路得麦场见波阿斯

一天,路得的婆婆拿俄米对她说:“我的女儿啊,我实在应该为你找个好归宿,使你生活幸福。 波阿斯不是我们的亲戚吗?而且你又常与他的女工在一起。今天晚上他会在麦场簸大麦。 你要梳洗打扮、抹上香膏、换件衣服,然后去麦场,但不要让他认出你是谁。等他吃饱喝足, 躺下睡觉的时候,你看准他躺卧的地方,去掀开盖在他脚上的被,躺在那里,到时他必定会告诉你该怎样做。” 路得说:“好,我一定照你的吩咐去做。”

于是,路得就到麦场去,照她婆婆吩咐的去做。 波阿斯吃过晚饭,心里舒畅,便躺在麦堆旁边睡着了。路得悄悄过去掀起盖在他脚上的被,躺在他脚旁。 到了半夜,波阿斯忽然惊醒,翻过身来,发现一个女子躺在他的脚旁, 便问道:“你是谁?”她答道:“我是你的婢女路得,请用你的衣襟遮盖我,因为你是我的近亲。” 10 波阿斯说:“姑娘,愿耶和华赐福给你,因为你一直对婆家情深义重,现在更是如此。你本来可以找一个或穷或富的年轻丈夫,然而你却没有这样做。 11 姑娘,不要怕,你所说的一切,我都会去为你安排,城里所有的人都知道你是个贤德的女子。 12 不错,我是你的近亲,可是有一个人比我更近。 13 你今晚就留在这里,明天早上,如果他答应尽亲属的义务,就由他照顾你;如果他不肯,我凭永活的耶和华起誓,我会尽我的本分。现在你只管安心睡觉吧。”

14 路得就躺在波阿斯的脚旁。天未亮,还看不清人的时候,路得就起来了。因为波阿斯曾对她说:“不可让别人知道有女人来过这里。” 15 离开的时候,波阿斯对她说:“把你的外衣拿来铺开。”路得就照做了。他用路得的外衣包了六簸箕大麦,帮她扛在肩上,她便回城了。 16 回到家中,婆婆问她:“女儿啊,怎么样了?”路得便将事情的经过都告诉了婆婆。 17 她又说:“那个人给了我六簸箕大麦,对我说,‘不要空手回去见你婆婆。’” 18 拿俄米说:“女儿啊!你只管安静等候,看这事怎样发展,因为那人今天不把事情办妥,是绝不会休息的。”

And Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

And now, is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he is winnowing barley in the threshing-floor to-night.

Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thyself, and put thy raiment upon thee, and go down to the floor; make not thyself known to the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

And it shall be, when he lies down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall have lain down, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thyself down; and he will shew thee what thou shalt do.

And she said to her, All that thou sayest will I do.

And she went down to the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law had bidden her.

And Boaz ate and drank, and his heart was merry, and he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn. Then she went softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid herself down.

And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.

And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth, thy handmaid: spread thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou hast the right of redemption.

10 And he said, Blessed be thou of Jehovah, my daughter! Thou hast shewn more kindness at the end than at the first, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.

11 And now, my daughter, fear not: all that thou sayest will I do to thee; for all the gate of my people knows that thou art a woman of worth.

12 And now, truly I am one that has the right of redemption, yet there is one that has the right of redemption who is nearer than I.

13 Stay over to-night, and it shall be in the morning, if he will redeem thee, well—let him redeem; but if he like not to redeem thee, then will I redeem thee, [as] Jehovah liveth. Lie down until the morning.

14 And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the threshing-floor.

15 And he said, Bring the cloak that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And she held it, and he measured six [measures] of barley, and laid [it] on her; and he went into the city.

16 And she came to her mother-in-law; and she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.

17 And she said, These six [measures] of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty to thy mother-in-law.

18 Then she said, Be still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest until he have completed the matter this day.