And it came to pass, in the days when the Judges administered justice, that there was a famine in the land, - and so a certain man went his way, out of Bethlehem-judah to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

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 out of Bethlehem-judah, - so they came into the country of Moab, and remained there.

And Elimelech, husband of Naomi, died, - and she was left, she and her two sons.

And, they also, both, died, Mahlon and Chilion, - so the woman was bereft of her two sons, and of her husband.

So she went forth out of the dwelling-place where she had remained, and her two daughters-in-law with her, - and they went on the way, to return unto the land of Judah.

Then said Naomi to her two daughters-in- law: Go return, each one to the house of her mother, - Yahweh deal with you in lovingkindness, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

And they said to her, - With thee, will we return, unto thy people.

Go back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband, - If I should say, I have, hope, if I should, even to-night have a husband, and should, even bear sons,

And Ruth said - Do not urge me to leave thee, to go back from following 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;

where thou diest, I will die, and, there, will I be buried: So, let Yahweh do to me, and, so, let him add, if, death itself, part me and thee.

And, when she saw that, bravely determined, was she to go with her, she ceased entreating her.

So, they two, went their way, until they entered Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they entered Bethlehem, that all the city was moved concerning them, and the women said - Is this Naomi?

And she said unto them, Do not call me Naomi, - call me Mara, for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me:

And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi - Let me go, I pray thee, to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose eyes I may find favour. And she said to her - Go, my daughter.

So she went her way, and came, and gleaned in the field, after the reapers, - and it happened to her, to light upon the portion of field-land belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

And lo! Boaz coming from Bethlehem, and he said to the reapers, Yahweh, be with you! and they said to him, Yahweh bless thee!

Then said Boaz to his young man, that was set over the reapers, - Whose is this maiden?

And Boaz said unto Ruth - Hearest thou not, my daughter? Do not go to glean in any other field, neither indeed shalt thou pass on, from hence, - but, here, shalt thou keep fast by my maidens:

Then she fell upon her face, and bowed herself to the ground, - and said unto him - Wherefore have I found favour in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take notice of me, seeing that, I, am, a stranger?

And Boaz answered, and said to her, It hath been, told, me - all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law, since the death of thy husband, - and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and come unto a people whom thou knewest not, aforetime.

Yahweh recompense thy deed, - and let thy reward be full from Yahweh, the God of Israel, unto whom thou hast come to take refuge under his wings.

And Boaz said to her at mealtime - Draw nigh hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. So she sat beside the reapers, and there was reached to her parched corn, and she did eat and was satisfied, and left thereof remaining.

And, when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying - Even between the sheaves, let her glean, and reproach her not;

And her mother-in-law said to her - In what place hast thou gleaned, today? and where hast thou wrought? May he that took notice of thee, be blessed! So she told her mother-in-law, with whom she had wrought, and said - The name of the man with whom I wrought today, is Boaz.

Then said Naomi, to her daughter-in-law - Blessed, be he of Yahweh, who hath not left off his lovingkindness to the living, and to the dead. And Naomi said to her - Near to us, is the man, of our own kinsmen, is he!

So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz, to glean, until the end of the barley harvest, and the wheat harvest, - and dwelt with her mother-in-law.

Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, - My daughter! shall I not seek for thee a place of rest, in which it may be well with thee?

Now, therefore, is not, Boaz, of our kindred, with whose maidens thou hast been? Lo! he is winnowing the barley threshing-floor, to-night!

Thou wilt, therefore, bathe thee, and anoint thee, and put thine apparel upon thee, and go down to the threshing-floor, - do not make thyself known to the man, until he have done eating and drinking.

And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he doth lie, and shalt go in and turn aside the covering of his feet, and lay thee down, - and, he, will tell thee what thou shalt do.

And she said unto her, - All that thou sayest, will I do.

So she went down to the threshing-floor, - and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her.

And, when Boaz had eaten, and drunk, and his heart was glad, he went in to lie down at the end of the heap of corn. Then came she in softly, and turned aside the covering of his feet, and laid her down.

And it came to pass, in the middle of the night, that the man started up, and turned, - and lo! a woman, lying at his feet.

Now, therefore, my daughter, do not fear, whatsoever thou shalt say, I will do for thee, - for all the gate of my people doth know, that, a virtuous woman, thou art.

Tarry the night, and it shall be, in the morning, if he will act as kinsman to thee, well, let him so act, but, if he inclineth not to act as kinsman to thee, then will, I, so act to thee - by the life of Yahweh, - Lie still, until the morning.

So she lay at his feet, until the morning, and rose up before one could know his neighbour. And he said - Do not let it be known that a woman came into the threshing-floor.

And she said - These six measures of barley, gave he unto me, - for he said, Do not go in empty, unto thy mother-in- law.

And she said - Abide, my daughter, until that thou get to know, how the matter will fall out, - for the man will not rest, except he have finished the thing to-day.

Now, Boaz, went up to the gate, and sat him down there, and lo! the kinsman, passing by, of whom Boaz had spoken, so he said - Turn aside! and sit down here, such a one! And he turned aside, and sat down.

Then said he to the kinsman, The parcel of land that was our brother Elimelech's, is to be disposed of by Naomi, who hath returned out of the country of Moab;

Then said Boaz, What day thou takest over the land from the hand of Naomi, also, of Ruth the Moabitess, wife of the dead, dost thou take it , to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.

Then said the kinsman - I cannot act as kinsman for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance, - do, thou, for thyself act as kinsman in my right, for I cannot so redeem.

Now, this aforetime, was the way in Israel, at a redeeming, and at an exchanging, to confirm every word: A man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour, - yea, this, was the way of taking to witness, in Israel.

Then said Boaz to the elders, and all the people - Witnesses, are ye to-day, that I have taken over all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's, and Mahlon's, - from the hand of Naomi:

Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, wife of Mahlon, have I taken over, to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off - from among his brethren, and from the gate of his dwelling- place, - Witnesses, are ye to-day!

Then said all the people who were in the gate, and the elders - Witnesses!, - Yahweh grant the woman who is coming into thy house, to be as Rachel, and as Leah, which two of them did build the house of Israel. Do thou bravely, then, in Ephrathah, and proclaim thou a name in Bethlehem,

And let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare to Judah, - of the seed which - may Yahweh give thee, of this young woman.

Then said the women unto Naomi, Blessed, be Yahweh! who hath not let thee fail of a kinsman to-day, - and may his name, be proclaimed, in Israel;

So shall he become a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age, - for, thy daughter-in-law who loveth thee, hath borne him, even, she, who is better to thee than seven sons.

And the women, her neighbours, gave him a name, saying, There is born a son to Naomi, - So they called his name Obed, he, was, the father of Jesse, the father of David.