1, 2. (a) Wayesenza umsebenzi onjani uRute? (b) URute wafunda ntoni ngoMthetho kaThixo nabantu bakhe?

URUTE waguqa ngedolo ngakwiindiza awayeziqokelele ebudeni bosuku. Njengoko ilanga lalitshona kuloo masimi aseBhetelehem, abasebenzi abaninzi babethe chu ukuya kwisango leso sixeko sincinane nesikwindawo ephakamileyo enamathambeka. Kumele ukuba uRute wayedinwe eyimfe ekubeni wayesebenze usuku lonke ukususela ekuseni. Nangona kunjalo waqhubeka esebenza, ebhula ezo ndiza ngentonga ukuze ahlule iinkozo. Usuku lwakhe lwaluhambe kakuhle ngendlela awayengayilindelanga.

² Ngaba izinto zaziqalisa ukumhambela kakuhle lo mhlolokazi? Njengokuba siye sabona kwinqaku eliphambi kweli, wayethe nca kuninazala, uNahomi, wafunga ukuba uya kuhlala naye aze anqule uThixo kaNahomi, uYehova. Omabini la mabhinqa ayefelwe ngabayeni afuduka kwaMowabhi eza eBhetelehem, yaye uRute ongumMowabhikazi wabona indlela uMthetho kaYehova owalungiselela nowanika isidima ngayo amahlwempu akwaSirayeli, nkqu nawasemzini. Ngoku wathuthuzelwa nakukubona indlela abanye abakhonzi bakaYehova, ababephila ngoMthetho yaye beqeqeshwe nguwo, ababenobubele ngayo nendlela ababemthanda ngayo uYehova.

3, 4. (a) UBhohazi wamkhuthaza njani uRute? (b) Umzekelo kaRute uza kusinceda njani sijamelane namaxesha anzima kwezoqoqosho?

³ Omnye wabo yayinguBhohazi, indoda esisityebi, awayebhikica kumasimi ayo uRute. Ngolu suku, wabonisa umdla oku kotata kwintombi yakhe. URute wayencume ngaphakathi kuba wayevuyiswa ngamazwi obubele kaBhohazi awamncoma ngawo, ngenxa yokunyamekela uNahomi nokusabela phantsi kwamaphiko kaThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova.—Funda uRute 2:11-14.

⁴ Sekunjalo, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uRute wayecinga ngekamva lakhe. Ekubeni wayelihlwempu, engowasemzini, engenamyeni namntwana, wayeza kuzinyamekela njani yena noNahomi kwiminyaka ezayo? Ngaba wayeza kuba ngumbhikici ubomi bakhe bonke?  Yena wayeza kunyanyekelwa ngubani xa esaluphala? Wayefanele ukuxhalaba ngolo hlobo uRute. Namhlanje siphila kwixesha elinzima kwezoqoqosho, abaninzi banenkxalabo efana nekaRute. Njengoko sifunda ngendlela ukholo lukaRute olwamnceda ngayo wajamelana nezo mvavanyo, siya kufumana iindlela esinokumxelisa ngazo.

5, 6. (a) Lwalunjani usuku lukaRute lokuqala ekubhikiceni kwintsimi kaBhohazi? (b) Wasabela njani uNahomi akubona uRute?

⁵ Emva kokuba egqibe ukubhula, uRute wafumanisa ukuba ufumene umlinganiselo we-efa, okanye iilitha ezingama-22 zerhasi. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba umthwalo wakhe wawumalunga neekhilogram ezili-14! Wawuphakamisa, mhlawumbi ewuqhinele elaphini, waza wawuthwala entloko esiya eBhethelehem njengoko ilanga litshona.—Rute 2:17.

⁶ UNahomi wavuya akubona umolokazana wakhe othandekayo, kusenokwenzeka ukuba wothuka akubona uRute engena nomthwalo onzima werhasi. URute weza nokutya okwakushiyeke kwisidlo awasinikwa nguBhohazi, waza wakutya noNahomi. UNahomi wambuza: “Ububhikica phi namhlanje, yaye ubusebenza phi? Kwanga angasikelelwa lowo uye wakuphawula.” (Rute 2:19) UNahomi wamondela; akubona uRute ephethe irhasi eninzi kangako, waqonda ukuba ukho umntu oye wamqaphela lo mhlolokazi uselula waza wamenzela ububele.

7, 8. (a) UNahomi wabubona buvela kubani ububele bukaBhohazi, yaye ngoba? (b) URute walubonisa ngakumbi njani uthando olunyanisekileyo kuninazala?

⁷ Ekuqaliseni ukuncokola kwabo, uRute waxelela uNahomi ngobubele bukaBhohazi. Echukumisekile, uNahomi waphendula wathi: “Makasikelelwe nguYehova, ongabushiyanga ububele bakhe bothando kwabaphilayo nabafileyo.” (Rute 2:20) Ububele bukaBhohazi wabujonga njengobuvela kuYehova, okhuthaza abakhonzi bakhe ukuba baphe ngesisa, ibe ubathembisa ukubabuyekeza ngenxa yobubele abanabo. *—Funda IMizekeliso 19:17.

⁸ UNahomi wabongoza uRute ukuba amkele ububele bukaBhohazi bokuba aqhubeke ebhikica entsimini yakhe, kufutshane namabhinqa aselula endlu yakhe, ukuze angaphazanyiswa ngabavuni. URute walithatha elo cebiso. “Waqhubeka ehlala noninazala.” (Rute  2:22, 23) Kuloo mazwi, siphinda sibone olwa phawu lwakhe lubalaseleyo—uthando olunyanisekileyo. Kwanga umzekelo kaRute ungasishukumisela ukuba sizibuze enoba siwaphatha ngentlonelo na amalungu eentsapho zethu, sibaxhasa ngokunyaniseka abo sibathandayo xa befuna uncedo lwethu. UYehova usoloko ezibona izenzo zethu zothando lokwenene.

9. Sifunda ntoni kuRute noNahomi ngeentsapho?

⁹ Ngaba uNahomi noRute babengeyontsapho yokwenene? Abanye bathi, ukuze intsapho ibe kanti “yeyokwenene,” kumele kubekho umyeni, umfazi, unyana, intombi, umakhulu okanye utamkhulu, njalo njalo. Kodwa umzekelo kaRute noNahomi usikhumbuza ukuba abakhonzi bakaYehova banokuvul’ iintliziyo zabo, babe neentsapho eziphuphuma luthando nabububele, enoba zincinane okanye ziswele kangakanani na. Ngaba uyayixabisa intsapho yakho? UYesu wakhumbuza abafundi bakhe ukuba abantu abangenazintsapho banokuzifumana ebandleni lamaKristu.—Marko 10:29, 30.

10. Kungayiphi indlela uNahomi awafuna ukunceda ngayo uRute?

¹⁰ Ukususela ngexesha lokuvunwa kwerhasi ngoAprili ukuya kutsho ngexesha lokuvunwa kwengqolowa ngoJuni, uRute wayebhikica kumasimi kaBhohazi. Njengokuba iiveki zaziqengqeleka, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uNahomi wacinga nzulu ngento anokuyenzela umolokazana wakhe othandekayo. KwaMowabhi, uNahomi wayeqinisekile ukuba wayengenakumnceda uRute afumane umyeni. (Rute 1:11-13) Kodwa ngoku, wayecinga ngenye indlela. Waya kuRute waza wathi: “Ntombi yam, ndingakufuneli indawo yokuphumla na, ukuze kulunge kuwe?” (Rute 3:1) Amasiko elo xesha ayebavumela abazali ukuba bafunele abantwana babo amaqabane, yaye uRute wayesele eyintombi yokwenene kaNahomi. Wayefuna ukufunela uRute “indawo yokuphumla”—ebhekisela kukhuseleko nonqabiseko olufumaneka kwikhaya nakumyeni. Kodwa wayeza kwenza ntoni uNahomi?

11, 12. (a) Xa uNahomi wathi uBhohazi ‘ngumhlawuleli,’ wayebhekisela kweliphi ilungiselelo likaThixo lothando? (b) URute wasabela njani kwicebiso likaninazala?

¹¹ Ngoxa uRute wayeqala ukuthetha ngoBhohazi, uNahomi wathi: “Le ndoda ihlobene nathi. Ngomnye wabahlawuleli bethu.” (Rute 2:20) Wayethetha ukuthini? UMthetho kaThixo wawuquka  ilungiselelo lothando kwabo baye ngenxa yentlupheko okanye ukufelwa batsala nzima. Ukuba ibhinqa lalifelwe ngumyeni walo ngoxa lingenabantwana, lalisiba buhlungu nangakumbi kuba igama lendoda yalo, isizukulwana sayo, sasiya kuphela. Noko ke, uMthetho kaThixo wawuvumela umntakwabo mfi ukuba athabathe lo mhlolokazi abe ngumfazi wakhe ukuze azale indlalifa eza kubizwa ngegama lomfi neza kunyamekela impahla yakhe. *—Dut. 25:5-7.

¹² UNahomi waxelela uRute icebo awayelicinga. Sinokuba nomfanekiso ngqondweni kaRute esothuka njengoko ephulaphule uninazala. URute wayengekawuqheli ncam uMthetho wamaSirayeli, namasiko nezithethe zawo zazisentsha kuye. Nakuba kunjalo, wayenentlonelo enzulu ngoNahomi kangangokuba waphulaphula yonke into awayeyithetha. Le nto wayecetyiswa nguNahomi ukuba ayenze yayisenokubonakala ibangel’ iintloni—mhlawumbi iza kumthob’ isidima—kodwa uRute wavuma. Ngokuzithoba, wathi: “Konke oko ukutshoyo kum ndiya kukwenza.”—Rute 3:5.

13. Sifunda ntoni kuRute ngokuphulaphula amacebiso abantu abadala? (Funda noYobhi 12:12.)

¹³ Ngamany’ amaxesha kuba nzima ngabantu abaselula ukuphulaphula amacebiso abantu abasele bekhulile nabanamava. Kulula ukucinga ukuba abantu abadala abaziqondi iingxaki abajamelana nazo abaselula. Umzekelo kaRute wokuthobeka usibonisa ukuba ukuphulaphula amacebiso obulumko abantu  abadala abasithandayo nabasinqwenelela izinto ezintle kunokuba nemiphumo emihle. (Funda iNdumiso 71:17, 18.) Kodwa lalisithini icebiso likaNahomi, yaye ngaba uRute wavuzwa ngenxa yokuliphulaphula?

14. Sasiyintoni isanda, yaye sasisetyenziswa njani?

¹⁴ Ngaloo ngokuhlwa, uRute waya ngasesandeni—indawo ethe tyaba neqinileyo ababedla ngokuya kubhula kuyo abalimi. Le ndawo yayidla ngokuba sendulini, apho umoya wawuvuthuza ngamandla emva kwemini okanye emalanga. Xa bekhupha ingqolowa kumququ nakwiindiza, abasebenzi babedla ngokuphosa ezi ndiza emoyeni ngemihlakulo okanye ngeefolokhwe ezinkulu, umququ umke nomoya ize ingqolowa yona iwe phantsi.

15, 16. (a) Chaza into eyayisenzeka esandeni njengoko uBhohazi wayegqiba ukusebenza emva kwemini. (b) UBhohazi weva njani ukuba uRute ulele ngasezinyaweni zakhe?

¹⁵ URute wabukela njengoko abasebenzi babegqibezela umsebenzi wabo emalanga. UBhohazi wayebukele ukweliwa kwengqolowa yakhe, eyayisiba yimfumba. Emva kokusibetha sigcwale isisu, wayedla ngokungqengqa ngakuloo mfumba. Kubonakala ukuba le yayiyinto eqhelekileyo, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yayisenzelwa ukukhusela isivuno kumasela namatutu. URute wabona uBhohazi engqengqile. Lalifikile ixesha lokuba asebenzise icebiso likaNahomi.

¹⁶ URute wasondela, intliziyo ibetha luvalo. Wayebona ukuba le ndoda ilele yoyi. Ngokwecebiso likaNahomi, waya ngasezinyaweni  zikaBhohazi, wamtyhila iinyawo waza walala ecaleni kwazo. Emva koko, walinda. Lahamba ixesha. KuRute, kumel’ ukuba kwakungathi akasavuki. Ekugqibeleni, ezinzulwini zobusuku, uBhohazi waqalisa ukushukuma. Egodola, wazolula, mhlawumbi ezama ukombathisa iinyawo zakhe. Kodwa weva ukuba kukho into ayigilayo. Le ngxelo ithi ngale ndoda, “Khangela! umfazi ulele ezinyaweni zayo!”—Rute 3:8.

17. Abantu abathi isenzo sikaRute sasingafanelekanga balibala eziphi iinkalo ezimbini?

¹⁷ Wabuza wathi, “Ungubani na?” URute waphendula, mhlawumbi ilizwi lingcangcazela, wathi: “NdinguRute ikhobokazana lakho, yaye umele wolulele umbhinqo wakho kwikhobokazana lakho, kuba ungumhlawuleli.” (Rute 3:9) Abanye abahlalutyi bathi izenzo zikaRute zazibonisa ukuncwasa okungafanelekanga, kodwa balibala iinkalo ezimbini. Okokuqala, uRute wayesenza ngokwesiko laloo mihla, siko elo elingaqhelekanga kuthi. Bekuya kuba yimpazamo ukujonga izenzo zakhe ngemilinganiselo yanamhlanje ewohlokileyo yokuziphatha. Okwesibini, uBhohazi wasabela ngendlela eyenza kucace ukuba isenzo sikaRute sasifanelekile yaye sincomeka.

18. UBhohazi wamthuthuzela wathini uRute, yaye wayebhekisela kuwaphi amatyeli amabini?

¹⁸ Emva koko uBhohazi umel’ ukuba wathetha noRute ngelizwi lakhe eliphantsi nelithuthuzelayo. Wathi: “Ngamana uYehova angakusikelela, ntombi yam. Ububele bakho bothando uye wabubonisa kakuhle ngakumbi ekugqibeleni kunasekuqaleni, ngokungalandeli emva kwabafo abaselula enoba bazizisweli okanye bazizityebi.” (Rute 3:10) Ityeli ‘lasekuqaleni’ lalibhekisela kwindlela uRute awabonisa uthando olunyanisekileyo ngayo ngokuza noNahomi kwaSirayeli nangokumnyamekela. ‘Elasekugqibeleni’ yayisesi senzo. UBhohazi wayesazi ukuba ibhinqa eliselula elifana noRute lalinokufuna umyeni oselula, enoba sisityebi okanye lihlwempu. Kunoko, wayefuna ukumenzela okulungileyo uNahomi nomyeni wakhe owafayo, ukuze igama lakhe lingapheli kwilizwe lakowabo. Kulula ukubona isizathu sokuba uBhohazi achukumiseke kukungazingci kweli bhinqa liselula.

19, 20. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uBhohazi angamtshati ngoko nangoko uRute? (b) Ziziphi iindlela uBhohazi awabonisa ngazo ububele nolwazelelelo kuRute?

¹⁹ UBhohazi waqhubeka wathi: “Yaye ke, ntombi yam, musa ukoyika. Ndiya kukwenzela konke oko ukutshoyo, kuba wonk’  ubani osemasangweni abantu bam uyakuqonda ukuba ungumfazi obalaseleyo.” (Rute 3:11) UBhohazi wayengakuvuyela ukutshata uRute; mhlawumbi yayingamothusi into yokuba kufunwe abe ngumhlawuleli wakhe. Noko ke, uBhohazi wayeyindoda elilungisa yaye wayengazi kusuka nje enze isigqibo sokuzingca. Waxelela uRute ukuba ikho enye indoda enokuba ngumhlawuleli eyayizalana ngokusondeleyo nomyeni kaNahomi. UBhohazi wayeza kuya kule ndoda kuqala aze ayinike ithuba lokuba ngumhlawuleli kaRute.

²⁰ UBhohazi wabongoza uRute ukuba alale de kuse, aze ahambe engabonwanga mntu. Wayefuna ukukhusela igama likaRute nelakhe, kuba abantu babenokukrokrela ukuba baziphethe kakubi. URute walala ngasezinyaweni zakhe kwakhona, mhlawumbi kuthe xibilili ngoku kuba uBhohazi ethethe naye ngobubele. Emva koko, ngoxa kwakusemnyama, uBhohazi wazalisa ingubo yakhe yokwaleka ngerhasi, waza wabuyela eBhetelehem.—Funda uRute 3:13-15.

21. Yintoni eyabangela ukuba uRute aziwe ‘njengomfazi obalaseleyo’ yaye singawuxelisa njani umzekelo wakhe?

²¹ Umel’ ukuba uRute wayesiba nemincili xa ecinga ngamazwi kaBhohazi—okuba waziwa ebantwini ‘njengomfazi obalaseleyo’! Ngokuqinisekileyo umnqweno wakhe wokwazi nokukhonza uYehova kwamenzela elo gama lihle. Naye wayebonise ububele nolwazelelelo kuNahomi nakubantu bakowabo, wamkela amasiko nendlela yokwenza izinto angayiqhelanga. Xa sixelisa ukholo lukaRute, siza kufuna ukujonga abanye namasiko abo ngentlonelo enzulu. Ukuba senjenjalo, nathi sinokuzenzela igama elihle.

22, 23. (a) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba sasithetha ntoni isipho esanikwa uRute nguBhohazi? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi.) (b) UNahomi wacebisa uRute ukuba makenze ntoni?

²² “Ungubani na, ntombi yam?” UNahomi wathetha loo mazwi akufika uRute. Mhlawumbi wabuza kuba engamboni ebumnyameni, kodwa uNahomi wayefuna nokwazi ukuba uRute wayesengumhlolokazi na okanye wayenethemba lomtshato. URute wakhawuleza wabalisela uninazala yonke into eyenzeka phakathi kwakhe noBhohazi. Wamnika nesipho serhasi uBhohazi awayethe makasinike uNahomi. *—Rute 3:16, 17.

²³ UNahomi wacebisa uRute ukuba ahlale ekhaya angayi  kubhikica emasimini. Waqinisekisa uRute wathi: “Le ndoda ayiyi kuphumla ngaphandle kokuba iwuphelise lo mbandela namhlanje.”—Rute 3:18.

24, 25. (a) UBhohazi wabonisa njani ukuba ulilungisa nendoda engazingciyo? (b) Wasikelelwa njani uRute?

²⁴ UNahomi wayenyanisile ngoBhohazi. Waya ngakwisango lesixeko, indawo ababedla ngokudibanela kuyo abadala besixeko, waza walinda de kwadlula laa ndoda isisalamane esisondeleyo. Ngaphambi kwamangqina, uBhohazi wanika le ndoda ithuba lokuba ngumhlawuleli kaRute. Noko ke, le ndoda yala, isithi ukwenza oko kuza kumphulukanisa nelakhe ilifa. Emva koko, phambi kwamangqina ayekhona kwisango lesixeko, uBhohazi wathi uza kuba ngumhlawuleli wakhe, athenge umhlaba womyeni kaNahomi, uElimeleki, aze atshate uRute, umhlolokazi wonyana kaElimeleki, uMahalon. UBhohazi wachaza ukuba unethemba lokuba isenzo sakhe siza kubangela ukuba “kuvuke igama lendoda efileyo elifeni layo.” (Rute 4:1-10) Ngokwenene uBhohazi wayelilungisa nendoda engazingciyo.

²⁵ UBhohazi watshata noRute. Emva koko, sifunda oku: “UYehova wamenza ukuba akhawule waza wazala unyana.” Abafazi baseBhetelehem bamsikelela uNahomi baza bamdumisa uRute ngenxa yokuba elunge ngakumbi kuNahomi kunoonyana abasixhenxe. Kamva, sifunda ukuba unyana kaRute waba ngukhokho kaKumkani uDavide. (Rute 4:11-22) UDavide yena waba ngukhokho kaYesu Kristu.—Mat. 1:1. *

26. Imizekelo kaRute noNahomi isikhumbuza ntoni?

²⁶ URute wayesikelelwe ngokwenene, noNahomi ngokunjalo, kuba wancedisa ekukhuliseni lo mntwana. Ubomi bala mabhinqa mabini busikhumbuza ukuba uYehova uyakubona ukusebenza kwethu nzima ukuze sizinyamekele size siqhubeke simkhonza ngokunyaniseka nabantu bakhe. Akalibali ukubavuza abantu abathembekileyo, njengoBhohazi, uNahomi noRute.