Ruth’s Redemption Assured

1And Naemi hir mother in lawe sayde vnto her: My doughter, I wyll prouyde rest for the, that thou maiest prospere. 2Boos oure kynsman, by whose damsels thou hast bene, casteth vp barlye now this night in his barne. 3Bathe thyselfe therfore, and moffell the, and put on thy clothes, and go downe vnto the barne, so yt noma knowe the, tyll they haue all eaten and dronken. 4Whan he layeth him downe then to sleape, mark ye place where he lyeth downe, and come thou, and take vp the couerynge at his fete, and laye the downe, so shall he tell the what thou shalt do. 5She sayde vnto her: what so euer thou saiest vnto me, I wil do it.

6She wente downe to the barne, & dyd all as hir mother in lawe had comaunded her. 7And wha Boos had eate & dronke, his hert was mery, & he came and layed him downe behynde a heape of sheues. And she came secretly, and toke vp the coueringe at his fete, and layed hir downe.

8Now wha it was midnight, the man was afrayed, and groped aboute him, and beholde, a woman laye at his fete. 9And he sayde: Who art thou? She answered: I am Ruth thy handmayden, sprede yi wynges ouer thy hadmayden: for thou art the nexte kynsman. 10He sayde: The LORDES blessinge haue thou my doughter. Thou hast done a better mercy here after then before, yt thou art not gone after yonge men, nether riche ner poore. 11Feare not now my doughter: All yt thou hast sayde, will I do for the: for all the cite of my people knoweth, yt thou art a vertuous woma. 12Trueth it is now, yt I am a nye kynsma, but there is one nyer then I. 13Tarye thou allnighte. Tomorow yf he take the, well: yf he like not to take ye, then wil I take ye my selfe, as truly as ye LORDE lyueth. Slepe thou tyll ye mornynge. And she slepte at his fete vntyll ye morow.

14And she rose vp or euer one coulde knowe another. And he thoughte thus: That no ma knowe now yt there hath come a woman in to the barne, 15and he sayde: Reach me the cloke yt thou hast on the, & holde it forth. And she helde it forth. And he meet her sixe measures of barlye, and layed it vpon her, & she wente in to the cite, 16& came to hir mother in lawe, which sayde: How is it wt the my doughter? And she tolde her all yt the ma had done vnto her, 17& sayde: These sixe measures of barlye gaue he me, for he sayde: Thou shalt not come emptye vnto yi mother in lawe. 18She sayde: Abyde my doughter, tyll thou se what ye matter wil growe to: for the man wilt not ceasse, tyll he brynge it to an ende this daye.