Ruth 1
1 There was a famine during the time when the judges ruled Israel, so a man left Bethlehem in Judah and went to live in exile in the country of Moab, along with his wife and two sons.
And it came to pass, in the days when the Judges administered justice, that there was a famine in the land, —and so a certain man went his way, out of Bethlehem-judah to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
2 His name was Elimelech, and his wife's name Naomi. His sons were called Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went to the country of Moab and lived there.
And, the name of the man, was Elimelech, and, the name of his wife, Naomi, and, the name of his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites out of Bethlehem-judah, —so they came into the country of Moab, and remained there.
3 However, Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.
And Elimelech, husband of Naomi, died, —and she was left, she and her two sons.
4 The sons married Moabite women. One was called Orpah, the other was called Ruth. After about ten years,
And they took them wives, of the women of Moab, the name of the one, was Orpah, and, the name of the other, Ruth, —and they dwelt there, about ten years.
5 both Mahlon and Chilion died. Naomi was left alone, without her two sons or her husband.
And, they also, both, died, Mahlon and Chilion, —so the woman was bereft of her two sons, and of her husband.
6 So she and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave the country of Moab and return home because she had heard that the Lord had blessed his people there with food.
Then she arose, she and her daughters-in-law, and returned out of the country of Moab, —for she had heard, in the country of Moab, how that Yahweh had visited his people, in giving unto them, bread.
7 She left the place where she had been living and with her two daughters-in-law set out on the road back to the land of Judah.
So she went forth out of the dwelling-place where she had remained, and her two daughters-in-law with her, —and they went on the way, to return unto the land of Judah.
8 However, as they left, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Each of you, go back to your mother's homes, and may the Lord be as kind to you as you have been to me, and to those who have died.
Then said Naomi to her two daughters-in-law: Go return, each one to the house of her mother, —Yahweh deal with you in lovingkindness, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
9 May the Lord give you a good home with another husband.” She kissed them, and they all started to cry loudly.
Yahweh grant you, that ye may find a place of rest, each one in the house of her husband, —And she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
10 “No! We want to go back with you to your people,” they replied.
And they said to her, —With thee, will we return, unto thy people.
11 “Why do you want to go back with me?” Naomi asked. “I'm not able to have any more sons for you to marry.
Then said Naomi—Go back, my daughters! wherefore should ye journey with me? Have I, yet, sons in my womb, that they should become your, husbands?
12 Go back home, my daughters, because I'm too old to marry again. Even if I were to sleep with a new husband tonight and had sons,
Go back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband, —If I should say, I have, hope, if I should, even to-night have a husband, and should, even bear sons,
13 would you wait for them to grow up? Would you decide you weren't going to marry anyone else? No. The whole situation is more bitter for me than it is for you, for the Lord has turned against me!”
would ye, therefore, tarry until they were grown? would ye, therefore, shut yourselves up from having husbands? Nay! my daughters, for it is far more bitter for me than for you, that forth hath gone against me, the hand of Yahweh.
14 They started crying loudly again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye. But Ruth held on tightly to Naomi.
And they lifted up their voice and wept, yet more. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in- law, but, Ruth, clave unto her.
15 “Look, your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back home with her,” said Naomi.
And she said—Lo! thy sister-in-law hath gone back, unto her people, and unto her gods, —go thou back, after thy sister-in-law.
16 But Ruth replied, “Please don't keep on telling me to leave you and go back. Where you go, I will go. Where you live, I will live. Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God.
And Ruth said—Do not urge me to leave thee, to go back from following thee, —for, whither thou goest, I will go, and, where thou lodgest, I will lodge, thy people, shall be my people, and, thy God, my God;
17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me harshly if I let anything but death separate us!”
where thou diest, I will die, and, there, will I be buried: So, let Yahweh do to me, and, so, let him add, if, death itself, part me and thee.
18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped telling Ruth to go home.
And, when she saw that, bravely determined, was she to go with her, she ceased entreating her.
19 So the two of them walked on until they reached Bethlehem. When they arrived there, the whole town got excited. “Is this Naomi?” the women asked.
So, they two, went their way, until they entered Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they entered Bethlehem, that all the city was moved concerning them, and the women said—Is this Naomi?
20 She said to them, “Don't call me Naomi! Call me Mara, for the Almighty has treated me very bitterly.
And she said unto them, Do not call me Naomi ["Sweet"], —call me Mara ["Bitter"], for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me:
21 I left here full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has condemned me, when the Almighty has brought disaster on me?”
I was full when I departed, but, empty, am I brought back of Yahweh, —wherefore should ye call me Naomi, when, Yahweh, hath given answer against me, and, the Almighty, hath crushed me?
22 This is the way that Naomi returned from Moab with Ruth, the Moabite, her daughter-in-law. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab, —and, they, entered Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
