Ruth 3

1 One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek a resting place for you, that it may be well with you?

Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, —My daughter! shall I not seek for thee a place of rest, in which it may be well with thee?

2 Now is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been working, a relative of ours? In fact, tonight he is winnowing barley on the threshing floor.

Now, therefore, is not, Boaz, of our kindred, with whose maidens thou hast been? Lo! he is winnowing the barley threshing-floor, to-night!

3 Therefore wash yourself, put on perfume, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but do not let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.

Thou wilt, therefore, bathe thee, and anoint thee, and put thine apparel upon thee, and go down to the threshing-floor, —do not make thyself known to the man, until he have done eating and drinking.

4 When he lies down, note the place where he lies. Then go in and uncover his feet, and lie down, and he will explain to you what you should do.”

And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he doth lie, and shalt go in and turn aside the covering of his feet, and lay thee down, —and, he, will tell thee what thou shalt do.

5 “I will do everything you say,” Ruth answered.

And she said unto her, —All that thou sayest, will I do.

6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her to do.

So she went down to the threshing-floor, —and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her.

7 After Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth went in secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

And, when Boaz had eaten, and drunk, and his heart was glad, he went in to lie down at the end of the heap of corn. Then came she in softly, and turned aside the covering of his feet, and laid her down.

8 At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman!

And it came to pass, in the middle of the night, that the man started up, and turned, —and lo! a woman, lying at his feet.

9 “Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.”

And he said, Who art, thou? And she said, I, am Ruth, thy handmaid, spread, therefore, thy wing over thy handmaid, for, a kinsman, thou art.

10 Then Boaz said, “May the LORD bless you, my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before, because you have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.

And he said—Blessed, be thou of Yahweh, my daughter, for thou hast made thy last lovingkindness better than the first, —in not following after young men, whether poor, or rich.

11 And now do not be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you whatever you request, since all my fellow townspeople know that you are a woman of noble character.

Now, therefore, my daughter, do not fear, whatsoever thou shalt say, I will do for thee, —for all the gate of my people doth know, that, a virtuous woman, thou art.

12 Yes, it is true that I am a kinsman-redeemer, but there is a redeemer nearer than I.

And, now, although it is true that, a kinsman, am I, yet is there a kinsman nearer than I.

13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, good. Let him redeem you. But if he does not want to redeem you, as surely as the LORD lives, I will. Now lie here until morning.”

Tarry the night, and it shall be, in the morning, if he will act as kinsman to thee, well, let him so act, but, if he inclineth not to act as kinsman to thee, then will, I, so act to thee—by the life of Yahweh, —Lie still, until the morning.

14 So she lay down at his feet until morning, but she got up before anyone else could recognize her. Then Boaz said, “Do not let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.”

So she lay at his feet, until the morning, and rose up before one could know his neighbour. And he said—Do not let it be known that a woman came into the threshing-floor.

15 And he told her, “Bring the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he shoveled six measures of barley into her shawl. Then he went into the city.

And he said—Bring the cloak that is upon thee, and hold it. So she held it, —and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it upon her, and he went into the city.

16 When Ruth returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked her, “How did it go, my daughter?” Then Ruth told her all that Boaz had done for her.

And, when she came unto her mother-in- law, she said—Who art, thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done for her.

17 And she said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

And she said—These six measures of barley, gave he unto me, —for he said, Do not go in empty, unto thy mother-in- law.

18 “Wait, my daughter,” said Naomi, “until you find out how things go, for he will not rest unless he has resolved the matter today.”

And she said—Abide, my daughter, until that thou get to know, how the matter will fall out, —for the man will not rest, except he have finished the thing to-day.