Ruth 3

1 Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?

One day, Naomi said to Ruth, ‘My daughter, should I not seek to secure a home for you where you will be happy and prosperous?

2 Now isn't Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Look, he winnows barley tonight at the threshing floor.

Is not Boaz, with whose girls you have been, a relative of ours?

3 Therefore wash yourself, anoint yourself, and put on your clothes, and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.

Tonight he is going to winnow barley on the threshing-floor. So bathe and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing-floor. But do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.

4 It shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies, and you shall go in, and uncover his feet, and lie down; then he will tell you what you shall do."

Then when he lies down, mark the place where he lies. Go in, uncover his feet, lie down, and then he will tell you what to do.’

5 She said to her, "All that you say I will do."

‘I will do as you say.’ Ruth said to her.

6 She went down to the threshing floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law told her.

So she went down to the threshing-floor and did just as her mother-in-law told her.

7 When Boaz had eaten and drank, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. She came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in a happy mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth came quietly and uncovered his feet and lay down.

8 It happened at midnight, that the man was startled and turned over; and look, a woman lay at his feet.

At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and there was a woman lying at his feet!

9 He said, "Who are you?" She answered, "I am Ruth your handmaid. Therefore spread the corner of your garment over your handmaid; for you are a redeeming kinsman."

‘Who are you?’ he said. ‘I am Ruth your servant,’ she answered, ‘Spread your cloak over your servant, for you are a near relative.’

10 He said, "Blessed are you by YHWH, my daughter. You have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as you didn't follow young men, whether poor or rich.

He said, ‘May you be blest by the Lord, my daughter. You have shown me greater favour now than at first, for you have not followed young men, whether poor or rich.

11 Now, my daughter, do not be afraid; I will do to you all that you say; for all the city of my people does know that you are a worthy woman.

My daughter, have no fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for the whole town knows that you are a virtuous woman.

12 Now it is true that I am a redeeming kinsman; however there is a redeemer closer than I am.

Now it is true that I am a near relative, but there is another man nearer than I.

13 Stay this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform for you the part of a redeemer, well; let him do the redeemer's part. But if he will not do the part of a redeemer for you, then I will do the part of a redeemer for you, as YHWH lives. Lie down until the morning."

Stay here tonight, and then in the morning, if he will perform for you the duty of a kinsman, well, let him do it. But if he will not perform for you the duty of a kinsman, then as surely as the Lord lives, I will do it for you. Lie down until morning.’

14 She lay at his feet until the morning. She rose up before one could discern another. For he said, "Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor."

So she lay at his feet until morning, but rose before anyone could recognise her, for Boaz said, ‘No one must know that a woman came to the threshing-floor.’

15 He said, "Bring the cloak that is on you, and hold it." She held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; and he went into the city.

He also said, ‘Bring the cloak which you have on and hold it.’ So she held it while he poured into it six measures of barley and laid it on her shoulders. Then he went into the city.

16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, "How did it go, my daughter?" She told her all that the man had done to her.

When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, ‘Is it you, my daughter?’ Then Ruth told Naomi all that the man had done for her.

17 She said, "He gave me these six measures of barley; for he said to me, 'Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.'"

‘He gave me these six measures of barley,’ she said, ‘for he said I should not go to my mother-in-law empty-handed.’

18 Then she said, "Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest, until he has finished the thing this day."

‘Wait quietly, my daughter.’ Naomi said, ‘Until you know how the affair will turn out, for the man will not rest unless he settles it all today.’