路得記 1
1 當民長執政時代，國內發生了饑荒。有個人帶了他的妻子和兩個兒子，從猶大白冷到摩阿布鄉間去僑居。
During the time before kings ruled Israel, (there was a famine/the people there had nothing to eat). There was a man who lived there whose name was Elimelech. His wife’s name was Naomi, and his sons’ names were Mahlon and Chilion. They were all from Bethlehem [town], from the Ephrath [clan] in Judah [region].
2 這人名叫厄里默肋客，他的妻子名叫納敖米，他的兩個兒子：一個名叫瑪赫隆，一個名叫基肋雍，是猶大白冷厄弗辣大人。他們到了摩阿布鄉間，就住在那裏。
Because of the famine, they left Bethlehem and went east to [live for a while in] Moab [region].
3 後來納敖米的丈夫厄里默肋客死了，留下了她和她的兩個兒子。
While they were there, Elimelech died, and Naomi had only her two sons with her.
4 他們都娶了摩阿布女子為妻：一個名叫敖爾帕，一個名叫盧德；他們在那裏大約住了十年。
They married women from Moab. One of them was named Orpah, and the other one was named Ruth. But after they had lived in that area for about ten years,
5 瑪赫隆和基肋雍二人有相繼去世，只剩下了那婦人，沒有兒子，以沒有丈夫。
Mahlon and Chilion died. So then Naomi had no husband and no sons.
6 於是她便與她的兩個兒媳打算從摩阿布鄉間起程回家，因為她在摩阿布鄉間聽說天主垂顧了他的百姓，賜給了他們食糧。納熬米勸兒媳回家
One day while Naomi was in Moab, she heard someone say that Yahweh had helped his people in Israel and that now there was plenty of food to eat. So she prepared to return [to Bethlehem].
7 當她和她的兩個兒媳，要從寄居的地方出發，取道回猶大故鄉的時候，
She left the place where she had been living and started to walk [with her daughters-in-law] along the road back to Judah.
8 納熬米就對她的兩個兒媳說：「你們去罷! 各自回娘家去! 願上主恩待你們，如同你們待了死者和我一樣。
Then as the three of them were walking, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Each of you should turn around and go back to your mother’s home. You treated [your husbands] kindly [before] they died, and you have treated me kindly.
9 院上主賜你們在新夫家裏，各得安身! 」於是就吻了她們；她們便放聲大哭，
Now I desire that Yahweh will enable each of you to have another husband in whose home you will [feel] secure.” Then she kissed both of them, and they cried aloud.
10 向她說：「我們要同你回到你的民族中去。」
They each said, “No, we want to go with you as you return to your relatives.”
11 納敖米回答說：「我的女兒，你們回去罷! 為什麼要跟我去呢﹖難道我還能懷妊生子給你們做丈夫嗎﹖
But Naomi said, “No, my daughters, return home. (It will not do any good for you to come with me!/What good will it do for you to come with me?) [RHQ] Do you think I will get married again and have more sons who could become your husbands?
12 我的女兒啊，你們回去罷! 你們走罷! 我已老了，不能再嫁人了；如說我尚又希望，今夜能嫁人，也懷妊生子，
Even if I thought I could have another husband, and even if I got married today and became pregnant [EUP] tonight and later gave birth to sons,
13 你們又豈能等待他們長大，持身不嫁人﹖我的女兒啊! 不要這樣，有了你們我反而更苦，因為上主已伸出手來與我作對。」盧德追隨婆母
would you remain single/unmarried until they grew up [and became old enough] for you to marry? No, my daughters, [you would not do that]. Your situations are bad [because your husbands have died, but it is possible that you will each marry again]. My situation is much worse, because Yahweh [SYN] has opposed me, [and now I am too old to get married again].”
14 她們於是又放聲大哭。敖爾帕吻了自己的婆婆，便回自己的家鄉去了；盧德對婆母仍依依不捨。
Then Ruth and Orpah cried again [because of what Naomi said]. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, [and left], but Ruth clung to Naomi.
15 納敖米向她說：「看，你的嫂子已回她民族和她的神那裏去了，你也跟你的嫂子回去罷! 」
Naomi said to her, “Look! Your sister-in-law is going back to her relatives and to her gods! Go back with her!”
16 盧德答說：「請你別逼我離開你，而不跟你去。你到那裏去，我也要到那裏去；你住在那裏，我也住在那裏；你的民族，就是我的民族；你的天主，就是我的天主；
But Ruth replied, “No! Don’t urge me to leave you! I [want to] go with you. Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your relatives will be my relatives, and the God you [worship] will be the God I [worship].
17 你死在那裏，我也死在那裏，埋在那裏；若不是死使我與你分離，願上主罰我，重重罰我! 」
Where you die, I will die. Where you are buried, I will be buried. May Yahweh punish me severely if I separate from you. I will be separated from you only [when one of us] dies.”
18 納敖米見她執意要與自己同去，就不再勸阻她了。
When Naomi realized that Ruth was very determined to go with her, she stopped urging her [to return home].
19 於是二人同行，來到了白冷。她們一到了白冷，全城的人都為她們所驚動。婦女們驚問說：「這不是納敖米嗎﹖」
So the two women continued walking until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived there, everyone in town was excited [to see] them. The women [of the town] exclaimed, “(Can this be Naomi?/It is difficult to believe that this is Naomi!)” [RHQ]
20 她向她們說：「你們不要叫我納敖米，應叫我瑪辣，因為全能者待我好苦!
Naomi said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi, [which means ‘pleasant’]. Instead, call me Mara, [which means ‘bitter’], because God Almighty has made my life very unpleasant.
21 我去時富足，如今上主卻使我空空而回。上主責罰了我，全能者降禍於我，你們為什麼還叫我納敖米呢﹖」
When I left here, I [felt] rich, [because I had a family]. But Yahweh has brought me back here and now I [feel] poor, [because I have no family]. Do not call me Naomi [RHQ]. [I feel as though] Yahweh has spoken against (OR, afflicted) me. Almighty [God] has caused me to experience a great tragedy.”
22 納敖米同她的兒媳摩阿布女子盧德回來了，是從摩阿布鄉間回來的。她們來到白冷，正是開始收大麥的時候。
That [summarizes the account] of Naomi returning home along with her daughter-in-law Ruth, the woman from Moab. And [it happened that] when they arrived in Bethlehem, the barley [grain] harvest was just beginning.
