Ruth 1
1 And it came to pass, in the days when the Judges administered justice, that there was a famine in the land, —and so a certain man went his way, out of Bethlehem-judah to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
In the days of one of the judges, when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a man from Bethlehem in Judah departed to sojourn in the region of the Moabites with his wife and two children.
2 And, the name of the man, was Elimelech, and, the name of his wife, Naomi, and, the name of his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites out of Bethlehem-judah, —so they came into the country of Moab, and remained there.
He called himself Elimelech, and his wife Naomi, and his two sons, the one Mahlon, and the other Chilion, Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. And entering into the region of the Moabites, they stayed there.
3 And Elimelech, husband of Naomi, died, —and she was left, she and her two sons.
And Elimelech the husband of Naomi died; and she remained with her sons.
4 And they took them wives, of the women of Moab, the name of the one, was Orpah, and, the name of the other, Ruth, —and they dwelt there, about ten years.
They took wives from among the Moabites, of whom one was called Orpah, and the other Ruth. And they lived there ten years.
5 And, they also, both, died, Mahlon and Chilion, —so the woman was bereft of her two sons, and of her husband.
And they both died, namely Mahlon and Chilion, and the woman was left alone, bereaved of her two children and her husband.
6 Then she arose, she and her daughters-in-law, and returned out of the country of Moab, —for she had heard, in the country of Moab, how that Yahweh had visited his people, in giving unto them, bread.
And she arose so that she might journey to her native land, with both her daughters-in-law, from the region of the Moabites. For she had heard that the Lord had provided for his people and had given them food.
7 So she went forth out of the dwelling-place where she had remained, and her two daughters-in-law with her, —and they went on the way, to return unto the land of Judah.
And so she departed from the place of her sojourn, with both her daughters-in-law, and having set out upon the way, she was about to return to the land of Judah.
8 Then said Naomi to her two daughters-in-law: Go return, each one to the house of her mother, —Yahweh deal with you in lovingkindness, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
She said to them, “Go to the home of your mother. May the Lord deal mercifully with you, just as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
9 Yahweh grant you, that ye may find a place of rest, each one in the house of her husband, —And she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
May he grant you to find rest in the houses of the husbands, whom you will obtain by lot.” And she kissed them. They lifted up their voice, and began to weep,
10 And they said to her, —With thee, will we return, unto thy people.
and to say, “We will journey with you to your people.”
11 Then said Naomi—Go back, my daughters! wherefore should ye journey with me? Have I, yet, sons in my womb, that they should become your, husbands?
But she answered them, “Return, my daughters. Why come with me? Do I have any more sons in my womb, so that you could hope for husbands from me?
12 Go back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband, —If I should say, I have, hope, if I should, even to-night have a husband, and should, even bear sons,
Return, my daughters, go forth. For I am now exhausted by old age, and not fit for the bond of marriage. Even if I were to conceive on this night, and bear sons,
13 would ye, therefore, tarry until they were grown? would ye, therefore, shut yourselves up from having husbands? Nay! my daughters, for it is far more bitter for me than for you, that forth hath gone against me, the hand of Yahweh.
if you were willing to wait until they were grown and had completed the years of adolescence, you would be elderly before you could marry. Do not do so, I beg you, my daughters. For your difficulties weigh upon me greatly, and the hand of the Lord has been set against me.”
14 And they lifted up their voice and wept, yet more. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in- law, but, Ruth, clave unto her.
In response, they lifted up their voice and began to weep again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, and then turned back. Ruth clung to her mother-in-law.
15 And she said—Lo! thy sister-in-law hath gone back, unto her people, and unto her gods, —go thou back, after thy sister-in-law.
Naomi said to her, “See, your kinswoman returns to her people, and to her gods. Hurry after her.”
16 And Ruth said—Do not urge me to leave thee, to go back from following thee, —for, whither thou goest, I will go, and, where thou lodgest, I will lodge, thy people, shall be my people, and, thy God, my God;
She answered, “Do not be against me, as if I would abandon you and go away; for wherever you will go, I will go, and where you will stay, I also will stay with you. Your people are my people, and your God is my God.
17 where thou diest, I will die, and, there, will I be buried: So, let Yahweh do to me, and, so, let him add, if, death itself, part me and thee.
Whichever land will receive you dying, in the same I will die, and there I will have the place of my burial. May God cause these things to happen to me, and add more also, if anything except death alone should separate you and I.”
18 And, when she saw that, bravely determined, was she to go with her, she ceased entreating her.
Therefore, Naomi saw that Ruth, being firmly resolved in her soul, was determined to go with her, and that she was unwilling to be dissuaded, and that nothing further could convince her to return to her own.
19 So, they two, went their way, until they entered Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they entered Bethlehem, that all the city was moved concerning them, and the women said—Is this Naomi?
And so they set out together, and they came to Bethlehem. When they had entered the city, the news quickly spread among them all. And the women said, “This is that Naomi.”
20 And she said unto them, Do not call me Naomi ["Sweet"], —call me Mara ["Bitter"], for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me:
But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi (that is, beautiful), but call me Mara (that is, bitter). For the Almighty has greatly filled me with bitterness.
21 I was full when I departed, but, empty, am I brought back of Yahweh, —wherefore should ye call me Naomi, when, Yahweh, hath given answer against me, and, the Almighty, hath crushed me?
I went out full and the Lord led me back empty. So then, why call me Naomi, whom the Lord has humbled and the Almighty has afflicted?”
22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab, —and, they, entered Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Therefore, Naomi went with Ruth, the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, from the land of her sojourn, and returned to Bethlehem, at the time of the first reaping of the barley.
