| King James Bible | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. | 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 stay in the territory of Moab for a while. |
| 2And 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 Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. | 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 fields of Moab and settled there. |
| 3And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. | 3Naomi's husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons. |
| 4And 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 dwelled there about ten years. | 4Her sons took Moabite women as their wives: one was named Orpah and the second was named Ruth. After they lived in Moab about ten years, |
| 5And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. | 5both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two children and without her husband. |
| 6Then 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 the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread. | 6She and her daughters-in-law set out to return from the territory of Moab, because she had heard in Moab that the LORD had paid attention to his people's need by providing them food. |
| 7Wherefore 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. | 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. |
| 8And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. | 8Naomi said to them, "Each of you go back to your mother's home. May the LORD show kindness to you as you have shown to the dead and to me. |
| 9The LORD 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. | 9May the LORD grant each of you rest in the house of a new husband." She kissed them, and they wept loudly. |
| 10And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. | 10They said to her, "We insist on returning with you to your people." |
| 11And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? | 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? |
| 12Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; | 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, |
| 13Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. | 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." |
| 14And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. | 14Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. |
| 15And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. | 15Naomi said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Follow your sister-in-law." |
| 16And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or 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: | 16But Ruth replied: Don't plead with me to abandon you or to return 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. |
| 17Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. | 17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me. |
| 18When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. | 18When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped talking to her. |
| 19So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? | 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?" |
| 20And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. | 20"Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara," she answered, "for the Almighty has made me very bitter. |
| 21I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? | 21I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has opposed me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?" |
| 22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. | 22So Naomi came back from the territory of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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