Ruth - The Old Testament

¹ Her mother-in-law Naomi then said, 'Daughter, is it not my duty to see you happily settled?

² And Boaz, the man with whose work-women you were, is he not our kinsman? Tonight he will be winnowing the barley on the threshing-floor.

³ So wash and perfume yourself, put on your cloak and go down to the threshing-floor. Don't let him recognise you while he is still eating and drinking.

⁴ But when he lies down, take note where he lies, then go and turn back the covering at his feet and lie down yourself. He will tell you what to do.'

⁵ Ruth said, 'I shall do everything you tell me.'

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

⁷ When Boaz had finished eating and drinking, he went off happily and lay down beside the pile of barley. Ruth then quietly went, turned back the covering at his feet and lay down.

⁸ In the middle of the night, he woke up with a shock and looked about him; and there lying at his feet was a woman.

⁹ 'Who are you?' he said; and she replied, 'I am your servant Ruth. Spread the skirt of your cloak over your servant for you have the right of redemption over me.'

¹⁰ 'May Yahweh bless you, daughter,' he said, 'for this second act of faithful love of yours is greater than the first, since you have not run after young men, poor or rich.

¹¹ Don't be afraid, daughter, I shall do everything you ask, since the people at the gate of my town all know that you are a woman of great worth.

¹² But, though it is true that I have the right of redemption over you, you have a kinsman closer than myself.

¹³ Stay here for tonight and, in the morning, if he wishes to exercise his right over you, very well, let him redeem you. But if he does not wish to do so, then as Yahweh lives, I shall redeem you. Lie here till morning.'

¹⁴ So she lay at his feet till morning, but got up before the hour when one man can recognise another; and he thought, 'It must not be known that this woman came to the threshing-floor.'

¹⁵ He then said, 'Let me have the cloak you are wearing, hold it out!' She held it out while he put six measures of barley into it and then loaded it on to her; and off she went to the town.

¹⁶ When Ruth got home, her mother-in-law asked her, 'How did things go with you, daughter?' She then told her everything that the man had done for her.

¹⁷ 'He gave me these six measures of barley and said, "You must not go home empty-handed to your mother-in-law." '

¹⁸ Naomi said, 'Do nothing, daughter, until you see how things have gone; I am sure he will not rest until he has settled the matter this very day.'