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.

¶ Now it came to pass in the days when the judges governed that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem of Judah went to sojourn in the fields 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 of Judah. And they came into the fields 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 with 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,

who took wives for themselves of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth; and they dwelt 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 both died also; and the woman was left without her two sons and 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.

¶ Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, to return from the fields of Moab, for she had heard in the field of Moab how the LORD 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.

Therefore 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 unto 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 unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to thy mother’s house; the LORD deal with you in mercy 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.

The 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.

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

And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto 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 replied, Go back, my daughters; why must ye go with me? Do I have more sons in my womb that they may 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,

Turn, my daughters, and go back, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I should say, I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should 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.”

should ye tarry for them until they are grown? Should ye stay without husbands because of them? No, my daughters, for I have greater bitterness than you because the hand of the LORD has come 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 cleaved unto 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 has returned to her people and to her gods; return thou 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 or to return from following after thee, for wherever thou goest, I will go; and wherever thou shalt lodge, 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, I will die, and there will I be buried; let the LORD do so unto me and let him give unto me that only death shall part thee and me.

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

When she saw that she was courageous to go with her, then 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?”

¶ So the two walked until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, entering into Bethlehem, that all the city was moved because of them, and they 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 unto 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 the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD has testified against me, 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 barley harvest.