Ruth 3

1 A little later Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, don't you think I should find you a husband and a good home?

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?

2 Don't ignore the fact that Boaz, whose women you worked with, is closely related to us. Now tonight he will be busy winnowing grain on the threshing floor.

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

3 Have a bath, put on some perfume, wear your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor—but don't let him recognize you. Once he's finished eating and drinking,

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.

4 watch where he goes to lie down. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. Then he will tell you what to do.”

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.

5 “I'll do everything you told me,” said Ruth.

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

6 She went down to the threshing floor and did what her mother-in-law had told her to do.

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

7 After Boaz had finished eating and drinking, and was feeling contented, he went and lay down beside the grain pile. Ruth quietly approached him, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

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.

8 Around midnight Boaz suddenly woke up. Bending forward he was surprised to see a woman lying at his feet.

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

9 “Who are you?” he asked. “I'm Ruth, your servant,” she replied. “Please spread the corner of your cloak over me, for you are my family redeemer.”

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.

10 “May the Lord bless you, my daughter,” he said. “You are showing even more loyalty and love to the family than before. You haven't gone looking for a younger man, of whatever social status.

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.

11 So don't worry, my daughter. I will do everything you ask—everyone in town knows you are a woman of good character.

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.

12 However, even though I'm one of your family redeemers, there's one who is more closely related than I am.

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.

13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning if he wants to redeem you, then fine, let him do it. But if he doesn't, then I promise you in the name of the living Lord, I will redeem you. Lie down here until morning.”

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.

14 So Ruth lay at his feet until morning. Then she got up before it was light enough to recognize anyone because Boaz had told her, “No one must know that a woman came here to the threshing floor.”

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.

15 He also told her, “Bring me the cloak you're wearing and hold it out.” So she held it out and he poured out six measures of barley into it. He helped her put it on her back and she went back to town.

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.

16 Ruth went to her mother-in-law, who asked her, “How did it go for you, my daughter?” So Ruth told her everything that Boaz had done for her.

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.

17 “And he also gave me these six measures of barley,” she added. “He told me, ‘You mustn't go home to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

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

18 Naomi said to Ruth, “Wait patiently, my daughter, until you find out how it all works out. Boaz won't rest until he has it settled today.”

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.