< Ruth 3 >

1 Naomi, sa belle-mère, lui dit: Ma fille, je voudrais assurer ton repos, afin que tu fusses heureuse.
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?
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 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.
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, 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.
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.
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.”
5 Elle lui répondit: Je ferai tout ce que tu as dit.
Ruth said to Naomi, “I will do everything you say.”
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 she followed the instructions her mother-in-law had given her.
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.
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.
8 Au milieu de la nuit, cet homme eut une frayeur; il se pencha, et voici, une femme était couchée à ses pieds.
It came about at midnight that the man was startled. He turned over, and right there a woman was lying at his feet!
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
12 Il est bien vrai que j’ai droit de rachat, mais il en existe un autre plus proche que moi.
It is true that I am a kinsman, but there is a kinsman 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 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.”
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 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.”
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.
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.
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 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.
17 Elle dit: Il m’a donné ces six mesures d’orge, en disant: Tu ne retourneras pas à vide vers ta belle-mère.
She said, “These six measures of barley are what he gave me, for he said, 'Do not go empty to your mother-in-law.'”
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.
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.”

< Ruth 3 >