⁹ “Who are you?” he asked.

“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment^(A) over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer^[a](B) of our family.”

⁸ “‘Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment^(A) over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant^(B) with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.^(C)

²⁰ “The Lord bless him!^(A)” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law.^(B) “He has not stopped showing his kindness^(C) to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative;^(D) he is one of our guardian-redeemers.^[a](E)”

¹² Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family,^(A) there is another who is more closely related than^(B) I.

¹¹ For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”^(A)

¹⁰ At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground.^(A) She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me^(B)—a foreigner?^(C)”

¹¹ Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law^(D) since the death of your husband^(E)—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know^(F) before.^{(G) 12} May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord,^(H) the God of Israel,^(I) under whose wings^(J) you have come to take refuge.^(K)”

¹³ “May I continue to find favor in your eyes,^(L) my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”

⁴¹ She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”