¹In 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 .

²The 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 .

³Elimelech, Naomi ’s husband, died ; and she was left with her two sons .

⁴They 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 .

⁵Mahlon and Chilion both died , and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.

⁶Then 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 the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread .[#1:6 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name (Hebrew “”, usually pronounced Yahweh).]

⁷She 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 .

⁸Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law , “Go , return each of you to her mother’s house . May the LORD deal kindly with you , as you have dealt with the dead and with me .

⁹May the LORD 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 .

¹⁰They said to her , “No, but we will return with you to your people .”

¹¹Naomi 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 ?

¹²Go 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 ,

¹³would 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 the LORD ’s hand has gone out against me .”

¹⁴They lifted up their voices and wept again ; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law , but Ruth stayed with her .

¹⁵She said, “Behold , your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law .”[#1:15 “Behold”, from “”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.]

¹⁶Ruth 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.[#1:16 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “” (Elohim).]

¹⁷Where you die , I will die , and there I will be buried . May the LORD do so to me , and more also , if anything but death parts you and me .”

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

¹⁹So 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 ?”

²⁰She said to them , “Don’t call me Naomi . Call me Mara , for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me .[#1:20 “Naomi” means “pleasant”.; #1:20 “Mara” means “bitter”.]

²¹I went out full , and the LORD has brought me home again empty . Why do you call me Naomi , since the LORD has testified against me , and the Almighty has afflicted me ?”

²²So 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 .