1, 2. (a) Fotokozani ulendo wa Naomi ndi Rute komanso zimene zinachititsa azimayi awiriwa kuti akhale achisoni. (b) Kodi Rute anali wochokera ku dziko liti?

YEREKEZERANI kuti mukuona Rute ndi apongozi ake a Naomi akuyenda okhaokha m’chigwa cha Mowabu kamphepo kakuwomba. Kenako Rute poona kuti kunja kukuda, akuyamba kuganiza za kumene angapeze malo oti iyeyo ndi apongozi akewo agone. Rute ankawakonda kwambiri apongozi akewo ndipo anali wokonzeka kuchita chilichonse kuti awasamalire.

² Azimayi awiri onsewa anali ndi chisoni chachikulu. Panali patapita zaka zambiri kuchokera pamene mwamuna wa Naomi anamwalira. Koma pa nthawiyi, Naomi analinso ndi chisoni chifukwa cha imfa ya ana ake awiri, Kiliyoni ndi Maloni. Nayenso Rute anali ndi chisoni ndi imfa ya Maloni chifukwa anali mwamuna wake. Rute ndi apongozi akewa anali pa ulendo wopita ku Betelehemu m’dziko la Isiraeli. Ku Betelehemu kunali kwawo kwa Naomi koma Rute anali wa ku Mowabu. Choncho Rute ankapita kudziko lachilendo ndipo anali atasiya abale ake komanso miyambo ndi milungu ya kwawo.—Werengani Rute 1:3-6.

3. Kodi ndi mayankho a mafunso ati omwe atithandize kutsanzira chikhulupiriro cha Rute?

³ Kodi n’chiyani chinachititsa Rute kuganiza zopita nawo kudziko lachilendo? Nanga n’chiyani chinamuthandiza kuti apirire imfa ya mwamuna wake komanso kuti athe kusamalira apongozi ake? Mayankho a mafunso amenewa atithandiza kuona mmene tingatsanzirire chikhulupiriro cha Rute. (Onaninso bokosi lakuti “ Buku Laling’ono Koma Lolembedwa Mwaluso.”) Choyamba, tiyeni tione zimene zinachititsa azimayi awiriwa kuti apezeke ali pa ulendo wopita ku Betelehemu.

4, 5. (a) N’chiyani chinachititsa kuti banja la Naomi lisamukire ku Mowabu? (b) Kodi Naomi anakumana ndi mavuto otani ali ku Mowabu?

⁴ Rute anakulira m’dziko la Mowabu lomwe lili kum’mawa kwa Nyanja Yakufa. Derali linali lokwera ndipo linali ndi mitengo patalipatali komanso ziphedi. Dzikoli linali lachonde moti ngakhale pa nthawi imene ku Isiraeli kunali njala, m’dzikoli munali chakudya chokwanira. Zimenezi n’zimene zinachititsa kuti Rute akumane ndi Maloni ndi abale ake.—Rute 1:1.

⁵ Njala imene inagwa ku Isiraeli inachititsa kuti Elimeleki, mwamuna wake wa Naomi, atenge mkazi ndiponso ana ake awiri aamuna kupita kukakhala m’dziko la Mowabu monga alendo. Zimenezi ziyenera kuti zinali zovuta kwa onsewa chifukwa Aisiraeli anali ndi nthawi zimene ankafunika kulambira Yehova. Iwo ankayenera kuchita zimenezi pamalo amene Yehova anasankha ndipo malo amenewo anali ku Isiraeli. (Deut. 16:16, 17) Komabe ngakhale pamene Naomi anali ndi chisoni chifukwa cha imfa ya mwamuna wake Elimeleki, anapitirizabe kukhala wokhulupirika kwa Mulungu.—Rute 1:2, 3.

6, 7. (a) N’chifukwa chiyani Naomi anada nkhawa ana ake atakwatira akazi achimowabu? (b) N’chifukwa chiyani tinganene kuti mmene Naomi ankachitira zinthu ndi azipongozi ake ndi chitsanzo chabwino kwa ife?

⁶ Patapita nthawi Naomi ayenera kuti anamvanso chisoni pamene ana ake anakwatira akazi achimowabu. (Rute 1:4) Naomi ankadziwa kuti Abulahamu, yemwe anali tate wa fuko lawo, anayesetsa kupezera mwana wake Isaki mkazi wolambira Yehova. (Gen. 24:3, 4) Komanso Chilamulo cha Mose chinkaletsa Aisiraeli kulola ana awo aamuna kapena aakazi kukwatirana ndi anthu a mitundu ina. Chinkaletsa zimenezi poopa kuti Aisiraeliwo angayambe kulambira mafano.—Deut. 7:3, 4.

⁷ Naomi ayenera kuti anakhumudwa kwambiri Maloni ndi Kiliyoni atakwatira akazi achimowabu, omwe mayina awo anali Rute ndi Olipa. Komabe iye ankawakonda azipongozi akewo. Mwina anali ndi chikhulupiriro choti nthawi ina nawonso adzayamba kulambira Yehova. Kaya Naomi ankakhulupiriradi zimenezi kapena ayi, koma zikuoneka kuti Olipa ndi Rute ankawakondanso kwambiri apongozi awowa. Ndipo kukondana kumeneku kunawathandiza kwambiri pa nthawi imene anakumana ndi mavuto. Azimuna awo a atsikanawa anamwalira iwo asanabereke ana n’komwe.—Rute 1:5.

8. N’chiyani chinachititsa kuti Rute ayambe kukonda Yehova?

⁸ N’zokayikitsa ngati chipembedzo cha Rute chinamuthandiza kudziwa zoyenera kuchita pa nthawi ya mavutowa. Tikutero chifukwa Amowabu ankalambira milungu yambiri ndipo mulungu wawo wamkulu anali Kemosi. (Num. 21:29) Zikuoneka kuti Amowabu nawonso ankachita nawo zinthu zankhanza zimene zinali zofala pa nthawiyo, kuphatikizapo kupereka nsembe ana. Choncho zimene Rute anaphunzira kwa Maloni ndiponso Naomi zokhudza Yehova, Mulungu wa Aisiraeli, ziyenera kuti zinamuthandiza kuona kuti Yehova ndi wosiyana kwambiri ndi milungu ya Amowabu. Iye anaphunzira kuti Yehova ndi wachikondi komanso wachifundo ndipo anthu amamulambira chifukwa chomukonda osati chifukwa cha mantha. (Werengani Deuteronomo 6:5.) Pa nthawi imene Rute anali ndi chisoni chifukwa cha imfa ya mwamuna wake, ayenera kuti ankacheza kwambiri ndi Naomi ndipo ankamvetsera zimene apongozi akewo ankafotokoza zokhudza ntchito zazikulu za Yehova, chikondi chake komanso chifundo chimene amachitira anthu ake.

9-11. (a) Kodi Naomi anaganiza zochita chiyani atamva kuti njala yatha ku Isiraeli, nanga Rute ndi Olipa anatani? (b) Kodi tikuphunzira chiyani pa mavuto amene anagwera Naomi, Rute ndi Olipa?

⁹ Pa nthawi yonse imene Naomi ankakhala ku Mowabu ankafunitsitsa kumva mmene zinthu zinalili ku Isiraeli. Tsiku lina iye anamva kuti ku Isiraeli kunalibenso njala ndipo ayenera kuti anamva zimenezi kuchokera kwa anthu amalonda. Yehova anali atakumbukira anthu ake kumeneko. Tsopano ku Betelehemu kunali chakudya chokwanira ndipo izi zinali zogwirizana ndi dzina loti Betelehemu, lomwe limatanthauza “Nyumba ya Chakudya.” Choncho Naomi anaganiza zobwerera kwawo.—Rute 1:6.

¹⁰ Popeza Rute ndi Olipa anazolowerana kwambiri ndi apongozi awowa, kodi iwo anatani atamva kuti apongozi awo akufuna kubwerera kwawo? (Rute 1:7) Pa nthawi yonse imene anali ndi chisoni chifukwa cha imfa ya azimuna awo, azimayi atatu onsewa ankalimbikitsana. Ngakhale kuti atsikana onsewa ankakonda apongozi awowa, zikuoneka kuti Rute ankawakonda kwambiri chifukwa cha kukoma mtima kwawo komanso chifukwa chakuti ankakhulupirira Yehova. Choncho iwo anaganiza zopitira limodzi ndi apongozi awowa ku Yuda.

¹¹ Nkhani ya Rute imatikumbutsa kuti mavuto amagwera anthu onse, abwino ndi oipa omwe. (Mlal. 9:2, 11) Ikutiphunzitsanso kuti tikakhala pa mavuto, ndi bwino kumacheza ndi anthu ena, makamaka amene amadalira Yehova, Mulungu amene Naomi ankalambira.—Miy. 17:17.

12, 13. N’chifukwa chiyani Naomi ankafuna kuti Rute ndi Olipa abwerere kwawo, nanga iwo anatani Naomi atawauza kuti abwerere?

¹² Azimayiwa atayenda mtunda wautali ndithu, Naomi anayamba kuda nkhawa. Iye anayamba kuganizira za azipongozi akewo komanso chikondi chimene anamusonyeza iyeyo ndiponso ana ake aja. Iye anaona kuti si bwino kuti awawonjezerenso mtolo wina. Naomi anadziwa kuti akakafika ndi azipongozi akewo ku Betelehemu palibe chimene akawachitire.

¹³ Ataganizaganiza nkhaniyi, Naomi anauza azipongozi akewo kuti: “Basi bwererani, aliyense apite kunyumba kwa amayi ake. Yehova akusonyezeni kukoma mtima kosatha ngati mmenenso inuyo munasonyezera kukoma mtima kumeneko kwa amuna anu amene anamwalira ndiponso kwa ine.” Iye anasonyezanso kuti ankakhulupirira kuti Yehova awadalitsa powapatsa amuna ena. Baibulo limanena kuti atatero “anawapsompsona. Pamenepo iwo anayamba kulira mokweza mawu.” Zinali zovuta kwa Rute ndi Olipa kuti asiyane ndi apongozi awowo chifukwa iwo anali mayi wokoma mtima komanso woganizira ena. Choncho Rute ndi Olipa anakana kubwerera ndipo anauza Naomi kuti: “Ayi musatero, ife tipita nanu kwanu.”—Rute 1:8-10.

14, 15. (a) Pamene Olipa anabwerera kwawo, kodi analolera kukapitiriza kuchita chiyani? (b) Kodi Naomi anauza Rute chiyani n’cholinga choti nayenso abwerere kwawo?

¹⁴ Koma Naomi anapitirizabe kuwakakamiza kuti abwerere. Anawafotokozera kuti panalibe chifukwa choti apitire limodzi ku Isiraeli popeza iye analibe mwamuna woti azikawasamalira, analibe ana oti angakawakwatire ndipo panalibe chiyembekezo choti iyeyo angadzakhalenso ndi ana. Iye ananenanso kuti zinkamuwawa kwambiri akaganiza kuti panalibe chimene akanachita kuti awathandize. Olipa anaona kuti zimene apongozi ake ananenazi zinali zoona. Iye anaona kuti ndi bwinodi kuti abwerere ku Mowabu chifukwa n’kumene kunali abale ake, amayi ake komanso nyumba. Choncho, iye ali ndi chisoni anapsompsona apongozi akewo ndipo kenako anabwerera.—Rute 1:14.

¹⁵ Koma kodi Rute anatani? Iyenso anaona kuti zimene apongozi ake ananenazi zinali zoona. Koma Baibulo limati: “Rute anawaumirirabe.” Mwina Naomi ankaganiza kuti onse abwerera, koma atayang’ana m’mbuyo anaona kuti Rute akumutsatirabe. Choncho Naomi anamuchondereranso kuti: “Taona m’bale wako wamasiye wabwerera kwa anthu a kwawo ndi kwa milungu yake. Bwerera naye limodzi.” (Rute 1:15) Mawu amene Naomi ananenawa akutiuza zambiri. Sikuti Olipa anangobwerera kwa anthu a kwawo, koma iye anabwereranso kwa “milungu yake.” Iye analolera kukapitiriza kulambira Kemosi komanso milungu ina. Koma kodi nayenso Rute ankaona kuti palibe vuto ngati atabwerera kuti akapitirize kulambira milungu ya kwawo?

16-18. (a) Kodi Rute anasonyeza bwanji kuti anali ndi chikondi chosatha? (b) Kodi tingaphunzire chiyani kwa Rute pa nkhani yokhala ndi chikondi chosatha? (Onaninso chithunzi.)

¹⁶ Rute ankaona kuti si bwino kuti abwerere kwawo. Iye ankakonda kwambiri Naomi komanso Mulungu amene Naomiyo ankalambira. Choncho iye anauza Naomi kuti: “Musandichonderere kuti ndikusiyeni, kuti ndibwerere ndisakutsatireni, pakuti kumene inu mupite inenso ndipita komweko, kumene inu mugone inenso ndigona komweko. Anthu a mtundu wanu adzakhala anthu a mtundu wanga, ndipo Mulungu wanu adzakhala Mulungu wanga. Kumene inu mudzafere inenso ndidzafera komweko, ndipo ndidzaikidwanso komweko. Yehova andilange kwambiri ngati chinachake kupatulapo imfa chingandilekanitse ndi inu.”—Rute 1:16, 17.

¹⁷ Mawu amenewa ndi osaiwalika moti anthu ambiri amawanenabe ngakhale kuti papita zaka 3,000 kuchokera pamene ananenedwa. Mawuwa akusonyeza khalidwe lina lofunika kwambiri limene Rute anali nalo, lomwe ndi chikondi chosatha. Iye ankakonda kwambiri Naomi moti palibe chimene chikanawalekanitsa, kupatulapo imfa. Rute ankayembekezera kuti anthu a mtundu wa Naomi ndi amene akhale anthu a mtundu wake choncho anali wokonzeka kusiya chilichonse ku Mowabu, kuphatikizapo milungu yake. Mosiyana ndi Olipa, Rute ananena ndi mtima wonse kuti akufuna kuti Yehova, Mulungu wa Naomi, akhalenso Mulungu wake. *

¹⁸ Choncho azimayi awiriwa anapitiriza ulendo wawo wopita ku Betelehemu. Anthu ena amanena kuti mwina ulendowu unatenga mlungu wathunthu. Popeza awiri onsewa anali ndi chisoni chifukwa cha zimene zinawachitikira zija, ayenera kuti ankalimbikitsana pa ulendowu.

19. Potengera chitsanzo cha Rute, kodi tingasonyeze bwanji chikondi chosatha kwa anthu a m’banja lathu, mabwenzi athu komanso mu mpingo?

¹⁹ Anthu ambiri masiku ano amakumananso ndi mavuto. Baibulo limanena kuti tikukhala ino ndi “nthawi yapadera komanso yovuta” ndipo timakumana ndi zinthu zosiyanasiyana zomvetsa chisoni. (2 Tim. 3:1) Choncho khalidwe limene Rute anasonyeza ndi lofunika kwambiri masiku ano. Munthu akakhala ndi chikondi chosatha pa munthu wina, amamumamatira kwambiri munthuyo ndipo salola kuti asiyane naye. Chikondi choterechi n’chothandiza kwambiri m’dziko lamavutoli ndipo n’chofunika kwambiri m’banja, mu mpingo, kwa mabwenzi komanso kwa anthu apachibale. (Werengani 1 Yohane 4:7, 8, 20.) Tikamayesetsa kusonyeza chikondi choterechi, ndiye kuti tikutengera chitsanzo chabwino cha Rute.

20-22. (a) Kodi Naomi atafika ku Betelehemu ankaoneka bwanji? (b) Kodi Naomi anali ndi maganizo olakwika ati chifukwa cha mavuto amene anakumana nawo? (Onaninso Yakobo 1:13.)

²⁰ Munthu sangangonena ndi pakamwa kuti ali ndi chikondi, koma zochita zake n’zimene zingasonyeze kuti alidi ndi chikondi. Rute anali ndi mwayi woti asonyeze kuti amakonda kwambiri Naomi komanso Yehova, Mulungu amene anasankha kumutumikira.

²¹ Kenako azimayiwa anafika ku Betelehemu, mudzi womwe unali pa mtundu wa makilomita 10, kum’mwera kwa Yerusalemu. Banja la Naomi liyenera kuti linali lodziwika kwambiri m’tauniyi chifukwa iye atangofika, anthu onse ankakamba za iyeyo. Azimayi ambiri ankamuyang’anitsitsa n’kumanena kuti, “Kodi si Naomi uyu?” Zikuoneka kuti anali atasintha mmene ankaonekera poyamba chifukwa cha zimene anakumana nazo ku Mowabu ndipo nkhope yake inkasonyezeratu kuti anali ndi chisoni.—Rute 1:19.

²² Naomi anafotokozera achibale ake komanso anthu ena okhala nawo pafupi mavuto amene anakumana nawo ali ku Mowabu. Iye ankaona kuti sayenera kutchedwanso Naomi, kutanthauza “Chisangalalo Changa” koma ayenera kutchedwa Mara, kutanthauza “Zowawa.” Apatu n’zoonekeratu kuti Naomi ankamvetsa chisoni kwambiri. Mofanana ndi Yobu, iye ankaona ngati Yehova Mulungu ndi amene wachititsa mavuto akewo.—Rute 1:20, 21; Yobu 2:10; 13:24-26.

23. Kodi Rute anayamba kuganiza za chiyani, nanga m’Chilamulo cha Mose munali lamulo lotani lokhudza anthu osauka? (Onaninso mawu a m’munsi.)

²³ Azimayiwa atakhazikika ku Betelehemu, Rute anayamba kuganiza zimene angachite kuti azipeza zosowa zake komanso kuti azisamalira apongozi ake. Iye anamva kuti Chilamulo chimene Yehova anapereka kwa Aisiraeli chinaphatikizapo lamulo lothandiza anthu osauka. Lamuloli linkalola osaukawo kuti azipita m’minda ya anthu pa nthawi yokolola n’kumakunkha mbewu zotsalira komanso zomera m’mbali mwa munda. *—Lev. 19:9, 10; Deut. 24:19-21.

24, 25. Kodi Rute anatani atafika m’munda wa Boazi, nanga n’chifukwa chiyani tinganene kuti ntchito yokunkha inali yowawa?

²⁴ Nthawi yokolola balere itakwana, yomwe mwina munali mu April malinga ndi kalendala ya masiku ano, Rute anapita kumene kunali minda ya anthu n’cholinga choti akakunkhe m’munda mwa aliyense amene angamukomere mtima. Mwamwayi anafika m’munda mwa munthu wina wolemera dzina lake Boazi, amenenso anali m’bale wake wa Elimeleki, mwamuna wa Naomi. Ngakhale kuti lamulo lija linkamulola kukunkha, Rute anayamba wapempha kaye mnyamata amene ankayang’anira anthu amene ankakolola m’mundamo. Mnyamatayo anamulola ndipo iye anayamba kukunkha.—Rute 1:22–2:3, 7.

²⁵ Yerekezerani kuti mukumuona Rute akutsatira m’mbuyo mwa okololawo. Okololawo akamadula balere ndi zikwakwa zawo zamwala, iye akutola balere amene wagwa kapena amene watsala, akumumanga mitolo ndipo akupita naye pamalo omwe akamupunthire. Ntchito imeneyi inali yowawa komanso yotopetsa makamaka dzuwa likakwera. Koma Rute ankagwira ntchitoyi mwakhama kwinaku akupukuta thukuta ndipo ankangopuma kanthawi pang’ono “m’chisimba” kuti adye.

26, 27. Kodi Boazi anali munthu wotani, nanga anamuuza chiyani Rute?

²⁶ Anthu ankaona khama limene Rute ankasonyezali ngakhale kuti iye sankachita zimenezi n’cholinga choti anthu amuone. Mwachitsanzo, Boazi atamuona anazindikira kuti anali mtsikana wolimbikira ntchito. Boazi, yemwe anali munthu wachikhulupiriro, analonjera antchito akewo ndi mawu akuti: “Yehova akhale nanu.” Anthuwonso anamuyankha mawu ofanana ndi omwewo. Ena mwa antchitowo anali aganyu ndipo ena sanali Aisiraeli. Kenako Boazi, yemwe anali wachikulire komanso ankakonda kwambiri Yehova, anafunsa mnyamata amene ankayang’anira okololawo za Rute.—Rute 2:4-7.

²⁷ Boazi anatchula Rute kuti “mwana wanga” ndipo anamuuza kuti azibwerabe m’mundamo kudzakunkha. Anamulangizanso kuti azikhala pafupi ndi atsikana ake antchito poopera kuti anyamata antchito aja angamuchite chipongwe. Iye ankamuitaniranso chakudya chamasana. (Werengani Rute 2:8, 9, 14.) Komanso Boazi anayamikira Rute chifukwa cha khalidwe lake labwino ndiponso anamulimbikitsa. Kodi anachita zimenezi motani?

28, 29. (a) Kodi Rute anali ndi mbiri yotani? (b) Mofanana ndi Rute, kodi mungathawire bwanji kwa Yehova?

²⁸ Rute atafunsa Boazi kuti zatheka bwanji kuti amuchitire chifundo iyeyo wokhala mlendo, Boazi anayankha kuti anamva zabwino zimene Ruteyo anachitira apongozi ake a Naomi. N’kutheka kuti Naomi ankayamikira Rute akamacheza ndi azimayi anzake ndipo Boazi anamva zimenezi. Iye anadziwanso zoti Rute anali atayamba kulambira Yehova, n’chifukwa chake anamuuza kuti: “Yehova akudalitse chifukwa cha zimene wachita, ndipo Yehova, Mulungu wa Isiraeli akufupe mokwanira. Iye amene m’mapiko mwake wathawiramo ndi kupezamo chitetezo.”—Rute 2:12.

²⁹ Mawu amenewa ayenera kuti analimbikitsa kwambiri Rute. Iye analidi atathawira m’mapiko a Yehova Mulungu, ngati mmene mwana wa mbalame amabisalira m’mapiko a mayi ake. Rute anayamikira Boazi chifukwa cholankhula mawu olimbikitsawa ndipo anapitirizabe kukunkha mpaka madzulo.—Rute 2:13, 17.

30, 31. Kodi tingaphunzire chiyani kwa Rute pa nkhani ya kugwira ntchito mwakhama, kukhala oyamikira ndiponso kusonyeza chikondi chosatha?

³⁰ Chikhulupiriro chimene Rute anasonyeza ndi chitsanzo chabwino kwa anthu onse amene akukumana ndi mavuto ambiri azachuma. Iye sankaona kuti anthu ena akumuthandiza chifukwa choti ndi udindo wawo. Choncho ankayamikira chilichonse chimene ena amuchitira. Rute ankagwira mwakhama ntchito yooneka ngati yonyozeka n’cholinga choti azisamalira apongozi ake omwe ankawakonda, ndipo sankachita manyazi kuchita zimenezi. Iye anatsatira malangizo amene Boazi anam’patsa omwe anathandiza kuti azicheza ndi anthu abwino ndiponso akhale wotetezeka. Komanso Rute nthawi zonse ankadalira Yehova Mulungu kuti azimuteteza, monga Atate ake.

³¹ Ifenso tikatengera chitsanzo cha Rute n’kukhala ndi chikondi chosatha, odzichepetsa, akhama pa ntchito komanso oyamikira, tidzakhala chitsanzo chabwino kwa ena. Koma kodi Yehova anadalitsa bwanji Rute ndi Naomi? Tikambirana zimenezi m’mutu wotsatira.