Ruth 1

¹In the days of one of the judges, when the judges ruled, there came a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem Juda, went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons.

²He was named Elimelech, and his wife, Noemi: and his two sons, the one Mahalon, and the other Chelion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Juda. And entering into the country of Moab, they abode there.

³And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died: and she remained with her sons.

⁴And they took wives of the women of Moab, of which one was called Orpha, and the other Ruth. And they dwelt there ten years.

⁵And they both died, to wit, Mahalon and Chelion: and the woman was left alone, having lost both her sons and her husband.

⁶And she arose to go from the land of Moab to her own country with both her daughters in law: for she had heard that the Lord had looked upon his people, and had given them food.

⁷Wherefore she went forth out of the place of her sojournment, with both her daughters in law: and being now in the way to return into the land of Juda,

⁸She said to them: Go ye home to your mothers: the Lord deal mercifully with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

⁹May he grant you to find rest in the houses of the husbands which you shall take. And she kissed them. And they lifted up their voice and began to weep,

¹⁰And to say: We will go on with thee to thy people.

¹¹But she answered them: Return, my daughters: why come ye with me? have I any more sons in my womb, that you may hope for husbands of me?