Ruth 4

1 Or, Booz était monté à la porte et y avait pris place; et voilà que vint à passer le parent dont Booz avait parlé. Celui-ci dit: "Veuille t’approcher et t’asseoir là, un tel et tel." Il s’approcha et s’assit.

[Meanwhile], Boaz went up to the town gate and sat there. [That was the place where people met together to decide important matters]. When the man that Boaz had mentioned came there, the close relative of Ruth and Naomi’s dead husbands [who had a responsibility to take care of Naomi and Ruth], Boaz said to him, “My friend, come over here and sit down.” So the man went and sat down.

2 Puis Booz prit dix hommes d’entre les anciens de la ville et dit: "Asseyez-vous là." Et ils s’assirent.

Boaz then gathered ten of the elders of the town and asked them to sit down [there also]. After they sat down,

3 S’Adressant au parent, il dit: "La pièce de terre qui appartenait à notre parent Elimélec, Noémi, revenue des plaines de Moab, veut la vendre.

he said to the man who had the responsibility to take care of Naomi, “Naomi has returned from Moab [region]. She wants to sell the field that belonged to our relative Elimelech.

4 J’Ai jugé bon de te rendre attentif à la chose et de te dire: Acquiers cette propriété en présence des personnes assises là et en présence des anciens de mon peuple. Si tu te décides à la racheter, c’est bien; si non, veuille me faire connaître tes intentions; car seul tu disposes du droit de rachat, moi ne venant qu’après toi." Il répondit: "Je ferai le rachat."

I thought that I should tell you about that, and suggest that you buy it, while these elders who are sitting here are listening. If you are willing to buy the property, do that. But if you do not want to buy it, tell me, so that I will know. I am suggesting this to you because you are the one who has the first right to buy it, and I am the one who has the second/next right to buy it.” The man replied, “I will buy it!”

5 Booz continua et dit: "Le jour où tu acquiers le champ de la main de Noémi, tu acquiers aussi Ruth, la Moabite, la femme du défunt, pour maintenir le nom du défunt à son patrimoine."

Then Boaz told him, “When you buy the land from Naomi, you will also be taking Ruth, [the woman] who is from Moab, [to be your wife], in order that she may [give birth to a son who will] inherit the property of her dead husband [MTY].”

6 Le parent répliqua: "Je ne puis faire ce rachat à mon profit, sous peine de ruiner mon patrimoine à moi. Exerce toi-même mon droit de rachat, car moi je ne puis le faire."

Then the close relative [of Ruth’s dead husband] said, “[If that is so], I do not [want to] buy the field, because then my own [children] would not inherit the property; [Ruth’s children would inherit it]. You buy the property!”

7 Or, jadis en Israël, quand il s’agissait de rachat ou d’échange, tel était le procédé pour rendre définitif un contrat: l’un des contractants retirait sa sandale et la donnait à l’autre. Voilà quelle était la règle en Israël.

At that time, it was the custom in Israel, when a person bought property that belonged to another person, that the man who was selling the property would take off one of his sandals and give it to the one who was buying the property. That was the way they finalized sales in Israel.

8 Donc le parent dit à Booz: "Fais l’acquisition à ton profit!" Et il retira sa sandale.

So that close relative said to Boaz, “You buy the field yourself!” And he took off [one of] his sandals [and gave it to Boaz].

9 Alors Booz dit aux anciens et à tout le peuple: "Vous êtes témoins aujourd’hui que j’acquiers de la main de Noémi tout ce qui appartenait à Elimélec, ainsi qu’à Mahlon et Kilion.

Then Boaz said to the elders and all the [other] people [who were there], “Today you have all seen that I have bought from Naomi all the property that belonged to [her dead husband] Elimelech and [his dead sons] Mahlon and Chilion.

10 Et Ruth aussi, la Moabite, femme de Mahlon, je l’acquiers comme épouse pour maintenir le nom du défunt à son patrimoine et empêcher que le nom du défunt ne s’éteigne parmi ses frères et dans sa ville natale. Vous en êtes témoins en ce jour!"

I am also taking Ruth, [the woman] from Moab, Mahlon’s widow, to be my wife, in order that she may give birth to a son who will inherit the property of the dead man. In that way, Elimelech’s name will continue [LIT] among the members of his family and among all the people of this town. Today you all are witnesses [of what I have done].”

11 Tout le peuple qui se trouvait à la porte et les anciens répondirent: "Nous sommes témoins! Que l’Eternel rende l’épouse qui va entrer dans ta maison semblable à Rachel et à Léa, qui ont édifié à elles deux la maison d’Israël! Toi-même, puisses-tu prospérer à Efrata et illustrer ton nom à Bethléem!

All the elders and the [others] who were sitting at the [town] gate [agreed, and one of them] said, “[Yes, ] we are witnesses. We hope/desire that Yahweh will enable this woman, who will be coming into your home, to give birth to many children, as Rachel and Leah did. They are the women from whom all [us] people [MTY] of Israel are descended. We hope that you will become rich in the clan of Ephratah, and become famous [MTY] [here] in Bethlehem.

12 Que ta maison soit comme la maison de Péréç, que Tamar enfanta à Juda, grâce aux enfants que le Seigneur te fera naître de cette femme!"

We hope/desire that Yahweh will enable you and this young woman to have many descendants. And we hope/desire that your family will be as important as the family of your ancestor Perez, the son of Judah and Tamar.”

13 Booz épousa donc Ruth, elle devint sa compagne et il cohabita avec elle. L’Eternel accorda à Ruth le bonheur de devenir mère: elle mit au monde un fils.

So Boaz took Ruth [home], and she became his wife. He (slept with/had sexual relations with) her [EUP] and Yahweh enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.

14 Alors les femmes dirent à Noémi: "Loué soit l’Eternel qui, dès ce jour, ne te laisse plus manquer d’un défenseur! Puisse son nom être illustre en Israël!

The women [of Bethlehem] said to Naomi, “Praise Yahweh! Now he has given [LIT] you a grandson who will be the one who will have the responsibility to take care of you. We hope that he will become famous [MTY] throughout Israel.

15 Puisse-t-il devenir le consolateur de ton âme, l’appui de ta vieillesse, puisqu’aussi bien c’est ta bru qui l’a mis au monde, elle qui t’aime tant et qui est meilleure pour toi que sept fils!"

He will make you feel young again, and he will take care of you when you become old. Your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given birth to a son, who will (be better to/do more for) you than [if you had] seven sons [of your own].”

16 Noémi prit le nouveau-né, le mit sur son giron et se chargea de lui donner ses soins.

Then Naomi took the baby and put him on her lap, and took care of him.

17 Et les voisines désignèrent l’enfant en disant: "Un fils est né à Noémi." Et elles l’appelèrent Obed. Celui-ci devint le père de Jessé, père de David.

The women who were living near her said, “[It is as though] Naomi [now] has a son!” And they named him Obed. [Later], Obed became the father of Jesse, and [later] Jesse became the father of [King] David.

18 Or, voici quels furent les descendants de Péréç: Péréç engendra Héçron;

Here is [a list of] the ancestors of [King David]: Perez’s son was Hezron. Hezron’s son was Ram. Ram’s son was Amminadab. Amminadab’s son was Nahshon. Nahshon’s son was Salmon. Salmon’s son was Boaz. Boaz’s son was Obed. Obed’s son was Jesse. Jesse’s son was [King] David.

19 Héçron engendra Râm et Râm engendra Amminadab;

20 Amminadab engendra Nahchon et Nahchon engendra Salmâ;

21 Salmâ engendra Booz et Booz engendra Obed;

22 Obed engendra Jessé, et Jessé engendra David.