< Rut 1 >

1 En los días en que los jueces juzgaban, hubo hambre en la tierra. Un hombre de Belén de Judá se fue a vivir al país de Moab con su mujer y sus dos hijos.
During the time before kings ruled Israel, (there was a famine/the people there had nothing to eat). There was a man who lived there whose name was Elimelech. His wife’s name was Naomi, and his sons’ names were Mahlon and Chilion. They were all from Bethlehem [town], from the Ephrath [clan] in Judah [region].
2 El nombre de aquel hombre era Elimelec, y el de su mujer Noemí. Los nombres de sus dos hijos eran Mahlón y Quelión, efrateos de Belén de Judá. Llegaron al país de Moab y vivieron allí.
Because of the famine, they left Bethlehem and went east to [live for a while in] Moab [region].
3 Elimelec, el esposo de Noemí, murió, y ella quedó con sus dos hijos.
While they were there, Elimelech died, and Naomi had only her two sons with her.
4 Ellos tomaron para sí esposas de las mujeres de Moab. El nombre de una era Orfa, y el de la otra era Rut. Vivieron allí unos diez años.
They married women from Moab. One of them was named Orpah, and the other one was named Ruth. But after they had lived in that area for about ten years,
5 Mahlón y Quelión murieron, y la mujer quedó despojada de sus dos hijos y de su marido.
Mahlon and Chilion died. So then Naomi had no husband and no sons.
6 Entonces se levantó con sus nueras para volver del país de Moab, porque había oído en el país de Moab cómo el Señor había visitado a su pueblo dándole pan.
One day while Naomi was in Moab, she heard someone say that Yahweh had helped his people in Israel and that now there was plenty of food to eat. So she prepared to return [to Bethlehem].
7 Salió del lugar donde estaba, y sus dos nueras con ella. Siguieron el camino para regresar a la tierra de Judá.
She left the place where she had been living and started to walk [with her daughters-in-law] along the road back to Judah.
8 Noemí dijo a sus dos nueras: “Vayan, vuelvan cada una a la casa de su madre. Que el Señor las trate con bondad, como ha tratado a los muertos y a mí.
Then as the three of them were walking, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Each of you should turn around and go back to your mother’s home. You treated [your husbands] kindly [before] they died, and you have treated me kindly.
9 Que Yahvé les conceda que encuentren descanso, cada una en la casa de su marido”. Entonces ella los besó, y ellos alzaron la voz y lloraron.
Now I desire that Yahweh will enable each of you to have another husband in whose home you will [feel] secure.” Then she kissed both of them, and they cried aloud.
10 Le dijeron: “No, pero volveremos contigo a tu pueblo”.
They each said, “No, we want to go with you as you return to your relatives.”
11 Noemí dijo: “Volved, hijas mías. ¿Por qué queréis ir conmigo? ¿Aún tengo hijos en mi vientre, para que sean vuestros maridos?
But Naomi said, “No, my daughters, return home. (It will not do any good for you to come with me!/What good will it do for you to come with me?) [RHQ] Do you think I will get married again and have more sons who could become your husbands?
12 Volved, hijas mías, seguid vuestro camino, porque soy demasiado vieja para tener marido. Si dijera: “Tengo esperanza”, si incluso tuviera un marido esta noche, y también diera a luz hijos,
Even if I thought I could have another husband, and even if I got married today and became pregnant [EUP] tonight and later gave birth to sons,
13 ¿esperaríais entonces a que crecieran? ¿Os abstendríais entonces de tener maridos? No, hijas mías, porque me duele mucho por vosotras, pues la mano de Yahvé ha salido contra mí”.
would you remain single/unmarried until they grew up [and became old enough] for you to marry? No, my daughters, [you would not do that]. Your situations are bad [because your husbands have died, but it is possible that you will each marry again]. My situation is much worse, because Yahweh [SYN] has opposed me, [and now I am too old to get married again].”
14 Levantaron la voz y volvieron a llorar; entonces Orfa besó a su suegra, pero Rut se quedó con ella.
Then Ruth and Orpah cried again [because of what Naomi said]. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, [and left], but Ruth clung to Naomi.
15 Ella dijo: “Mira, tu cuñada ha vuelto a su pueblo y a su dios. Sigue a tu cuñada”.
Naomi said to her, “Look! Your sister-in-law is going back to her relatives and to her gods! Go back with her!”
16 Rut le dijo: “No me insistas en que te deje y en que deje de seguirte, porque adonde tú vayas, iré yo; y donde tú te quedes, me quedaré yo. Tu pueblo será mi pueblo, y tu Dios mi Dios.
But Ruth replied, “No! Don’t urge me to leave you! I [want to] go with you. Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your relatives will be my relatives, and the God you [worship] will be the God I [worship].
17 Donde tú mueras, moriré yo, y allí seré enterrado. Que Yahvé haga así conmigo, y más también, si algo más que la muerte nos separa a ti y a mí”.
Where you die, I will die. Where you are buried, I will be buried. May Yahweh punish me severely if I separate from you. I will be separated from you only [when one of us] dies.”
18 Cuando Noemí vio que estaba decidida a ir con ella, dejó de insistirle.
When Naomi realized that Ruth was very determined to go with her, she stopped urging her [to return home].
19 Así fueron las dos hasta que llegaron a Belén. Cuando llegaron a Belén, toda la ciudad se entusiasmó con ellas, y preguntaron: “¿Esta es Noemí?”.
So the two women continued walking until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived there, everyone in town was excited [to see] them. The women [of the town] exclaimed, “(Can this be Naomi?/It is difficult to believe that this is Naomi!)” [RHQ]
20 Ella les dijo: “No me llaméis Noemí. Llámenme Mara, porque el Todopoderoso me ha tratado con mucha amargura.
Naomi said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi, [which means ‘pleasant’]. Instead, call me Mara, [which means ‘bitter’], because God Almighty has made my life very unpleasant.
21 Salí llena, y el Señor me ha hecho volver a casa vacía. ¿Por qué me llamas Noemí, ya que Yahvé ha testificado contra mí, y el Todopoderoso me ha afligido?”
When I left here, I [felt] rich, [because I had a family]. But Yahweh has brought me back here and now I [feel] poor, [because I have no family]. Do not call me Naomi [RHQ]. [I feel as though] Yahweh has spoken against (OR, afflicted) me. Almighty [God] has caused me to experience a great tragedy.”
22 Volvió, pues, Noemí, y con ella Rut la moabita, su nuera, que había vuelto del país de Moab. Llegaron a Belén al comienzo de la cosecha de cebada.
That [summarizes the account] of Naomi returning home along with her daughter-in-law Ruth, the woman from Moab. And [it happened that] when they arrived in Bethlehem, the barley [grain] harvest was just beginning.

< Rut 1 >