Chapter 3

1 And Naomi her mother-in-law saith to her, ‘My daughter, do not I seek for thee rest, that it may be well with thee? 2and now, is not Boaz of our acquaintance, with whose young women thou hast been? lo, he is winnowing the threshing-floor of barley to-night, 3and thou hast bathed, and anointed thyself, and put thy garments upon thee, and gone down to the threshing-floor; let not thyself be known to the man till he complete to eat and to drink; 4and it cometh to pass when he lieth down, that thou hast known the place where he lieth down, and hast gone in, and uncovered his feet, and lain down,—and he doth declare to thee that which thou dost do.’ 5And she saith unto her, ‘All that thou sayest—I do.’

6 And she goeth down to the threshing-floor, and doth according to all that her mother-in-law commanded her 7And Boaz eateth and drinketh, and his heart is glad; and he goeth in to lie down at the end of the heap; and she cometh in gently, and uncovereth his feet, and lieth down. 8And it cometh to pass, at the middle of the night, that the man trembleth, and turneth himself, and lo, a woman is lying at his feet. 9And he saith, ‘Who art thou?’ and she saith, ‘I am Ruth thy handmaid, and thou hast spread thy skirt over thy handmaid, for thou art a redeemer.’ 10And he saith, ‘Blessed art thou of Jehovah, my daughter; thou hast dealt more kindly at the latter end than at the beginning—not to go after the young men, either poor or rich. 11And now, my daughter, fear not, all that thou sayest I do to thee, for all the gate of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. 12And now, surely, true, that I am a redeemer, but also there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13Lodge to night, and it hath been in the morning, if he doth redeem thee, well: he redeemeth; and if he delight not to redeem thee, then I have redeemed thee—I; Jehovah liveth! lie down till the morning.’

14 And she lieth down at his feet till the morning, and riseth before one doth discern another; and he saith, ‘Let it not be known that the woman hath come into the floor.’ 15And he saith, ‘Give the covering which is on thee, and keep hold on it;’ and she keepeth hold on it, and he measureth six measures of barley, and layeth it on her; and he goeth into the city. 16And she cometh in unto her mother-in-law, and she saith, ‘Who art thou, my daughter?’ and she declareth to her all that the man hath done to her. 17And she saith, ‘These six measures of barley he hath given to me, for he said, Thou dost not go in empty unto thy mother-in-law.’ 18And she saith, ‘Sit still, my daughter, till thou dost know how the matter falleth, for the man doth not rest except he hath completed the matter to-day.’