1. Ke kaloku kwathi ngemihla yokulawula kwabagwebi, kwabakho indlala elizweni. Yahamba indoda yaseBhetelehem yakwaYuda, yaza yaphambukela elizweni lakwaMowabhi, yona nomkayo, noonyana bayo bobabini.
2. Ke igama laloo ndoda lalinguElimeleki, igama lomkayo linguNahomi; amagama oonyana bayo babengooMalon noKiliyon, bengamaEfrata aseBhetelehem yakwaYuda. Baya ke elizweni lakwaMowabhi, baba khona.
3. Wafa uElimeleki indoda kaNahomi; washiywa ke yena noonyana bakhe bobabini.
4. Bazeka abafazi abangamaMowabhikazi; igama lomnye lalinguOrpa, igama lomnye lalinguRute; bahlala khona iminyaka eseshumini.
5. Bafa kananjalo bobabini ooMalon noKiliyon; washiywa ke loo mfazi ngoonyana bakhe bobabini nayindoda yakhe.
6. Wesuka yena noomolokazana bakhe, ebuya elizweni lakwaMowabhi; ngokuba weva eselizweni lakwaMowabhi, ukuba uYehova ubavelele abantu bakhe ngokubanika isonka.
7. Waphuma kuloo ndawo abekuyo, enoomolokazana bakhe bobabini; wahamba ngendlela ebuyela ezweni lakwaYuda.
8. Wathi uNahomi koomolokazana bakhe bobabini, Hambani, nibuyele elowo endlwini yonina; uYehova makanenzele inceba, njengoko nenze ngako kubafi nakum.