1, 2. (a) Wayenza hlobo luni lomsebenzi uRuthe? (b) Yiziphi izici ezinhle zoMthetho kaNkulunkulu nabantu bakhe ezabonwa uRuthe?

URUTHE waguqa eduze kwesithungo sebhali ayelikhothoze emini. Lase limathunzi eBhetlehema nezisebenzi eziningi sezizihudula zibheke esangweni lomuzi omncane owawuthe choshosho emthambekeni oseduze. Kumelwe ukuba umzimba wakhe wawusubuhlungu ngemva kokufukuza usuku lonke, kwazise wayeqale ekuseni. Waqhubeka esebenza, ebhula iziqu zebhali ngenduku noma ngesibhulo ukuze kuphume izinhlamvu. Kona kwakube usuku oluhle—oluhle kunalokho ayengakucabanga.

² Ingabe izinto zase ziqala ukumhambela kahle lo mfelokazi osemncane? Njengoba sibonile esahlukweni esandulele, wayenamathele kuninazala uNawomi, wafunga ukuthi ngeke amshiye nokuthi uyokwenza uNkulunkulu kaNawomi, uJehova, abe uNkulunkulu wakhe. Bobabili laba besifazane ababeshonelwe babefike eBhetlehema bevela kwaMowabi, futhi uRuthe umMowabikazi washeshe wabona ukuthi uMthetho kaJehova wawunamalungiselelo awusizo enza abantu abampofu kwa-Israyeli bahlonipheke, ngisho nabafokazi. Manje wayesebona ukuthi abanye babantu bakaJehova ababephila ngalo Mthetho futhi ubaqeqeshile, babebonisa uthando ngemithetho yaKhe nomusa owamthoba inhliziyo.

3, 4. (a) UBhowazi wamkhuthaza kanjani uRuthe? (b) Isibonelo sikaRuthe singasisiza kanjani kulezi zikhathi ezinzima ngokomnotho?

³ Omunye walabo bantu kwakunguBhowazi, indoda eyayisikhulile neyisicebi ayekhothoza emasimini ayo. UBhowazi wayemqaphelile namhlanje uRuthe, kuhle kukababa eqaphela indodakazi yakhe. URuthe wamomotheka lapho ecabanga ngamazwi kaBhowazi omusa ngesikhathi emncoma ngokunakekela uNawomi nangokukhetha ukuphephela ngaphansi kwamaphiko kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova.—Funda uRuthe 2:11-14.

⁴ Noma kunjalo, kungenzeka uRuthe wayezibuza ukuthi kazi ukuphila kumphatheleni. Njengoba engowesinye isizwe, ehlupheka, engenamyeni nangane, wayezozondla ngani yena noNawomi eminyakeni elandelayo? Kwakuyokwanela nje ukukhothoza? Futhi  ubani owayeyonakekela yena lapho esegugile? Kwakungaqondakala uma izinto ezinjalo zimkhathaza. Kulezi zikhathi zanamuhla ezinzima zomnotho, abaningi bashukwa izinkathazo ezinjalo. Njengoba sifunda indlela ukholo lukaRuthe olwamsiza ngayo wachusha kulezo zingqinamba, kuningi esizokuthola esingakulingisa.

5, 6. (a) Kungani singathi lwahamba kahle usuku lokuqala lukaRuthe ekhothoza emasimini kaBhowazi? (b) UNawomi wasabela kanjani lapho ebona uRuthe?

⁵ Ngesikhathi uRuthe eqeda ukubhula ibhali nokulibutha, wayesekhothoze okungange-efa lebhali, noma amalitha angu-22. Kungenzeka lo mthwalo wawunesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-14! Wawuphakamisa, mhlawumbe wawubopha ngendwangu waba isithungo, wayesewuhlaba ekhanda, uye lowaya eqonde eBhetlehema njengoba kuhwalala.—Ruthe 2:17.

⁶ UNawomi wathokoza lapho ebona umalokazana wakhe amthandayo, futhi mhlawumbe wamangala lapho ebona umthwalo webhali osindayo ayewuthwele. URuthe wayephethe nokudla okwakusale ekudleni uBhowazi ayekuphe izisebenzi, bakudla bobabili. UNawomi wabuza: “Ukhothozé kuphi namuhla, futhi usebenzé kuphi? Kwangathi lowo okuqaphelile angabusiswa.” (Ruthe 2:19) UNawomi wayengumuntu onakisisayo; lapho ebona ukudla okusindayo okwakufike noRuthe, wabona ukuthi ukhona owayemqaphelile lo mfelokazi osemncane, wayesembonisa umusa.

7, 8. (a) UNawomi wabheka umusa kaBhowazi njengovela kubani, futhi ngani? (b) URuthe walubonisa kanjani ngokuqhubekayo uthando oluqotho kuninazala?

⁷ Baqala ukuxoxa, uRuthe waxoxela uNawomi ngomusa kaBhowazi. Ejabule, uNawomi wathi: “Makabusiswe nguJehova, ongawushiyanga umusa wakhe wothando kwabaphilayo nakwabafileyo.” (Ruthe 2:20) Wabheka umusa kaBhowazi njengovela kuJehova, yena oshukumisa abantu bakhe ukuba bavule isandla futhi othembisa ukuvuza abantu bakhe ngomusa abawubonisayo. *—Funda izAga 19:17.

⁸ UNawomi wakhuthaza uRuthe ukuba amukele isicelo sikaBhowazi sokuba aqhubeke ekhothoza emasimini akhe futhi ahlale eduze kwamantombazane akhe ukuze abavuni bangamhluphi. URuthe wasilalela leso seluleko. “Waqhubeka ehlala noninazala.” (Ruthe 2:22, 23) Kulawo mazwi siphinde sibone imfanelo yakhe evelele—uthando oluqotho. Isibonelo sikaRuthe singase sisishukumisele ukuba sizibuze ukuthi siyazihlonipha yini izibopho zomkhaya,  sisekele ngobuqotho abantu esibathandayo, sibanike nosizo abaludingayo. UJehova akwenzeki angaluboni uthando oluqotho kanjalo.

9. Yini esingayifunda ngomkhaya kuRuthe noNawomi?

⁹ Ingabe uRuthe noNawomi babengewona umkhaya wangempela? Abanye bacabanga ukuthi ukuze umkhaya kuthiwe umkhaya wangempela kumelwe kube nomuntu ozogcwalisa indima ngayinye—kube nendoda, inkosikazi, indodana, indodakazi, ugogo noma umkhulu, njalo njalo. Kepha isibonelo sikaRuthe noNawomi sisikhumbuza ukuthi izinceku zikaJehova zingavula izinhliziyo zazo zenze ngisho nomncane kangakanani umkhaya uqhakaze ngenxa yemfudumalo, umusa nothando. Ingabe wena uyawazisa umkhaya wakho noma wakini? UJesu wakhumbuza abalandeli bakhe ukuthi ibandla lobuKristu lingaba umkhaya ngisho nakulabo abangenabani.—Marku 10:29, 30.

10. UNawomi wayefuna ukumsiza kanjani uRuthe?

¹⁰ Kusukela ngesikhathi sokuvunwa kwebhali ngo-April kuze kube sekuvunweni kukakolweni ngo-June, uRuthe wayelokhu ekhothoza emasimini kaBhowazi. Njengoba amasonto edlula, cishe uNawomi wayelokhu ecabanga kakhulu ngangakwenzela umalokazana wakhe amthandayo. BesekwaMowabi, uNawomi wayeqiniseka ukuthi wangasoze akwazi ukusiza uRuthe athole omunye umyeni. (Ruthe 1:11-13) Kepha manje wayesebona ngenye indlela. Waya kuRuthe wathi: “Ndodakazi yami, akufanele yini ngikufunele indawo yokuphumula?” (Ruthe 3:1) Kwakuyisiko ngaleso sikhathi ukuba abazali batholele izingane zabo abantu abazoshada nazo futhi uRuthe wayeseyindodakazi kaNawomi yangempela. Wayefuna ukutholela uRuthe “indawo yokuphumula”—okusho ukulondeka nesivikelo ayengakuthola ngoba enomuzi nomyeni. Kodwa yini ayengayenza uNawomi?

11, 12. (a) Ngesikhathi uNawomi ebiza uBhowazi ngokuthi “umhlengi,” wayebhekisela kuliphi ilungiselelo lothando loMthetho kaNkulunkulu? (b) URuthe wasabela kanjani eselulekweni sikaninazala?

¹¹ Ngesikhathi uRuthe ekhuluma ngoBhowazi okokuqala, uNawomi wathi: “Lowo muntu uhlobene nathi. Ungomunye wabahlengi bethu.” (Ruthe 2:20) Wayesho ukuthini? UMthetho kaNkulunkulu ku-Israyeli wawunamalungiselelo othando ngemindeni eyayidonsa kanzima ngenxa yobuphofu noma ukushonelwa. Lapho inkosikazi ishonelwa umyeni ingakabi nangane, yayisuke ife olwembiza  ngoba igama lomyeni wayo, noma inzalo yayo, laliyonqunywa lingaphinde laziwe ezizukulwaneni ezilandelayo. Kodwa uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawuvumela umfowabo wendoda ukuba ashade nalowo mfelokazi ukuze azale indlalifa eyayingase iqhubekisele phambili igama lomyeni oshonile futhi inakekele impahla yomndeni. *—Dut. 25:5-7.

¹² UNawomi wachazela uRuthe okwakuzodingeka akwenze. Singayibona ngeso lengqondo le ntokazi isivule amehlo njengoba uninazala ekhuluma. UMthetho wama-Israyeli wawusemusha kuRuthe, namasiko awo amaningi wayengakawajwayeli. Noma kunjalo, wayehlonipha uNawomi kakhulu kangangokuba walalelisisa konke ayekusho. Into uNawomi ameluleka ukuba ayenze yayingase ibonakale ingelula futhi ibangela amahloni—ingase imthele nangehlazo—kodwa uRuthe wavuma. Ngokuthobeka wathi: “Konke okushoyo kimi ngizokwenza.”—Ruthe 3:5.

13. Yisiphi isifundo esingasifunda kuRuthe ngokwamukela iseluleko sabantu abadala? (Bheka noJobe 12:12.)

¹³ Ngezinye izikhathi kunzima ngentsha ukuba ilalele iseluleko sabantu abadala kunayo nabanokuhlangenwe nakho. Kulula ukucabanga ukuthi abantu abadala abaziqondi ngempela izinselele nezinkinga zentsha. Isibonelo sikaRuthe sokuthobeka sisikhumbuza ukuthi ukulalela ukuhlakanipha kwabantu abadala abasithandayo nabasifunela okuhle kungaba nomvuzo omkhulu. (Funda iHubo  71:17, 18.) Sasithini iseluleko sikaNawomi, futhi ingabe uRuthe wathola umvuzo ngempela ngokusilalela?

14. Sasiyini isibuya, futhi sasisetshenziswa kanjani?

¹⁴ Ngalobo busuku uRuthe waya esibuyeni—indawo eqondile egandayekile lapho abalimi abaningi babeyisa khona isivuno sabo ukuze basibhule futhi basele. Kwakuvame ukukhethwa indawo ewumthambeka noma esegqumeni, lapho umoya wawunamandla khona ntambama noma lapho kuhwalala. Ukuze okusanhlamvu kuhlukane namakhoba notshani, izisebenzi zazisebenzisa izimfoloko noma amahalavu amakhulu ukuze zikuphonse emoyeni konke, umoya uphephule amakhoba, okusanhlamvu kuwele phansi.

15, 16. (a) Chaza ukuthi kwenzekani esibuyeni lapho uBhowazi eqeda umsebenzi kusihlwa. (b) UBhowazi wathola kanjani ukuthi uRuthe ulele ezinyaweni zakhe?

¹⁵ URuthe wayebukele ngokuqapha njengoba izisebenzi zikhumuka ntambama. UBhowazi wayebheke ukweliwa kukakolweni owagcina usuyinqwaba enkulu. Ngemva kokudla, walala eduze kwaleyo nqwaba. Kwakuyinto evamile le, mhlawumbe kwenzelwa ukuvikela isivuno esiyigugu emaseleni nakubaphangi. URuthe wambona uBhowazi eselala. Kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba enze ayekutshelwe uNawomi.

¹⁶ URuthe wacathama wasondela kuBhowazi, inhliziyo yakhe ishaya ngamandla. Wayebona ukuthi uBhowazi ulele zwi. Waya ezinyaweni zakhe, wazembula, wayeselala eceleni kwazo njengoba nje uNawomi ayeshilo. Walinda. Sahamba isikhathi. Kumelwe ukuba kuRuthe kwaba sengathi sekudlule isikhathi eside elindile. Ekugcineni,  cishe phakathi kwamabili, uBhowazi waqala ukunyakaza. Wazelula, mhlawumbe ukuze aphinde emboze izinyawo ngoba egodola. Wezwa ukuthi kunomuntu eduze kwakhe. Ukulandisa kuthi, “Bheka! kwakukhona owesifazane olele ezinyaweni zakhe!”—Ruthe 3:8.

17. Abantu abasikisela ukuthi kunogcobho esenzweni sikaRuthe bagejwa imaphi amaqiniso alula?

¹⁷ Wabuza: “Ungubani wena?” URuthe waphendula, mhlawumbe izwi lakhe liqhaqhazela: “NginguRuthe incekukazi yakho, futhi kumelwe welulele umphetho wengubo yakho phezu kwencekukazi yakho ngoba nguwe onelungelo lokuhlenga.” (Ruthe 3:9) Abanye abahlaziyi banamuhla baye bafuna ukusikisela ukuthi kwakunokuziphatha okubi ngokobulili kulokho okwenziwa nokwashiwo uRuthe, kodwa bagejwa amaqiniso amabili alula. Okokuqala, uRuthe wayenza ngokuvumelana namasiko angaleso sikhathi, amaningi awo esingawaqondi. Ngakho kungaba iphutha ukubheka lokhu akwenza ngeso elisontekile lezindinganiso zokuziphatha zanamuhla ezonakele. Okwesibili, uBhowazi wasabela ngendlela ebonisa ngokucacile ukuthi wayebheka isenzo sikaRuthe njengesimsulwa nesincomeka kakhulu.

18. Wathini uBhowazi lapho eduduza uRuthe, futhi wabhekisela kuziphi iziwombe ezimbili abonisa kuzo umusa wothando?

¹⁸ UBhowazi waphendula, futhi akungabazeki ukuthi iphimbo lakhe elimnene nelimtoti lamduduza uRuthe. Wathi: “Kwangathi ungabusiswa nguJehova, ndodakazi yami. Uwubonisé kangcono umusa wakho wothando kulokhu kokugcina kunasekuqaleni, ngokuba ungalandeli izinsizwa kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ziphansi noma zicebile.” (Ruthe 3:10) Inkulumo ethi “kunasekuqaleni” ibhekisela othandweni oluqotho lukaRuthe alubonisa ngokuphelezela uNawomi lapho ebuyela kwa-Israyeli nangokumnakekela. Inkulumo ethi “kokugcina” ibhekisela kulokhu okwakwenzeka manje. UBhowazi waphawula ukuthi kwakungaba lula ngentokazi enjengoRuthe ukufuna umyeni ezinsizweni ezisencane, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zicebile noma zimpofu. Kunalokho, wayefuna ukwenza okuhle hhayi kuNawomi kuphela kepha nakumyeni kaNawomi owayeseshonile ngokuqhubekisela phambili igama lakhe ezweni lakubo. Kulula ukubona ukuthi kungani kwamthinta kangaka uBhowazi ukungabi nabugovu kwale ntokazi.

19, 20. (a) Kungani uBhowazi engazange avele amshade uRuthe? (b) UBhowazi wawubonisa ngaziphi izindlela umusa nozwela kuRuthe nasedumeleni lakhe?

¹⁹ UBhowazi waqhubeka: “Manje, ndodakazi yami, ungesabi. Konke okushoyo ngizokwenzela kona, ngoba wonke umuntu  esangweni labantu bakithi uyaqaphela ukuthi wena ungowesifazane ovelele.” (Ruthe 3:11) Kwamthokozisa ukuthi angase ashade noRuthe; mhlawumbe akummangazanga ngempela ukucelwa ukuba abe umhlengi wakhe. Noma kunjalo, uBhowazi wayeyindoda eqotho, wayengeke enze okuthandwa nguye. Watshela uRuthe ukuthi wayekhona omunye umhlengi owayeyisihlobo esiseduze somndeni womyeni kaNawomi owayeshonile. UBhowazi wayezoya kuso kuqala asinike ithuba lokushada noRuthe.

²⁰ UBhowazi wathi uRuthe akaphinde alale aphumule kuze kube yilapho sekuzokusa; bese ehamba engabonwa muntu. Wayefuna ukuvikela idumela likaRuthe nelakhe ngoba abantu babengase benze iphutha bacabange ukuthi baziphathe kabi. URuthe waphinde walala ezinyaweni zikaBhowazi, mhlawumbe manje ingqondo ingasakhathazekile ngoba wayesiphendule ngomusa isicelo sakhe. URuthe wavuka kusemnyama. UBhowazi wagcwalisa isembatho sikaRuthe ngebhali eliningi, wayesehamba eya eBhetlehema.—Funda uRuthe 3:13-15.

21. Yini eyaba neqhaza edumeleni likaRuthe lokuba “owesifazane ovelele,” futhi singasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sakhe?

²¹ Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba kwamenelisa ngayo uRuthe ukucabanga okwakushiwo uBhowazi—ukuthi abantu babemazi ngokuthi “ungowesifazane ovelele”! Akungabazeki ukuthi ukufuna kwakhe ngokuzimisela ukwazi uJehova nokumkhonza kwaba neqhaza kulelo dumela. Wayebonise nomusa omkhulu nozwela ngoNawomi nabantu bakubo, wamukela ngokuzithandela izindlela namasiko ayengawajwayele neze. Uma silingisa ukholo lukaRuthe, siyophatha abanye nezindlela zabo namasiko abo ngenhlonipho ejulile. Uma senza kanjalo, nathi singase sithole ukuthi siba nedumela elihle kakhulu.

22, 23. (a) Kungenzeka zaziyini izizathu zesipho uBhowazi asipha uRuthe? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.) (b) UNawomi wakhuthaza uRuthe ukuba enzeni?

²² “Ungubani, ndodakazi yami?” kubuza uNawomi lapho uRuthe efika ekhaya. Mhlawumbe wayebuza ngoba kumnyama, kodwa uNawomi wayefuna nokwazi ukuthi uRuthe wayeseyilowaya mfelokazi ongenandoda noma wayesethole umuntu ozomshada. URuthe waxoxela uninazala masinyane konke okwakwenzeke kuye noBhowazi. Wamnika nesipho sebhali uBhowazi ayethe amnike sona. *—Ruthe 3:16, 17.

 ²³ Ngokuhlakanipha uNawomi wakhuthaza uRuthe ukuba ahlale ekhaya ngokuthula ngalolo suku, angayi kokhothoza emasimini. Wamqinisekisa: “Lo muntu ngeke aphumule kuze kube yilapho eseyiphothulile le ndaba namuhla.”—Ruthe 3:18.

24, 25. (a) UBhowazi wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyindoda eqotho nengelona igovu? (b) URuthe wabusiswa kanjani?

²⁴ Wayeqinisile uNawomi ngalokho akusho ngoBhowazi. UBhowazi waya esangweni lomuzi lapho amadoda amadala omuzi ayevame ukuhlangana khona, walinda kwaze kwadlula isihlobo esiseduze. Phambi kofakazi, uBhowazi wasinika ithuba lokuba ngumhlengi ngokuba sishade uRuthe. Kodwa lo mlisa wenqaba, wathi ukwenza kanjalo kuzochitha elakhe ifa. UBhowazi wabe esesho phambi kofakazi khona esangweni lomuzi ukuthi yena wayezoba umhlengi, athenge insimu yomyeni kaNawomi owayeseshonile, u-Elimeleki, bese eshada noRuthe, umfelokazi wendodana ka-Elimeleki uMahaloni. UBhowazi wathi unethemba lokuthi ukwenza kanjalo ‘kuzokwenza ukuba igama likamufi livukele phezu kwefa lakhe.’ (Ruthe 4:1-10) Ngempela uBhowazi wayengumuntu oqotho nongelona igovu.

²⁵ UBhowazi wamshada uRuthe. Ngemva kwalokho siyafunda: “UJehova wamnika ukuba akhulelwe futhi wazala indodana.” Abesifazane baseBhetlehema babusisa uNawomi batusa noRuthe ngokuba ngcono kuNawomi kunamadodana ayisikhombisa. Kamuva, sifunda ukuthi indodana kaRuthe yaba ukhokho wenkosi enkulu uDavide. (Ruthe 4:11-22) UDavide naye waba ukhokho kaJesu Kristu.—Math. 1:1. *

26. Isibonelo sikaRuthe noNawomi sisikhumbuzani?

²⁶ URuthe wabusiswa ngempela, njengoba abusiswa noNawomi owasiza wakhulisa ingane njengokungathi eyakhe. Ukuphila kwalab’ omame kuyisikhumbuzo esicacile sokuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu ubabona bonke abantu abakhandleka ngokuthobeka ukuze bondle imindeni yabo futhi bamkhonze ngobuqotho nabantu bakhe abakhethile. Akehluleki nanini ukuvuza abathembekileyo, njengoBhowazi, uNawomi noRuthe.