Ruth 1
1 In the days of one of the judges, when the judges ruled, there came a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem Juda, went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons.
And it came to pass, in the days when the Judges administered justice, that there was a famine in the land, —and so a certain man went his way, out of Bethlehem-judah to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
2 He was named Elimelech, and his wife, Noemi: and his two sons, the one Mahalon, and the other Chelion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Juda. And entering into the country of Moab, they abode there.
And, the name of the man, was Elimelech, and, the name of his wife, Naomi, and, the name of his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites out of Bethlehem-judah, —so they came into the country of Moab, and remained there.
3 And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died: and she remained with her sons.
And Elimelech, husband of Naomi, died, —and she was left, she and her two sons.
4 And they took wives of the women of Moab, of which one was called Orpha, and the other Ruth. And they dwelt there ten years.
And they took them wives, of the women of Moab, the name of the one, was Orpah, and, the name of the other, Ruth, —and they dwelt there, about ten years.
5 And they both died, to wit, Mahalon and Chelion: and the woman was left alone, having lost both her sons and her husband.
And, they also, both, died, Mahlon and Chilion, —so the woman was bereft of her two sons, and of her husband.
6 And she arose to go from the land of Moab to her own country with both her daughters in law: for she had heard that the Lord had looked upon his people, and had given them food.
Then she arose, she and her daughters-in-law, and returned out of the country of Moab, —for she had heard, in the country of Moab, how that Yahweh had visited his people, in giving unto them, bread.
7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place of her sojournment, with both her daughters in law: and being now in the way to return into the land of Juda,
So she went forth out of the dwelling-place where she had remained, and her two daughters-in-law with her, —and they went on the way, to return unto the land of Judah.
8 She said to them: Go ye home to your mothers: the Lord deal mercifully with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
Then said Naomi to her two daughters-in-law: Go return, each one to the house of her mother, —Yahweh deal with you in lovingkindness, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
9 May he grant you to find rest in the houses of the husbands which you shall take. And she kissed them. And they lifted up their voice and began to weep,
Yahweh grant you, that ye may find a place of rest, each one in the house of her husband, —And she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
10 And to say: We will go on with thee to thy people.
And they said to her, —With thee, will we return, unto thy people.
11 But she answered them: Return, my daughters: why come ye with me? have I any more sons in my womb, that you may hope for husbands of me?
Then said Naomi—Go back, my daughters! wherefore should ye journey with me? Have I, yet, sons in my womb, that they should become your, husbands?
12 Return again, my daughters, and go your ways: for I am now spent with age, and not fit for wedlock. Although I might conceive this night, and bear children,
Go back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband, —If I should say, I have, hope, if I should, even to-night have a husband, and should, even bear sons,
13 If you would wait till they were grown up, and come to man’s estate, you would be old women before you marry. Do not so, my daughters, I beseech you: for I am grieved the more for your distress, and the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
would ye, therefore, tarry until they were grown? would ye, therefore, shut yourselves up from having husbands? Nay! my daughters, for it is far more bitter for me than for you, that forth hath gone against me, the hand of Yahweh.
14 And they lifted up their voice, and began to weep again: Orpha kissed her mother in law and returned: Ruth stuck close to her mother in law.
And they lifted up their voice and wept, yet more. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in- law, but, Ruth, clave unto her.
15 And Noemi said to her: Behold thy kinswoman is returned to her people, and to her gods, go thou with her.
And she said—Lo! thy sister-in-law hath gone back, unto her people, and unto her gods, —go thou back, after thy sister-in-law.
16 She answered: Be not against me, to desire that I should leave thee and depart: for whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
And Ruth said—Do not urge me to leave thee, to go back from following thee, —for, whither thou goest, I will go, and, where thou lodgest, I will lodge, thy people, shall be my people, and, thy God, my God;
17 The land that shall receive thee dying, in the same will I die: and there will I be buried. The Lord do so and so to me, and add more also, if aught but death part me and thee.
where thou diest, I will die, and, there, will I be buried: So, let Yahweh do to me, and, so, let him add, if, death itself, part me and thee.
18 Then Noemi, seeing that Ruth was steadfastly determined to go with her, would not be against it, nor persuade her any more to return to her friends:
And, when she saw that, bravely determined, was she to go with her, she ceased entreating her.
19 So they went together and came to Bethlehem. And when they were come into the city, the report was quickly spread among all: and the women said: This is that Noemi.
So, they two, went their way, until they entered Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they entered Bethlehem, that all the city was moved concerning them, and the women said—Is this Naomi?
20 But she said to them: Call me not Noemi, (that is, beautiful, ) but call me Mara, (that is, bitter, ) for the Almighty hath quite filled me with bitterness.
And she said unto them, Do not call me Naomi ["Sweet"], —call me Mara ["Bitter"], for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me:
21 I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me back empty. Why then do you call me Noemi, whom the Lord hath humbled and the Almighty hath afflicted?
I was full when I departed, but, empty, am I brought back of Yahweh, —wherefore should ye call me Naomi, when, Yahweh, hath given answer against me, and, the Almighty, hath crushed me?
22 So Noemi came with Ruth the Moabitess her daughter in law, from the land of her sojournment: and returned into Bethlehem, in the beginning of the barley harvest.
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab, —and, they, entered Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
