Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 Some time later Naomi said to Ruth, "I must find a husband for you, so that you will have a home of your own.
1
Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?
2 Remember that this man Boaz, whose women you have been working with, is our relative. Now listen. This evening he will be threshing the barley.
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Now isn’t Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he will be winnowing barley tonight on the threshing floor.
3 So wash yourself, put on some perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go where he is threshing, but don't let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.
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Therefore wash yourself, anoint yourself, get dressed, and go down to the threshing floor; but don’t make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
4 Be sure to notice where he lies down, and after he falls asleep, go and lift the covers and lie down at his feet. He will tell you what to do."
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It shall be, when he lies down, that you shall note the place where he is lying. Then you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down. Then he will tell you what to do.”
5 Ruth answered, "I will do everything you say."
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She said to her, “All that you say, I will do.”
6 So Ruth went to the threshing place and did just what her mother-in-law had told her.
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She went down to the threshing floor, and did everything that her mother-in-law told her.
7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking, he was in a good mood. He went to the pile of barley and lay down to sleep. Ruth slipped over quietly, lifted the covers and lay down at his feet.
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When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. She came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
8 During the night he woke up suddenly, turned over, and was surprised to find a woman lying at his feet.
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At midnight, the man was startled and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.
9 "Who are you?" he asked. "It's Ruth, sir," she answered. "Because you are a close relative, you are responsible for taking care of me. So please marry me."
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He said, “Who are you?” She answered, “I am Ruth your servant. Therefore spread the corner of your garment over your servant; for you are a near kinsman.”
10 "The Lord bless you," he said. "You are showing even greater family loyalty in what you are doing now than in what you did for your mother-in-law. You might have gone looking for a young man, either rich or poor, but you haven't.
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He said, “You are blessed by the LORD, my daughter. You have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, because you didn’t follow young men, whether poor or rich.
11 Now don't worry, Ruth. I will do everything you ask; as everyone in town knows, you are a fine woman.
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Now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do to you all that you say; for all the city of my people knows that you are a worthy woman.
12 It is true that I am a close relative and am responsible for you, but there is a man who is a closer relative than I am.
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Now it is true that I am a near kinsman. However, there is a kinsman nearer than I.
13 Stay here the rest of the night, and in the morning we will find out whether or not he will take responsibility for you. If so, well and good; if not, then I swear by the living Lord that I will take the responsibility. Now lie down and stay here till morning."
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Stay this night, and in the morning, if he will perform for you the part of a kinsman, good. Let him do the kinsman’s duty. But if he will not do the duty of a kinsman for you, then I will do the duty of a kinsman for you, as the LORD lives. Lie down until the morning.”
14 So she lay there at his feet, but she got up before it was light enough for her to be seen, because Boaz did not want anyone to know that she had been there.
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She lay at his feet until the morning, then she rose up before one could discern another. For he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”
15 Boaz said to her, "Take off your cloak and spread it out here." She did, and he poured out almost fifty pounds of barley and helped her lift it to her shoulder. Then she returned to town with it.
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He said, “Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it.” She held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; then he went into the city.
16 When she arrived home, her mother-in-law asked her, "How did you get along, daughter?" Ruth told her everything that Boaz had done for her.
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When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did it go, my daughter?” She told her all that the man had done for her.
17 She added, "He told me I must not come back to you empty-handed, so he gave me all this barley."
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She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley; for he said, ‘Don’t go empty to your mother-in-law.’”
18 Naomi said to her, "Now be patient, Ruth, until you see how this all turns out. Boaz will not rest today until he settles the matter."
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Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know what will happen; for the man will not rest until he has settled this today.”
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.