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.

³ Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek.^{(A) 4} I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you^[a] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you,^(B) and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

⁵ Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite,^(C) the^[b] dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”^(D)

⁶ At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem^(E) it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”^(F)