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 cometh to pass, in the days of the judging of the judges, that there is a famine in the land, and there goeth a man from Beth-Lehem-Judah 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 Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites from Beth-Lehem-Judah; and they come into the fields of Moab, and are there.

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

And Elimelech husband of Naomi dieth, and she is left, she 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 take to them wives, Moabitesses: the name of the one Orpah, and the name of the second Ruth; and they dwell 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 they die also, both of them -- Mahlon and Chilion -- and the woman is 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 riseth, she and her daughters-in-law, and turneth back from the fields of Moab, for she hath heard in the fields of Moab that God hath looked after His people, -- to give to them bread.

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

And she goeth out from the place where she hath been, and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they go in the way to turn back 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 saith to her two daughters-in-law, `Go, turn back, each to the house of her mother; Jehovah doth with you kindness as ye have done 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 doth grant to you, and find ye rest each in the house of her husband;' and she kisseth them, and they lift up their voice and weep.

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

And they say to her, `Surely with thee we go back 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 saith, `Turn back, my daughters; why do ye go with me? are there yet to me sons in my bowels that they have been to you for 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 back, my daughters, go, for I am too aged to be to a husband; though I had said, There is for me hope, also, I have been to-night to a husband, and also I have borne 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.”

for them do ye wait till that they grow up? for them do ye shut yourselves up, not to be to a husband? nay, my daughters, for more bitter to me than to you, for the hand of Jehovah hath 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 lift up their voice, and weep again, and Orpah kisseth her mother-in-law, and Ruth hath cleaved 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 saith, `Lo, thy sister-in-law hath turned back unto her people, and unto her god, turn thou back 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 saith, `Urge me not to leave thee -- to turn back from after thee; for whither thou goest I go, and where thou lodgest I lodge; thy people 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 die, and there I am buried; thus doth Jehovah to me, and thus doth He add -- for death itself doth part between me and thee.'

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

And she seeth that she is strengthening herself to go with her, and she ceaseth to speak unto 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 go both of them till their coming in to Beth-Lehem; and it cometh to pass at their coming in to Beth-Lehem, that all the city is moved at them, and they say, `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 saith unto them, `Call me not Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly to 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 empty hath Jehovah brought me back, why do ye call me Naomi, and Jehovah hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath done evil to 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.

And Naomi turneth back, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who hath turned back from the fields of Moab, and they have come in to Beth-Lehem at the commencement of barley-harvest.