< Ruth 3 >
1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, —My daughter! shall I not seek for thee a place of rest, in which it may be well with thee?
路得的婆婆拿俄米對她說:「女兒啊,我不當為你找個安身之處,使你享福嗎?
2 Now, therefore, is not, Boaz, of our kindred, with whose maidens thou hast been? Lo! he is winnowing the barley threshing-floor, to-night!
你與波阿斯的使女常在一處,波阿斯不是我們的親族嗎?他今夜在場上簸大麥;
3 Thou wilt, therefore, bathe thee, and anoint thee, and put thine apparel upon thee, and go down to the threshing-floor, —do not make thyself known to the man, until he have done eating and drinking.
你要沐浴抹膏,換上衣服,下到場上,卻不要使那人認出你來。你等他吃喝完了,
4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he doth lie, and shalt go in and turn aside the covering of his feet, and lay thee down, —and, he, will tell thee what thou shalt do.
到他睡的時候,你看準他睡的地方,就進去掀開他腳上的被,躺臥在那裏,他必告訴你所當做的事。」
5 And she said unto her, —All that thou sayest, will I do.
路得說:「凡你所吩咐的,我必遵行。」
6 So she went down to the threshing-floor, —and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her.
路得就下到場上,照她婆婆所吩咐她的而行。
7 And, when Boaz had eaten, and drunk, and his heart was glad, he went in to lie down at the end of the heap of corn. Then came she in softly, and turned aside the covering of his feet, and laid her down.
波阿斯吃喝完了,心裏歡暢,就去睡在麥堆旁邊。路得便悄悄地來掀開他腳上的被,躺臥在那裏。
8 And it came to pass, in the middle of the night, that the man started up, and turned, —and lo! a woman, lying at his feet.
到了夜半,那人忽然驚醒,翻過身來,不料有女子躺在他的腳下。
9 And he said, Who art, thou? And she said, I, am Ruth, thy handmaid, spread, therefore, thy wing over thy handmaid, for, a kinsman, thou art.
他就說:「你是誰?」回答說:「我是你的婢女路得。求你用你的衣襟遮蓋我,因為你是我一個至近的親屬。」
10 And he said—Blessed, be thou of Yahweh, my daughter, for thou hast made thy last lovingkindness better than the first, —in not following after young men, whether poor, or rich.
波阿斯說:「女兒啊,願你蒙耶和華賜福。你末後的恩比先前更大;因為少年人無論貧富,你都沒有跟從。
11 Now, therefore, my daughter, do not fear, whatsoever thou shalt say, I will do for thee, —for all the gate of my people doth know, that, a virtuous woman, thou art.
女兒啊,現在不要懼怕,凡你所說的,我必照着行;我本城的人都知道你是個賢德的女子。
12 And, now, although it is true that, a kinsman, am I, yet is there a kinsman nearer than I.
我實在是你一個至近的親屬,只是還有一個人比我更近。
13 Tarry the night, and it shall be, in the morning, if he will act as kinsman to thee, well, let him so act, but, if he inclineth not to act as kinsman to thee, then will, I, so act to thee—by the life of Yahweh, —Lie still, until the morning.
你今夜在這裏住宿,明早他若肯為你盡親屬的本分,就由他吧!倘若不肯,我指着永生的耶和華起誓,我必為你盡了本分,你只管躺到天亮。」
14 So she lay at his feet, until the morning, and rose up before one could know his neighbour. And he said—Do not let it be known that a woman came into the threshing-floor.
路得便在他腳下躺到天快亮,人彼此不能辨認的時候就起來了。波阿斯說:「不可使人知道有女子到場上來」;
15 And he said—Bring the cloak that is upon thee, and hold it. So she held it, —and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it upon her, and he went into the city.
又對路得說:「打開你所披的外衣。」她打開了,波阿斯就撮了六簸箕大麥,幫她扛在肩上,她便進城去了。
16 And, when she came unto her mother-in- law, she said—Who art, thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done for her.
路得回到婆婆那裏,婆婆說:「女兒啊,怎麼樣了?」路得就將那人向她所行的述說了一遍,
17 And she said—These six measures of barley, gave he unto me, —for he said, Do not go in empty, unto thy mother-in- law.
又說:「那人給了我六簸箕大麥,對我說:『你不可空手回去見你的婆婆。』」
18 And she said—Abide, my daughter, until that thou get to know, how the matter will fall out, —for the man will not rest, except he have finished the thing to-day.
婆婆說:「女兒啊,你只管安坐等候,看這事怎樣成就,因為那人今日不辦成這事必不休息。」