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?

And she lodged with her mother-in-law: and Noemin her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

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!

And now [is] not Booz our kinsman, with whose damsels thou wast? behold, he winnows barley this night in the floor.

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.

But do thou wash, and anoint thyself, and put thy raiment upon thee, and go up to the threshing-floor: do not discover thyself to the man until he has done eating and drinking.

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.

And it shall come to pass when he lies down, that thou shalt mark the place where he lies down, and shalt come and lift up the covering of his feet, and shalt lie down; and he shall tell thee what thou shalt do.

5 And she said unto her, —All that thou sayest, will I do.

And Ruth said to her, All that thou shalt say, I will do.

6 So she went down to the threshing-floor, —and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her.

And she went down to the threshing-floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law enjoined her.

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.

And Booz ate and drank, and his heart was glad, and he came to lie down by the side of the heap of corn; and she came secretly, and lifted up the covering of his feet.

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.

And it came to pass at midnight that the man was amazed, and troubled, and behold, a woman lay at his feet.

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.

And he said, Who art thou? and she said, I am thine handmaid Ruth; spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid, for thou art a near relation.

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.

And Booz said, Blessed [be] thou of the Lord God, [my] daughter, for thou hast made thy latter kindness greater than the former, in that thou followest not after young men, whether [any be] poor or rich.

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.

And now fear not, my daughter, whatever thou shalt say I will do to thee; for all the tribe of my people knows that thou art a virtuous woman.

12 And, now, although it is true that, a kinsman, am I, yet is there a kinsman nearer than I.

And now I am truly akin to thee; nevertheless there is a kinsman nearer than I.

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.

Lodge [here] for the night, and it shall be in the morning, if he will do the part of a kinsman to thee, well—let him do it: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, I will do the kinsman's part to thee, [as] the Lord lives; lie down till the morning.

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.

And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before a man could know his neighbour; and Booz said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.

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.

And he said to her, Bring the apron that is upon thee: and she held it, and he measured six measures of barley, and put them upon her, and she went into the city.

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.

And Ruth went in to her mother-in-law, and she said to her, [My] daughter! and [Ruth] told her all that the man had done to her.

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.

And she said to her, He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said to me, Go not empty to thy mother-in-law.

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.

And she said, Sit still, [my] daughter, until thou shalt know how the matter will fall out; for the man will not rest until the matter be accomplished this day.