Holman Christian Standard Bible | New International Version |
1During the time of the judges, there was a famine in the land. A man left Bethlehem in Judah with his wife and two sons to live in the land of Moab for a while. | 1In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. |
2The man's name was Elimelech, and his wife's name was Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the land of Moab and settled there. | 2The man's name was Elimelek, his wife's name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there. |
3Naomi's husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons. | 3Now Elimelek, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. |
4Her sons took Moabite women as their wives: one was named Orpah and the second was named Ruth. After they lived in Moab about 10 years, | 4They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, |
5both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two children and without her husband. | 5both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband. |
6She and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave the land of Moab, because she had heard in Moab that the LORD had paid attention to His people's need by providing them food. | 6When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. |
7She left the place where she had been living, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, and traveled along the road leading back to the land of Judah. | 7With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah. |
8She said to them, "Each of you go back to your mother's home. May the LORD show faithful love to you as you have shown to the dead and to me. | 8Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back, each of you, to your mother's home. May the LORD show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. |
9May the LORD enable each of you to find security in the house of your new husband." She kissed them, and they wept loudly." | 9May the LORD grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband." Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud |
10No," they said to her. "We will go with you to your people." | 10and said to her, "We will go back with you to your people." |
11But Naomi replied, "Return home, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Am I able to have any more sons who could become your husbands? | 11But Naomi said, "Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? |
12Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, | 12Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me--even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons-- |
13would you be willing to wait for them to grow up? Would you restrain yourselves from remarrying? No, my daughters, my life is much too bitter for you to share, because the LORD's hand has turned against me." | 13would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD's hand has turned against me!" |
14Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. | 14At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. |
15Naomi said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law." | 15"Look," said Naomi, "your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her." |
16But Ruth replied: Do not persuade me to leave you or go back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. | 16But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. |
17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh punish me, and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me. | 17Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me." |
18When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her. | 18When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. |
19The two of them traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was excited about their arrival and the local women exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?"" | 19So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?" |
20Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara," she answered, "for the Almighty has made me very bitter. | 20"Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. |
21I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has pronounced judgment on me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?" | 21I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me." |
22So Naomi came back from the land of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. | 22So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning. |
Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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