Ruth 3

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 wil bewinnowing 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 himrecognise you while he is stil 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 wil tell you what to do.'

⁵ Ruth said, 'I shal do everything you tel 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 wasa woman.

⁹ 'Who are you?' he said; and she replied, 'I am your servant Ruth. Spread the skirt of your cloak overyour 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 thanthe first, since you have not run after young men, poor or rich.

¹¹ Don't be afraid, daughter, I shal do everything you ask, since the people at the gate of my town allknow 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 thanmyself.

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

¹⁴ So she lay at his feet til 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 sixmeasures 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 thentold 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 yourmother-in-law." '

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