< Ruth 3 >
1 Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek a place for you to rest, so that things may go well for you?
And Naomi 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 Boaz, the man whose young female workers you have been with, is he not our kinsman? Look, he will be winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.
And now is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens thou were? Behold, he winnows barley tonight in the threshing-floor.
3 Therefore, wash yourself, anoint yourself, put on your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor. But do not make yourself known to the man until he finishes eating and drinking.
Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the threshing-floor. But do not make thyself known to the man until he shall have done eating and drinking.
4 But when he lies down, take notice of the place where he lies down so that later you can go to him, uncover his feet, and lie down there. Then he will tell you what to do.”
And it shall be, when he lies down, that thou shall notice the place where he shall lie. And thou shall go in, and uncover his feet, and lie thee down. And he will tell thee what thou shall do.
5 Ruth said to Naomi, “I will do everything you say.”
And she said to her, All that thou say I will do.
6 So she went down to the threshing floor, and she followed the instructions her mother-in-law had given her.
And she went down to the threshing-floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her.
7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the pile of grain. Then she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. And she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid down.
8 It came about at midnight that the man was startled. He turned over, and right there a woman was lying at his feet!
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself, and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
9 He said, “Who are you?” She answered, “I am Ruth, your female servant. Spread your cloak over your female servant, for you are a near kinsman.”
And he said, Who are thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thy handmaid. Spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid, for thou are a near kinsman.
10 Boaz said, “My daughter, may you be blessed by Yahweh. You have showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, because you have not gone after any of the young men, whether poor or rich.
And he said, Blessed be thou of Jehovah, my daughter. Thou have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou did not follow young men, whether poor or rich.
11 Now, my daughter, do not be afraid! I will do for you all that you say, because all the city of my people knows that you are a worthy woman.
And now, my daughter, fear not. I will do to thee all that thou say, for all the city of my people know that thou are a worthy woman.
12 It is true that I am a kinsman, but there is a kinsman nearer than I.
And now it is true that I am a near kinsman. However there is a kinsman nearer than I.
13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he will perform for you the duty of a kinsman, good, let him do the kinsman's duty. But if he will not do the duty of a kinsman for you, then I will do it, by the life of Yahweh. Lie down until the morning.”
Remain this night, and it shall be in the morning that if he will perform to thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then I will do the part of a kinsman to thee, as Jehovah lives. Lie down until the morning.
14 So she lay at his feet until the morning. But she rose up before anyone could recognize another person. For Boaz had said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”
And she lay at his feet until the morning. And she rose up before one could discern another. For he said, Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor.
15 Then Boaz said, “Bring your shawl and hold it out.” When she did so, he measured six large measures of barley into it and put the load on her. Then he went into the city.
And he said, Bring the mantle that is upon thee, and hold it. And she held it, and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her, and he went into the city.
16 When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you do, my daughter?” Then Ruth told her all that the man had done for her.
And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, Who are thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
17 She said, “These six measures of barley are what he gave me, for he said, 'Do not go empty to your mother-in-law.'”
And she said, He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, Go not empty to thy mother-in-law.
18 Then Naomi said, “Stay here, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out, for the man will not rest until he has finished this thing today.”
Then she said, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall, for the man will not rest until he has finished the thing this day.