1, 2. (a) Hlathulula ikhambo lakaRude noNawomi nobuhlungu obukhulu ebebanabo. (b) Ikhambo lakaRude belihluke njani kelakaNawomi?

 URUDE wakhamba noNawomi emangweni wakwaMowabi ophakamileko nobetha umoya. Kwanje imikgherwana yabafazi emibili le besele ikhamba yodwa enarheni ethabaleleko. Cabanga ngoRude nesele abona bonyana amathunzi selamade, bese uqala unosokanakhe begodu uyazibuza bona kghani afune indawo yokufihla ihloko na. Bekamthanda khulu uNawomi begodu angenza koke angakwenza ukumtlhogomela.

² Bobabili abafazaba bebatlhuwile. UNawomi besele amhlolokazi iminyaka eminengi, kodwana kwanje ulila ngokuhlongakalelwa okusanda ukwenzeka—ukufa kwamadodanakhe amabili, uKhiliyoni noMahaloni. NoRude gade alila. UMahaloni gade ayindodakwakhe. Yena noNawomi gade baya endaweni efanako, edorobheni leBetlehema, kwa-Israyeli. Nokho, ngendlela ethileko, ikhambo labo belihlukile. UNawomi gade abuyela ekhaya. URude yena bekaya endaweni angayaziko, atjhiya iinhlobo zakhe, indawo abelethelwa kiyo nawo woke amasiko wakhona—kuhlanganise nabozimu bakhona—emva.—Funda uRude 1:3-6.

3. Ziimpendulo zamiphi imibuzo ezizosisiza ukulingisa ikholo lakaRude?

³ Khuyini ebeyenza iqhakazaneli lenze amatjhuguluko angakangaka? URude bekazowatholaphi amandla wokuthoma ipilo etja nokutlhogomela uNawomi? Ngokwazi iimpendulo zemibuzo le, sizokufumana okunengi esingakulingisa ekholweni lakaRude wakwaMowabi. (Qala nebhoksi elithi,  “Incwadi Encani Kodwana Etlolwe Ngobukghwari.”) Kokuthoma, akhe sibone bonyana kwenzeka njani bona abafazi ababilaba babe sendleleni ede leyo eya eBetlehema.

4, 5. (a) Kubayini umndeni kaNawomi wafudukela kwaMowabi? (b) Ngiyiphi imiraro uNawomi aqalana nayo kwaMowabi?

⁴ URude wakhulela kwaMowabi, indawo encani engepumalanga yeLwandle Elifileko. Indawo ethabaleleko le izele imithi emaqalanga begodu ihlukaniswe ziinkhisi ezitjhingako. “Amasimu wakwaMowabi” kanengi bekumasimu avundileko, ngitjho nanyana  bekunendlala kwa-Israyeli. Eqinisweni ngikho okwenza uRude wahlangana noMahaloni nomndenakhe kokuthoma.—Rude 1:1.

⁵ Indlala kwa-Israyeli yenza indoda kaNawomi, u-Elimeleki bona afuduse umkakhe namadodanakhe amabili baye kude nendawo ababelethelwa kiyo begodu bayokuhlala kwaMowabi njengeemfiki. Ukufudukokho kufuze bona kwaba mraro ekholweni lelunga lomndeni ngalinye ngombana ama-Israyeli bekufuze ayokukhuleka qobe endaweni ecwengileko uJehova ayikhethileko. (Dut. 16:16, 17) UNawomi wakwazi ukubulunga ikholo lakhe liphila. Nanyana kunjalo, walila irhabiya indodakwakhe neyihlongakalako.—Rude 1:2, 3.

6, 7. (a) Kubayini kungenzeka bona uNawomi watshwenyeka amadodanakhe nekatjhada nabantazana bakwaMowabi? (b) Kubayini siyibuka indlela uNawomi aphatha ngayo abomalukazana bakwakhe?

⁶ Godu kungenzeka bona uNawomi wezwa ubuhlungu amadodanakhe nekathatha abantazana bakwaMowabi. (Rude 1:4) Bekazi bona ukhokho wesitjhaba sekhabo, u-Abrahama, waya endaweni ekude ukuyokufunela indodanakhe u-Isaka umfazi, hlangana nabantu besitjhaba sekhabo abakhulekela uJehova. (Gen. 24:3, 4) Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, umThetho kaMosisi wayelelisa ama-Israyeli bona angavumeli amadodana namadodakazawo atjhade nabeentjhaba, ngokusaba bonyana abantu bakaZimu bazokudoselwa ekukhulekeleni iinthombe.—Dut. 7:3, 4.

⁷ Nanyana kunjalo, uMahaloni noKhiliyoni batjhada nabantazana bakwaMowabi. Nengabe uNawomi bekatshwenyekile namtjhana adanile, waqiniseka bona utjengisa abomalukazana bakwakhe, uRude no-Orpa umusa nethando lamambala. Mhlamunye bekanethemba lokobana langelinye nabo bebazokukhulekela uJehova njengaye. Nanyana ngikuphi, uRude no-Orpa bebamthanda uNawomi. Ukuba yirhara nomncamo kwabo kwabasiza nekuvela ihlekelele. Ngaphambi kobana abafazaba babe nabantwana, bobabili bahlongakalelwa madoda.—Rude 1:5.

8. Khuyini eyadosela uRude kuJehova?

⁸ Ikholo lakaRude langaphambili lamlungiselela ihlekelele efana nale na? Kubonakala lingazange limlungiselele. Abantu bakwaMowabi bebakhulekela abozimu abanengi, oveleleko kinabo boke nguKhimoshi. (Num. 21:29) Kubonakala kwanga abozimu bakwaMowabi bebabandakanyeke enturhwini esabekako yangesikhatheso, kuhlanganise nokunikela ngabantwana. Nanyana yini uRude ayifunda kuMahaloni namtjhana kuNawomi ngoZimu ka-Israyeli onethando nomusa uJehova, kwamenza wabona umahluko omkhulu. UJehova ubusa ngethando, ingasi ngenturhu. (Funda uDuteronomi 6:5.) Ngemva kokuhlongakalelwa okungakalindeleki, kungenzeka uRude watjhidela khulu kuNawomi begodu walalela  isilukazesi nesikhuluma ngoZimu umninimandla woke, uJehova, imisebenzakhe emangalisako, ithando nendlela yomusa asebenzelana ngayo nabantu bakhe.

9-11. (a) Ngisiphi isiqunto esenziwa nguNawomi, uRude no-Orpa? (b) Khuyini esingayifunda ngehlekelele eyehlela uNawomi, uRude no-Orpa?

⁹ UNawomi bekafuna ukwazi ngeendaba zenarheni abelethelwa kiyo. Langelinye wezwa, mhlamunye ngomuntu othengisako bona akusanandlala kwa-Israyeli. UJehova wabakhumbula abantu bakhe. IBetlehema godu besele liphilela ibizo lalo, elitjho, “Indlu Yomgadango.” UNawomi wafuna ukubuyela ekhaya.—Rude 1:6.

¹⁰ URude no-Orpa bebazokwenzanjani? (Rude 1:7) Batjhidela khulu kuNawomi ngesikhathi sokuhlongakalelwa kwabo. URude ngokukhethekileko kubonakala kwanga watjhidela kuNawomi ngebanga lomusakhe nekholo lakhe eliqinileko kuJehova. Abahlolokazi abathathwaba bakhambisana ukuya kwaJuda.

¹¹ Umlando kaRude usikhumbuza bona ihlekelele nokuhlongakalelwa kwehlela abantu abalungileko nabambi ngokufanako. (Mtj. 9:2, 11) Godu usitjengisa bona ngesikhathi sesizi elikhulu, sizabe sihlakaniphile ngokufuna induduzo nesikhuthazo kwabanye—khulukhulu kilabo abafuna isiphephelo kuJehova, uZimu ebekakhulekelwa nguNawomi.—IzA. 17:17.

12, 13. Kubayini uNawomi afuna uRude no-Orpa babuyele emakhabo kunokukhamba naye, begodu abafazi ababilaba basabela njani ekuthomeni?

¹² Njengombana sebakhambe ibanganyana, kunokhunye godu okwathoma ukutshwenya uNawomi. Wacabanga ngamaqhakazana akhamba naye la nangethando aba nalo kuye nemadodanenakhe. Bekangafuni ukuba mthwalo kiwo. Nekatjhiya indawo abelethelwe kiyo akhamba naye, bekazowenzelani eBetlehema?

¹³ Ekugcineni, uNawomi wakhuluma nawo wathi: “Khambani, buyelani omunye nomunye endlini kanina. Kwanga uJehova anganitjengisa umusa wethando, njengombana nawutjengisa emadodeni ahlongakeleko nakimi.” Godu watjengisa isifiso sokobana uJehova awabusise ngamadoda amatjha nokuphila okutjha. Ukulandisa  kuthi, “Wabamanga, bathoma ukurhuwelela balila.” Kulula ukuzwisisa bona kubayini uRude no-Orpa bazizwa batjhidelene kangaka nomfazi onehliziywehle lo nongasimarhamaru. Bobabili baphikelela: “Awa, sizokubuyela nawe ebantwini bekhenu.”—Rude 1:8-10.

14, 15. (a) Wabuyelaphi u-Orpa? (b) UNawomi walinga njani ukukatelela uRude bona amtjhiye?

¹⁴ Nokho, uNawomi akhenge amane avume. Wagandelela iphuzu lokobana ayikho into ebekangabenzela yona kwa-Israyeli, njengombana anganandoda yokumondla, anganamadodana angabatjhada begodu anganalo nethemba lesikhathi esizako lezinto eembilezi. Wabatjela bona ukubhalelwa kwakhe kubatlhogomela bekuyibanga lokutshwenyeka kwakhe okukhulu. U-Orpa wamzwisisa uNawomi. Bekanomndeni kwaMowabi, umma nekhaya ebelimlindele. Kuye kwabonakala kunetlha ukuhlala kwaMowabi. Adane khulu, walayelisa uNawomi ngokummanga wabuyela emva.—Rude 1:11-14.

¹⁵ Kuthiwani-ke ngoRude? Indaba kaNawomi beyimthinta naye. Nokho, siyafunda: “Kodwana uRude wanamathela kuye.” Mhlamunye uNawomi wathoma ukukhamba godu nekatjheja bona uRude uyamlandela. Walinga ukumkatelela godu: “Qala! Umncayenu omhlolokazi ubuyele ebantwini bekhabo nakibozimu bakhe. Khamba naye.” (Rude 1:15) Amezwi kaNawomi aveza iphuzu eliqakathekileko emfundini. U-Orpa akhenge abuyele ebantwini bekhabo kwaphela kodwana ‘nakibozimu bakhe.’ Bekanelisekile ngokuhlala amkhulekeli kaKhimoshi nabanye abozimu bamanga. Kghani le yindlela uRude azizwa ngayo?

16-18. (a) URude walitjengisa njani ithando lamambala? (b) Khuyini esingayifunda kuRude ngethando lamambala? (Qala neenthombe zabafazi ababilaba.)

¹⁶ Njengombana besele basele bobabili endleleni enesizungu leyo, uRude bekaqiniseka ngesiqunto sakhe. Bekamthanda  uNawomi—noZimu uNawomi amkhulekelako. Ngalokho uRude wathi: “Ungangirabheli bona ngikutjhiye, ngingasakhamba nawe; ngombana lapho uya khona nami ngizokuya khona, lapho uzokulala khona nami ngizokulala khona. Abantu bakho bazakuba babantu bami, noZimakho abe nguZimami. Lapho uzokufela khona kulapho engizokufela khona, kulapho ngizokubulungelwa khona. Kwanga uJehova angenza njalo kimi begodu anezele nengabe kukhona okhunye okuzosihlukanisa ngaphandle kokufa.”—Rude 1:16, 17.

¹⁷ Amezwi kaRude avelele—kangangobana akhumbuleka iminyaka ezi-3 000 ngemva kokufa kwakhe. Ayiveza kuhle khulu ifanelo eligugu, ithando lamambala. Ithando uRude egade analo beliqine khulu kangangobana wakwazi ukunamathela kuNawomi nanyana kukuphi lapho aya khona. Kukufa kwaphela ebekungabahlukanisa. Abantu bakaNawomi bekuzokuba babantu bakhe, ngombana uRude bekazimisele ukutjhiya koke ebekakwazi kwaMowabi—ngitjho nabozimu bakhona. Ngokungafani no-Orpa, uRude gade angatjho ngehliziyo yoke bona ufuna uZimu kaNawomi uJehova bonyana abe nguZimakhe naye. a

¹⁸ Ngalokho baragela phambili ngekhambo labo, sebababidlana endleleni ede eya eBetlehema. Ngokwenye incwadi, ikhambweli belithatha isikhathi esingaba yiveke. Nokho, ngamunye wathola isikhuthazo komunye ngitjho nanyana bebatlhuwe kangaka.

19. Ucabanga bona singalilingisa njani ithando lakaRude lamambala ebanganini nebandleni?

¹⁹ Abantu abanengi bayalila ephasini namhlanje. Esikhathini sethu, iBhayibhili elisibiza ‘ngeenkhathi ezibudisi kwamambala,’ siqalana nokulahlekelwa namatlhuwo. (2 Thi. 3:1) Ifanelo esiyithola kuRude iqakatheke khulu kunangaphambilini. Ithando lamambala—ihlobo lethando elibambelela entweni lingafuni ukuyilisa—limamandla amakhulu wokuhle ephasini eligubuzeswe bumnyameli. Siyalitlhoga emtjhadweni, ebuhlotjeni bomndeni nebandleni lobuKrestu. (Funda 1 Jwanisi 4:7, 8, 20.) Njengombana sihlawulela ihlobo elinjalo lethando, silingisa isibonelo sakaRude esiveleleko.

20-22. (a) Ukuphila kwakaNawomi kwaMowabi kwamthinta njani? (b) Ngiwuphi umbono ebewungasimuhle uNawomi ebekanawo ngobudisi ebekaqalene nabo? (Qala uJakobosi 1:13.)

²⁰ Ukutjho bona unethando lamambala; kuhlukile kunokulibonisa.  URude gade anethuba lokutjengisa ithando lamambala ingasi kuNawomi kwaphela kodwana godu kuZimu amkhethe njengoZimakhe, uJehova.

²¹ Ekugcineni abafazi ababilaba bafika eBetlehema, idorobho elimakhilomitha alitjhumi wesewula yeJerusalema. UNawomi nomndenakhe kubonakala sengathi bakhe baduma khulu edorobheni elincanelo, ngombana indaba yokubuya kwakhe bekuyindaba esematheni. Abafazi balapho bamqala bathi, “Akusuye uNawomi mara lo?” Ngokukhanyako, ukuhlala kwakhe kwaMowabi kwamtjhentjha khulu; indlela ebekabonakala nebekaziphatha ngayo beyitjengisa bona bekadosa emhlweni begodu atlhuwile.—Rude 1:19.

²² Ebafazini abaziinhlobo zakhe nabomakhelwana besikhathi esidlulileko, uNawomi waveza bona ukuphila kwakhe bekubuhlungu kangangani. Wacabanga bona ibizo lakhe kufuze lingasabi nguNawomi, elitjho ‘Ithabo Lami,’ kodwana libe nguMara, elitjho “uMunyu.” Umfazabantu! Ngokufana noJobhi wangesikhathi esingaphambi kwesakhe, bekakholelwa bona uJehova uZimu nguye ombangele ubudisi.—Rude 1:20, 21; Job. 2:10; 13:24-26.

23. URude wathoma ukucabanga ngani, begodu ngiliphi ilungiselelo umThetho kaMosisi ebewulenzele abatlhagako? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.)

²³ Njengombana abafazi ababilaba banzinza eBetlehema, uRude wacabanga bona kungaba kuhle ukuzitlhogomela nokutlhogomela uNawomi. Wezwa bona umThetho uJehova awunikele abantu bakhe u-Israyeli ubandakanya ilungiselelo lethando ngabatlhagako. Bebavunyelwe ukuya emasimini ngesikhathi sokuvuna balandele abavuni, baburukuje okuseleko namakhakhazela ebekasemaqintelweni wesimu. b—Lef. 19:9, 10; Dut. 24:19-21.

24, 25. URude wenzani nekalinga ukusebenza emasimini kaBhowazi, begodu bewunjani umsebenzi wokuburukuja?

²⁴ Bekusikhathi sokuvunwa kokusanthoro, okungaba ngo-Apreli ngokwekhalenda yethu,  uRude waya esimini ukuyokuqala bona ngubani ongamvumela asebenze ngaphasi kwelungiselelo lababurukuji. Walinga esimini yendoda ebizwa bona nguBhowazi, indoda enjingileko enenarha ekulu nesihlobo sendoda kaNawomi, u-Elimeleki. Nanyana umThetho bewumvumela ukuburukuja, akazange akuthathele phasi lokho; wabawa isokana ebeliphethe abavuni imvumo yokusebenza lapho. Lamvumela, begodu uRude wathoma khonokho.—Rude 1:22–2:3, 7.

²⁵ Cabanga ngoRude alandela abavuni. Njengombana basika okusanthoro ngeensegere zabo ezibukhali, wajama wadobha egade kusala ngemva, wakubopha iinyanda, wakusa lapho bekazokubhulela khona ngokukhamba kwesikhathi. Bekumsebenzi othatha isikhathi nodinisako, begodu bekuba budisi khulu ngemva kwamadina. Nokho, uRude waragela phambili asebenza, ajama kwaphela nekasula ingurumela nokudla ukudla okulula “ngendlini”—ngokunokwenzeka ithuri elenzelwe umthunzi weensebenzi.

26, 27. UBhowazi bekamumuntu onjani, begodu wamphatha njani uRude?

²⁶ Kungenzeka uRude bekangafuni ukubonwa, kodwana wabonwa. UBhowazi wambona, wabuza induna bona ngubani. Indoda ekhethekileko nenekholo, uBhowazi bekalotjhisa iinsebenzi zakhe—ezinye ebekungenzeka bona ziinsebenzi zelanga kwaphela namtjhana babantu beentjhaba—ngamezwi athi: “UJehova abe nani.” Nazo beziphendula ngendlela efanako. Indoda endala ethanda uJehova le yatjengisa ithando lakababa kuRude.—Rude 2:4-7.

²⁷ Ambiza ngokuthi “ndodakazami,” uBhowazi watjela uRude bona anande eza azokuburukuja emasiminakhe nokobana ahlale  hlanu kwabantazana bendlinakhe ukubalekela ukutshwenywa madoda asebenza emasiminakhe. Waqiniseka bonyana unokudla kwamadina. (Funda uRude 2:8, 9, 14.) Nokho, ngaphezu kwakho koke, bekambuka begodu amkhuthaza. Wakwenza njani lokho?

28, 29. (a) URude bekamumuntu onjani? (b) Wena, njengoRude, ungaphephela njani kuJehova?

²⁸ URude nekabuza uBhowazi bona khuyini yena umuntu wesinye isitjhaba akwenzileko bona afanelwe mumusakhe ongakangaka, wamphendula ngokuthi uzwile ngakho koke akwenzele unosokanakhe uNawomi. Kungenzeka uNawomi wabuka uRude othandekako ebafazini beBetlehema, begodu uBhowazi wakuzwa lokho. Godu bekazi bonyana uRude uthome ukukhulekela uJehova, ngombana wathi: “Kwanga uJehova angakuvuza ngendlela owenza ngayo, begodu kwanga ungafumana umvuzo ofaneleko kuJehova uZimu ka-Israyeli, oze ngaphasi kwamaphikwakhe bona ufumane isiphephelo.”—Rude 2:12.

²⁹ Qala bona amezwi la amkhuthaza kangangani uRude! Vele ngilokho ebekakhethe ukukwenza, wakhetha ukuphephela kuJehova uZimu, njengenyonyana ebhaca ngokuvikelekileko ngaphasi kwamaphiko wombelethi ovikelako. Wathokoza uBhowazi ngokukhuluma ngendlela eqinisa ithemba kangaka. Waragela phambili asebenza bekwahlwa.—Rude 2:13, 17.

30, 31. Singafundani kuRude endleleni asebenza ngayo, ukuthokoza nethando lamambala?

³⁰ Lokho okwenziwa nguRude sibonelo esihle kithi soke namhlanje esidosa emhlweni ephasini lezomnotho ezibogabogakwezi. Akhenge afune ukuphila ngeengazi zabanye, ngalokho gade athokoza yoke into ebekenzelwa yona. Akhenge abe neenhloni ukusebenza isikhathi eside nokusebenza budisi ukutlhogomela umuntu amthandako, namtjhana bekenza umsebenzi ophasi. Ngokuthokoza wamukela begodu wasebenzisa isiluleko sokusebenza ngokuphepha nokusebenza hlangana nabantu abalungileko. Okuqakatheke khulu, akhenge alahlekelwe mthombo wamambala wesiphephelo sakhe—noYise ovikelako, uJehova uZimu.

³¹ Nengabe sitjengisa ithando lamambala njengombana kwenza uRude begodu silandele isibonelo sakhe sokuthobeka, ukukhuthala nokuthokoza, nathi sizokufumana bona ikholo lethu lizokuba sibonelo esilisizo kwabanye. Nokho, uJehova wabatlhogomela njani uRude noNawomi? Sizokucoca ngendaba le esihlokweni esilandelako.