1 I n the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem of Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, 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 T he man’s name was Elimelech and his wife’s name was Naomi and his two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem of Judah. They went to 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 B ut Elimelech, who Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.

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

4 A nd they took wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They dwelt 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, so the woman was bereft 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 to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in Moab how the Lord had visited His people in giving them food.

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 S o she left the place where she was, her two daughters-in-law with her, and they started on the way back to Judah.

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

8 B ut Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you 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 that you may find a home and rest, each in the house of her husband! Then she kissed them and they wept aloud.

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 to her, No, we will return with you to your people.

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

11 B ut Naomi said, Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that may become 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 back, my daughters, go; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband tonight and should 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 you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; it is far more bitter for me than for you 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 T hen they wept aloud again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

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

15 A nd Naomi said, See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your 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, Urge me not to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your 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 you die I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts me from you.

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 Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said no more.

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

19 S o they both went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred about them, and 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 to them, Call me not Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has 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, but the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has 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, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at 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.