A natural Chichewa cultural substitute for the Hebrew oath and curse formula, “May the Lord do so to me and more,” is “May lightning (i.e., viewed as being sent by God) tear me!” But this expression may convey negative (“heathen”) overtones as far as the Christian constituency is concerned, thus making it unacceptable for use in the Scriptures. Ruth’s expressed desire that she be buried at the home of her husband’s relatives is a very significant pledge of loyalty also from a Chewa point of view, for normally (unless too great a distance is involved) a man, or woman, will be taken back to his (her) own village for burial. Ruth’s promise that even death will not be able to separate her from Naomi corresponds to the Chewa/Tonga socio-religious belief that the grave is no barrier to interpersonal relation-ships, whether good or bad, for one’s community includes the society of ancestral spirits.

Source: Wendland 1987, p. 170.