Ruth 3

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Her mother-in-law Naomi then said, 'Daughter, is it not my duty to see you happily settled?	1 When she was back with her mother-in-law, Naomi said to her, "My daughter, I must seek a home for you that will please you.
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.	2 Now is not Boaz, with whose servants you were, a relative of ours? This evening he will be winnowing barley at 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.	3 So bathe and anoint yourself; then put on your best attire and go down to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man before he has finished 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.'	4 But when he lies down, take note of the place where he does so. Then go, uncover a place at his feet, and lie down. He will tell you what to do."
5 Ruth said, 'I shal do everything you tel me.'	5 "I will do whatever you advise," Ruth replied.
6 So she went down to the threshing-floor and did everything her mother-in-law had told her.	6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed 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.	7 Boaz ate and drank to his heart's content. Then when he went and lay down at the edge of the sheaves, she stole up, uncovered a place 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.	8 In the middle of the night, however, the man gave a start and turned around to find a woman lying at his feet.
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.'	9 He asked, "Who are you?" And she replied, "I am your servant Ruth. Spread the corner of your cloak over me, for you are my next of kin."
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.	10 He said, "May the LORD bless you, my daughter! You have been even more loyal now than before in not going after the young men, whether 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.	11 So be assured, daughter, I will do for you whatever you say; all my townspeople know you for a worthy woman.
12 But, though it is true that I have the right of redemption over you, you have a kinsman closer thanmyself.	12 Now, though indeed I am closely related to you, you have another relative still closer.
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.'	13 Stay as you are for tonight, and tomorrow, if he wishes to claim you, good! let him do so. But if he does not wish to claim you, as the LORD lives, I will claim you myself. Lie there until 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.'	14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but rose before men could recognize one another. Boaz said, "Let it 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.	15 Then he said to her, "Take off your cloak and hold it out." When she did so, he poured out six measures of barley, helped her lift the bundle, and left for the city.
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.	16 Ruth went home to her mother-in-law, who asked, "How have you fared, my daughter?" So she told her all 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." '	17 and concluded, "He gave me these six measures of barley because he did not wish me to come back to my mother-in-law emptyhanded!"
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.'	18 Naomi then said, "Wait here, my daughter, until you learn what happens, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today."