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 saith to her, 'My daughter, do not I seek for thee rest, 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 of our acquaintance, with whose young women thou hast been? lo, he is winnowing the threshing-floor of barley to-night,

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.

and thou hast bathed, and anointed thyself, and put thy garments upon thee, and gone down to the threshing-floor; let not thyself be known to the man till he complete to eat and to drink;

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 cometh to pass when he lieth down, that thou hast known the place where he lieth down, and hast gone in, and uncovered his feet, and lain down, — and he doth declare to thee that which thou dost do.'

5 Ruth said to Naomi, “I will do everything you say.”

And she saith unto her, 'All that thou sayest — I do.'

6 So she went down to the threshing floor, and she followed the instructions her mother-in-law had given her.

And she goeth down [to] the threshing-floor, and doth according to all that her mother-in-law commanded 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 Boaz eateth and drinketh, and his heart is glad; and he goeth in to lie down at the end of the heap; and she cometh in gently, and uncovereth his feet, and lieth 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 cometh to pass, at the middle of the night, that the man trembleth, and turneth himself, and lo, a woman is lying 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 saith, 'Who [art] thou?' and she saith, 'I [am] Ruth thy handmaid, and thou hast spread thy skirt over thy handmaid, for thou [art] a redeemer.'

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 saith, 'Blessed [art] thou of Jehovah, my daughter; thou hast dealt more kindly at the latter end than at the beginning — not to go after the young men, either 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, all that thou sayest I do to thee, for all the gate of my people doth know that thou [art] a virtuous woman.

12 It is true that I am a kinsman, but there is a kinsman nearer than I.

And now, surely, true, that I [am] a redeemer, but also there is a redeemer 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.”

Lodge to night, and it hath been in the morning, if he doth redeem thee, well: he redeemeth; and if he delight not to redeem thee, then I have redeemed thee — I; Jehovah liveth! lie down till 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 lieth down at his feet till the morning, and riseth before one doth discern another; and he saith, 'Let it not be known that the woman hath come into the 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 saith, 'Give the covering which [is] on thee, and keep hold on it;' and she keepeth hold on it, and he measureth six [measures] of barley, and layeth [it] on her; and he goeth 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 she cometh in unto her mother-in-law, and she saith, 'Who [art] thou, my daughter?' and she declareth to her all that the man hath 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 saith, 'These six [measures] of barley he hath given to me, for he said, Thou dost not go in empty unto 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.”

And she saith, 'Sit still, my daughter, till thou dost know how the matter falleth, for the man doth not rest except he hath completed the matter to-day.'