Ruth 1
1 It happened in the days when the judges ruled that there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem of Judah went to the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons.
Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
2 The name of the man was Elimelek, and the name of his wife was Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion, who were Ephrathites of Bethlehem of Judah. They arrived at the country of Moab and lived there.
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 of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
3 Then Elimelek, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.
And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.
4 These sons took wives from the women of Moab; the name of one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there for about ten years.
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 dwelled there about ten years.
5 Then both Mahlon and Kilion died, leaving Naomi without her husband and without her two children.
And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
6 Then Naomi decided to leave Moab with her daughters-in-law and return to Judah because she had heard in the region of Moab that Yahweh had helped his people in need and had given them food.
Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
7 So she left the place where she had been with her two daughters-in-law, and they walked down the road to return to the land of Judah.
Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.
8 Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return, each of you, to your mother's house. May Yahweh show kindness toward you, as you have shown kindness toward the dead and toward me.
And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as all of you have dealt with the dead, and with me.
9 May the Lord grant you that you find rest, each of you in the house of another husband.” Then she kissed them, and they raised their voices and cried.
The LORD grant you that all of you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
10 They said to her, “No! We will return with you to your people.”
And they said unto her, Surely we will return with you unto your people.
11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters! Why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb for you, so that they may become your husbands?
And Naomi said, Return, my daughters: why will all of you go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
12 Turn back, my daughters, go your own way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said, 'I hope I get a husband tonight,' and then give birth to sons,
Return, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;
13 would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you choose not to marry a husband? No, my daughters! It is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me.”
Would all of you tarry for them till they were grown? would all of you stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieves me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.
14 Then her daughters-in-law lifted up their voices and cried again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell, but Ruth held on to her.
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
15 Naomi said, “Listen, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Go back with your sister-in-law.”
And she said, Behold, your sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return you after your sister in law.
16 But Ruth said, “Do not make me go away from you, for where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.
And Ruth said, Implore me not to leave you, or to return from following after you: for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge: your people shall be my people, and your God my God:
17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh punish me, and even more, if anything but death ever separates us.”
Where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part you and me.
18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped arguing with her.
When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
19 So the two traveled until they came to the town of Bethlehem. It happened that when they arrived in Bethlehem, the entire town was very excited about them. The women said, “Is this Naomi?”
So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
20 But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi. Call me Bitter, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
21 I went out full, but Yahweh has brought me home again empty. So why do you call me Naomi, seeing Yahweh has condemned me, that the Almighty has afflicted me?”
I went out full and the LORD has brought me home again empty: why then call all of you me Naomi, seeing the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?
22 So Naomi and Ruth the Moabite woman, her daughter-in-law, returned from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
