1, 2. (a) URude bekenza umsebenzi onjani? (b) Ngiyiphi ingcenye yomThetho kaZimu nabantu bakhe uRude afunda ngayo?

 URUDE waguqa hlanu kwewobhu leenhlanga zokusanthoro aziburukuje emini. Besele kurhwalala emasimini weBetlehema, begodu iinsebenzi ezinengi bezikhamba kabuthaka zikhuphukela esangweni ledorobho elincani emzini ophezu kombundu oseduze. URude gade adinwe afile ngebanga lomsebenzi obudisi welanga loke, ngombana bekajame ngeenyawo solo kusileko. Nanyana kunjalo, waragela phambili asebenza, ajuguja isigodo abhula ngaso okusanthoro. Nanyana umsebenzi bewubudisi, kwaba lilanga elihle kuye—ukudlula lokho ebekakulindele.

² Kghani izinto besele zithoma ukumkhambela kuhle umhlolokazi lo? Njengombana sibonile esahlukweni esigadungileko, wakhetha ukuhlala nonosokanakhe uNawomi, afunga ukunamathela kuye begodu enze uZimu kaNawomi, uJehova uZimakhe. Bobabili abafazi abalilakwaba beza eBetlehema bavela kwaMowabi, begodu uRude wakwaMowabi wafunda bona umThetho kaJehova bewubaphatha ngehlonipho abantu abatlhagako kwa-Israyeli, kuhlanganise nabantu bakezinye iinarha. Kwanje wathola bona abanye abantu bakaJehova, ebebaphila ngaphasi komThetho begodu ababandulwe ngawo, babonisa ngokuziphatha nomusa bona bathanda umthetho kaJehova begodu lokho bekumduduza.

3, 4. (a) UBhowazi wamkhuthaza njani uRude? (b) Isibonelo sakaRude sisisiza njani ephasini lanamhlanje elibogabogako kwezomnotho?

³ Omunye umuntu onjalo bekunguBhowazi, indoda endala enjingileko ebekaburukuja emasiminayo. Waba njengobaba kuye. Wahlekela ngaphakathi nekacabanga ngamezwi womusa wokumbuka ngokutlhogomela uNawomi nokukhetha ukufuna isiphephelo ngaphasi kwamaphiko kaZimu wamambala, uJehova.—Funda uRude 2:11-14.

⁴ Nanyana kunjalo, kungenzeka bona uRude wazibuza ngokuphila kwakhe kwesikhathi esizako. Njengomuntu weentjhaba odobha phasi, onganandoda nonganamntwana, bekazozitlhogomela  njani yena noNawomi esikhathini esizako? Ukuburukuja kukodwa bekwanele? Bekazokutlhogonyelwa ngubani nekaluphalako? Kuyezwakala nengabe izinto ezinjalo bezimtshwenya. Ephasini lanamhlanje elibogabogako kwezomnotho, abanengi baqalene nemiraro efanako. Njengombana sibona bonyana ikholo lakaRude lamsiza njani ebudisini obufana nalobu, sizokufumana okunengi esingakulingisa.

5, 6. (a) Lakhamba njani ilanga lakaRude lokuthoma lokuburukuja emasimini kaBhowazi? (b) UNawomi wazizwa njani nekabona uRude?

⁵ URude nekaqeda ukubhula okusanthoro bese ukubuthelela ndawonye, wafumana bona wenze amalitha ama-22 webhali. Umthwalwakhe kungenzeka bewunobudisi obumakhilogremu ali-14! Wawuphakamisa mhlamunye wawubopha ngetjhila wawuthwala ehloko, bese wakhamba waya eBetlehema njengombana selitjhinga.—Rude 2:17.

⁶ UNawomi wathabela ukubona umalukazanakhe amthandako, mhlamunye warareka dlemelele nekabona umthwalo kaRude webhali obudisi. URude godu wabuya nokudla okuseleko ekudleni uBhowazi akupha iinsebenzi zakhe, bobabili bagoma ukudla okululokhu. UNawomi wabuza: “Uburukujephi namhlanje, usebenzephi? Akabusiswe okutjhejileko.” (Rude 2:19) UNawomi watjheja ngombana wabona emthwalweni kaRude obudisi bonyana kunothileko obone umhlolokazi omutjha lo begodu wamsiza.

7, 8. (a) UNawomi waqala umusa kaBhowazi njengovela kubani? (b) URude waragela njani phambili abonisa ithando lamambala kunosokanakhe?

⁷ Bathoma ukukhuluma, begodu uRude watjela uNawomi ngomusa kaBhowazi. Akarekile, uNawomi waphendula: “UJehova akambusise, loyo ongakatjhiyi umusakhe wethando kwabaphilako nabahlongakeleko.” (Rude 2:20) Wabona umusa kaBhowazi njengovela kuJehova, owenza iinceku zakhe ziphane nothembisa ukuvuza abantu bakhe ngomusa abawubonisako. a—Funda IzAga 19:17.

⁸ UNawomi wakhuthaza uRude bona amukele umusa kaBhowazi wokuragela phambili aburukuja emasiminakhe nokuhlala eduze kwabantazana bakwakhe khona angazukutshwenywa bavuni. URude walalela isilulekweso. “Waragela phambili ahlala nonosokanakhe.” (Rude 2:22, 23) Ngamezwi layo sibona ifanelo aziwa ngayo —ithando lamambala. Isibonelo sakaRude singasitjhukumisela bona sizibuze bonyana siyabuthabela ubunye bomndeni, sisekele esibathandako ngokuthembeka begodu sibasize la kutlhogeka khona. UJehova ngaso soke isikhathi uyalitjheja ithando lamambala elinjalo.

9. Singafundani ngomndeni kuRude noNawomi?

⁹ URude noNawomi gade kungasiwo umndeni wamambala na? Abanye bacabanga bona kufuze kube nendoda, umfazi, indodana, indodakazi, ugogo, ubamkhulu njalonjalo—bona umndeni ube “ngewamambala.” Kodwana isibonelo sakaRude noNawomi sisikhumbuza bona iinceku zakaJehova zingavula iinhliziyo zazo begodu zenze umndeni omncani khulu ube nomusa nethando. Uwuqala njengegugu umndeni onawo? UJesu wakhumbuza abalandeli bakhe bona ibandla lobuKrestu lingaba njengomndeni kilabo abanganawo.—Mar. 10:29, 30.

10. Ngiyiphi indlela uNawomi afuna ukusiza ngayo uRude?

¹⁰ Kusukela ekuvunweni kwebhali ngo-April ukuya ekuvunweni kwekoroyi ngoJune, uRude waragela phambili aburukuja emasimini kaBhowazi. Njengombana iimveke zikhamba, akunakuzaza bona uNawomi wacabanga khulu bona khuyini angayenzela umakotakhe othandekako. Emva-le kwaMowabi, uNawomi bekaqiniseka bona angekhe akwazi ukusiza uRude ukufumana enye indoda. (Rude 1:11-13) Nokho, kwanje, wathoma ukucabanga ngenye indlela. Wakhuluma noRude wathi: “Mntwanami, ngeze ngakufumanela indawo yokuphumula na?” (Rude 3:1) Bekulisiko ngesikhatheso bona ababelethi bafumanele abantwababo abalingani, begodu uRude waba yindodakazi yamambala kuNawomi. Wafuna ukufumanela uRude “indawo yokuphumula”—aqalise esivikelweni esingalethwa yikhaya nendoda. Kodwana bekazokwenzani uNawomi?

11, 12. (a) UNawomi nekabiza uBhowazi ‘umhlengi’ bekaqalise kiliphi ilungiselelo lethando lomThetho kaZimu? (b) URude wasabela njani esilulekweni sakanosokanakhe?

¹¹ URude nekakhuluma ngoBhowazi kokuthoma, uNawomi wathi: “Indoda leyo sihlobo sethu. Ingomunye wabahlengi bethu.” (Rude 2:20) Kutjho ukuthini lokho? UmThetho kaZimu ku-Israyeli bewubandakanya ilungiselelo lethando emindenini eqalene nobudisi ngebanga lokutlhaga namtjhana lokuhlongakalelwa. Nengabe umfazi ube mhlolokazi anganamntwana, bekadana khulu ngebanga  lebizo lendodakwakhe, ikusasa layo bona kuzokuphela, ilahlekelwe sizukulwana sesikhathi esizako. Nokho, umThetho kaZimu bewuvumela umfowabo lendoda bona atjhade umhlolokazi khona azokubeletha indlalifa ezokuragekisela phambili ibizo lendodakwakhe ehlongakeleko begodu itlhogomele nepahla yomndeni. b—Dut. 25:5-7.

¹² UNawomi watjela uRude ngalokho ebekafuna ukukwenza. Ungacabanga ngomfazi omutjha lo arhudule amehlo njengombana unosokanakhe akhuluma. URude bekangakawujayeli umThetho wama-Israyeli, namasiko wakhona amanengi bekangakajayeleki kuye. Ngitjho nanyana kunjalo, bekamhlonipha khulu uNawomi, ngalokho bekalalela koke akutjhoko. Lokho uNawomi ambawa bona akwenze kungenzeka bekubonakala kurara namtjhana kuphathisa iinhloni—kumehlisa ngitjho nesithunzi—nokho, uRude wavuma. Ngokuthobeka wathi, “Koke okutjhoko ngizokwenza.”—Rude 3:5.

13. Ngisiphi isifundo esingasifunda kuRude ngokwamukela isiluleko esivela ebantwini abadala? (Qala noJobhi 12:12.)

¹³ Ngesinye isikhathi kubudisi ngabantu abatjha ukulalela isiluleko sabantu abadala nabanokuhlangabezanwe nakho okunengi. Kulula ukucabanga bona abantu abadala abazazi kuhle iintjhijilo nemiraro abantu abatjha abaqalene nayo. Isibonelo sakaRude sokuthobeka sisikhumbuza bona ukulalela ukuhlakanipha kwabantu abadala  abasithandako nebasifunela okuhle khulu kungasizuzisa. (Funda IRhalani 71:17, 18.) Kodwana besithini isiluleko sakaNawomi, begodu uRude wazuza na ngokusisebenzisa?

14. Iyini indawo yokubhulela, begodu beyisetjenziswa njani?

¹⁴ Ngobusukobo, uRude waya endaweni yokubhulela—indawo ethabaleleko, egangadwe yaqina lapho abalimi abanengi babhulela bebayelele khona okusanthoro kwabo. Indawo ekhethwako kanengi beyiba seqadi kombundu namtjhana phezu kwawo, lapho kubetha umoya ntambama nebusuku. Ukuyela okusanthoro, iinsebenzi bezisebenzisa iimforogo namarharafu amakhulu ukuphakamisela okusanthorokhu emoyeni bona uphephule izinto ezibulula bese okubudisi kubuyela phasi.

15, 16. (a) Hlathulula isenzakalo sendaweni yokubhula njengombana uBhowazi aqeda ukusebenza ebusuku. (b) UBhowazi wathola njani bona uRude gade alele ngeenyaweni zakhe?

¹⁵ URude waqalisisa njengombana iinsebenzi ziqeda umsebenzazo ntambama. UBhowazi wambona nekayela okusanthoro kwakhe okwenza iwobhu elikhulu. Ngemva kokudla msinyana, walala emaphethelweni wombundu. Lokhu bekujayelekile, mhlamunye ukwenzela ukuvikela isivuno sabo esiligugu emaseleni nabasahleli. URude wabona uBhowazi alungiselela ukulala. Bese kusikhathi sokwenza lokho uNawomi athe akwenze.

¹⁶ URude wananaba watjhidela kuye, ihliziyo ibetha ngamandla. Bekabona bonyana indoda le ilele pu. Ngalokho njengombana uNawomi atjhwile, waya ngeenyaweni zakhe, wazimbula, bese walala kizo. Walinda. Kwadlula isikhathi. KuRude, bekubonakala kwanga  mnyaka woke. Ekugcineni, phakathi nobusuku, uBhowazi wathoma ukusikinyeka. Ahlengezeliswa makhaza, wathabalala, kungenzeka bona gade afuna ukumbesa iinyawo zakhe godu. Kodwana wezwa bona kunomuntu okhona. Njengombana umlando utjho, “Qala! kunomfazi olele ngeenyaweni zakhe!”—Rude 3:8.

17. Labo abacabanga bona bekunento embi esenzweni sakaRude ngimaphi amaphuzu amabili alula abangawatjhejiko?

¹⁷ Wabuza, “Ungubani?” URude waphendula, mhlamunye ilizwi lakhe lihlengezela: “NginguRude incekukazi yakho, kufuze uthabululele ingubakho encekukazinakho, ngombana umhlengi.” (Rude 3:9) Abatjhugululi banamhlanje bacabanga bona bekunoziphatha okumbi esenzweni nemezwini kaRude, kodwana abawatjheji amaphuzu amabili alula la. Kokuthoma, uRude bekenza ngokuvumelana namasiko wangesikhatheso, amanengi wawo angasaziwako namhlanje. Ngalokho, kungaba yiphoso ukumadanisa isenzo sakhe nokuziphatha okumbi kwanamhlanje. Kwesibili, uBhowazi waphendula ngendlela etjengisa ngokukhanyako bona uqala isenzo sakaRude njengesihlanzekileko begodu wambuka khulu ngalokho.

18. UBhowazi wathini ukududuza uRude, begodu ngiziphi izenzo zethando ezimbili ebekaqalise kizo?

¹⁸ UBhowazi wakhuluma, begodu akunakuzaza bona amezwakhe anomusa nathobako amduduza uRude. Wathi: “Kwanga uJehova angakubusisa, mntwanami. Ubonise umusa wethando ngcono kunekuthomeni, akhenge ugijimele amasokana kungakhathaliseki bona ayatlhaga namtjhana anjingile.” (Rude 3:10) “Kunekuthomeni” kuqalise ethandweni lakaRude lamambala lokukhambisana noNawomi babuyele emva kwa-Israyeli nokumtlhogomela. “Ekugcineni” bekatjho lokho akwenzako ngesikhatheso. UBhowazi watjheja bona umfazi omutjha njengoRude bekungaba lula ukufuna indoda hlangana namadoda amatjha, kungakhathaliseki bona anjingile namtjhana ayatlhaga. Kunalokho, wafuna ukwenza okuhle, ingasi kuNawomi kwaphela kodwana nendodeni kaNawomi ehlongakeleko, ukuragekisela phambili ibizo lendoda ehlongakeleko endaweni ebelethelwe kiyo. Kulula ukubona bonyana kubayini uBhowazi atjhukunyiswa ukungabi marhamaru kweqhakazaneli.

19, 20. (a) Kubayini uBhowazi angakhenge atjhade noRude khonokho? (b) UBhowazi wawubonisa njani umusa nokucabangela ubudumo bakaRude?

¹⁹ UBhowazi waragela phambili: “Kwanje ungasabi mntwanami. Koke okutjhoko ngizokwenza, ngombana woke umuntu osemasangwenami uyazi bona umfazi oveleleko.” (Rude 3:11) Kwamthabisa  ukufumana ithuba lokutjhada noRude; mhlamunye akhenge kumrare khulu ukukhonjelwa bona abe mhlengakhe. Nokho, uBhowazi bekayindoda elungileko, begodu bekangenzi okuthandwa nguye kwaphela. Watjela uRude bona kunomunye umhlengi oseduze khulu nomndeni wendoda kaNawomi ehlongakeleko. UBhowazi bekazokuya endodeni leyo qangi bese ayinikele ithuba lokuthoma lokuba yindoda kaRude.

²⁰ UBhowazi wabawa uRude bona alale godu bekube ngamathathakusa; bese aphume angabonwa. Bekafuna ukuvikela ubudumo bakaRude kuhlanganise nebakhe, njengombana abantu bebangacabanga bona kunokuziphatha okumbi abakwenzileko. URude walala ngeenyaweni zendoda le godu, mhlamunye esekatjhaphuluke khudlwana ngemva kobana seyisabele ngendlela ehle kangaka esibaweni sakhe. Kusesemnyama, uRude wavuka. UBhowazi wazalisa ingubo yakhe ngesipho somusa sebhali, begodu wathoma ukukhamba abuyela eBetlehema.—Funda uRude 3:13-15.

21. Khuyini eyabandakanyeka ekubeni kwakaRude ‘mfazi oveleleko,’ begodu singasilingisa njani isibonelo sakhe?

²¹ Qala bona bekwanelisa kangangani ngoRude ukucabanga ngalokho okwatjhiwo nguBhowazi—bonyana bekaziwa babantu boke ‘njengomfazi oveleleko’! Akunakuzaza bona ukuzimisela kwakhe ukwazi uJehova nokumkhonza bekuhlangene khulu nobudumobo. Godu waba nomusa omkhulu nokucabangela uNawomi nabantu bekhabo, azimisele ukwamukela iindlela namasiko egade angakawajayeli. Nesilingisa ikholo lakaRude, sizokufuna ukuphatha abanye, iindlela namasikwabo ngehlonipho. Nesenza njalo, nathi sizokwazi ukuba nobudumo obuhle.

22, 23. (a) Kungenzeka bona besitjho ukuthini isi pho uBhowazi asipha uRude? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.) (b) UNawomi wabawa uRude bona enzeni?

²² “Ungubani mntwanami?” Lokho kwatjhiwo nguNawomi uRude nekafika ekhaya. Mhlamunye bekuseselififi angamboni kuhle, kodwana uNawomi godu bekafuna ukwazi bona uRude usesengiloya amaziko na nokobana usaqale phambili emtjhadweni. URude msinyana watjela unosokanakhe koke okwenzeke phakathi kwakhe noBhowazi. Godu wakhipha isipho sethando sebhali uBhowazi athe asinikele uNawomi. c—Rude 3:16, 17.

 ²³ Ngokuhlakanipha, uNawomi wabawa uRude bona ahlale ekhaya angayokuburukuja mhlokho. Wamqinisekisa: “Indoda leya ngeze ikufumane ukuphumula ngaphandle kobana ilethe indaba le ekupheleni kwelanga lanamhlanje.”—Rude 3:18.

24, 25. (a) UBhowazi wabonisa njani bona gade ayindoda elungileko nengasimarhamaru? (b) URude wabusiswa ngaziphi iindlela?

²⁴ UNawomi gade aqinisile ngalokho akutjho ngoBhowazi. Waya esangweni ledorobho lapho abadala bendawo bajayele ukuhlangana khona, walinda bekwaba kulapho indoda esihlobo esiseduze idlula. Phambi kwabofakazi, uBhowazi wanikela indoda le ithuba lokuba mhlengi ngokutjhada uRude. Nanyana kunjalo, indoda le yala yathi ukwenza njalo kungayimotjhela ilifa layo. Nokho, phambi kwabofakazi, esangweni ledorobho, uBhowazi wathi uzokuba mhlengi, athenge ipahla yendoda kaNawomi engasekho, u-Elimeleki, begodu atjhade uRude umhlolokazi wendodana ka-Elimeleki uMahaloni. UBhowazi bekanethemba lokobana ukwenza njalo kuzokwenza ‘bona ibizo lakamufi livukele phezu kwelifa lakhe.’ (Rude 4:1-10) Kwamambala uBhowazi gade ayindoda elungileko begodu engasimarhamaru.

²⁵ UBhowazi watjhada noRude. Ngemva kwalokho, siyafunda: “UJehova wamenza bona abe sidisi wabeletha indodana.” Abafazi beBetlehema bambusisa uNawomi begodu babuka noRude ngokuba nobuntu kuNawomi kunalokho obekungenziwa madodana alikhomba. Ngokulandelako, siyafunda, indodana kaRude yaba ngukhokho weKosi ekulu uDavidi. (Rude 4:11-22) UDavidi waba ngukhokho kaJesu Krestu.—Mat. 1:1. d

26. Iimbonelo zakaRude noNawomi zisikhumbuzani?

²⁶ URude wabusiswa kwamambala njengoNawomi, owasiza ukukhulisa umntwana inga ngewakhe. Ukuphila kwabafazi ababilaba kwaba sikhumbuzo esikhanyako sokobana uJehova uZimu uyabatjheja boke abasebenza ngokuthobeka bona bazitlhogomele begodu bamkhonze ngokuthembeka nabantu abakhethileko. Azange akhabhalelwe kuvuza abantu abathembekileko, abanjengoBhowazi, uNawomi noRude.