¹ Caishile kucitika munshiku uluntu abapingushi bali kuteka icakuti kwaishile kuba icipowe mu calo, elo umwaume umo umwina Betelemu uwa mu Yuda aile kwikala ngo mulebeshi mu calo ca Moabu pamo no mukashi wakwe elo na bana bakwe abaume babili. ² Ishina lya uyu mwaume ali ni Elimeleki, elo ishina lya mukashi wakwe ali ni Naomi. Amashina ya bana bakwe abaume babili yali ni Maloni elo na Kilioni, abali bena Efuleti ukufuma ku Betelemu waku Yudeya. Baishile kufika ku calo ca Moabu no kwikala mulya mwine. ³ Eluntu Elimeleki, umulume wakwa Naomi, afwile, elo ashile kushala eka pamo na bana bakwe babili abaume. ⁴ Aba bana baume baishile kupa abakashi babo ukufuma mu banakashi bamu Moabu; ishina lya umo ali ni Orpa, elo ne shina lya uyu umbi ali ni Ruti. Baikele mulya pa myaka ikumi limo. ⁵ Eluntu bonse Maloni na Kilioni baishile kufwa, elo no mwanakashi aishile kushala ukwabula abana bakwe babili abaume elo no kwabula umulume wakwe. ⁶ Eluntu aishile kwima pamo nabafyala bakwe no kubwelelamo ukuuma mu Moabu pantu aishile kumfwa ati Yahweh alitandalile abantu bakwe mukubapela ifyakulya. ⁷ Eico alishile incende apo alikuba na banafyala bakwe babili, elo ba tentemukile ku musebo waku bwekelelamo ku calo ca Yuda. ⁸ Naomi aishile kulanda kuli banafyala bakwe babili ati, ''Kabiyeni, bwekelenimo bonse, ku mayanda ya banyinenwe. Yahweh amulangishe uluse, ngafintu mwalangishe uluse kubafwile elo nakuli nebo. ⁹ Yahweh amipele ukusanga ukutusha, cila umo mu ng'anda ya mulume wakwe umbi.'' Eluntu aishile kubatmona, elo baishile kupongomoka mukulila. ¹⁰ Baishile kulanda kuli ye ati, ''Awe! Ttukobwelelamo bonse ku bantu benu.'' ¹¹ Lelo aishile kulanda ati, ''Bwekelenimo, mwe bana bandi abanakashi! Nindo mukoila nanebo? Bushe ndimikwatile abana baume mulufumo lwandi, abakuti bengesaba abalume benu? ¹² Bwekelenimo, mwe bana banakashi bandi, kabiyeni munshila yenu, pantu ndikotele sana uwakukwata umulume. Nga cakuti nande ati, 'Inkwate umulume buno bwine bushiku,' elo nokufyala abana abaume, ¹³ kuti mwabalolela mpaka bakakule? Kuti mwasalapo ukukana upwa? Awe, mwe bana banakashi bandi! Cili ica piilila ukukalipa kuli nebo pa mulandu wenu ukuti Yahweh na fumyapo ukuboko kwakwe pali nebo.'' ¹⁴ Eluntu abanafyala bakwe baishile kwimya amashiwi yabo no kulila nakabili. Orpa aishile kutomona nyinafyala wakwe ku kumushalikapo, lelo Ruti alikakatilefye kuli ye. ¹⁵ Naomi aishile kulanda ati''Umfwa, cufi munobe umwanakashi alibwelelemo ku bantu bakwe elo naku milungu yakwe. Bwelelamo na cufi munobe umwanakashi.'' ¹⁶ Lelo Ruti aishile kulana ati, ''Mwimpatikisha umumisha, no kubwelelamo ukufuma kuli mwebo, uko mukaya, eko nkaya; uko mukekala, eko nkekala; abantu benu bakaba abantu bandi, elo na Lesa wenu akaba Lesa wandi. ¹⁷ Uko mukafwila, eko nkafwila, elo eko nkashikwa. Na Yahweh akalimune nebo, elo no kucilapo, takuli nangu cimo lelo imfwa fye eyika tupatula.'' ¹⁸ Uluntu Naomi aishile kubona ukuti Ruti akofwaisha ukuya nankwe, aishile kuleka ukutalikana nankwe. ¹⁹ Eico aba babili balyendele mpaka no kwisa kufika mu musumba wa Betelemu. Cacitike icakuti uluntu baishile kufika mu Betelemu, umusumba onse walibasekelele. Abanakashi baishile kulanda ati, ''Bushe uyu e Naomi?'' ²⁰ Lelo aishile kulanda kuli bo ati, ''Mwilakungita ati Naomi. Mulekungita ati Mara, pantu umwine wa maka Yonse na nenga ukuba uwa bulanda. ²¹ Nebo naile umukankala, lelo Yahweh ambweseshe ukwabula nangu cimo na kabili. Eico nindo mukongitila ati Naomi, apo Yahweh alinshinine elo umwine wa maka yonse nambika na mu macushi?'' ²² Eico ifi efyo Naomi na Ruti umwanakashi umwina Moabu, nafyala wakwe, baishile kubwelelamo ukufuma mu calo ca Moabu.