Ruth 3
1 After she was returned to her mother in law, Noemi said to her: My daughter, I will seek rest for thee, and will provide that it may be well with thee.
Forsothe aftir that Ruth turnede ayen to hir modir in lawe, Ruth herde of hir, My douytir, Y schal seke reste to thee, and Y schal purueye that it be wel to thee.
2 This Booz, with whose maids thou wast joined in the field, is our near kinsman, and behold this night he winnoweth barley in the threshingfloor.
This Booz, to whose damesels thou were ioyned in the feeld, is oure kynesman, and in this niyt he wyndewith the corn floor of barli.
3 Wash thyself therefore and anoint thee, and put on thy best garments, and go down to the barnfloor: but let not the man see thee, till he shall have done eating and drinking.
Therfor be thou waischun, and anoyntid, and be thou clothid with onestere clothis, and go doun in to the corn floor; the man, `that is, Booz, se not thee, til he haue endid the mete and drynke.
4 And when he shall go to sleep, mark the place wherein he sleepeth: and thou shalt go in, and lift up the clothes wherewith he is covered towards his feet, and shalt lay thyself down there: and he will tell thee what thou must do.
Forsothe whanne he goth to slepe, marke thou the place `in which he slepith; and thou schalt come and vnhile the cloth, `with which he is hilid, fro the part of the feet, and thou schalt caste thee doun, and thou schalt ly there. Forsothe he schal seie to thee, what thou `owist to do.
5 She answered: Whatsoever thou shalt command, I will do.
Which answeride, What euer thing thou comaundist, Y schal do.
6 And she went down to the barnfloor, and did all that her mother in law had bid her.
And sche yede doun in to the corn floor, and dide alle thingis whiche hir modir in lawe comaundide to hir.
7 And when Booz had eaten, and drunk, and was merry, he went to sleep by the heap of sheaves, and she came softly and uncovering his feet, laid herself down.
And whanne Booz hadde ete and drunke, and was maad gladere, and hadde go to slepe bisidis the `heep of handfuls, sche cam, and hidde hir silf; and whanne the cloth was vnhilid fro `hise feet, sche castide doun hir silf.
8 And behold, when it was now midnight the man was afraid, and troubled: and he saw a woman lying at his feet,
And lo! now at mydnyyt `the man dredde, and was troblid; and he siy a womman lyggynge at hise feet;
9 And he said to her: Who art thou? And she answered: I am Ruth thy handmaid: spread thy coverlet over thy servant, for thou art a near kinsman.
and he seide to hir, Who art thou? Sche answeride, Y am Ruth, thin handmayde; stretche forth thi cloth on thi seruauntesse, for thou art nyy of kyn.
10 And he said: Blessed art thou of the Lord, my daughter, and thy latter kindness has surpassed the former: because thou hast not followed young men either poor or rich.
And he seide, Douytir, thou art blessid of the Lord, and thou hast ouercome the formere mercy with the lattere; for thou `suedist not yonge men, pore ethir riche.
11 Fear not therefore, but whatsoever thou shalt say to me I will do to thee. For all the people that dwell within the gates of my city, know that thou art a virtuous woman.
Therfor `nyle thou drede, but what euer thing thou schalt seie to me, Y schal do to thee; for al the puple that dwellith with ynne the yatis of my cytee woot, that thou art a womman of vertu.
12 Neither do I deny myself to be near of kin, but there is another nearer than I.
And Y forsake not, that Y am of nyy kyn, but another man is neer than Y;
13 Rest thou this night: and when morning is come, if he will take thee by the right of kindred, all is well: but if he will not, I will undoubtedly take thee, as the Lord liveth: sleep till the morning.
reste thou in this nyyt, and whanne the morewtid is maad, if he wole holde thee bi riyt of nyy kyn, the thing is wel doon; forsothe if he nyle, Y schal take thee with outen ony doute, the Lord lyueth, `that is, bi the Lord lyuynge; slepe thou til the morewtid.
14 So she slept at his feet till the night was going off. And she arose before men could know one another, and Booz said: Beware lest any man know that thou camest hither.
Therfore sche slepte at `hise feet til to the goyng awey of nyyt, and so sche roos bifor that men knewen `hem silf togidere. And Booz seide to hir, Be thou war lest ony man knowe, that thou camest hidir.
15 And again he said: Spread thy mantle, wherewith thou art covered, and hold it with both hands. And when she spread it and held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it upon her. And she carried it and went into the city,
And eft he seide, Stretche forth thi mentil `with which thou `art hilid, and holde thou with euer either hond. And while sche stretchide forth and helde, he mete sixe buyschels of barly, and `puttide on hir; and sche bar, and entride in to the citee,
16 And came to her mother in law; who said to her: What hast thou done, daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
and cam to hir modir in lawe. Which seide to Ruth, What hast thou do, douyter? And Ruth telde to hir alle thingis, whyche `the man hadde do to hir.
17 And she said: Behold he hath given me six measures of barley: for he said: I will not have thee return empty to thy mother in law.
And Ruth seide, Lo! he yaf to me sixe buyschels of barly; and he seide, Y nyle that thou turne ayen voide to thi modir in lawe.
18 And Noemi said: Wait my daughter, till we see what end the thing will have. For the man will not rest until he have accomplished what he hath said.
And Noemy seide, Abide, douytir, til we sien what issu the thing schal haue; for the man schal not ceesse, no but he fille tho thingis whiche he spak.
