8 However, as they left, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Each of you, go back to your mother’s homes, and may the Lord be as kind to you as you have been to me, and to those who have died. 9 May the Lord give you a good home with another husband." She kissed them, and they all started to cry loudly.

10 "No! We want to go back with you to your people," they replied.

11 "Why do you want to go back with me?" Naomi asked. "I’m not able to have any more sons for you to marry. 12 Go back home, my daughters, because I’m too old to marry again. Even if I were to sleep with a new husband tonight and had sons, 13 would you wait for them to grow up? Would you decide you weren’t going to marry anyone else? No. The whole situation is more bitter for me than it is for you, for the Lord has turned against me!"*

14 They started crying loudly again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye. But Ruth held on tightly to Naomi.