ルツ記 3

1 爰に姑ナオミ彼にいひけるは女子よ我汝の安身所を求めて汝を幸ならしむべきにあらずや

One day, Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, should I not seek to secure a home for you where you will be happy and prosperous?

2 夫汝が偕にありし婢等を有る彼ボアズは我等の知己なるにあらずや 視よ彼は今夜 禾塲にて大麥を簸る

Is not Boaz, with whose girls you have been, a relative of ours?

3 然ば汝の身を洗て膏をぬり衣服をまとひて禾塲に下り汝をその人にしらせずしてその食飮を終るを待て

Tonight he is going to winnow barley on the threshing-floor. So bathe and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing-floor. But do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.

4 而て彼が臥す時に汝その臥す所を見とめおき入てその脚を掀開りて其處に臥せよ 彼なんぢの爲べきことを汝につげんと

Then when he lies down, mark the place where he lies. Go in, uncover his feet, lie down, and then he will tell you what to do.”

5 ルツ姑にいひけるは汝が我に言ところは我皆なすべしと

“I will do as you say.” Ruth said to her.

6 即ち禾塲に下り凡てその姑の命ぜし如くなせり

So she went down to the threshing-floor and did just as her mother-in-law told her.

7 偖ボアズは食飮をなしてその心をたのしませ往て麥を積る所の傍に臥す 是に於て彼 潜にゆきその足を掀開て其處に臥す

When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in a happy mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth came quietly and uncovered his feet and lay down.

8 夜半に及びて其人 畏懼をおこし起かへりて見るに一人の婦その足の方に臥ゐたれば

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

9 汝は誰なるやといふに婦こたへて我は汝の婢ルツなり 汝の裾をもて婢を覆ひたまへ 汝は贖業者なればなり

“Who are you?” he said. “I am Ruth your servant,” she answered, “Spread your cloak over your servant, for you are a near relative.”

10 ボアズいひけるは女子よ願くはヱホバの恩典なんぢにいたれ 汝の後の誠實は前のよりも勝る 其は汝貧きと富とを論ず少き人に從ふことをせざればなり

He said, “May you be blest by the Lord, my daughter. You have shown me greater favor now than at first, for you have not followed young men, whether poor or rich.

11 されば女子よ懼る勿れ 汝が言ふところの事は皆われ汝のためになすべし 其はわが邑の人皆なんぢの賢き女なるをしればなり

My daughter, have no fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for the whole town knows that you are a virtuous woman.

12 我はまことに贖業者なりと雖も我よりも近き贖業者あり

Now it is true that I am a near relative, but there is another man nearer than I.

13 今夜は此に住宿れ 朝におよびて彼もし汝のために贖ふならば善し彼に贖はしめよ 然ど彼もし汝のために贖ふことを好まずばヱホバは活く我汝のために贖はん 朝まで此に臥せよと

Stay here tonight, and then in the morning, if he will perform for you the duty of a kinsman, well, let him do it. But if he will not perform for you the duty of a kinsman, then as surely as the Lord lives, I will do it for you. Lie down until morning.”

14 ルツ朝までその足の方に臥て誰彼の辨がたき頃に起あがる ボアズ此女の禾塲に來りしことを人にしらしむべからずといへり

So she lay at his feet until morning, but rose before anyone could recognize her, for Boaz said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing-floor.”

15 而していひけるは汝の著る袿衣を將きたりて其を開げよと 即ち開げければ大麥六升を量りて之に負せたり 斯して彼 邑にいたりぬ

He also said, “Bring the cloak which you have on and hold it.” So she held it while he poured into it six measures of barley and laid it on her shoulders. Then he went into the city.

16 爰にルツその姑の許に至るに姑いふ 女子よ如何ありしやと 彼すなはち其人の己になしたる事をことごとく之につげて

When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “Is it you, my daughter?” Then Ruth told Naomi all that the man had done for her.

17 而していひけるは彼 空手にて汝の姑の許に往くなかれといひて此六升の大麥を我にあたへたり

“He gave me these six measures of barley,” she said, “for he said I should not go to my mother-in-law empty-handed.”

18 姑いひけるは女子よ坐して待ち事の如何になりゆくかを見よ 彼人今日その事を爲終ずば安んぜざるべければなり

“Wait quietly, my daughter.” Naomi said, “Until you know how the affair will turn out, for the man will not rest unless he settles it all today.”