1 Naomi anali ndi mʼbale wake wolemera kwambiri wochokera ku banja la mwamuna wake Elimeleki, dzina lake Bowazi.

2 Tsiku lina Rute, Mmowabu uja anati kwa Naomi, “Mundilole kuti ndikakunkhe barele ku munda wa munthu aliyense amene akandikomere mtima.” Naomi anati kwa iye, “Pita mwana wanga.”

3 Choncho Rute ananyamuka kupita kukakunkha ku minda yokololedwa kale. Tsono zinangochitika kuti Rute anafika mʼmunda wa Bowazi, yemwe anali wochokera ku banja la Elimeleki.

4 Posakhalitsa Bowazi anafika kuchokera ku Betelehemu ndipo analonjera okolola aja kuti, “Yehova akhale nanu!”

Iwo anayankha kuti, “Yehova akudalitseni.”

5 Bowazi anafunsa kapitawo wake amene ankayangʼanira okolola aja kuti, “Mayi uyo ndi ndani?”

6 Kapitawo uja anayankha kuti, “Mayiyu ndi Mmowabu amene anabwera ndi Naomi kuchokera ku dziko la Mowabu. 7 Iye anandipempha kuti, ‘Chonde mundilole kuti ndikunkhe barele mʼminda moti akololamo kale.’ Iye wakhala akukunkha kuyambira mmawa mpaka tsopano lino osapuma nʼpangʼono pomwe.”

8 Choncho Bowazi anati kwa Rute, “Tamvera mwana wanga, usapite kukakunkha mʼmunda wina, ndipo usachoke mʼmunda uno. Koma uzitsata adzakazi angawa. 9 Uziyangʼana munda akukolola anyamatawo akamakolola mʼmundamu, ndipo iwe uzitsata pambuyo pawo. Ndawawuza anyamatawo kuti asakuvutitse. Ndipo ukamva ludzu, uzipita ku mitsuko ndi kukamwa madzi amene anyamatawa atunga.”

10 Atamva zimenezi Rute anawerama nazolikitsa nkhope yake pansi. Kenaka anafunsa kuti, “Mwandikomera mtima chotere mlendo ngati ine chifukwa chiyani?”

11 Bowazi anayankha kuti, “Ine ndawuzidwa zonse zimene wakhala ukuchitira apongozi ako chimwalirire mwamuna wako. Ndamvanso kuti unasiya abambo ndi amayi ako komanso dziko la kwanu ndi kubwera kudzakhala ndi anthu amene sumawadziwa ndi kale lonse. 12 Yehova akubwezere pa zimene wachitazi. Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli, amene wabwera pansi pa mapiko ake kuti akuteteze, akupatse mphotho yayikulu.”

13 Rute anati, “Mwandikomera mtima, mbuye wanga. Ndipo mwandisangalatsa ndi kundiyankhula mwa chifundo ngakhale sindili mmodzi mwa adzakazi anu.”

14 Nthawi ya chakudya cha masana Bowazi anati kwa iye, “Bwera kuno, utenge buledi ndi kusunsa nthongo mu vinyo.” Choncho anakhala pansi pafupi ndi okololawo, ndipo Bowazi anamupatsa chakudya ndi nyama yowotcha. Anadya chilichonse amafuna ndipo chakudya china chinatsalako.

15 Atanyamuka kuti azikakunkha, Bowazi analangiza anyamata ake kuti, “Ngakhale mayiyu azikunkha pakati pa mitolo musamuletse ndi kumuchititsa manyazi. 16 Koma muzimusololerako ngala zina za mʼmitolo ndi kumusiyira kuti azikunkha ndipo musamukalipire.”

17 Choncho Rute anakunkha mʼmundamo mpaka madzulo. Kenaka anapuntha barele anakunkhayo, ndipo anakwanira pafupifupi makilogalamu khumi.

18 Anasenza barele uja kupita naye ku mudzi, nakaonetsa apongozi ake. Kenaka anatulutsa chakudya chimene chinatsalira atakhuta chija ndi kupatsa apongozi ake.

19 Apongozi akewo anamufunsa kuti, “Kodi lero unakakunkha kuti? Unakagwira kuti ntchitoyi? Adalitsike munthu amene anakukomera mtimayo.” Ndipo Rute anawuza mpongozi wake za munthu amene ku malo ake anakagwirako ntchito. Iye anati, “Munthuyo dzina lake ndi Bowazi.”

20 Naomi anati kwa mpongozi wakeyo, “Munthu ameneyu amudalitse Yehova, amene sanasiye kuchitira chifundo anthu amoyo ndi akufa omwe. Anatinso munthu ameneyu ndi mnansi wapaphata. Ndiye ali ndi udindo wotisamalira.”

21 Choncho Rute Mmowabuyo anati, “Iye anandiwuzanso kuti, ‘Uzitsata antchito angawa mpaka atamaliza kukolola munda wonse.’ ”

22 Naomi anati kwa Rute mpongozi wake, “Kuli bwino mwana wanga kuti uzipita ndi adzakazi ake kuopa kuti mʼmunda wa munthu wina angakuvute.”

23 Choncho Rute ankatsatira adzakazi a Bowazi namakunkha mpaka anthu atamaliza kudula barele ndi tirigu. Ndipo amakhalabe ndi mpongozi wakeyo.