Liber Ruth, 3

1. Et dixit ad eam Noemi socrus sua: “Filia mea, quaeram tibi requiem et providebo, ut bene sit tibi.

1. Then Na'omi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, should I not seek a home for you, that it may be well with you?

2. Booz propinquus noster, cuius puellis in agro iuncta eras, ecce ipse hac nocte aream hordei ventilat.

2. Now is not Bo'az our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.

3. Lavare igitur, ungere et induere pallio tuo ac descende in aream; non te videat homo, donec esum potumque finierit.

3. Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.

4. Quando autem ierit ad dormiendum, nota locum, in quo dormiat; veniesque et discooperies pallium, quo operitur a parte pedum, et ibi iacebis. Ipse autem dicet tibi quid agere debeas”.

4. But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do."

5. Quae respondit: “Quidquid praeceperis, faciam”.

5. And she replied, "All that you say I will do."

6. Descenditque in aream et fecit omnia, quae sibi imperaverat socrus.

6. So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had told her.

7. Cumque comedisset Booz et bibisset et factus esset hilarior issetque ad dormiendum in extrema parte acervi manipulorum, venit abscondite et, discooperto a pedibus eius pallio, se proiecit.

7. And when Bo'az had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and lay down.

8. Et ecce, nocte iam media, expavit homo et erexit se viditque mulierem iacentem ad pedes suos.

8. At midnight the man was startled, and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet!

9. Et ait illi: “Quae es?”. Illaque respondit: “Ego sum Ruth ancilla tua. Expande pallium tuum super famulam tuam, quia tibi est ius redemptionis”.

9. He said, "Who are you?" And she answered, "I am Ruth, your maidservant; spread your skirt over your maidservant, for you are next of kin."

10. Et ille: “Benedicta, inquit, es a Domino, filia; et priorem pietatem posteriore superasti, quia non es secuta iuvenes pauperes sive divites.

10. And he said, "May you be blessed by the LORD, my daughter; you have made this last kindness greater than the first, in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich.

11. Noli ergo metuere, sed, quidquid dixeris mihi, faciam tibi; scit enim omnis populus, qui habitat intra portas urbis meae, mulierem te esse fortem.

11. And now, my daughter, do not fear, I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of worth.

12. Nec abnuo me propinquum, sed est alius me propinquior.

12. And now it is true that I am a near kinsman, yet there is a kinsman nearer than I.

13. Quiesce hac nocte et, facto mane, si te voluerit propinquitatis iure suscipere, bene, suscipiat; sin autem ille noluerit, vivit Dominus, ego te absque ulla dubitatione suscipiam! Dormi usque mane”.

13. Remain this night, and in the morning, if he will do the part of the next of kin for you, well; let him do it; but if he is not willing to do the part of the next of kin for you, then, as the LORD lives, I will do the part of the next of kin for you. Lie down until the morning."

14. Dormivit itaque ad pedes eius usque ad noctis abscessum. Surrexitque, antequam homines se cognoscerent mutuo, et dixit Booz: “Cave, ne quis noverit quod huc veneris”.

14. So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another; and he said, "Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor."

15. Et rursum: “Expande, inquit, palliolum tuum, quo operiris, et tene utraque manu”. Qua extendente et tenente, mensus est sex modios hordei et posuit super eam; quae portans ingressa est civitatem

15. And he said, "Bring the mantle you are wearing and hold it out." So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley, and laid it upon her; then she went into the city.

16. et venit ad socrum suam. Quae dixit ei: “Quid egisti, filia?”. Narravitque ei omnia, quae sibi fecisset homo,

16. And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, "How did you fare, my daughter?" Then she told her all that the man had done for her,

17. et ait: “Ecce sex modios hordei dedit mihi et ait: “Nolo vacuam te reverti ad socrum tuam”.

17. saying, "These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, `You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.'"

18. Dixitque Noemi: “Exspecta, filia, donec videamus quem res exitum habeat; neque enim cessabit homo, nisi compleverit hodie, quod locutus est”.

18. She replied, "Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today."