Ruth 1
1 And it came to pass when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land: and a man went from Bethleem Juda to sojourn in the land of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
It happened in the days when the judges ruled that there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem of Judah went to the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons.
2 And the man's name [was] Elimelech, and his wife's name Noemin, and the names of his two sons Maalon and Chelaion, Ephrathites of Bethleem of Juda: and they came to the land of Moab, and remained there.
The name of the man was Elimelek, and the name of his wife was Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion, who were Ephrathites of Bethlehem of Judah. They arrived at the country of Moab and lived there.
3 And Elimelech the husband of Noemin died; and she was left, and her two sons.
Then Elimelek, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.
4 And they took to themselves wives, women of Moab; the name of the one [was] Orpha, and the name of the second Ruth; and they lived there about ten years.
These sons took wives from the women of Moab; the name of one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there for about ten years.
5 And both Maalon and Chelaion died also; and the woman was left of her husband and her two sons.
Then both Mahlon and Kilion died, leaving Naomi without her husband and without her two children.
6 And she rose up and her two daughters-in-law, and they returned out of the country of Moab, for she heard in the country of Moab that the Lord [had] visited his people to give them bread.
Then Naomi decided to leave Moab with her daughters-in-law and return to Judah because she had heard in the region of Moab that Yahweh had helped his people in need and had given them food.
7 And she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her: and they went by the way to return to the land of Juda.
So she left the place where she had been with her two daughters-in-law, and they walked down the road to return to the land of Judah.
8 And Noemin said to her daughter-in-law, Go now, return each to the house of her mother: the Lord deal mercifully with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with me.
Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return, each of you, to your mother's house. May Yahweh show kindness toward you, as you have shown kindness toward the dead and toward me.
9 The Lord grant you that you may find rest each of you in the house of her husband: and she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
May the Lord grant you that you find rest, each of you in the house of another husband.” Then she kissed them, and they raised their voices and cried.
10 And they said to her, We will return with you to your people.
They said to her, “No! We will return with you to your people.”
11 And Noemin said, Return now, my daughters; and why do you go with me? have I yet sons in my womb to be your husbands?
But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters! Why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb for you, so that they may become your husbands?
12 Turn now, my daughters, for I am too old to be married: for I said, Suppose I were married, and should bear sons;
Turn back, my daughters, go your own way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said, 'I hope I get a husband tonight,' and then give birth to sons,
13 would you wait for them till they should be grown? or would you refrain from being married for their sakes? Not so, my daughters; for I am grieved for you, that the hand of the Lord has gone forth against me.
would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you choose not to marry a husband? No, my daughters! It is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me.”
14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; and Orpha kissed her mother-in-law and returned to her people; but Ruth followed her.
Then her daughters-in-law lifted up their voices and cried again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell, but Ruth held on to her.
15 And Noemin said to Ruth, Behold, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods; turn now you also after your sister-in-law.
Naomi said, “Listen, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Go back with your sister-in-law.”
16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave you, or to return from following you; for wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people [shall be] my people, and your God my God.
But Ruth said, “Do not make me go away from you, for where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.
17 And wherever you die, I will die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, [if I leave you], for death [only] shall divide between me and you.
Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh punish me, and even more, if anything but death ever separates us.”
18 And Noemin seeing that she was determined to go with her, ceased to speak to her any more.
When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped arguing with her.
19 And they went both of them until they came to Bethleem: and it came to pass, when they arrived at Bethleem, that all the city rang with them, and they said, Is this Noemin?
So the two traveled until they came to the town of Bethlehem. It happened that when they arrived in Bethlehem, the entire town was very excited about them. The women said, “Is this Naomi?”
20 And she said to them, Nay, do not call me Noemin; call me 'Bitter,' for the Mighty One has dealt very bitterly with me.
But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi. Call me Bitter, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
21 I went out full, and the Lord has brought me back empty: and why call you me Noemin, whereas the Lord has humbled me and the Mighty One has afflicted me?
I went out full, but Yahweh has brought me home again empty. So why do you call me Naomi, seeing Yahweh has condemned me, that the Almighty has afflicted me?”
22 So Noemin and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, returned from the country of Moab; and they came to Bethleem in the beginning of barley harvest.
So Naomi and Ruth the Moabite woman, her daughter-in-law, returned from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
