1, 2. (a) Chaza uhambo lukaRute noNahomi nentlungu ababekuyo. (b) Uhambo lukaRute lwalahluke ngantoni kolukaNahomi?

URUTE wayehamba noNahomi endleleni ethe tyaba kumathafa akwaMowabhi avuthuz’ umoya. Yayingabo bobabini kuphela kuloo mhlaba uvulekileyo. Khawube nomfanekiso kaRute ebona ukuba ilanga liyatshona, aze ajonge kuninazala ezibuza ukuba baza kuyifumana phi indawo yokufihl’ intloko. Wayemthand’ egazini uNahomi yaye wayenokwenza nantoni na ukuze amnyamekele.

² Omabini la mabhinqa ayesentlungwini engathethekiyo. UNahomi wayesele eneminyaka engumhlolokazi, kodwa ngoku wayehlelwe yenye intlekele—wayefelwe ngoonyana bakhe ababini, uKiliyon noMahalon. NoRute wayexhelekile. UMahalon wayeyindoda yakhe. Yena noNahomi babesingise ndaweni nye, kwidolophu yaseBhetelehem kwaSirayeli. Kodwa ngandlel’ ithile, uhambo lwabo lwalungafani. UNahomi wayegoduka. URute yena wayesiya kwindawo angayaziyo, eshiya intsapho yakowabo, ikhaya lakhe, nezithethe—kuquka nezithixo zakowabo—ngasemva.—Funda URute 1:3-6.

3. Ziimpendulo zayiphi imibuzo eziza kusinceda sixelise ukholo lukaRute?

³ Yintoni eyayibangela eli bhinqa liselula ukuba litshintshe ubomi balo ngolo hlobo? URute wayeza kusifumana phi isibindi sokuqalisa ubomi obutsha aze anyamekele uNahomi? Emva kokufumana iimpendulo zale mibuzo, siza kufunda izinto ezininzi esinokuzixelisa kukholo lukaRute umMowabhikazi. (Funda nebhokisi ethi “ Incwadana Ebhalwe Ngendlela Engummangaliso.”) Okokuqala, makhe sibone ukuba kwenzeka njani ukuba la mabhinqa mabini azibone sele ekuloo ndlela iya eBhetelehem.

4, 5. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze intsapho kaNahomi ifudukele kwaMowabhi? (b) Ziziphi iimvavanyo awajamelana nazo uNahomi kwaMowabhi?

⁴ URute wakhulela kwaMowabhi, ilizwe elincinane elalikwimpuma yoLwandle Olufileyo. Le ngingqi yayinamahewu aphakamileyo anemithi athe saa nemiwonyo enzulu. “Umhlaba wakwaMowabhi” wawutyebile yaye uvelisa ukutya, naxa kwakukho indlala  kwaSirayeli. Yayiyiloo nto kanye eyabangela ukuba uRute adibane noMahalon nentsapho yakowabo.—Rute 1:1.

⁵ Indlala eyabakho kwaSirayeli yanyanzelisa umyeni kaNahomi, uElimeleki, ukuba afuduke nomfazi noonyana bakhe ababini kwilizwe labo baze baye kuba ngabaphambukeli kwaMowabhi. Le mfuduko ifanel’ ukuba yavavanya ukholo lomntu ngamnye kule ntsapho, kuba kwakufuneka amaSirayeli anqule rhoqo kwindawo engcwele eyayinyulwe nguYehova. (Dut. 16:16, 17) UNahomi wakwazi ukulugcina ukholo lwakhe. Sekunjalo, yaba lihlwili intliziyo yakhe xa kwasweleka umyeni wakhe.—Rute 1:2, 3.

6, 7. (a) Yintoni eyayinokwenza uNahomi axhalabe xa oonyana bakhe betshata namaMowabhikazi? (b) Kutheni indlela uNahomi awabaphatha ngayo oomolokazana bakhe incomeka?

⁶ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba yamkhathaza nento yokutshata koonyana bakhe amantombi akwaMowabhi. (Rute 1:4) UNahomi wayesazi ukuba ukhokho wesizwe sakowabo, uAbraham, wayenze imigudu ukuze unyana wakhe, uIsake, afumane umfazi kubantu bakowabo ababenqula uYehova. (Gen. 24:3, 4) Kamva, uMthetho kaMoses walumkisa amaSirayeli ukuba angendiselani neentlanga, ngokoyikela ukuba zinokubatyekisa baze banqule thixo bambi.—Dut. 7:3, 4.

⁷ Nangona kunjalo, uKiliyon kunye noMahalon batshata amaMowabhikazi. Enoba uNahomi wayekhathazekile okanye ephoxekile, waqinisekisa ukuba ubonisa uthando nobubele bokwenene koomolokazana bakhe, uRute no-Orpa. Mhlawumbi wayenethemba lokuba ngenye imini nabo babeza kunqula uYehova njengaye. IBhayibhile ayisichazeli indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo uNahomi, kodwa bobabini, uRute no-Orpa, babemthanda gqitha uNahomi. Ulwalamano oluhle ababenalo lwabanceda xa behlelwa yintlungu. Ngaphambi kokuba la mabhinqa mabini aselula abe nabantwana, aba ngabahlolokazi.—Rute 1:5.

8. Yintoni esenokuba yatsalela uRute kuYehova?

⁸ Ngaba unqulo lwangaphambili lukaRute lwamxhobisela ukujamelana naloo ntlungu? Akubonakali kunjalo. AmaMowabhi ayenqula oothixo abaninzi, oyena umkhulu kubo inguKemoshe. (Num. 21:29) Unqulo lwamaMowabhi lwaluzaliswe yinkohlakalo eyayixhaphakile ngelo xesha, eyayiquka ukutshiswa kwabantwana esibingelelweni. Kumele ukuba nantoni na uRute awayifunda kuMahalon okanye kuNahomi ngoThixo kaSirayeli onothando nenceba, uYehova, yayahluke mpela kunqulo lwakowabo. UYehova wayelawula ngothando, kungekhona ngenkohlakalo. (Funda iDuteronomi 6:5.) Emva kokufelwa ngumyeni wakhe, uRute umel’ ukuba wasondelelana ngakumbi noNahomi, eliphulaphula eli bhinqa likhulileyo njengoko lithetha ngemisebenzi emangalisayo yoThixo ophakamileyo, uYehova, kunye nothando nenceba awayibonisayo kubantu bakhe.

9-11. (a) Sisiphi isigqibo esenziwa nguNahomi, uRute no-Orpa? (b) Sifunda ntoni kwiintlekele ezehlela uNahomi, uRute no-Orpa?

 ⁹ UNahomi wayenomdla kwiindaba zelizwe lakowabo. Ngenye imini weva, mhlawumbi ngomrhwebi ohambahambayo, ukuba yaphela indlala kwaSirayeli. UYehova wayephethulele ingqalelo yakhe kubantu bakhe. IBhetelehem yabuyela kwinto ebiyiyo, “Indlu yeSonka.” UNahomi wagqiba kwelokuba abuyele ekhaya.—Rute 1:6.

¹⁰ URute no-Orpa babeza kuthini? (Rute 1:7) Basondelelana ngakumbi noNahomi emva kokufelwa ngabayeni babo. Kuyabonakala ukuba uRute watsalwa bububele nokholo olungagungqiyo awayenalo kuYehova. Bobathathu aba bahlolokazi bemka besiya kwaYuda.

¹¹ Ingxelo engoRute isikhumbuza ukuba iintlekele zehlela bonke abantu, abalungileyo nababi. (INtshu. 9:2, 11) Ikwasifundisa nokuba, xa sijongene nentlekele, kububulumko ukufuna uncedo nentuthuzelo kwabanye—ngakumbi kwabo bathembela ngoYehova, uThixo owayenqulwa nguNahomi.—IMize. 17:17.

12, 13. Kwakutheni ukuze uNahomi afune uRute no-Orpa babuyele kowabo kunokuba bahambe naye, yaye la mabhinqa aphendula athini ekuqaleni?

¹² Njengoko le ndlela yayisiya iqina kwaba bahlolokazi bathathu, uNahomi wayexhalabele enye into. Wacinga ngala mabhinqa mabini aselula akunye naye nothando alubonise kuye nakoonyana bakhe. Wayengafuni ukuwathwalisa olunye uxanduva. Ukuba babeza kushiya ilizwe lakowabo baze bahambe naye, wayeza kubenzela ntoni eBhetelehem?

¹³ Ekugqibeleni, uNahomi wada wathetha nawo wathi: “Hambani, buyelani, ngamnye kwindlu kanina. Wanga uYehova anganenzela ububele bothando, kanye njengoko niye nabenza kula madoda afileyo ngoku nakum.” Wayenalo nethemba lokuba uYehova uza kuwasikelela ngabanye abayeni aze aqalise ubomi obutsha. Le ngxelo iqhubeka isithi: “Waza wabanga, yaye baphakamisa amazwi abo balila.” Kulula ukubona isizathu sokuba uRute no-Orpa balithande ngolu hlobo eli bhinqa linobubele nelingazingciyo. Bobabini  babesithi: “Hayi, siza kubuyela nawe ebantwini bakowenu.”—Rute 1:8-10.

14, 15. (a) UOrpa wabuyela koobani? (b) UNahomi wazama njani ukweyisela uRute ukuba amshiye?

¹⁴ Noko ke, uNahomi akazange akhawuleze anikezele. Wazama ukubabonisa ukuba, ekubeni wayengenamyeni wokumnyamekela, engenabo noonyana abaza kubatshata, kwakungekho nto anokubenzela yona kwaSirayeli. Wabaxelela ukuba ukungakwazi kwakhe ukubanyamekela kumenza buhlungu. UOrpa wakhawuleza weva. KwaMowabhi kwakukho abantu bakowabo nonina. Kwakubonakala kusengqiqweni ukuba ahlale kwaMowabhi. Ngoko, ebuhlungu, wamanga uNahomi, wajika wabuyela kowabo.—Rute 1:11-14.

¹⁵ Kuthekani ngoRute? Amazwi kaNahomi ayeyinyaniso nakwimeko yakhe. Sekunjalo, sifunda oku: “Ke yena uRute, wanamathela kuye.” Mhlawumbi uNahomi wayesele ephinde wathathisa endleleni xa wathi enyeka ngasemva, wabona uRute elandela emva kwakhe. Wamkhalimela wathi: “Khangela! Umninawakazi wakho ongumhlolokazi ubuyele ebantwini bakowabo nakoothixo bakhe. Buyela nomninawakazi wakho ongumhlolokazi.” (Rute 1:15) Amazwi kaNahomi asikrobisa kwinkalo ebalulekileyo. UOrpa wayebuyele, kungekhona kubantu bakowabo kuphela, kodwa “nakoothixo bakhe.” Wayengenangxaki nokunqula uKemoshe nabanye oothixo bobuxoki. Ngaba noRute wayevakalelwa ngolo hlobo?

16-18. (a) URute walubonisa njani uthando olunyanisekileyo? (b) Sinokufunda ntoni kuRute ngothando olunyanisekileyo? (Bona nomfanekiso wala mabhinqa mabini.)

¹⁶ Njengoko bebodwa kuloo ndlela, uRute wayemile kwisigqibo sakhe. Wayemthand’ engazenzi uNahomi—ethanda noThixo  owayenqulwa nguNahomi. Ngoko uRute waphendula wathi: “Musa ukundibongoza ukuba ndikushiye, ndijike ekukuphelekeni; kuba apho uya khona ndiya kuya, nalapho uchitha ubusuku khona ndiya kuchitha ubusuku. Abantu bakowenu baya kuba ngabantu basekhaya, noThixo wakho abe nguThixo wam. Apho ufela khona ndiya kufela khona, ndingcwatyelwe khona. Wanga uYehova angenjenjalo kum aze ongeze kuko ukuba kungabikho nantoni na enokusahlula ngaphandle kokufa.”—Rute 1:16, 17.

¹⁷ Amazwi kaRute ayamangalisa—kangangokuba aye agcinwa nasemva kokuba efile, de kwangoku, emva kweenkulungwane ezimalunga nama-30. Abonisa uphawu oluxabisekileyo, uthando olunyanisekileyo. Uthando awayenalo uRute lwalomelele yaye lunyanisekile kangangokuba wayezimisele ukuthi nca kuNahomi naphi apho aya khona. Babeza kwahlulwa kukufa kuphela. Abantu bakuloNahomi babeza kuba ngabakowabo, kuba uRute wayekulungele ukushiya yonke into kwaMowabhi—nkqu noothixo bamaMowabhi. Ngokungafaniyo no-Orpa, uRute wayefuna ngentliziyo yakhe yonke ukuba uThixo kaNahomi, uYehova, abe nguThixo wakhe. *

¹⁸ Ngoko baqhubeka nohambo bebabini, bahamba loo mgama umde ukuya eBhetelehem. Ngokutsho kolunye uphengululo, olu hambo lwalunokuthabatha iveki. Kodwa bamel’ ukuba babethuthuzelana nakuba bobabini babesentlungwini.

19. Ucinga ukuba sinokuluxelisa njani uthando olunyanisekileyo lukaRute entsatsheni, kubahlobo bethu nasebandleni?

¹⁹ Zininzi izinto ezibangela inkxalweko kweli hlabathi. Kula maxesha siphila kuwo, iBhayibhile ebhekisela kuwo ngokuthi ‘ngamaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo,’ sehlelwa zizinto ezishiya iintliziyo zethu zilihlwili. (2 Tim. 3:1) Uphawu esilubona kuRute lubaluleke ngakumbi kunanini na ngaphambili. Uthando olunyanisekileyo—uthando olubambelela nkqi luze lungavumi ukuyekelela—lusinika amandla okwenza izinto ezilungileyo kweli hlabathi lifathul’ ebumnyameni. Lufuneka emtshatweni, phakathi entsatsheni, phakathi kwabahlobo nasebandleni lamaKristu. (Funda eyoku-1 kaYohane 4:7, 8, 20.) Njengoko sizama ukuhlakulela olo thando, siza kuba sixelisa umzekelo omhle kaRute.

20-22. (a) Bamchaphazela njani uNahomi ubomi bakhe bakwaMowabhi? (b) Yiyiphi indlela ephosakeleyo uNahomi awayezijonga ngayo iingxaki zakhe? (Funda noYakobi 1:13.)

²⁰ Kakade ke, kulula ukutsho ngamazwi ukuba unothando olunyanisekileyo;  iba ngomnye umcimbi xa kufuneka oko ukubonakalise ngezenzo. URute wayenethuba lokubonisa ukuba uthanda kungekuphela uNahomi kodwa noThixo azikhethele ukumnqula, uYehova.

²¹ La mabhinqa mabini ada afika eBhetelehem, ilali ekwiikhilomitha ezilishumi emazantsi eYerusalem. Kubonakala ukuba uNahomi nentsapho yakowabo babeyintsapho eyaziwayo kule dolophana, kuba iindaba zokubuya kwakhe zazisematheni. Abafazi babedla ngokumkroba babuze, “NguNahomi nyhani lowa?” Kubonakala ukuba ukuhlala kwakhe kwaMowabhi kwayitshintsha inkangeleko yakhe; wayebonakala ukuba iminyaka sele ihambile yaye ibizaliswe yintlungu naziinzingo.—Rute 1:19.

²² Kwezo zalamane nabamelwane awayebagqibele kudala, uNahomi wachaza indlela ubomi bakhe obabuzaliswe ziingxaki ngayo. Wayecinga nokutshintsha igama lakhe elinguNahomi, elithetha “Uyolo lwam,” libe nguMara, elithetha “Ubukrakra.” Owu isiaram esinguNahomi! NjengoYobhi wamandulo, wayekholelwa ukuba nguYehova uThixo omfake kobu bugxwayiba.—Rute 1:20, 21; Yobhi 2:10; 13:24-26.

23. Yintoni awaqalisa ukucinga ngayo uRute, yaye liliphi ilungiselelo lamahlwempu elalikuMthetho kaMoses? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi.)

²³ Njengoko la mabhinqa mabini ayezinza eBhetelehem, uRute waqalisa ukucinga ngendlela anokuzinyamekela ngayo yena noNahomi. Weva nokuba uMthetho owanikwa abantu bakaYehova kwaSirayeli wawuquka ilungiselelo lothando elenzelwe amahlwempu. Ayevunyelwa ukuba aye emasimini ngexesha lesivuno ukuze abhikice oko kuseleyo nesivuno esisekupheleni kwentsimi. *—Lev. 19:9, 10; Dut. 24:19-21.

24, 25. Wenza ntoni uRute xa wafika kumasimi kaBhohazi, yaye kwakunjani ukubhikica?

²⁴ Yayilixesha lokuvunwa kwerhasi, malunga noAprili ngokwekhalenda yale mihla, yaye uRute waya emasimini ngethemba lokufumana umntu oza kumvumela abhikice. Waya kulinga  kumasimi endoda egama linguBhohazi, isinhanha esasinomhlaba omkhulu nesasizalana nomyeni kaNahomi owayefile, uElimeleki. Nakuba uMthetho wawumvumela ukuba abhikice, uRute akazange azigqatse; wacela imvume yokusebenza kumfana ophetheyo. Akuvunyelwa, waqalisa ngoko nangoko ukusebenza.—Rute 1:22–2:3, 7.

²⁵ Khawube nomfanekiso kaRute elandela emva kwabo bavuni. Njengoko babefaka amarhenqa abo bevuna irhasi, wayecholachola leyo bayichithayo nabayishiya ngasemva, wayedla ngokuqokelela ezo zikhwebu, azidibanise zibe zizithungu, aze aye kuhlala kwindawo apho anokuzibhula kakuhle kuyo. Yayingumsebenzi oyindinisa, ngakumbi njengokuba ilanga lalisiya liqina. Sekunjalo, uRute waqhubeka ezibhokoxa, ephumla kuphela xa esosula umbilo ebunzi naxa eza kutya “endlwini”—emel’ ukuba yayiyindawo nje engumthunzi owenzelwe abasebenzi.

26, 27. Wayengumntu onjani uBhohazi yaye wamphatha njani uRute?

²⁶ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uRute wayengakulindelanga ukubonwa—kodwa wabonwa. UBhohazi wambona waza wabuzisa ngaye kumfana owayephethe intsimi yakhe. UBhohazi, owayeyindoda elungileyo nenokholo, wayebabulisa abasebenzi bakhe—abanye babo ababeqeshiwe ukuba basebenze emini nabanye ekusenokwenzeka ukuba babengabasemzini—ngamazwi athi: “UYehova abe nani.” Nabo babedla ngokuphendula ngamazwi afanayo. Le ndoda eyayithanda uYehova yayimjonga njengentombi yayo uRute.—Rute 2:4-7.

²⁷ Embiza ngokuthi “ntombi yam,” uBhohazi wavumela uRute ukuba aqhubeke ebhikica kumasimi akhe, waza wamcebisa ukuba anamathele kubafazana bendlu yakhe ukuze angahlutshwa ngabasebenzi.  Waqinisekisa ukuba ufumana ukutya ngexesha lesidlo sasemini. (Funda uRute 2:8, 9, 14.) Okubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba, wayemncoma aze amkhuthaze. Njani?

28, 29. (a) Wayezenzele igama elinjani uRute? (b) Unokusabela njani kuYehova njengoRute?

²⁸ Xa uRute wabuza uBhohazi isizathu sokuba yena, engumntu wasemzini enjalo, enzelwe ububele ngolu hlobo, uBhohazi waphendula wathi wayevile ngazo zonke izinto awayezenzele uninazala, uNahomi. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uNahomi wayemtyibele ngezincomo uRute kubafazi baseBhetelehem, ezi ndaba zaya kufika nakuBhohazi. Wayesazi nokuba uRute wayeguqukele kunqulo lukaYehova, kuba wathi: “Wanga uYehova angayivuza indlela owenza ngayo, yaye kwanga unganomvuzo ogqibeleleyo ovela kuYehova uThixo kaSirayeli, oye wafuna indawo yokusabela phantsi kwamaphiko akhe.”—Rute 2:12.

²⁹ Amel’ ukuba amkhuthaza kakhulu loo mazwi uRute! Ngokwenene, wayekhethe ukusabela phantsi kwamaphiko kaYehova uThixo, njengentshontsho lentaka elithe khotsho phantsi komzali walo. Wabulela kuBhohazi ngamazwi akhe athuthuzelayo. Emva koko wasebenza de kwatshona ilanga.—Rute 2:13, 17.

30, 31. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kuRute ngokusebenza nzima, ukuba noxabiso nothando olunyanisekileyo?

³⁰ Ukholo lukaRute olubonakala ngezenzo, ngumzekelo esinokuwuxelisa sonke thina esiphila phantsi kweemeko zoqoqosho ezinzima. Akazange alindele ukuba abantu bamenzele izinto, ngoko wayekuxabisa oko akuphiwayo. Wayengakujongeli phantsi ukusebenza nzima ixesha elide ukuze anyamekele umntu amthandayo, nakuba wayesenza umsebenzi ophantsi. Wawamkela amacebiso obulumko ngendlela ekhuselekileyo yokusebenza nabantu amele asebenze nabo. Okubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba, akazange alibale ukuba umele athembele kubani—kuYise okhuselayo, uYehova uThixo.

³¹ Xa sibonakalisa uthando olunyanisekileyo njengoRute size sixelise umzekelo wakhe wokuthobeka, ukuzibhokoxa nokuba noxabiso, ukholo lwethu luya kuba ngumzekelo omhle kwabanye. Noko ke, uYehova wamnyamekela njani uRute noNahomi? Siza kuphendula loo mbuzo kwisahluko esilandelayo.