Ruth 3

1 And Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

路得的婆婆拿俄米對她說：「女兒啊，我不當為你找個安身之處，使你享福嗎？

2 And now, is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he is winnowing barley in the threshing-floor to-night.

你與波阿斯的使女常在一處，波阿斯不是我們的親族嗎？他今夜在場上簸大麥；

3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thyself, and put thy raiment upon thee, and go down to the floor; make not thyself known to the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

你要沐浴抹膏，換上衣服，下到場上，卻不要使那人認出你來。你等他吃喝完了，

4 And it shall be, when he lies down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall have lain down, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thyself down; and he will shew thee what thou shalt do.

到他睡的時候，你看準他睡的地方，就進去掀開他腳上的被，躺臥在那裏，他必告訴你所當做的事。」

5 And she said to her, All that thou sayest will I do.

路得說：「凡你所吩咐的，我必遵行。」

6 And she went down to the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law had bidden her.

路得就下到場上，照她婆婆所吩咐她的而行。

7 And Boaz ate and drank, and his heart was merry, and he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn. Then she went softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid herself down.

波阿斯吃喝完了，心裏歡暢，就去睡在麥堆旁邊。路得便悄悄地來掀開他腳上的被，躺臥在那裏。

8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.

到了夜半，那人忽然驚醒，翻過身來，不料有女子躺在他的腳下。

9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth, thy handmaid: spread thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou hast the right of redemption.

他就說：「你是誰？」回答說：「我是你的婢女路得。求你用你的衣襟遮蓋我，因為你是我一個至近的親屬。」

10 And he said, Blessed be thou of Jehovah, my daughter! Thou hast shewn more kindness at the end than at the first, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.

波阿斯說：「女兒啊，願你蒙耶和華賜福。你末後的恩比先前更大；因為少年人無論貧富，你都沒有跟從。

11 And now, my daughter, fear not: all that thou sayest will I do to thee; for all the gate of my people knows that thou art a woman of worth.

女兒啊，現在不要懼怕，凡你所說的，我必照着行；我本城的人都知道你是個賢德的女子。

12 And now, truly I am one that has the right of redemption, yet there is one that has the right of redemption who is nearer than I.

我實在是你一個至近的親屬，只是還有一個人比我更近。

13 Stay over to-night, and it shall be in the morning, if he will redeem thee, well — let him redeem; but if he like not to redeem thee, then will I redeem thee, [as] Jehovah liveth. Lie down until the morning.

你今夜在這裏住宿，明早他若肯為你盡親屬的本分，就由他吧！倘若不肯，我指着永生的耶和華起誓，我必為你盡了本分，你只管躺到天亮。」

14 And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the threshing-floor.

路得便在他腳下躺到天快亮，人彼此不能辨認的時候就起來了。波阿斯說：「不可使人知道有女子到場上來」；

15 And he said, Bring the cloak that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And she held it, and he measured six [measures] of barley, and laid [it] on her; and he went into the city.

又對路得說：「打開你所披的外衣。」她打開了，波阿斯就撮了六簸箕大麥，幫她扛在肩上，她便進城去了。

16 And she came to her mother-in-law; and she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.

路得回到婆婆那裏，婆婆說：「女兒啊，怎麼樣了？」路得就將那人向她所行的述說了一遍，

17 And she said, These six [measures] of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty to thy mother-in-law.

又說：「那人給了我六簸箕大麥，對我說：『你不可空手回去見你的婆婆。』」

18 Then she said, Be still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest until he have completed the matter this day.

婆婆說：「女兒啊，你只管安坐等候，看這事怎樣成就，因為那人今日不辦成這事必不休息。」