| 1 There was a famine in the land during the time of the Judges, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah departed with his wife and two sons to sojourn in the country of Moab. | |
| 2 The man was Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and his two sons Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. A little later, after they had settled in Moab, | |
| 3 Naomi’s husband Elimelech died. She was left with her two sons, | |
| 4 who married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After living in Moab for about ten years, | |
| 5 Mahlon and Chilion also died and Naomi was left bereft of husband and two sons. | |
| 6 Having heard that Yahweh had come to help his people by giving them food, Naomi prepared to return home. | |
| 7 With her two daughters-in-law, she took the road back to Judah. | |
| 8 It was then that Naomi said to her daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s house. And may Yahweh be kind to you, as you have been to your dead and to me. | |
| 9 May he also grant each of you rest in the home of another husband.” She kissed them goodbye. But they wept aloud | |
| 10 and said to her, “No, we will go back with you to your people.” | |
| 11 Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why should you come with me, when I have no more sons to become your husbands? | |
| 12 Return home, my daughters. I am now too old to marry again. Even if I hope to have a husband tonight and give birth to sons, | |
| 13 would you remain unmarried waiting for them to grow up? No, my daughters. I won’t share my lot with you for it is too bitter. Yahweh’s hand has been raised against me!” | |
| 14 Again they sobbed and wept. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. | |
| 15 Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law returns to her people and her gods. You too must return. Go after her.” | |
| 16 Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you. For I will go where you go and stay where you stay. Your people will be my people and your god, my God. | |
| 17 Where you die, there will I die and be buried. May Yahweh deal with me severely if anything except death separates us.” | |
| 18 Realizing that Ruth was determined to go with her, Naomi stopped urging her. | |
| 19 So the two went on till they reached Bethlehem. Their arrival set the town astir. Women asked, “Can this be Naomi?” | |
| 20 She said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara for Yahweh has made life bitter for me. | |
| 21 I came away full but go back empty. Why call me Naomi, when Yahweh has afflicted me?” | |
| 22 Thus it was that Naomi returned from Moab with her Moabite daughter-in-law and arrived in Bethlehem as the barley harvest began. | |
