1 N ow it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

In the days when there were judges to rule, there was a time of no food in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to visit the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons.

2 A nd the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

The name of the man was Elimelech. His wife’s name was Naomi. And the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the land of Moab and stayed there.

3 A nd Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.

But Naomi’s husband Elimelech died. And she was left with her two sons,

4 A nd they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.

who married Moabite women. The name of one was Orpah. The name of the other was Ruth. After living there about ten years,

5 A nd Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

both Mahlon and Chilion died. Naomi was left without her two children and her husband. Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem

6 T hen she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.

Then Naomi got ready to return from the land of Moab with her daughters-in-law. She had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had brought food to His people.

7 W herefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.

So she left with her two daughters-in-law and went on the way toward the land of Judah.

8 A nd Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, each one of you return to your own mother’s house. May the Lord show kindness to you, as you have done with the dead and with me.

9 T he Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

May the Lord help you to find a home, each in the family of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they cried in loud voices.

10 A nd they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.

They said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.”

11 A nd Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

But Naomi said, “Return to your people, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Do I have more sons within me, who could become your husbands?

12 T urn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;

Return, my daughters. Go. For I am too old to have a husband. If I had hope, if I should have a husband tonight and give birth to sons,

13 w ould ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.

would you wait until they were grown? Would you not marry until then? No, my daughters. It is harder for me than for you. For the hand of the Lord is against me.”

14 A nd they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

Then they cried again in loud voices. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law. But Ruth held on to her.

15 A nd she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.

Naomi said, “See, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and her gods. Return after your sister-in-law.”

16 A nd Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

But Ruth said, “Do not beg me to leave you or turn away from following you. I will go where you go. I will live where you live. Your people will be my people. And your God will be my God.

17 w here thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

I will die where you die, and there I will be buried. So may the Lord do the same to me, and worse, if anything but death takes me from you.”

18 W hen she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

When Naomi saw that Ruth would do nothing but go with her, she said no more to her.

19 S o they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?

So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. The whole town of Bethlehem was happy because of them. The women said, “Is this Naomi?”

20 A nd she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi. Call me Mara. For the All-powerful has brought much trouble to me.

21 I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

I went out full. But the Lord has made me return empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has spoken against me. The All-powerful has allowed me to suffer.”

22 S o Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

So Naomi returned. And her daughter-in-law Ruth, the Moabite woman, returned with her from the land of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley gathering time.