1, 2. (a) Ruthe abenta luhlobo lolunjani lwemsebenti? (b) Ngutiphi tintfo letinhle teMtsetfo waNkulunkulu netebantfu bakhe, Ruthe lacala kutibona?

RUTHE waguca eceleni kwetinhlanga tebhali labetibutsise ngalelo langa. Beselicala kuhwalala kulendzawo yaseBhetlehema futsi tisebenti letinyenti beseticala kwenyukela ngasesangweni lalelidolobhana lelisendzaweni lephakeme. Kufanele kutsi Ruthe abesadzinwe kakhulu ngobe abecale kusebenta kusukela kuphuma lilanga. Nobe kunjalo, abesolo asebenta kamatima abhula letitfungo kute kuphume tinhlamvu. Nanobe lomsebenti bewumatima, kepha kuye lolu kwaba lusuku loluhle kakhulu kunangendlela labecabanga ngayo.

² Tintfo beseticala kumhambela ncono yini lomfelokati losemusha? Njengobe sibonile esehlukweni lesendlulile, abenamatsele kuninatala wakhe Nawomi, wafunga kuye kutsi utawuhlala naye futsi ente Jehova Nkulunkulu waNawomi abe nguNkulunkulu wakhe. Bobabili labafelokati befika eBhetlehema besuka kaMowabi, futsi Ruthe umMowabi wacala kubona kutsi uMtsetfo waJehova uyabakhatsalela labaphuyile ka-Israyeli ngisho netihambi imbala. Watsintseka inhlitiyo nakabona kutsi labanye bantfu baJehova labebaphila ngephansi kwaloMtsetfo futsi baceceshwe nguwo, bebaveta ngetento nangemusa kutsi bayayitsandza imitsetfo yaJehova.

3, 4. (a) Bhowazi wamkhutsata njani Ruthe? (b) Sibonelo saRuthe singasisita njani tsine lamuhla kutsi sibhekane nesikhatsi sekuwa kwemnotfo?

³ Lomunye walabo bantfu bekunguBhowazi, indvodza lekhulile futsi lenjingile, leyo Ruthe labekhwimita emasimini ayo. Ngalelo langa, Bhowazi wacala kunaka Ruthe ngendlela babe lokhatsalelako lenta ngayo. Ruthe wajabula kakhulu enhlitiyweni yakhe nakacabanga ngemavi lanemusa Bhowazi labemdvumisa ngawo ngekunakekela Nawomi nangekungena ngephansi kwemaphiko aNkulunkulu weliciniso Jehova, kute atfole siphephelo.​—Fundza Ruthe 2:11-14.

⁴ Nobe kunjalo, kungenteka kutsi Ruthe abetibuta kutsi kuphila kwakhe kwasesikhatsini lesitako bekutawuba njani. Njengesihambi lesitiphuyele, lesingenandvodza, futsi lesingenamntfwana, abetatiphilisa ngani yena kanye naNawomi njengobe iminyaka ichubeka? Bekuyobenetisa yini lokukhwimita? Abeyonakekelwa ngubani yena nasakhulile? Letintfo betifanele kumkhatsata Ruthe. Esikhatsini salamuhla  sekuwa kwemnotfo, labanyenti bakhatsateka ngendlela lefanako. Kunyenti lesitakutfola lesingakulingisa njengobe sichubeka sifundza ngendlela kukholwa kwaRuthe lokwamsita ngayo kuleto timo.

5, 6. (a) Lusuku lwekucala lwaRuthe lwekukhwimita ensimini yaBhowazi lwaphumelela kangakanani? (b) Nawomi wativa njani nakabona Ruthe?

⁵ Kwatsi ngalesikhatsi Ruthe acedza kubhula sivuno salokutinhlamvu kanye nekukubutsetela ndzawonye, watikhandza asakhwimite ibhali lengaba yi-efa nome emalitha langaba ngu-22. Lomtfwalo wakhe kungenteka kutsi bewunesisindvo lesingemakhilogremu langu-14. Latsi naseliyoshona wagoca lebhali ngendvwangu, wayitfwala enhloko wase ubuyela eBhetlehema.​—Rut. 2:17.

⁶ Nawomi wajabula nakabona malukatane wakhe, futsi kungenteka kwammangalisa kubona Ruthe etfwele umtfwalo losindzako webhali. Ruthe abephetse nekudla lebekusele kuloko Bhowazi labekunikete tisebenti, futsi bakudla bobabili. Nawomi wambuta: “Lamuhla bewukhwimita kuphi? Bewusebenta kuphi? Ubusisiwe lowo muntfu lokunakile!” (Rut. 2:19) Nawomi nakabona lomtfwalo longaka waRuthe kwavele kwamcacela kutsi ukhona umuntfu lomnakekele futsi wamphatsa ngemusa.

7, 8. (a) Nawomi wawubona njengalosuka kubani umusa waBhowazi, futsi kungani kunjalo? (b) Ruthe waphindze wakhombisa njani kutsi uyamtsandza uninatala?

⁷ Labafati bobabili bacala kucoca, futsi Ruthe watjela Nawomi ngemusa labewentelwe nguBhowazi. Ajabulile, Nawomi waphendvula watsi: “Shangatsi Simakadze lonemusa kulabaphilako nalabafile angambusisa.” (Rut. 2:20) Wabona kutsi lomusa waBhowazi usuka kuJehova, lokunguye lokhutsata tinceku takhe kutsi tibe nesandla lesivulekile futsi wetsembisa bantfu bakhe kutsi utababusisa ngemusa labawentela labanye. *​—Fundza Taga 19:17.

⁸ Nawomi wancenga Ruthe kutsi avume kuchubeka akhwimita emasimini aBhowazi edvutane nalamantfombatane, kute angahlushwa ngulabanye labavunako. Ruthe wasemukela leseluleko. “Wachubeka kuhlala neninatala.” (Rut. 2:22, 23) Kulamavi siphindze sibone lutsandvo lolucotfo lebekatiwa ngalo. Sibonelo saRuthe singasenta sitibute kutsi tsine siyasihlonipha yini sibopho semndeni, sibasekele ngebucotfo labo lesibatsandzako futsi sibanike lusito labaludzingako. Ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi Jehova uyalubona lutsandvo lolunjalo.

9. Yini lesingayifundza kuRuthe naNawomi mayelana nemndeni?

⁹ BoNawomi naRuthe bebangasiwo yini umndeni lophelele?  Labanye bangatsi umndeni “lophelele” wakhiwa yindvodza, umfati, indvodzana, indvodzakati, gogo namkhulu kanye nalabanye. Kepha sibonelo saRuthe naNawomi sisikhumbuta kutsi tinceku taJehova tingativula tinhlitiyo tato tente imindeni lemincane nalephansi igcwale umusa nelutsandvo. Umndeni wakini uligugu yini kuwe? Jesu wakhumbuta balandzeli bakhe kutsi libandla lebuKhristu lingaphindze libe ngumndeni ngisho nakulabo labete imindeni.​—Mak. 10:29, 30.

10. Nawomi abefuna kumsita njani Ruthe?

¹⁰ Kusukela ekuvunweni kwebhali nga-April kuya ekuvunweni kwakolo nga-June, Ruthe abesolo akhwimita emasimini aBhowazi. Njengobe emasontfo asolo endlula, akungabateki kutsi Nawomi abesolo acabanga ngaloko langakwentela malukatane wakhe lamtsandzako. Emuva-le kaMowabi, Nawomi abephetse ngekutsi akayoze akwati kusita Ruthe atfole lenye indvodza. (Rut. 1:11-13) Kepha nyalo abesacala kucabanga ngendlela leyehlukile. Wasondzela kuRuthe watsi: “Ndvodzakati! Utsi kungete kwaba ncono kutsi ngikwakhele umuti?” (Rut. 3:1) Kadzeni, bekulisiko kutsi batali bafunele bantfwana babo bantfu labangashada nabo, futsi Ruthe abesayindvodzakati sibili kuNawomi. Nawomi abefuna ‘kwakhela Ruthe umuti’​—lokusho kulondzeka nekuvikeleka lokungaletfwa likhaya kanye nekuba nendvodza. Kodvwa abetawenta njani Nawomi?

11, 12. (a) Ngalesikhatsi Nawomi abita Bhowazi ngekutsi ‘ungulofanele kubanakekela,’ abekhulumela liphi lilungiselelo leMtsetfo waNkulunkulu? (b) Wenta njani Ruthe nakeva seluleko seninatala?

¹¹ Ngalesikhatsi Ruthe akhuluma kwekucala ngaBhowazi, Nawomi watsi: “Lomuntfu usihlobo setfu sengati, ungulomunye walabo labafanele kusinakekela.” (Rut. 2:20) Bekusho kutsini loko? UMtsetfo waNkulunkulu kuma-Israyeli bewufaka ekhatsi lilungiselelo lelutsandvo lebelentelwe imindeni lebhekene nebumatima ngesizatfu sekuhlupheka nome kufelwa. Nangabe umfati afelwa yindvodza asete umntfwana, abedvumateka kakhulu ngobe ligama lendvodza yakhe kanye nelikusasa layo bekuyovele kuphele ngaleso sikhatsi, kungasabi khona etitukulwaneni letilandzelako. Nanobe kunjalo, uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu bewumvumela umnakabomufi kutsi angene lomfelokati kuze akhone kutala indlalifa letawulondvolota ligama lalendvodza lefile, iphindze inakekele imphahla yalomndeni. *​—Dut. 25:5-7.

 ¹² Nawomi watjela Ruthe ngendlela labekancume kuwuhlela ngayo umshado lonjalo. Singase siyicabange nje indlela Ruthe lamangala ngayo njengobe uninatala amtjela ngalelicebo. UMtsetfo waka-Israyeli bewusemusha kuRuthe, futsi nalamanyenti emasiko akhona abesengakawetayeli. Nanome kunjalo, abemhlonipha kakhulu Nawomi kangangekutsi wakulalelisisa konkhe labemtjela kona. Kungenteka kutsi loko labelulekwa nguNawomi kutsi akwente abekubona kulihlazo futsi kungamehlisa sitfunti—kodvwa nanobe kunjalo, Ruthe wavuma kukwenta. Ngekutfobeka lokukhulu watsi: “Konkhe loko lokushoko ngitakwenta.”​—Rut. 3:5.

13. Ngusiphi sifundvo lesingasifundza kuRuthe mayelana nekwemukela seluleko kubantfu labadzala? (Fundza naJobe 12:12.)

¹³ Ngalesinye sikhatsi kuba matima ngebantfu labasha kulalela seluleko salabadzala kunabo futsi labanalokuhlangenwe nako. Kumelula kucabanga kutsi bantfu labadzala abaticondzi kahle tinsayeya netinkinga letihlasela bantfu labasebasha. Sibonelo saRuthe sekutfobeka sisikhumbuta kutsi kulalela bantfu labadzala labasitsandzako nalabasifisela lokuhle kungazuzisa kakhulu. (Fundza Tihlabelelo 71:17, 18.) Bekungusiphi leseluleko saNawomi, futsi Ruthe kwamsita mbamba yini kusilalela?

14. Beliyini libala lekubhulela, futsi belisetjentiswa njani?

¹⁴ Ngalelo langa kusihlwa, Ruthe wahamba waya ebaleni lekubhulela. Lena bekuyindzawo lapho balimi labanyenti bebatsatsa sivuno sabo salokuluhlavu bayosibhulela khona baphindze basele. Bekuvame kukhetfwa indzawo lelicele nome lelidvundvu, lapho bekuba  nemoya lonemandla naseliyotilahla kunina nanaselibantfu babahle. Kuze tihlukanise lolokuluhlavu emakhobeni nasetinhlangeni, tisebenti betikha lamakhoba nalolokuluhlavu tikuphakamisele etulu tisebentisa timfologo letinkhulu nobe emafosholo. Loko bekwenta kutsi lamakhoba apheshulwe ngumoya bese kusala lolokuluhlavu kuwele phansi kulelibala.

15, 16. (a) Chaza loko lokwenteka ebaleni lekubhulela njengobe Bhowazi acedzela umsebenti wakhe wakusihlwa. (b) Wabona njani Bhowazi kutsi Ruthe abelele ngasetinyaweni takhe?

¹⁵ Ruthe abebukisisile njengobe tisebenti ticedzela umsebenti wato wakusihlwa. Bhowazi abengamele kweliwa kwesivuno sakolo, lebesesikhule saba yincumbi lenkhulu. Ngemuva kwekudla ashaye sentfwala, Bhowazi walala eceleni kwalencumbi. Kuyacaca kutsi lona bekungumkhuba lovamile lokungenteka bewentelwa kuvikela lesivuno kutsi singebiwa ngemasela nebaphangi. Ruthe wabona Bhowazi sekatibeka phansi. Besesifikile sikhatsi sekutsi asebentise licebo laNawomi.

¹⁶ Ruthe wanyonyoba wasondzela kuBhowazi, inhlitiyo yakhe ishayela etulu. Wavele wabona nje kutsi lendvodza ikulobudzala butfongo. Wagwabula ingubo ngasetinyaweni taBhowazi wangena, walala, njengobe nje Nawomi abeshito. Wabese uyalindza. Sikhatsi besisolo sichubeka. Kufanele kutsi Ruthe wagcine sekabona shengatsi sekutsatsa sikhatsi lesidze kakhulu. Ekugcineni, ekhatsi nebusuku, Bhowazi wacala kunyakata. Achuchiswa ngemakhata, watelula, mhlawumbe kuze aphindze embese tinyawo takhe. Kodvwa weva kutsi kunemuntfu lotsite. Lendzaba itsi: “Wetfuka sekulele umuntfu lomsikati etinyaweni takhe.”​—Rut. 3:8.

17. Labo labatsi tento taRuthe betingakafaneli bashalatela maphi emaciniso lamabili lamelula?

 ¹⁷ Bhowazi wabuta watsi: “Ungubani wena?” Ruthe waphendvula ngelivi lokungenteka belichachatela watsi: “NginguRuthe, incekukati yakho, njengobe usihlobo sami sengati sengitetfula kuwe kutsi ungifukamele. Ngicela kutsi ungingene.” (Rut. 3:9) Labanye bahumushi bamuva batsi emavi netento taRuthe betiveta sifiso sekutiphatsa kabi ngekwelicansi, kodvwa bayawashalatela emaciniso lamabili lasebaleni. Kwekucala, Ruthe abenta ngekuvumelana nemasiko angaleso sikhatsi, lamanyenti awo langasasebenti kitsi lamuhla. Kungaba liphutsa-ke kucatsanisa tento taRuthe nekutiphatsa lokonakele kwebantfu balamuhla. Kwesibili, indlela Bhowazi laphendvula ngayo ibonisa kahle kutsi abetibona timsulwa futsi tincomeka tento taRuthe.

18. Yini Bhowazi layisho kuze advudvute Ruthe, futsi wakhuluma ngamaphi emahlandla lamabili lapho Ruthe abonisa khona lutsandvo?

¹⁸ Ngalesikhatsi Bhowazi akhuluma, akungabateki kutsi livi lakhe lelipholile nalelimnandzi lamdvudvuta Ruthe. Watsi: “Shangatsi Simakadze angakubusisa, ndvodzakati yami. Ukhombise inhlonipho lenkhulu kimi kunalena loyikhombisa unyokotala. Ngisho phela ngobe naku awukagijimeli kuyakwendza emadvodzeni lasemancane, lacebile nome laphuyile.” (Rut. 3:10) Nakakhuluma ‘ngenhlonipho layikhombisa unyokotala,’ Bhowazi bekasho lutsandvo lolwaboniswa nguRuthe ngekuhamba naNawomi nakabuyela ka-Israyeli aphindze amnakekele. Nakatsi: “Ukhombise inhlonipho lenkhulu kimi,” bekasho loko Ruthe labekwenta ngaleso sikhatsi. Bhowazi wabona kutsi bekungaba melula ngemfati losemusha njengaRuthe kutsi agijimele kuyewukwendza emadvodzeni lasemancane, lacebile nome laphuyile. Kunekutsi ente njalo, abefuna kwenta lokuhle, hhayi kuNawomi kuphela kodvwa ngisho nasendvodzeni yaNawomi lebeseyifile, achubeke alondvolote ligama lalendvodza lebeseyishonile kulelo live. Akusimatima kubona kutsi yini leyenta Bhowazi wakhutsatwa kungatigodli kwalomfati losemusha.

19, 20. (a) Bhowazi wabangelwa yini kutsi angavele ashade naRuthe ngaso leso sikhatsi? (b) Bhowazi wakukhombisa ngatiphi tindlela kuba nemusa nekukhatsalela lidvumela laRuthe?

¹⁹ Bhowazi wachubeka watsi: “Cha, ndvodzakati yami, ngitakwentela konkhe loko lokucelako, ngako ungesabi. Tonkhe takhamiti talesigodzi tiyati kutsi ungumfati sibili.” (Rut. 3:11) Walijabulela lilungelo lekushada naRuthe, kungenteka nekutsi akazange amangale nakacelwa kutsi abe ngumnakekeli wakhe. Nobe kunjalo, Bhowazi  abeyindvodza lelungile, futsi abengeke ente lokutsandvwa nguye. Watjela Ruthe ngalomunye labengaba ngumnakekeli wakhe losihlobo sengati lesisedvute semndeni wendvodza yaNawomi lebeseyifile. Bhowazi abetawukhuluma nalendvodza kucala, ayinikete litfuba lekutsi ibe yindvodza yaRuthe.

²⁰ Bhowazi wacela Ruthe kutsi alale aphumule kuze kube ngulapho sekutakusa, bese ubuyela ekhaya angabonwa. Abefuna kuvikela lidvumela laRuthe kanye nelakhe, njengobe bantfu bebangacabanga kutsi batiphetse kabi ngekwelicansi. Ruthe walala edvutane kwetinyawo taBhowazi, mhlawumbe asakhululekile ngemuva kwekutsi Bhowazi asemukele ngemusa lesicelo sakhe. Kwatsi kusesemnyama wavuka. Bhowazi wagcwalisa sidziya sakhe ngesipho sebhali, futsi Ruthe wase uyancandzeka ubuyela eBhetlehema.​—Fundza Ruthe 3:13-15.

21. Yini leyafaka sandla ekwenteni Ruthe atiwe ngekutsi ‘ngumfati sibili,’ futsi singasilingisa njani sibonelo sakhe?

²¹ Asewucabange nje kutsi kwamenetisa kangakanani Ruthe kuzindla ngaloko lokwashiwo nguBhowazi kuye, nakatsi bekatiwa ngibo bonkhe bantfu ‘njengemfati sibili’! Akungabateki kutsi kutimisela kwakhe kwati Jehova nekumkhonta ngiko lokwamenta waba nalelidvumela lelihle. Waphindze wakhombisa umusa lomkhulu neluvelo kuNawomi nakubantfu bakubo, wawemukela ngekutitsandzela emasiko nemihambo labengakayetayeli. Nangabe silingisa kukholwa kwaRuthe, sitabahlonipha ngalokujulile labanye, siphindze sihloniphe emasiko kanye nemihambo yabo. Nasenta njalo, natsi singatakhela lidvumela lelihle.

22, 23. (a) Kungenteka kutsi besisho kutsini lesipho Bhowazi lasiniketa Ruthe? (Fundza nembhalo longentansi.) (b) Nawomi wacela Ruthe kutsi enteni?

²² Kwatsi Ruthe nakefika, Nawomi wambuta watsi: “Ungubani, ndvodzakati yami?” Kungenteka Nawomi wabuta njalo ngobe bekusemnyama futsi angaboni kahle, kodvwa abefuna nekwati kutsi Ruthe abesolo angulomfelokati lotizulela yedvwana yini, nome abesabuya nematsemba ekutsi angashada. Masinyane, Ruthe watjela uninatala ngako konkhe lobekwenteke kuye kanye naBhowazi. Waphindze wetfula nalesipho sebhali Bhowazi labetsite asinikete Nawomi. *​—Rut. 3:16, 17, NW.

²³ Ngekuhlakanipha, Nawomi wacela Ruthe kutsi ahlale ekhaya ngalelo langa angayi kuyewukhwimita emasimini. Wacinisekisa  Ruthe watsi: “Bhowazi angeke asibeke sibunu sakhe phansi lamuhla angakayilungisi lendzaba.”​—Rut. 3:18.

24, 25. (a) Bhowazi wakhombisa njani kutsi ungumuntfu lolungile nalotidzelako? (b) Ruthe wabusiswa ngatiphi tindlela?

²⁴ Nawomi abecinisile ngaloko lakusho ngaBhowazi. Bhowazi wesuka waya esangweni lelidolobha, lapho bekuvame kuhlangana khona labadzala belidolobha, wafike wahlala kwaze kwefika lendvodza lesihlobo sengati lesisedvute labekhulume ngayo. Embikwabofakazi, Bhowazi waniketa lendvodza litfuba lekutsi ishade naRuthe kute ibe ngumnakekeli wakhe. Kodvwa-ke lendvodza yashaya phansi ngendvuku, yatsi kwenta njalo kutayilahlekisela lifa layo. Ngako-ke Bhowazi wetsembisa embikwabo bonkhe bofakazi lebebasesangweni lelidolobha kutsi utawuba ngumnakekeli, ayitsenge lendzawo ya-Elimeleki, indvodza yaNawomi lebeseyifile, futsi ashade naRuthe umfelokati labetsetfwe nguMahaloni indvodzana ya-Elimeleki. Bhowazi waveta litsemba lanalo lekutsi kwenta “loko kutawusita ekugcineni lifa netimphahla temndeni wemufi.” (Rut. 4:1-10) Nembala, Bhowazi abengumuntfu lolungile nalotidzelako.

²⁵ Bhowazi wabese ushada naRuthe. Naku lokwenteka ngemuva kwaloko: “Simakadze wambusisa, Ruthe watetfwala, watala indvodzana.” Bafati baseBhetlehema bajabula naNawomi futsi badvumisa Ruthe ngekutsi loko lakwentele Nawomi kube ncono kakhulu kunalobekungentiwa ngemadvodzana lasikhombisa. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, sifundza kutsi indvodzana yaRuthe yaba ngukhokho weNkhosi lenkhulu, Davide. (Rut. 4:11-22) Davide yena waba ngukhokho waJesu Khristu.​—Mat. 1:1. *

26. Sibonelo saRuthe naNawomi sisikhumbuta ini?

²⁶ Ruthe wabusiswa kakhulu, futsi kwaba njalo nangaNawomi lowalekelela ekukhuliseni lomntfwana njengekungatsi wakhe sibili. Kuphila kwalabafati lababili kusikhumbuto lesicacile sekutsi Jehova Nkulunkulu uyababona labo labatikhandlako kute banakekele imindeni yabo futsi labahlanganyela ngekwetsembeka nebantfu bakhe labakhetsile ekumkhonteni. Akehluleki kubusisa bantfu labetsembekile, njengaBhowazi, Nawomi naRuthe.