kodwa “nakonkulunkulu bakhe.” Wayenelisekile ngokuba umkhulekeli kaKemoshi nabanye onkulunkulu bamanga. Ingabe yileyo ndlela uRuthe ayezizwa ngayo?

16-18. (a) URuthe walubonisa kanjani uthando oluqotho? (b) Yini esingayifunda kuRuthe ngothando oluqotho? (Bheka nezithombe zalaba besifazane ababili.)

 ¹⁶ Njengoba uRuthe ayebuka uNawomi kulowo mgwaqo ongenabantu, wayazi kahle kamhlophe ukuthi yini ayifunayo. Wayemthanda kakhulu uNawomi—emthanda kakhulu noNkulunkulu owayekhonzwa uNawomi. Ngakho wathi: “Ungangincengi ukuba ngikushiye, ukuba ngibuyele emuva ngingahambi nawe; ngoba lapho uya khona ngizoya khona nami, nalapho ulala khona nami ngizolala khona. Abantu bakini bazoba ngabantu bakithi, noNkulunkulu wakho abe nguNkulunkulu wami. Lapho ufela khona nami ngiyofela khona, futhi yilapho ngiyongcwatshwa khona. Sengathi uJehova angenza kanjalo kimi futhi anezele kukho uma mina nawe siyohlukaniswa enye into ngaphandle kokufa.”—Ruthe 1:16, 17.

¹⁷ Ayaphawuleka amazwi kaRuthe—aphawuleka kangangokuba abantu basawakhumbula namanje yize sekwadlula iminyaka engu-300 afa. Ayiveza kahle imfanelo eyigugu, uthando oluqotho. Uthando uRuthe ayenalo lwaluqine futhi luqotho kangangokuba wayezimisele ukunamathela kuNawomi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uyaphi. Babeyohlukaniswa ukufa kuphela. Abantu bakubo kaNawomi babeyoba abantu bakubo ngoba uRuthe wayezimisele ukukushiya emuva konke ayekwazi kwaMowabi—ngisho nonkulunkulu bakhona. Ngokungefani no-Orpa, uRuthe washo kwagcwala umlomo wathi ufuna uNkulunkulu kaNawomi, uJehova, abe uNkulunkulu wakhe naye. *

¹⁸ Nabaya beqhubeka nohambo, sebebobabili nje kuphela manje endleleni ende ebheke eBhetlehema. Abanye balinganisela ukuthi lolu hambo lwalungathatha isonto lonke. Ngokuqinisekile, bobabili babeduduzana njengoba babesosizini.

19. Ucabanga ukuthi singalulingisa kanjani uthando oluqotho lukaRuthe emikhayeni, kubangane nasebandleni?

¹⁹ Asizintuli izinto ezisibangela usizi kuleli zwe. Kuso lesi sikhathi sethu iBhayibheli elisibiza ngokuthi ‘isikhathi esibucayi okunzima ukubhekana naso,’ sibhekana nosizi olubangelwa izinto ezihlukahlukene ezibuhlungu. (2 Thim. 3:1) Ngakho, imfanelo esiyithola kuRuthe isibaluleke kunanini ngaphambili. Uthando oluqotho—uthando olunamathela entweni ethile lungafuni ukusuka kuyo—lungamandla afeza okuhle kuleli zwe elisebumnyameni. Siyaludinga emishadweni, siyaludinga emikhayeni, siyaludinga ebunganini, siyaludinga nasebandleni lobuKristu. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 4:7, 8, 20.) Lapho sihlakulela lolo hlobo lothando, sisuke silingisa isibonelo esivelele sikaRuthe.

20-22. (a) Ukuphila kwaMowabi kwakumphathe kanjani uNawomi? (b) Yimuphi umbono oyiphutha uNawomi ayenawo ngezinhlupheko zakhe? (Bheka noJakobe 1:13.)

²⁰ Yiqiniso, ukusho ngomlomo ukuthi unothando oluqotho akufani neze nokulufakazela ngezenzo. URuthe wayenethuba lokubonisa uthando oluqotho kuNawomi nakuNkulunkulu azikhethela yena, uJehova.

²¹ Ekugcineni bafika eBhetlehema, umzana oqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba yishumi eningizimu yeJerusalema. Kubonakala sengathi uNawomi nomndeni wakhe babeke baziwa impela kulo muzi omncane ngoba kwaba indaba egudwini ukubuya kwakhe. Abesifazane babeye bambheke bese bethi, “Akuyena yini uNawomi lo?” Kusobala ukuthi ukuhlala kwakhe kwaMowabi kwakumshintshe kakhulu; ubuso nokubukeka kwakhe kwakubonisa ukuthi wayeshikashikwe ubunzima nezinsizi.—Ruthe 1:19.

²² UNawomi waxoxela labo besifazane nomakhelwane bakhe bakudala izinto ezazimehlele. Waze waba nomuzwa wokuthi igama lakhe kufanele lishintshe, angabe esaba uNawomi, okusho ukuthi “Injabulo Yami,” abe uMara, okusho ukuthi “Umunyu.” Hhawu bakithi uNawomi! NjengoJobe owayephile ngaphambi kwakhe, wayecabanga ukuthi nguJehova uNkulunkulu owayemlethele izinhlupheko.—Ruthe 1:20, 21; Jobe 2:10; 13:24-26.

23. Yini uRuthe aqala ukuyicabanga, futhi yiliphi ilungiselelo loMthetho KaMose ngabampofu? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.)

²³ Njengoba lab’ omame bezinza eBhetlehema, uRuthe waqala ukucabanga indlela ayengazondla ngayo yena noNawomi. Wezwa ukuthi uMthetho uJehova ayewunike abantu bakhe kwa-Israyeli wawuhlanganisa nelungiselelo lothando ngabampofu. Babevumelekile ukuba lapho kuvunwa, baye emasimini balandele abavuni, bakhothoze abakushiyile nokumile emaphethelweni nasemachosheni ensimu. *—Lev. 19:9, 10; Dut. 24:19-21.

24, 25. Wenzani uRuthe lapho ezithela emasimini kaBhowazi, futhi wawunjani umsebenzi wokukhothoza?

 ²⁴ Kwakuyisikhathi sokuvuna ibhali, cishe ngo-April ngokwekhalenda lethu, uRuthe waya emasimini eyobona ukuthi ubani ongamvumela ukuba akhothoze. Wazithela emasimini omuntu owayenothile okuthiwa uBhowazi, enomhlaba futhi eyisihlobo somyeni kaNawomi owayesefile, u-Elimeleki. Nakuba uMthetho wawumnika ilungelo lokukhothoza, akazange azitshele ukuthi uzovele angene nje ensimini akhothoze; wacela imvume enduneni yabavuni. Yamvumela, wayesekhwela phezu komsebenzi.—Ruthe 1:22–2:3, 7.

²⁵ Mbone-ke ngeso lengqondo uRuthe elandela abavuni. Njengoba besika ibhali ngamasikela, uyagoba acoshe okuwile noma abakushiyile, akwenze izithungo, akuthwale akuyise lapho ayezokubhulela khona kamuva. Kwakuwumsebenzi ohamba kancane nokhathazayo futhi wawuya uba nzima njengoba ilanga liphakama. Noma kunjalo, uRuthe waqhubeka esebenza, ame ngoba esula umjuluko futhi edla ukudla okulula “endlini”—cishe okwakuyindawana nje eyayenzelwe ukuba izisebenzi zithole kuyo umthunzi.

26, 27. Wayengumuntu onjani uBhowazi, futhi wamphatha kanjani uRuthe?

²⁶ Cishe uRuthe wayengathembi futhi engalindele ukuba aqashelwe, kodwa waqashelwa. UBhowazi wambona, wabuza induna ukuthi ungubani. Njengoba uBhowazi ayeyindoda yokholo, wayebingelela izisebenzi zakhe—ezinye zazo okungenzeka kwakungezosuku noma ngisho abafokazi—ngamazwi athi: “UJehova abe nani.” Nazo zaziphendula kanjalo. Le ndoda esikhulile enomqondo ongokomoya yaba nesithakazelo esinjengesikababa kuRuthe.—Ruthe 2:4-7.

 ²⁷ UBhowazi wabiza uRuthe ngokuthi “ndodakazi yami,” wayesemeluleka ngokuba aqhubeke ekhothoza emasimini akhe futhi angaqheli emantombazaneni akhe ukuze angahlushwa amadoda asebenzayo. Wayeqikelela ukuthi uRuthe unako ukudla azokudla emini. (Funda uRuthe 2:8, 9, 14.) Kepha ngaphezu kwakho konke, wayefuna ukumncoma nokumkhuthaza. Wakwenza kanjani?

28, 29. (a) Wayenaliphi idumela uRuthe? (b) NjengoRuthe, ungaphephela kanjani kuJehova?

²⁸ Lapho uRuthe ebuza uBhowazi ukuthi yini ayeyenzile yena engowesinye isizwe ukuze athole umusa wakhe, uBhowazi wathi wayekuzwile konke ayekwenzele uninazala, uNawomi. Cishe uNawomi wayemncomile uRuthe ayemthanda kwamanye amakhosikazi aseBhetlehema, yabhebhetheka-ke indaba yaze yafika kuBhowazi. Wayazi nokuthi uRuthe wayekhethe ukukhulekela uJehova ngoba wathi: “Kwangathi uJehova angayivuza indlela owenza ngayo, futhi kwangathi ungaba nenkokhelo ephelele evela kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ozé ukuzofuna isiphephelo ngaphansi kwamaphiko akhe.”—Ruthe 2:12.

²⁹ Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba lawo mazwi amkhuthaza ngayo uRuthe! Ngempela wayekhethe ukuphephela ngaphansi kwamaphiko kaJehova uNkulunkulu, kuhle kwephuphu selizishutheke ngaphansi komzali ozolivikela. Wambonga uBhowazi ngamazwi amqinisa idolo. Waqhubeka esebenza kwaze kwahwalala.—Ruthe 2:13, 17.

30, 31. Yini esingayifunda kuRuthe ngemikhuba yokusebenza, ukwazisa nothando oluqotho?

³⁰ Izenzo zokholo zikaRuthe ziyisibonelo esihle kakhulu kithi sonke esishikashikekayo kulezi zikhathi ezinzima kwezomnotho. Akazange acabange ukuthi abantu bamkweleta okuthile, ngakho wayekwazisa konke ayekunikwa. Akabanga namahloni okusebenza kanzima isikhathi eside ukuze ondle umuntu amthandayo, yize kwakuwumsebenzi ophansi. Wasamukela ngomusa futhi wasisebenzisa iseluleko esihlakaniphile sendlela yokusebenza ngokuphepha nabantu abanesimo esihle. Okubaluleke kakhulu, akazange alahlekelwe umbono wokuthi isiphephelo sakhe sasikuphi ngempela—sasikuYise ovikelayo, uJehova uNkulunkulu.

³¹ Uma sibonisa uthando oluqotho njengoba kwenza uRuthe futhi silandela isibonelo sakhe sokuthobeka, inkuthalo nokwazisa, siyothola ukuthi nolwethu ukholo luba usizo kwabanye. UJehova wabanakelela kanjani-ke kodwa oRuthe noNawomi? Sizoxoxa ngalokho esahlukweni esilandelayo.