< Ruth 2 >
1 Now her husband Elimelech had a kinsman, a powerful man, and very rich, whose name was Booz.
納敖米的丈夫厄里默肋客家族中有個親人,是有錢有勢的人,名叫波阿次。
2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to her mother in law: If thou wilt, I will go into the field, and glean the ears of corn that escape the hands of the reapers, wheresoever I shall find grace with a householder that will be favourable to me. And she answered her: Go, my daughter.
摩阿布女子盧德對納敖米說:「讓我到田裏去,我在誰眼中蒙恩,就在誰後面拾麥穗。」納敖米答應她說:「我女,你去罷! 」
3 She went therefore and gleaned the ears of corn after the reapers. And it happened that the owner of that field was Booz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
她就去了,來到田間,在收割人的後面拾麥穗。可巧,她正來到了厄里默肋客家族人波阿次的田地裏。
4 And behold, he came out of Bethlehem, and said to the reapers: The Lord be with you. And they answered him: The Lord bless thee.
當時波阿次也正從白冷來到,向收割的人說:「願上主與你們同在! 」他們回答他說:「願上主祝福你! 」
5 And Booz said to the young man that was set over the reapers: Whose maid is this?
波阿次問監督收割的僕人說:「這是誰家的女子﹖」
6 And he answered him: This is the Moabitess who came with Noemi, from the land of Moab,
監督收割的僕人答說:「是那由摩阿布鄉間與納敖米歸來的摩阿布女子。
7 And she desired leave to glean the ears of corn that remain, following the steps of the reapers: and she hath been in the field from morning till now, and hath not gone home for one moment.
她事先請求過:請讓我在收割的人後面拾取麥穗。她來到這裏,從早晨到現在,從未休息片刻。」波阿次厚待盧德
8 And Booz said to Ruth: Hear me, daughter, do not go to glean in any other field, and do not depart from this place: but keep with my maids,
波阿次對盧德說:「我女,你聽我的話,你不要到別人的田裏去拾取,也不要離開這裏,要常同我的使女在一起。
9 And follow where they reap. For I have charged my young men, not to molest thee: and if thou art thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink of the waters whereof the servants drink.
你看僕人們在那塊田裏收割,你就跟著去,我已吩咐了僕人們不要難為你。你渴了,可到水罐那裏去喝僕人打來的水。」
10 She fell on her face and worshipping upon the ground, said to him: Whence cometh this to me, that I should find grace before thy eyes, and that thou shouldst vouchsafe to take notice of me a woman of another country?
盧德遂俯首至地,向他下拜說:「我怎樣竟蒙你如此垂青,眷顧我這外方的女子﹖」
11 And he answered her: All hath been told me, that thou hast done to thy mother in law after the death of thy husband: and how thou hast left thy parents, and the land wherein thou wast born, and art come to a people which thou knewest not heretofore.
波阿次答覆她說:「自你丈夫死後,你怎樣待了你的婆婆,以及你怎樣離開了你的父母和故鄉,來到這素不相識的民族中;這一切事,人家都一一告訴了我。
12 The Lord render unto thee for thy work, and mayest thou receive a full reward of the Lord the God of Israel, to whom thou art come, and under whose wings thou art fled.
願上主報答你的功德,願你投奔於他翼下的上主,以色列的天主,賜與你的報答是豐富的! 」
13 And she said: I have found grace in thy eyes, my lord, who hast comforted me and hast spoken to the heart of thy handmaid, who am not like to one of thy maids.
盧德答說:「我主,我連你的一個婢女都不如,竟在你眼裏蒙恩,你竟安慰我,對你的婢女說出這樣動心的話! 」
14 And Booz said to her: At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. So she sat at the side of the reapers, and she heaped to herself frumenty, and ate and was filled, and took the leavings.
到了吃飯的時候,波阿次對她說:「你上前來吃餅,將你的餅浸在酸酒裏。」她就坐在收割的人旁,波阿次遞給了她烘焙的麥遂;她吃了,也吃飽了,還有剩下的。
15 And she arose from thence, to glean the ears of corn as before. And Booz commanded his servants, saying: If she would even reap with you, hinder her not:
當她起來再拾取麥穗的時候,波阿次吩咐他的僕人說:「就連她在麥捆中拾取,你們有不要為難她;
16 And let fall some of your handfuls of purpose, and leave them, that she may gather them without shame, and let no man rebuke her when she gathereth them.
並且要從麥梱中,為她抽出些來,留下讓她拾取,不要叱責她。」
17 She gleaned therefore in the field till evening: and beating out with a rod and threshing what she had gleaned, she found about the measure of an ephi of barley, that is, three bushels:
她在田間拾取麥穗,直到晚上,將所拾的打了約有「一厄法」大麥。盧德回家
18 Which she took up and returned into the city, and shewed it to her mother in law: moreover she brought out, and gave her of the remains of her meat, wherewith she had been filled.
她就背著回城去,教她婆婆看看她的收獲;又將吃飽後剩下的東西,拿出來給了她。
19 And her mother in law said to her: Where hast thou gleaned today, and where hast thou wrought? blessed be he that hath had pity on thee. And she told her with whom she had wrought: and she told the man’s name, that he was called Booz.
她的婆婆問她說:「你今天在那裏拾麥穗,在那裏工作﹖願那眷顧你的人家蒙受祝福! 」她就告訴她婆婆,她在誰那裏工作,並且說:「我今天在他那裏工作的人,名叫波阿次。」
20 And Noemi answered her: Blessed be he of the Lord: because the same kindness which he shewed to the living, he hath kept also to the dead. And again she said: The man is our kinsman.
納敖米對她的兒媳說:「願那位從未忘卻對生者死者施慈愛的上主祝福這人! 」納敖米又向她說:「這人是我們的親人,且是有至親義務的人。」
21 And Ruth said, He also charged me, that I should keep close to his reapers, till all the corn should be reaped.
摩阿布女子盧德接著說:「並且他還對我說過:你要常同我的僕人在一起,直到收完我的莊稼。」
22 And her mother in law said to her: It is better for thee, my daughter, to go out to reap with his maids, lest in another man’s field some one may resist thee.
納敖米向自己的兒媳盧德說:「我女,你更好跟著他的使女去罷! 免得在別人的田裏受難為。」
23 So she kept close to the maids of Booz: and continued to glean with them, till all the barley and the wheat were laid up in the barns.
盧德就緊隨著波阿次的使女拾麥穗,直到收完了大麥和小麥。盧德時常與自己的婆婆住在一起。