Ruth 3

1 And her mother-in-law Naomi says to her, “My daughter, do I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?

But afterwards, when she returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi said to her: “My daughter, I will seek rest for you, and I will provide so that it may be well with you.

2 And now, is not Boaz of our acquaintance, with whose young women you have been? Behold, he is winnowing the threshing-floor of barley tonight,

This Boaz, whose young women you joined in the field, is our near relative, and this night he will winnow the threshing floor of barley.

3 and you have bathed, and anointed yourself, and put your garments on you, and gone down to the threshing-floor; do not let yourself be known to the man until he completes to eat and to drink;

Therefore, wash and anoint yourself, and put on your decorative garments, and go down to the threshing floor, but do not let the man see you, while he finishes eating and drinking.

4 and it comes to pass, when he lies down, that you have known the place where he lies down, and have gone in, and uncovered his feet, and lain down—and he declares to you that which you do.”

But when he goes to sleep, observe the place where he sleeps. And you will approach and lift up the covering, the part which covers near his feet, and lay yourself down, and sleep there; but he will tell you what you are obliged to do.”

5 And she says to her, “All that you say—I do.”

She answered, “I will do everything as you have instructed.”

6 And she goes down [to] the threshing-floor, and does according to all that her mother-in-law commanded her

And she went down to the threshing floor, and she did everything that her mother-in-law had commanded her.

7 And Boaz eats and drinks, and his heart is glad; and he goes in to lie down at the end of the heap; and she comes in gently, and uncovers his feet, and lies down.

And when Boaz had finished eating and drinking, and he was merry, and he had gone to sleep by the pile of sheaves, she approached secretly, and, lifting the covering near his feet, she laid herself down.

8 And it comes to pass, at the middle of the night, that the man trembles, and turns himself, and behold, a woman is lying at his feet.

And behold, when it was the middle of the night, the man became frightened and confused, and he saw a woman lying near his feet.

9 And he says, “Who [are] you?” And she says, “I [am] Ruth your handmaid, and you have spread your skirt over your handmaid, for you [are] a redeemer.”

And he said to her, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your handmaid. Spread your covering over your servant, for you are a near relative.”

10 And he says, “Blessed [are] you of YHWH, my daughter; you have dealt more kindly at the latter end than at the beginning—not to go after the young men, either poor or rich.

And he said, “You are blessed by the Lord, daughter, and you have excelled beyond your earlier benevolence, because you have not followed young men, whether poor or rich.

11 And now, my daughter, do not fear, all that you say I do to you, for all the gate of my people knows that you [are] a virtuous woman.

Therefore, do not be afraid, but whatever you decide about me, I will accomplish for you. For all the people, who dwell within the gates of my city, know that you are a virtuous woman.

12 And now, surely, true, that I [am] a redeemer, but also there is a redeemer nearer than I.

Neither do I deny myself to be a near relative, but there is another nearer than I.

13 Lodge tonight, and it has been in the morning, if he redeems you, well: he redeems; and if he does not delight to redeem you, then I have redeemed you—I; YHWH lives! Lie down until the morning.”

Be at peace for this night. And when morning arrives, if he is willing to uphold the law of kinship for you, things will turn out well; but if he is not willing, then, I will take you, without any doubt, as the Lord lives. Sleep until morning.”

14 And she lies down at his feet until the morning, and rises before one discerns another; and he says, “Let it not be known that the woman has come into the floor.”

And so she slept by his feet until the night was ending. And she arose before men could inquire of one another. And Boaz said, “Be careful, lest someone know that you came here.”

15 And he says, “Give the covering which [is] on you, and keep hold on it”; and she keeps hold on it, and he measures six [measures] of barley, and lays [it] on her; and he goes into the city.

And again he said, “Spread your mantle that covers you, and hold it with both hands.” As she extended it and held it, he measured six measures of barley and placed it upon her. Carrying it, she went into the city.

16 And she comes to her mother-in-law, and she says, “Who [are] you, my daughter?” And she declares to her all that the man has done to her.

And she came to her mother-in-law, who said to her: “What have you been doing, daughter?” And she explained to her all that the man had accomplished for her.

17 And she says, “These six [measures] of barley he has given to me, for he said, You do not go in empty to your mother-in-law.”

And she said, “Behold, he gave me six measures of barley, for he said, ‘I am not willing to have you return empty to your mother-in-law.’”

18 And she says, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter falls, for the man does not rest except he has completed the matter today.”

And Naomi said, “Wait, daughter, until we see how things will turn out. For the man will not rest until he has accomplished what he said.”