Ruth 1

1And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

1Back in the days when the judges ruled Israel, there was a famine in the land. A man from Bethlehem in Judah took his wife and his two sons to live for a while in the country of Moab.

2And 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 of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

2The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife's name was Naomi, and his two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They traveled to Moab and settled there.

3And Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons.

3After some time, Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, leaving her alone with her two sons.

4And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelt there about ten years.

4The sons married Moabite women; one was named Orpah and the other was Ruth. They lived there for about ten years.

5And Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband.

5Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, leaving Naomi without her two sons and without her husband.

6Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that Jehovah had visited his people in giving them bread.

6When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had blessed his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave Moab and return home.

7And she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.

7She left the place where she had been living with her two daughters-in-law and started out on the road back to the land of Judah.

8And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to her mother’s house: Jehovah deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

8But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, 'Each of you should go back to your mother’s home. May the LORD show you the same kindness that you showed to your deceased husbands and to me.'

9Jehovah grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

9'May the LORD grant that each of you finds security in the home of a new husband.' Then she kissed them goodbye, and they wept loudly.

10And they said unto her, Nay, but we will return with thee unto thy people.

10They said to her, 'No, we want to go back with you to your people.'

11And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

11But Naomi replied, 'Go back, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have more sons who could grow up to be your husbands?'

12Turn again, 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 have a husband to-night, and should also bear sons;

12'Go back, my daughters; go your own way. I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I married someone tonight and gave birth to sons—'

13would ye therefore tarry till they were grown? would ye therefore stay from having husbands? nay, my daughters, for it grieveth me much for your sakes, for the hand of Jehovah is gone forth against me.

13'would you wait for them to grow up? Would you stay single and wait for them? No, my daughters. My life is much more bitter than yours because the LORD’s hand has turned against me.'

14And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto her.

14They wept loudly again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

15And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her god: return thou after thy sister-in-law.

15'Look,' Naomi said, 'your sister-in-law is going back to her people and to her gods. You should follow her back.'

16And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following after 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;

16But Ruth replied, 'Don’t pressure me to leave you or to stop following you. Where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.'

17where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: Jehovah do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.

17'Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me severely if anything but death separates you and me.'

18And when she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking unto her.

18When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to talk her out of it.

19So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and the women said, Is this Naomi?

19So the two of them traveled on until they reached Bethlehem. When they arrived, the whole town was excited to see them. The women asked, 'Can this really be Naomi?'

20And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

20'Don't call me Naomi,' she told them. 'Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.'

21I went out full, and Jehovah hath brought me home again empty; why call ye me Naomi, seeing Jehovah hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

21'I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has turned against me, and the Almighty has brought tragedy upon me.'

22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

22So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. They arrived in Bethlehem just as the barley harvest was beginning.