| New King James Version | Holman 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 Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell 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 live in the land of Moab for a while. |
| 2The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained 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 land of Moab and settled there. |
| 3Then 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. |
| 4Now they took 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. | 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, |
| 5Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived 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 that the LORD had visited His people by giving them bread. | 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. |
| 7Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to 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 to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. The LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. | 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. |
| 9The LORD grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. | 9May the LORD enable each of you to find security in the house of your new husband." She kissed them, and they wept loudly." |
| 10And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.” | 10No," they said to her. "We will go with you to your people." |
| 11But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still 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 back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight 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 you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has 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." |
| 14Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. | 14Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. |
| 15And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” | 15Naomi said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law." |
| 16But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. | 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. |
| 17Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.” | 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. |
| 18When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her. | 18When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her. |
| 19Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was excited because of them; and the women 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?"" |
| 20But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. | 20Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara," she answered, "for the Almighty has made me very bitter. |
| 21I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” | 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?" |
| 22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. | 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. |
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