Ruth 3

1 And she lodged with her mother-in-law: and Noemin her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

One day, Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, should I not seek to secure a home for you where you will be happy and prosperous?

2 And now [is] not Booz our kinsman, with whose damsels thou wast? behold, he winnows barley this night in the floor.

Is not Boaz, with whose girls you have been, a relative of ours?

3 But do thou wash, and anoint thyself, and put thy raiment upon thee, and go up to the threshing-floor: do not discover thyself to the man until he has done eating and drinking.

Tonight he is going to winnow barley on the threshing-floor. So bathe and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing-floor. But do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.

4 And it shall come to pass when he lies down, that thou shalt mark the place where he lies down, and shalt come and lift up the covering of his feet, and shalt lie down; and he shall tell thee what thou shalt do.

Then when he lies down, mark the place where he lies. Go in, uncover his feet, lie down, and then he will tell you what to do.”

5 And Ruth said to her, All that thou shalt say, I will do.

“I will do as you say.” Ruth said to her.

6 And she went down to the threshing-floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law enjoined her.

So she went down to the threshing-floor and did just as her mother-in-law told her.

7 And Booz ate and drank, and his heart was glad, and he came to lie down by the side of the heap of corn; and she came secretly, and lifted up the covering of his feet.

When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in a happy mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth came quietly and uncovered his feet and lay down.

8 And it came to pass at midnight that the man was amazed, and troubled, and behold, a woman lay at his feet.

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

9 And he said, Who art thou? and she said, I am thine handmaid Ruth; spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid, for thou art a near relation.

“Who are you?” he said. “I am Ruth your servant,” she answered, “Spread your cloak over your servant, for you are a near relative.”

10 And Booz said, Blessed [be] thou of the Lord God, [my] daughter, for thou hast made thy latter kindness greater than the former, in that thou followest not after young men, whether [any be] poor or rich.

He said, “May you be blest by the Lord, my daughter. You have shown me greater favor now than at first, for you have not followed young men, whether poor or rich.

11 And now fear not, my daughter, whatever thou shalt say I will do to thee; for all the tribe of my people knows that thou art a virtuous woman.

My daughter, have no fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for the whole town knows that you are a virtuous woman.

12 And now I am truly akin to thee; nevertheless there is a kinsman nearer than I.

Now it is true that I am a near relative, but there is another man nearer than I.

13 Lodge [here] for the night, and it shall be in the morning, if he will do the part of a kinsman to thee, well—let him do it: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, I will do the kinsman's part to thee, [as] the Lord lives; lie down till the morning.

Stay here tonight, and then in the morning, if he will perform for you the duty of a kinsman, well, let him do it. But if he will not perform for you the duty of a kinsman, then as surely as the Lord lives, I will do it for you. Lie down until morning.”

14 And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before a man could know his neighbour; and Booz said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.

So she lay at his feet until morning, but rose before anyone could recognize her, for Boaz said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing-floor.”

15 And he said to her, Bring the apron that is upon thee: and she held it, and he measured six measures of barley, and put them upon her, and she went into the city.

He also said, “Bring the cloak which you have on and hold it.” So she held it while he poured into it six measures of barley and laid it on her shoulders. Then he went into the city.

16 And Ruth went in to her mother-in-law, and she said to her, [My] daughter! and [Ruth] told her all that the man had done to her.

When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “Is it you, my daughter?” Then Ruth told Naomi all that the man had done for her.

17 And she said to her, He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said to me, Go not empty to thy mother-in-law.

“He gave me these six measures of barley,” she said, “for he said I should not go to my mother-in-law empty-handed.”

18 And she said, Sit still, [my] daughter, until thou shalt know how the matter will fall out; for the man will not rest until the matter be accomplished this day.

“Wait quietly, my daughter.” Naomi said, “Until you know how the affair will turn out, for the man will not rest unless he settles it all today.”