Rute 1

I Dommernes Dage blev der engang Hungersnød i Landet. Da drog en Mand fra Betlehem i Juda til Moabiternes Land for at bo der som fremmed med sin Hustru og sine to Sønner.

Manden bed Elimelek, hans Hustru No'omi og hans to Sønner Malon og Hiljon, Efratiter fra Betlehem i Juda, og de kom til Moabiternes Land og opholdt sig der.

Så døde Elimelek, No'omis Mand, og hun sad tilbage med sine to Sønner.

De tog sig moabitiske Hustruer; den ene hed Orpa, den anden Rut. Men da de havde boet der en halv Snes År,

døde også de to, Malon og Kiljon, så at Kvinden sad alene tilbage efter sine to Sønner og sin Mand.

Da brød hun op med sine Sønnekoner for at vende hjem fra Moabiternes Land; thi hun havde hørt i Moabiternes Land, at HERREN havde set til sit Folk og givet dem Brød.

Så drog hun sammen med sine to Sønnekoner bort fra det Sted, hvor hun havde opholdt sig, men på Hjemvejen til Judas Land

Vend tilbage, mine Døtre, gå nu hjem, thi jeg er for gammel til at blive en Mands Hustru. Og selv om jeg tænkte, at jeg endnu havde Håb, selv om jeg endnu i Nat tilhørte en Mand og virkelig fødte Sønner,

De gav sig da igen til at græde højt, og Orpa kyssede sin Svigermoder, men Rut klyngede sig til hende.

Da No'omi så, at det var hendes faste Vilje at drage med hende. holdt hun op at tale til hende derom,

Således vendte No'omi tilbage fra Moabiternes Land tillige med sin Sønnekone, Moabiterinden Rut, og de kom til Betlehem først på Byghøsten.

Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. {ruled: Heb. judged}

And 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 Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. {continued: Heb. were}

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

And 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 dwelled there about ten years.

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

Then 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 the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.

Wherefore 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.

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

The LORD 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.

And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.

And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? {are} there yet {any more} sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

Turn again, my daughters, go {your way}; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, {if} I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; {should have...: or were with an husband}

Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. {tarry: Heb. hope} {it grieveth...: Heb. I have much bitterness}

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

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

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, {or} 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: {Intreat...: or, Be not against me}

Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, {if ought} but death part thee and me.

When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. {was...: Heb. strengthened herself}

So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, {Is} this Naomi?

And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. {Naomi: that is, Pleasant} {Mara: that is, Bitter}

I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why {then} call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.