1 I n 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.

And it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man went from Bethlehem-Judah, to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

2 T he 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.

And 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 Bethlehem-Judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

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

And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.

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

And they took them Moabitish wives; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the second Ruth: and they abode there about ten years.

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

And Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband.

6 T hen 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.

And she arose, she and her daughters-in-law, and returned from the fields of Moab; for she had heard in the fields of Moab how that Jehovah had visited his people to give them bread.

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

Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she had been, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

8 B ut 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.

And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each to her mother's house. Jehovah deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead and with me.

9 M ay 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.

Jehovah grant you that ye may find rest, each in the house of her husband. And she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice and wept.

10 T hey said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.”

And they said to her, We will certainly return with thee to thy people.

11 B ut 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?

And Naomi said, Return, my daughters: why will ye go with me? Are there yet sons in my womb, that they could be your husbands?

12 R eturn, 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,

Return, my daughters, go; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, should I even have a husband to-night, and should I also bear sons,

13 w ould 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.”

would ye wait on that account till they were grown? Would ye stay on that account from having husbands? No, my daughters, for I am in much more bitterness than you; for the hand of Jehovah is gone out against me.

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

And they lifted up their voice and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave to her.

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

And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back to her people and to her gods: return after thy sister-in-law.

16 B ut 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.

And Ruth said, Do not intreat me to leave thee, to return from 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;

17 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.”

where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried. Jehovah do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part me and thee!

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

And when she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking to her.

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

And they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they came to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and the said, Is this Naomi?

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

And she said to them, Call me not Naomi—call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.

21 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.”

I went out full, and Jehovah has brought me home again empty. Why do ye call me Naomi, seeing Jehovah has brought me low, and the Almighty has afflicted me?

22 S o 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.

So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the fields of Moab; and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of the barley-harvest.