New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you.
1
And Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, My daughter, am I not to get you a resting-place where you may be in comfort?
2 Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.
2
And now, is there not Boaz, our relation, with whose young women you were? See, tonight he is separating the grain from the waste in his grain-floor.
3 Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
3
So take a bath, and, after rubbing your body with sweet oil, put on your best robe, and go down to the grain-floor; but do not let him see you till he has come to the end of his meal.
4 When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do."
4
But see to it, when he goes to rest, that you take note of the place where he is sleeping, and go in there, and, uncovering his feet, take your place by him; and he will say what you are to do.
5 She said to her, "All that you tell me I will do."
5
And she said, I will do all you say.
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her.
6
So she went down to the grain-floor and did all her mother-in-law had said to her.
7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and he was in a contented mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came stealthily and uncovered his feet, and lay down.
7
Now when Boaz had taken meat and drink, and his heart was glad, he went to take his rest at the end of the mass of grain; then she came softly and, uncovering his feet, went to rest.
8 At midnight the man was startled, and turned over, and there, lying at his feet, was a woman!
8
Now in the middle of the night, the man awaking from his sleep in fear, and lifting himself up, saw a woman stretched at his feet.
9 He said, "Who are you?" And she answered, "I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin."
9
And he said, Who are you? And she answering said, I am your servant Ruth: take your servant as wife, for you are a near relation.
10 He said, "May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter; this last instance of your loyalty is better than the first; you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich.
10
And he said, May the Lord give you his blessing, my daughter: even better than what you did at the first is this last kind act you have done, in not going after young men, with or without wealth.
11 And now, my daughter, do not be afraid, I will do for you all that you ask, for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman.
11
And now, my daughter, have no fear; I will do for you whatever you say: for it is clear to all my townspeople that you are a woman of virtue.
12 But now, though it is true that I am a near kinsman, there is another kinsman more closely related than I.
12
Now it is true that I am a near relation: but there is a relation nearer than I.
13 Remain this night, and in the morning, if he will act as next-of-kin for you, good; let him do it. If he is not willing to act as next-of-kin for you, then, as the Lord lives, I will act as next-of-kin for you. Lie down until the morning."
13
Take your rest here tonight; and in the morning, if he will do for you what it is right for a relation to do, very well, let him do so: but if he will not, then by the living Lord I myself will do so.
14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before one person could recognize another; for he said, "It must not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor."
14
And she took her rest at his feet till the morning: and she got up before it was light enough for one to see another. And he said, Let it not come to anyone's knowledge that the woman came to the grain-floor.
15 Then he said, "Bring the cloak you are wearing and hold it out." So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley, and put it on her back; then he went into the city.
15
And he said, Take your robe, stretching it out in your hands: and she did so, and he took six measures of grain and put them into it, and gave it her to take: and she went back to the town.
16 She came to her mother-in-law, who said, "How did things go with you, my daughter?" Then she told her all that the man had done for her,
16
And when she came back her mother-in-law said to her, How did it go with you, my daughter? And she gave her an account of all the man had done to her.
17 saying, "He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, "Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.' "
17
And she said, He gave me these six measures of grain, saying, Do not go back to your mother-in-law with nothing in your hands.
18 She replied, "Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today."
18
Then she said, Do nothing now, my daughter, till you see what will come of this; for the man will take no rest till he has put this thing through.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.