Ruth 3

1 Naomi, sa belle-mère, lui dit: Ma fille, je voudrais assurer ton repos, afin que tu fusses heureuse.

One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek a resting place for you, that it may be well with you?

2 Et maintenant Boaz, avec les servantes duquel tu as été, n’est-il pas notre parent? Voici, il doit vanner cette nuit les orges qui sont dans l’aire.

Now is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been working, a relative of ours? In fact, tonight he is winnowing barley on the threshing floor.

3 Lave-toi et oins-toi, puis remets tes habits, et descends à l’aire. Tu ne te feras pas connaître à lui, jusqu’à ce qu’il ait achevé de manger et de boire.

Therefore wash yourself, put on perfume, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but do not let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.

4 Et quand il ira se coucher, observe le lieu où il se couche. Ensuite va, découvre ses pieds, et couche-toi. Il te dira lui-même ce que tu as à faire.

When he lies down, note the place where he lies. Then go in and uncover his feet, and lie down, and he will explain to you what you should do.”

5 Elle lui répondit: Je ferai tout ce que tu as dit.

“I will do everything you say,” Ruth answered.

6 Elle descendit à l’aire, et fit tout ce qu’avait ordonné sa belle-mère.

So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her to do.

7 Boaz mangea et but, et son cœur était joyeux. Il alla se coucher à l’extrémité d’un tas de gerbes. Ruth vint alors tout doucement, découvrit ses pieds, et se coucha.

After Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth went in secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

8 Au milieu de la nuit, cet homme eut une frayeur; il se pencha, et voici, une femme était couchée à ses pieds.

At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman!

9 Il dit: Qui es-tu? Elle répondit: Je suis Ruth, ta servante; étends ton aile sur ta servante, car tu as droit de rachat.

“Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.”

10 Et il dit: Sois bénie de l’Éternel, ma fille! Ce dernier trait témoigne encore plus en ta faveur que le premier, car tu n’as pas recherché des jeunes gens, pauvres ou riches.

Then Boaz said, “May the LORD bless you, my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before, because you have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.

11 Maintenant, ma fille, ne crains point; je ferai pour toi tout ce que tu diras; car toute la porte de mon peuple sait que tu es une femme vertueuse.

And now do not be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you whatever you request, since all my fellow townspeople know that you are a woman of noble character.

12 Il est bien vrai que j’ai droit de rachat, mais il en existe un autre plus proche que moi.

Yes, it is true that I am a kinsman-redeemer, but there is a redeemer nearer than I.

13 Passe ici la nuit. Et demain, s’il veut user envers toi du droit de rachat, à la bonne heure, qu’il le fasse; mais s’il ne lui plaît pas d’en user envers toi, j’en userai, moi, l’Éternel est vivant! Reste couchée jusqu’au matin.

Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, good. Let him redeem you. But if he does not want to redeem you, as surely as the LORD lives, I will. Now lie here until morning.”

14 Elle resta couchée à ses pieds jusqu’au matin, et elle se leva avant qu’on pût se reconnaître l’un l’autre. Boaz dit: Qu’on ne sache pas qu’une femme est entrée dans l’aire.

So she lay down at his feet until morning, but she got up before anyone else could recognize her. Then Boaz said, “Do not let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.”

15 Et il ajouta: Donne le manteau qui est sur toi, et tiens-le. Elle le tint, et il mesura six mesures d’orge, qu’il chargea sur elle. Puis il rentra dans la ville.

And he told her, “Bring the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he shoveled six measures of barley into her shawl. Then he went into the city.

16 Ruth revint auprès de sa belle-mère, et Naomi dit: Est-ce toi, ma fille? Ruth lui raconta tout ce que cet homme avait fait pour elle.

When Ruth returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked her, “How did it go, my daughter?” Then Ruth told her all that Boaz had done for her.

17 Elle dit: Il m’a donné ces six mesures d’orge, en disant: Tu ne retourneras pas à vide vers ta belle-mère.

And she said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

18 Et Naomi dit: Sois tranquille, ma fille, jusqu’à ce que tu saches comment finira la chose, car cet homme ne se donnera point de repos qu’il n’ait terminé cette affaire aujourd’hui.

“Wait, my daughter,” said Naomi, “until you find out how things go, for he will not rest unless he has resolved the matter today.”