1 Siihen aikaan, kun tuomarit hallitsivat Israelia, tuli kerran nälänhätä maahan. Muuan mies Juudan Betlehemistä muutti silloin vaimonsa ja kahden poikansa kanssa siirtolaiseksi Moabin maahan.

2 Miehen nimi oli Elimelek, hänen vaimonsa oli Noomi, heidän poikansa olivat nimeltään Mahlon ja Kiljon, ja he olivat efratalaisia Juudan Betlehemistä. He tulivat Moabin maahan ja jäivät sinne asumaan.

3 Elimelek, Noomin mies, kuoli, ja Noomi jäi yksin molempien poikiensa kanssa.

4 Pojat ottivat itselleen moabilaiset vaimot; toisen nimi oli Orpa ja toisen Ruut. Kun he olivat asuneet siellä kymmenisen vuotta,

5 kuolivat myös molemmat pojat, Mahlon ja Kiljon, ja niin Noomi oli yksin menetettyään sekä miehensä että poikansa.

6 Noomi päätti lähteä miniöittensä kanssa kotimatkalle Moabin maasta, sillä hän oli siellä kuullut, että Herra oli huolehtinut kansastaan ja antanut sille hyvän sadon.

7 Kun hän lähti sieltä missä oli asunut, hänen molemmat miniänsä tulivat mukaan, mutta heidän ollessaan matkalla Juudan maahan

12 Menkää takaisin, tyttäreni. Minä olen jo liian vanha mennäkseni vaimoksi kenellekään. Ja vaikka ajattelisinkin, että minulla vielä on toivoa lapsista, ja vaikka jo tänä yönä olisin jonkun miehen oma ja synnyttäisin poikia,

14 Miniät itkivät nyt vielä katkerammin. Viimein Orpa suuteli anoppiaan hyvästiksi, mutta Ruut ei suostunut eroamaan Noomista.

18 Kun Noomi käsitti, että Ruut oli lujasti päättänyt seurata häntä, hän ei puhunut siitä sen enempää.

22 Näin palasivat Noomi ja hänen moabilainen miniänsä Ruut Moabin maasta Betlehemiin. Ohranleikkuu oli juuri alkamassa.

1 And 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. 2 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 Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. 3 And Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. 4 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 dwelt there about ten years. 5 And Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband.

6 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 Jehovah had visited his people in giving them bread. 7 And 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. 8 And 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. 9 Jehovah 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. 10 And they said unto her, Nay, but we will return with thee unto thy people. 11 And 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? 12 Turn 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; 13 would 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. 14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto her.

15 And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her god: return thou after thy sister-in-law. 16 And 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; 17 where 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. 18 And when she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking unto her.

19 So 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? 20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I 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? 22 So 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.