Ruth 1
1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab.
In the time when the judges ruled, there was once a famine in the land. A man from Bethlehem in Judah took his wife and two sons to live in the territory of Moab.
2 The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah, and they entered the land of Moab and settled there.
His name was Elimelech and his wife’s was Naomi, and his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. After they had been living in Moab for some time,
3 Then Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons,
Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons,
4 who took Moabite women as their wives, one named Orpah and the other named Ruth. And after they had lived in Moab about ten years,
who married Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years,
5 both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and without her husband.
Mahlon and Chilion both died, and Naomi was left alone, without husband or sons.
6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had attended to His people by providing them with food, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave the land of Moab.
So she set out with her daughters-in-law to return from the land of Moab, for she had heard that the Lord had remembered his people and given them food.
7 Accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road leading back to the land of Judah.
As they were setting out together on the journey to Judah,
8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you to your mother’s home. May the LORD show you loving devotion, as you have shown to your dead and to me.
Naomi said to her daughters-in-law, “Go, return both of you to the home of your mother. May the Lord be kind to you as you have been kind to the dead and to me.
9 May the LORD enable each of you to find rest in the home of your new husband.” And she kissed them as they wept aloud
The Lord grant that each of you may find peace and happiness in the house of a new husband.” Then she kissed them; but they began to weep aloud
10 and said, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”
and said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.”
11 But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb to become your husbands?
But Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Can I still bear sons who might become your husbands?
12 Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons,
Go back, my daughters, go your own way, because I am too old to have a husband. Even if I should say, ‘I have hope,’ even if I should have a husband tonight and should bear sons,
13 would you wait for them to grow up? Would you refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.”
would you wait for them until they were grown up? Would you remain single for them? No, my daughters! My heart grieves for you, for the Lord has sent me adversity.”
14 Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
Then they again wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth stayed with her.
15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; follow her back home.”
“Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her own people and to her own gods. Go along with her!”
16 But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.
But Ruth answered, “Do not urge me to leave you or to go back. I will go where you go, and I will stay wherever you stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God;
17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”
I will die where you die, and be buried there. May the Lord bring a curse upon me, if anything but death separate you and me.”
18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her.
When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she ceased urging her to return.
19 So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole city was stirred because of them, and the women of the city exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
So they journeyed on until they came to Bethlehem. Their arrival stirred the whole town, and the women said, “Can this be Naomi?”
20 “Do not call me Naomi,” she replied. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has dealt quite bitterly with me.
“Do not call me Naomi,” she said to them, “call me Mara, for the Almighty has given me a bitter lot.
21 I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? After all, the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me.”
I had plenty when I left, but the Lord has brought me back empty handed. Why should you call me Naomi, now that the Lord has afflicted me, and the Almighty has brought misfortune on me?”
22 So Naomi returned from the land of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
So Naomi and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, returned from Moab. They reached Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
