Chapter
1
It happened in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. A certain woman of Bethlehem Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, she, and her husband, and her two daughters.
The name of the woman was Elimelech, and the name of her husband Naomi, and the name of her two daughters Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
Elimelech, Naomi's wife, died; and he was left, and his two daughters.
They took them husbands of the men of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they lived there about ten years.
Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the man was left of his two children and of his wife.
Then he arose with his sons-in-law, that he might return from the country of Moab: for he had heard in the country of Moab how that Yahweh had visited her people in giving them bread.
He went forth out of the place where he was, and his two sons-in-law with him; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.
Naomi said to his two sons-in-law, Go, return each of you to his father's house: Yahweh deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with me.
Yahweh grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of his wife. Then he kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
They said to him, No, but we will return with you to your people.
Naomi said, Turn again, my sons: why will you go with me? have I yet daughters in my womb, that they may be your wives?
Turn again, my sons, go your way; for I am too old to have a wife. If I should say, I have hope, if I should even have a wife tonight, and should also bear daughters;
would you therefore wait until they were grown? would you therefore stay from having wives? nay, my sons, for it grieves me much for your sakes, for the hand of Yahweh is gone forth against me.
They lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed his father-in-law, but Ruth joined with him.
He said, Behold, your brother-in-law is gone back to his people, and to his god: return you after your brother-in-law.
Ruth said, "Don't entreat me to leave you, and to return from following after you, for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God;
where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried: Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death part you and me."
When he saw that he was steadfastly minded to go with him, he left off speaking to him.
So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. It happened, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and the men said, Is this Naomi?
He said to them, "Don't call me Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
I went out full, and Yahweh has brought me home again empty; why do you call me Naomi, seeing Yahweh has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?"
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, his son-in-law, with him, who returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.