1:1
1:1 And it came to pass when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land: and a man went from Bethleem Judah to sojourn in the land of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
1:2 And the man's name was Elimelech, and his wife's name Naomi, and the names of his two sons Maalon and Chelaion, Ephrathites of Bethleem of Judah: and they came to the land of Moab, and remained there.
1:3 And Elimelech the husband of Noemin died; and she was left, and her two sons.
1:4 And they took to themselves wives, women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpha, and the name of the second Ruth; and they dwelt there about ten years.
1:5 And both Maalon and Chelaion died also; and the woman was left of her husband and her two sons.
1:6 And she rose up and her two daughters-in-aw, and they returned out of the country of Moab, for she heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited his people to give them bread.
1:7 And she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her: and they went by the way to return to the land of Judah.
1:8 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Go now, return each to the house of her mother: the Lord deal mercifully with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
1:9 The Lord grant you that ye may find rest each of you in the house of her husband:" and she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
1:10 And they said to her, "We will return with thee to thy people."
1:11 And Noemin said, "Return now, my daughters; and why do ye go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb to be your husbands?
1:12 Turn now, my daughters, for I am too old to be married: for I said, 'Suppose I were married, and should bear sons;
1:13 would ye wait for them till they should be grown? Or would ye refrain from being married for their sakes?' Not so, my daughters; for I am grieved for you, that the hand of the Lord hath gone forth against me."
1:14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; and Orpha kissed her mother-in-law and returned to her people; but Ruth followed her.
1:15 And Naomi said to Ruth, "Behold, thy sister-in-law hath returned to her people and to her gods; turn now thou also after thy sister-in-law."
1:16 And Ruth said, "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following thee; for whithersoever thou goest, I will go, and wheresoever thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
1:17 And wherever thou diest, I will die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if I leave thee, for death only shall divide between me and thee."
1:18 And Noemin seeing that she was determined to go with her, ceased to speak to her any more.
1:19 And they went both of them until they came to Bethleem: and it came to pass, when they arrived at Bethleem, that all the city rang with them, and they said, "Is this Naomi?"
1:20 And she said to them, "Nay, do not call me 'Noemin;' call me 'Bitter,' for the Mighty One hath dealt very bitterly with me.
1:21 I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me back empty: and why call ye me Noemin, whereas the Lord hath humbled me and the Mighty One hath afflicted me?"
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