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.
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.
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 out of Bethlehem-judah, —so they came into the country of Moab, and remained there.
3 Then Elimelek, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.
And Elimelech, husband of Naomi, died, —and she was left, she 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 dwelt there, about ten years.
5 Then both Mahlon and Kilion died, leaving Naomi without her husband and without her two children.
And, they also, both, died, Mahlon and Chilion, —so the woman was bereft of her two sons, and of 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, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
10 They said to her, “No! We will return with you to your people.”
And they said to her, —With thee, will we return, unto thy 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?
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?
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,
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,
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 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.
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, yet more. Then 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—Lo! thy sister-in-law hath gone back, unto her people, and unto her gods, —go thou back, after thy 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—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;
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 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.
18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped arguing with her.
And, when she saw that, bravely determined, was she to go with her, she ceased entreating 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 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?
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, Do not call me Naomi ["Sweet"], —call me Mara ["Bitter"], for the Almighty hath 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 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?
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, who returned out of the country of Moab, —and, they, entered Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
