< Ruth 3 >

1 And Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek a place for you to rest, so that things may go well for you?
2 And now, is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he is winnowing barley in the threshing-floor to-night.
Now Boaz, the man whose young female workers you have been with, is he not our kinsman? Look, he will be winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.
3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thyself, and put thy raiment upon thee, and go down to the floor; make not thyself known to the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
Therefore, wash yourself, anoint yourself, put on your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor. But do not make yourself known to the man until he finishes eating and drinking.
4 And it shall be, when he lies down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall have lain down, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thyself down; and he will shew thee what thou shalt do.
But when he lies down, take notice of the place where he lies down so that later you can go to him, uncover his feet, and lie down there. Then he will tell you what to do.”
5 And she said to her, All that thou sayest will I do.
Ruth said to Naomi, “I will do everything you say.”
6 And she went down to the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law had bidden her.
So she went down to the threshing floor, and she followed the instructions her mother-in-law had given her.
7 And Boaz ate and drank, and his heart was merry, and he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn. Then she went softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid herself down.
When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the pile of grain. Then she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.
It came about at midnight that the man was startled. He turned over, and right there a woman was lying at his feet!
9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth, thy handmaid: spread thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou hast the right of redemption.
He said, “Who are you?” She answered, “I am Ruth, your female servant. Spread your cloak over your female servant, for you are a near kinsman.”
10 And he said, Blessed be thou of Jehovah, my daughter! Thou hast shewn more kindness at the end than at the first, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
Boaz said, “My daughter, may you be blessed by Yahweh. You have showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, because you have not gone after any of the young men, whether poor or rich.
11 And now, my daughter, fear not: all that thou sayest will I do to thee; for all the gate of my people knows that thou art a woman of worth.
Now, my daughter, do not be afraid! I will do for you all that you say, because all the city of my people knows that you are a worthy woman.
12 And now, truly I am one that has the right of redemption, yet there is one that has the right of redemption who is nearer than I.
It is true that I am a kinsman, but there is a kinsman nearer than I.
13 Stay over to-night, and it shall be in the morning, if he will redeem thee, well — let him redeem; but if he like not to redeem thee, then will I redeem thee, [as] Jehovah liveth. Lie down until the morning.
Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he will perform for you the duty of a kinsman, good, let him do the kinsman's duty. But if he will not do the duty of a kinsman for you, then I will do it, by the life of Yahweh. Lie down until the morning.”
14 And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the threshing-floor.
So she lay at his feet until the morning. But she rose up before anyone could recognize another person. For Boaz had said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”
15 And he said, Bring the cloak that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And she held it, and he measured six [measures] of barley, and laid [it] on her; and he went into the city.
Then Boaz said, “Bring your shawl and hold it out.” When she did so, he measured six large measures of barley into it and put the load on her. Then he went into the city.
16 And she came to her mother-in-law; and she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you do, my daughter?” Then Ruth told her all that the man had done for her.
17 And she said, These six [measures] of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty to thy mother-in-law.
She said, “These six measures of barley are what he gave me, for he said, 'Do not go empty to your mother-in-law.'”
18 Then she said, Be still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest until he have completed the matter this day.
Then Naomi said, “Stay here, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out, for the man will not rest until he has finished this thing today.”

< Ruth 3 >