1 In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab and lived there. 3 Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. 4 They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years. 5 Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband. 6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab how Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread. 7 She went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her. They went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May Yahweh deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 May Yahweh grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband."

Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices, and wept. 10 They said to her, "No, but we will return with you to your people."

11 Naomi said, "Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Go back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons, 13 would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me seriously for your sakes, for Yahweh’s hand has gone out against me."

14 They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her. 15 She said, "Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law."

16 Ruth said, "Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me."

18 When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

19 So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was excited about them, and they asked, "Is this Naomi?"

20 She said to them, "Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and Yahweh has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since Yahweh has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?" 22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

1 在士师统治期间， 国内发生了饥荒。有一个人带着妻子和两个儿子， 从犹大的伯利恒前往摩押地去， 寄居在那里。

2 这个人名叫以利米勒， 妻子名叫拿俄米， 两个儿子叫玛伦和基连， 都是犹大伯利恒的以法他人。他们到了摩押地， 就在那里住下来了。

3 后来拿俄米的丈夫以利米勒去世了， 留下她和两个儿子。

4 他们娶了摩押女子作妻子， 一个名叫俄耳巴， 一个名叫路得。他们在那里住了约有十年。

5 后来， 玛伦和基连二人也死了， 留下拿俄米， 既没有了两个儿子， 又没有了丈夫。

6 拿俄米还在摩押地的时候， 因为听说耶和华眷顾他的子民， 赐粮食给他们， 就带着两个媳妇动身从摩押地回来。

7 她离开居住的地方， 两个媳妇也随她出发， 要回到犹大地去。

8 拿俄米对两个媳妇说： "去吧， 你们还是各自回娘家吧。愿耶和华恩待你们， 像你们善待已死的人和我一样。

9 愿耶和华使你们各人有机会再嫁（"有机会再嫁"原文作"在丈夫家里"）， 找到归宿。"跟着亲吻她们， 她们就发声大哭，

10 说： "不， 我们一定要跟你一起回到你同胞那里去。"

11 拿俄米说： "我女儿啊， 你们回去吧， 为什么要跟我去呢？我肚子里还有儿子作你们的丈夫吗？

12 走吧， 我女儿啊， 你们回去吧， 因为我太老， 不能嫁人了， 就算我说我还有希望今天晚上有个丈夫， 又生儿子，

13 你们可以等到他们长大吗？你们可以为他们守节而不嫁人吗？不行， 我女儿啊， 我为你们非常难过， 因为耶和华伸手对付我。"

14 她们又放声大哭。俄耳巴就和婆婆吻别， 路得却舍不得离开拿俄米。

15 拿俄米说： "你看， 你嫂嫂已经回到她同胞和她的神那里去了。你也跟着嫂嫂回去吧。"

16 路得说： "请不要逼我离开你回去， 不跟从你。你到哪里去， 我也要到哪里去； 你在哪里过夜， 我也要在哪里过夜； 你的同胞就是我的同胞， 你的 神就是我的 神；

17 你死在哪里， 我也要死在哪里， 葬在哪里。除非死亡把你我分离； 如果我离开你， 愿耶和华加倍惩罚我。"

18 拿俄米看路得坚决要跟她走， 就不再多费唇舌了。

19 她们双双上路， 来到伯利恒。她们到达的时候， 全城都因她们的缘故骚动起来。妇女们说： "这是拿俄米吗？"

20 拿俄米对她们说： "不要叫我拿俄米， 叫我玛拉吧， 因为全能者使我吃尽了苦头。

21 我满满地出去， 耶和华却使我空空地回来， 你们为什么还叫我拿俄米呢？耶和华折磨我， 全能者加害于我。"

22 拿俄米就这样回来了。她媳妇摩押女子路得随着她从摩押地回来。她们到达伯利恒， 正是开始收割大麦的时候。