Ruth 1
1 In the time that the Iudges ruled, there was a dearth in the lande, and a man of Beth-lehem Iudah went for to soiourne in the countrey of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sonnes.
There was a famine during the time when the judges ruled Israel, so a man left Bethlehem in Judah and went to live in exile in the country of Moab, along with his wife and two sons.
2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi: and the names of his two sonnes, Mahlon, and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem Iudah: and when they came into the land of Moab, they continued there.
His name was Elimelech, and his wife's name Naomi. His sons were called Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went to the country of Moab and lived there.
3 Then Elimelech the husband of Naomi died, and she remayned with her two sonnes,
However, Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.
4 Which tooke them wiues of the Moabites: the ones name was Orpah, and the name of ye other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten yeeres.
The sons married Moabite women. One was called Orpah, the other was called Ruth. After about ten years,
5 And Mahlon and Chilion dyed also both twaine: so the woman was left destitute of her two sonnes, and of her husband.
both Mahlon and Chilion died. Naomi was left alone, without her two sons or her husband.
6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, and returned from the countrey of Moab: for she had heard say in the countrey of Moab, that the Lord had visited his people, and giuen them bread.
So she and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave the country of Moab and return home because she had heard that the Lord had blessed his people there with food.
7 Wherefore shee departed out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her, and they went on their way to returne vnto the land of Iudah.
She left the place where she had been living and with her two daughters-in-law set out on the road back to the land of Judah.
8 Then Naomi saide vnto her two daughters in lawe, Goe, returne eche of you vnto her owne mothers house: the Lord shew fauour vnto you, as ye haue done with the dead, and with me.
However, as they left, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Each of you, go back to your mother's homes, and may the Lord be as kind to you as you have been to me, and to those who have died.
9 The Lord graunt you, that you may finde rest, either of you in the house of her husband. And when she kissed them, they lift vp their voice and wept.
May the Lord give you a good home with another husband.” She kissed them, and they all started to cry loudly.
10 And they saide vnto her, Surely we will returne with thee vnto thy people.
“No! We want to go back with you to your people,” they replied.
11 But Naomi saide, Turne againe, my daughters: for what cause will you go with me? are there any more sonnes in my wombe, that they may bee your husbands?
“Why do you want to go back with me?” Naomi asked. “I'm not able to have any more sons for you to marry.
12 Turne againe, my daughters: go your way: for I am too olde to haue an husband. If I should say, I haue hope, and if I had an husband this night: yea, if I had borne sonnes,
Go back home, my daughters, because I'm too old to marry again. Even if I were to sleep with a new husband tonight and had sons,
13 Would yee tarie for them, till they were of age? would ye be deferred for them from taking of husbands? nay my daughters: for it grieueth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
would you wait for them to grow up? Would you decide you weren't going to marry anyone else? No. The whole situation is more bitter for me than it is for you, for the Lord has turned against me!”
14 Then they lift vp their voyce and wept againe, and Orpah kissed her mother in lawe, but Ruth abode still with her.
They started crying loudly again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye. But Ruth held on tightly to Naomi.
15 And Naomi said, Beholde, thy sister in law is gone backe vnto her people and vnto her gods: returne thou after thy sister in lawe.
“Look, your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back home with her,” said Naomi.
16 And Ruth answered, Intreate mee not to leaue thee, nor to depart from thee: for whither thou goest, I will goe: and where thou dwellest, I will dwell: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
But Ruth replied, “Please don't keep on telling me to leave you and go back. Where you go, I will go. Where you live, I will live. Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God.
17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried. the Lord do so to me and more also, if ought but death depart thee and me.
Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me harshly if I let anything but death separate us!”
18 Whe she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, she left speaking vnto her.
When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped telling Ruth to go home.
19 So they went both vntill they came to Beth-lehem: and when they were come to Beth-lehem, it was noysed of them through all the citie, and they said, Is not this Naomi?
So the two of them walked on until they reached Bethlehem. When they arrived there, the whole town got excited. “Is this Naomi?” the women asked.
20 And she answered them, Call me not Naomi, but call me Mara: for the Almightie hath giuen me much bitternes.
She said to them, “Don't call me Naomi! Call me Mara, for the Almighty has treated me very bitterly.
21 I went out full, and the Lord hath caused me to returne emptie: why call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath humbled me, and the Almightie hath brought me vnto aduersitie?
I left here full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has condemned me, when the Almighty has brought disaster on me?”
22 So Naomi returned and Ruth the Moabitesse her daughter in law with her, when she came out of the countrey of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barly haruest.
This is the way that Naomi returned from Moab with Ruth, the Moabite, her daughter-in-law. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
