Ruth, 3

1. Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

1. Later Naomi talked to Ruth: "My daughter, is it not my duty to see you settled in a home where you will be well provided for?

2. And now [is] not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.

2. And is not Boaz, who has treated you kindly with his maidservants, a close relative of ours? Tonight at the threshing floor, he will be winnowing barley.

3. Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: [but] make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

3. So bathe and perfume yourself, then put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor. But don't make yourself known to him till he has finished eating and drinking.

4. And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.

4. Take note of the place where he lies down to sleep. Then go, uncover his feet and lie down there. He will tell you what to do."

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

5. Ruth answered, "I will do as you say."

6. And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.

6. She went down to the threshing floor and did as her mother-in-law told her.

7. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.

7. Feeling happy after eating and drinking, Boaz went to lie down at the end of the pile of grain. Ruth then approached quietly, turned back the covering of his feet and lay there.

8. And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

8. At midnight the man awoke when he turned over and felt someone lying at his feet. He got up and was startled to find a woman there.

9. And he said, Who [art] thou? And she answered, I [am] Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou [art] a near kinsman.

9. "Who are you?" he asked. The answer came, "I am Ruth, your servant. Spread the corner of your cloak over me for you are a kinsman who has right of redemption over me."

10. And he said, Blessed [be] thou of the LORD, my daughter: [for] thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.

10. Boaz said, "May Yahweh bless you, my daughter! This kindness of yours now is even greater than that which you have shown earlier, for you have not gone after young men, rich or poor.

11. And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou [art] a virtuous woman.

11. Have no fear, my daughter; I will do for you all that you ask, since all my townsmen know that you are a worthy woman.

12. And now it is true that I [am thy] near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.

12. It is true that I am a close relative, but there is another still closer.

13. Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, [that] if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, [as] the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.

13. Stay here for the night. In the morning, if he wants to claim you - good! But if not - as surely as Yahweh lives - I will claim you myself. Lie here till morning."

14. And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.

14. She lay at his feet till morning and got up before anyone could be recognized. For Boaz said, "It must not be known that a woman came to the threshing floor."

15. Also he said, Bring the vail that [thou hast] upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six [measures] of barley, and laid [it] on her: and she went into the city.

15. Then turning to Ruth, Boaz said, "Hold out the mantle you are wearing." She did so and he poured into it six measures of barley. He helped her lift the bundle, then went back to town.

16. And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who [art] thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.

16. Ruth returned home to her mother-in-law, who asked, "How did you fare, my daughter?" She told her everything

17. And she said, These six [measures] of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.

17. and added, "He gave me these six measures of barley because, as he said, he did not want me to go back to my mother-in-law empty-handed."

18. Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

18. Naomi said, "Wait, my daughter, till you learn what happens, for he will not rest until it is settled today."