URUTHE uguqa eduze kwezithungo zebhali azibuthé phakathi nosuku. Amathunzi aseqala ukusibekela amasimu azungeze iBhetlehema futhi izisebenzi eziningi seziqalile ukubuyela emakhaya, ziyazihudula njengoba ziyophuma esangweni lomuzi omncane ophezulu oseduze nokhalo. Akubuzwa ukuthi uRuthe ukhathele uyingcuba ngemva kokusebenza usuku lonke. Noma kunjalo, usaqhubeka esebenza, ubhula ibhali ngendukwana ukuze kuphume okusanhlamvu. Nakuba umsebenzi ubunzima, lolu kube usuku oluhle—oluhle kakhulu kunabelulindele.

Ingabe ekugcineni izinto seziqala ukumlungela lo mfelokazi osemusha? Ukhethe ukuhamba noninazala, uNawomi, wafunga ukuthi uzonamathela kuye futhi enze uNkulunkulu kaNawomi, uJehova, abe uNkulunkulu wakhe. Bobabili laba besifazane abakhungethwe usizi bafika eBhetlehema bevela kwaMowabi, ngokushesha uRuthe umMowabikazi uthola ukuthi uMthetho kaJehova unelungiselelo eliwusizo nelihloniphekile labantu abampofu kwa-Israyeli, kuhlanganise nabantu bezinye izizwe. * Wathola nokuthi abanye abantu bakaJehova, ababephila ngoMthetho futhi ababeqeqeshwe yiwo, babethanda uNkulunkulu futhi umusa wabo wayithinta inhliziyo yakhe edabukile.

Omunye owayenjalo uBhowazi, indoda esikhulile eyayicebile uRuthe ayekhothoza emasimini ayo. Imphathise okwendodakazi yayo namuhla. Ulokhu emomotheka ngaphakathi uma ecabanga ngamazwi ayo omusa okumncoma ngokunakekela uNawomi osekhulile nangokukhetha ukufuna isiphephelo ngaphansi kwamaphiko kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova.—Ruthe 2:11-13.

Noma kunjalo, kungenzeka uRuthe wayezibuza ukuthi kazi ikusasa limphatheleni. Njengowesifazane wesinye isizwe ophundlekile ongenandoda nangane, wayezoziphilisa ngani yena noNawomi eminyakeni eyayizolandela? Kwakuzobanelisa yini ukuphila ngokukhothoza? Futhi yena wayezonakekelwa ubani uma esekhulile? Kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani ayengase akhathazwe imicabango enjalo. Ezikhathini zanamuhla ezinzima kwezomnotho, abaningi babhekana nezinkathazo ezifanayo.  Njengoba sifunda indlela ukholo lukaRuthe olwamsiza ngayo ezikhathini ezinzima, sizothola okuningi esingakulingisa.

Ngesikhathi uRuthe eqeda ukubhula nokubutha okusanhlamvu, wathola ukuthi ukhothoze amalitha angaba ngu-22 ebhali. Kungenzeka ukuthi umthwalo wakhe wawuyisisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-14! Wahamba nawo, mhlawumbe ewugoqe ngendwangu futhi wawuthwala, wabe eseya eBhetlehema njengoba ilanga lishona.—Ruthe 2:17.

UNawomi wajabula lapho ebona umalokazana wakhe amthandayo futhi kungenzeka wamangala lapho ebona umthwalo wakhe webhali. URuthe wayephethe nokudla okulula okwakusale ekudleni uBhowazi ayekulungiselele izisebenzi zakhe futhi bakudla bobabili. UNawomi wabuza: “Ukhothozé kuphi namuhla, futhi usebenzé kuphi? Kwangathi lowo okuqaphelile angabusiswa.” (Ruthe 2:19) UNawomi wayengumuntu onakayo; wabona ngomthwalo kaRuthe osindayo ukuthi kumelwe ukuba kukhona omqaphelile lo mfelokazi osemusha futhi wamphatha ngomusa.

Baqala ukuxoxa, uRuthe watshela uNawomi ngomusa uBhowazi ambonise wona. Ethinteke inhliziyo, uNawomi waphendula: “Makabusiswe nguJehova, ongawushiyanga umusa wakhe wothando kwabaphilayo nakwabafileyo.” (Ruthe 2:19, 20) Wabheka umusa kaBhowazi njengovela kuJehova, okunguYe ofundisa izinceku zakhe ukupha futhi othembisa ukuvuza abantu bakhe ngomusa abawubonisayo. *—IzAga 19:17.

UNawomi wacela uRuthe ukuba alalele uBhowazi ngokuqhubeka ekhothoza emasimini akhe eduze kwamantombazane akhe ukuze angahlushwa abavuni. URuthe walalela futhi “waqhubeka ehlala noninazala.” (Ruthe 2:22, 23) Kulawo mazwi siphinde sibone imfanelo kaRuthe evelele—uthando oluqotho. Isibonelo sakhe singasishukumisela ukuba sisazise isibopho somndeni, sisekelane ngobuqotho futhi sisizane uma kudingeka. UJehova akasoze ahluleka ukubona lolo thando oluqotho.

Ingabe uNawomi noRuthe babengewona umndeni wangempela? Kwezinye izindawo kucatshangwa ukuthi kufanele kube nabantu abazofeza zonke izindima—umyeni, inkosikazi, indodana, indodakazi, ugogo nomkhulu, njalo njalo—ukuze umndeni ube “ophelele.” Kodwa uNawomi noRuthe basikhumbuza ukuthi ezincekwini zikaJehova ngisho nemindeni enabantu abambalwa, lapho kungekho bantu abazofeza zonke izindima, ingaba nemfudumalo, umusa nothando. Uyawazisa yini umndeni onawo? UJesu wakhumbuza abalandeli bakhe ukuthi labo abangenayo imindeni bangayithola ebandleni lobuKristu.—Marku 10:29, 30.

URuthe waqhubeka ekhothoza emasimini kaBhowazi, kusukela ekuqaleni kwesivuno ngo-April kwaze kwaba sekuvunweni kukakolweni ngo-June. Njengoba amasonto ayeqhubeka, ngokuqinisekile uNawomi wayelokhu ecabanga ngalokho ayengakwenzela umalokazana wakhe. Ngesikhathi ekwaMowabi, wayeqiniseka ukuthi ngeke akwazi ukutholela uRuthe omunye umyeni. (Ruthe 1:11-13) Kodwa manje wayeseqala ukucabanga ngenye indlela. Waya kuRuthe wabe esethi: “Ndodakazi yami, akufanele yini ngikufunele indawo yokuphumula?” (Ruthe 3:1) Kwakuyisiko ngaleso sikhathi ukuba abazali bafunele izingane zabo abantu abazoshada nazo futhi uRuthe wayeseyindodakazi yangempela kuNawomi. Wayefuna ukumtholela “indawo yokuphumula”—okuwukulondeka nesivikelo okungase kunikezwe ukuba nekhaya nomyeni. Kodwa uNawomi wayezokwenzenjani?

Lapho uRuthe ekhuluma ngoBhowazi okokuqala, uNawomi wathi: “Lowo muntu uhlobene nathi. Ungomunye wabahlengi bethu.” (Ruthe  2:20) Kwakusho ukuthini lokho? UMthetho kaNkulunkulu awunikeza ama-Israyeli wawuhlanganisa namalungiselelo othando ngemindeni eyayibhekene nobunzima ngenxa yobubha nokufelwa. Uma owesifazane eba umfelokazi engakabi nezingane, wayekhathazeka kakhulu ngokuthi igama nozalo lomyeni wakhe lwaluzonqamuka, lingabe lisaba khona ezizukulwaneni eziyolandela. Nokho, uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawukuvumela ukuba umfowabo womyeni ashade nomfelokazi ukuze azale indlalifa eyayiyoqhubekisela phambili igama lomufi futhi inakekele impahla yomndeni. *—Duteronomi 25:5-7.

UNawomi watshela uRuthe lokho ayehlose ukukwenza. Singambona ngeso lengqondo emangala njengoba uninazala ekhuluma naye. Kumelwe ukuba uMthetho wakwa-Israyeli namasiko akhona kwakusekusha kuye. Noma kunjalo, wayemhlonipha kakhulu uNawomi kangangokuthi wakulalelisisa konke ayekusho. Kungenzeka ukuthi lokho uNawomi amtshela ukuba akwenza kwambangela amahloni—futhi mhlawumbe engase ahlazeke—kodwa uRuthe wavuma. Waphendula ngokuthobeka: “Konke okushoyo kimi ngizokwenza.”—Ruthe 3:5.

Ngezinye izikhathi kunzima ngabantu abasha ukuba balalele iseluleko sabantu abadala nabanokuhlangenwe nakho. Kulula ukuphetha ngokuthi abantu abadala abaziqondi ngempela izinselele nezinkinga ababhekana nazo. Isibonelo sikaRuthe sokuthobeka sisikhumbuza ukuthi ukulalela ukuhlakanipha kwasebekhulile abasithandayo nabasifunela okungcono kakhulu kungazuzisa kakhulu. Kodwa wameluleka ngani uNawomi, futhi ingabe uRuthe wazuza ngokulalela?

Ngalobo busuku, uRuthe waya endaweni yokubhula okusanhlamvu—indawo eyisicaba egqishekile lapho abalimi abaningi babebhula futhi bele khona okusanhlamvu. Babevame ukukhetha indawo esegqumeni, lapho umoya wantambama nowasekuseni wawunamandla khona. Ukuze zele okusanhlamvu, izisebenzi zazisebenzisa izimfoloko namafosholo amakhulu ziphonse okusanhlamvu emoyeni, kuphephuke amakhoba bese okusanhlamvu kubuyela phansi.

URuthe wayeqaphile njengoba umsebenzi uya ngokuya uphela ngalobo busuku. UBhowazi wayeqondisa ukweliwa kwesivuno sakhe njengoba silokhu siba ingqumbi enkulu. Ngemva kokuba eseshaye esentwala, walala eceleni kwenye yezingqumbi. Kusobala ukuthi lona kwakungumkhuba ovamile, mhlawumbe owawenzelwa ukuvikela isivuno esiyigugu emaseleni nakubaphangi. URuthe wambona uBhowazi elala. Kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba enze lokho okwakushiwo uNawomi.

URuthe wacathama, inhliziyo yakhe igubhazela. Wayezwa ukuthi uBhowazi ulele zwí ubuthongo. Ngakho, njengoba uNawomi ayeshilo, wahamba waya ezinyaweni zakhe, wazembula wayeselala. Walinda. Sahamba isikhathi. Kumelwe ukuba kuRuthe kwaba isikhathi eside kakhulu. Ekugcineni, mhlawumbe phakathi kwamabili, uBhowazi waqala ukunyakaza. Egodola, welula izinyawo ukuze aphinde azimboze. Kodwa wezwa ukuthi kukhona okhona. Ukulandisa kuthi: “Bheka! kwakukhona owesifazane olele ezinyaweni zakhe!”—Ruthe 3:8.

Wabuza: “Ungubani wena?” URuthe waphendula, mhlawumbe ngezwi eliqhaqhazelayo: “NginguRuthe incekukazi yakho, futhi kumelwe welulele umphetho wengubo yakho phezu kwencekukazi yakho ngoba nguwe onelungelo lokuhlenga.” (Ruthe 3:9) Abanye abahumushi banamuhla bacabanga ukuthi kwakukhona ukugudlisela ucansi ezenzweni nasemazwini kaRuthe, kodwa abawanaki amaqiniso amabili alula. Okokuqala, uRuthe wayenza ngokuvumelana namasiko angaleso sikhathi, amaningi awo esingasawazi. Ngakho kungaba iphutha ukubheka izenzo zakhe ngendlela yamanje engenasimilo. Okwesibili, uBhowazi wasabela ngendlela ebonisa ngokucacile ukuthi wayebheka ukuziphatha kukaRuthe njengokumsulwa nokuncomeka kakhulu.

Ngokungangabazeki, indlela emnene nepholile uBhowazi akhuluma ngayo yamduduza 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) ‘Okokuqala’ kwakubhekisela othandweni lukaRuthe oluqotho lokuphelezela uNawomi abuye naye kwa-Israyeli nokumnakekela. ‘Okokugcina’ kwakuyilokhu kwamanje. UBhowazi waqaphela ukuthi owesifazane osemusha njengoRuthe kalula nje wayengazifunela umyeni ezinsizweni kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ezicebile noma ezimpofu. Kunalokho, wayefuna ukwenza okuhle, hhayi nje kuNawomi kuphela kodwa nakubabezala wakhe owayesefile, aqhubekisele phambili igama lomufi ezweni lakubo. Kuyacaca ukuthi kwamhlaba umxhwele uBhowazi ukungabi nabugovu kwalona wesifazane osemusha.

UBhowazi waqhubeka: “Manje, ndodakazi yami, ungesabi. Konke okushoyo ngizokwenzela kona, ngoba wonke umuntu esangweni labantu bakithi uyaqaphela ukuthi wena ungowesifazane ovelele.” (Ruthe 3:11) Wakujabulela ukuthi angase ashade noRuthe; mhlawumbe akuzange kummangaze ngokuphelele ukuthi wamcela ukuba abe umhlengi wakhe. Noma kunjalo, uBhowazi wayeyindoda elungile, futhi wayengeke enze izinto ngokuthanda kwakhe. Watshela uRuthe ukuthi kukhona omunye umhlengi oyisihlobo somndeni womyeni kaNawomi owayesefile esiseduze kakhulu kunaye; uBhowazi wayesazoqala ngokuya kuleyo ndoda ayinikeze ithuba lokushada noRuthe.

UBhowazi watshela uRuthe ukuba aphinde alale aphumule kuze kube sekuntweleni kokusa; abese ehamba engakabonwa muntu. Wayefuna ukuvikela idumela likaRuthe nelakhe,  ngoba abantu babengase bacabange ukuthi mhlawumbe baziphathe kabi. URuthe waphinde walala ezinyaweni zikaBhowazi, mhlawumbe kulokhu esekhululekile ngemva kwempendulo enomusa esicelweni sakhe. Ngemva kwalokho, kusemnyama, uBhowazi wagcwalisa isembatho sikaRuthe ngesipho sebhali, futhi uRuthe wabe esephindela eBhetlehema.

Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba wayejabule kanjani uRuthe uma ecabanga ngalokho uBhowazi ayekushilo—ukuthi waziwa abantu bonke ‘njengowesifazane ovelele’! Akungatshazwa ukuthi ukulangazelela kwakhe ukwazi uJehova nokumkhonza yikona okwamenza waba nalelo dumela. Wayephinde wabonisa umusa omkhulu nozwela kuNawomi nabantu bakubo ngokuzimisela ukuzivumelanisa nezindlela namasiko abo ayengawazi nhlobo. Uma silingisa ukholo lukaRuthe, siyofuna ukuhlonipha abanye, izindlela zabo namasiko abo. Uma senza kanjalo, nathi siyozakhela idumela elihle kakhulu.

Lapho uRuthe efika ekhaya uNawomi wambuza: “Ungubani, ndodakazi yami?” Kungenzeka ukuthi wabuza lowo mbuzo ngoba kwakumnyama, kodwa futhi uNawomi wayefuna ukwazi ukuthi uRuthe useyilowaya mfelokazi ongakenzi sivumelwano namuntu noma osenethemba lokushada. Ngokushesha, uRuthe watshela uninazala konke okwenzeka phakathi kwakhe noBhowazi. Wabe esemnika nesipho sebhali uBhowazi ayethe amnike sona. *—Ruthe 3:16, 17.

Ngokuhlakanipha, uNawomi wanxusa uRuthe ukuba ahlale ekhaya ngalolo suku kunokuba  ayokhothoza emasimini. Wamqinisekisa: “Lo muntu ngeke aphumule kuze kube yilapho eseyiphothulile le ndaba namuhla.”—Ruthe 3:18.

UNawomi wayeqinisile. UBhowazi waya esangweni lomuzi, lapho amadoda amadala omuzi ayejwayele ukuhlangana khona, walinda kwaze kwadlula lowo muntu owayeyisihlobo esiseduze. Ephambi kofakazi, uBhowazi wanikeza le ndoda ithuba lokuba umhlengi ngokushada uRuthe. Nokho, le ndoda yenqaba, yathi ukwenza kanjalo kuyophazamisa ifa layo. Ngakho, phambi kofakazi esangweni lomuzi, uBhowazi wathi uyena osezoba umhlengi, wathenga yonke indawo yomyeni kaNawomi owayesefile, u-Elimeleki futhi washada noRuthe, umfelokazi owayeshade nendodana ka-Elimeleki, uMahaloni. UBhowazi wathi uthemba ukuthi ukwenza kanjalo kuyobangela ukuba “igama likamufi livukele phezu kwefa lakhe.” (Ruthe 4:1-10) Ngempela uBhowazi wayeyindoda elungile nengenabugovu.

UBhowazi washada noRuthe. Ngemva kwalokho, siyafunda: “UJehova wamnika ukuba akhulelwe futhi wazala indodana.” Abesifazane baseBhetlehema bambusisa uNawomi futhi bancoma uRuthe ngokuthi ungcono kuNawomi kunamadodana angu-7. Kamuva, sithola ukuthi indodana kaRuthe yaba ukhokho wenkosi enkulu, uDavide. (Ruthe 4:11-22) UDavide yena, waba ukhokho kaJesu Kristu.—Mathewu 1:1. *

URuthe ngempela wayebusisiwe, kanjalo noNawomi, owasiza ekukhuliseni umntwana njengokungathi owakhe. Ukuphila kwalaba besifazane ababili kuyisikhumbuzo esicacile sokuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu uyabaqaphela abantu abathobekile nabazikhandlayo ukuze bondle imindeni yabo nabamkhonza ngobuqotho nabantu bakhe abakhethiwe. Akasoze ehluleka ukuvuza abantu abathembekile abazizuzela idumela elihle kakhulu kuye, njengoba kwakunjalo ngoRuthe.