Elimelech of Bethlehem going with his wife Noemi, and two sons, into the land of Moab, dieth there. His sons marry wives of that country and die without issue. Noemi returneth home with her daughter in law Ruth, who refuseth to part with her.

 1 In 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.
In diebus unius judicis, quando judices praeerant, facta est fames in terra. Abiitque homo de Bethlehem Juda, ut peregrinaretur in regione Moabitide cum uxore sua ac duobus liberis.

 2 He 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.
Ipse vocabatur Elimelech, et uxor ejus Noemi : et duo filii, alter Mahalon, et alter Chelion, Ephrathaei de Bethlehem Juda. Ingressique regionem Moabitidem, morabantur ibi.

 3 And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died: and she remained with her sons.
Et mortuus est Elimelech maritus Noemi : remansitque ipsa cum filiis.

 4 And they took wives of the women of Moab, of which one was called Orpha, and the other Ruth. And they dwelt there ten years.
Qui acceperunt uxores Moabitidas, quarum una vocabatur Orpha, altera vero Ruth. Manseruntque ibi decem annis,

 5 And they both died, to wit, Mahalon and Chelion: and the woman was left alone, having lost both her sons and her husband.
et ambo mortui sunt, Mahalon videlicet et Chelion : remansitque mulier orbata duobus liberis ac marito.

 6 And 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.
Et surrexit ut in patriam pergeret cum utraque nuru sua de regione Moabitide : audierat enim quod respexisset Dominus populum suum, et dedisset eis escas.

 7 Wherefore 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,
Egressa est itaque de loco peregrinationis suae, cum utraque nuru : et jam in via revertendi posita in terram Juda,

 8 She 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.
dixit ad eas : Ite in domum matris vestrae : faciat vobiscum Dominus misericordiam, sicut fecistis cum mortuis et mecum.

 9 May 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,
Det vobis invenire requiem in domibus virorum quos sortiturae estis. Et osculata est eas. Quae elevata voce flere coeperunt,

 10 And to say: We will go on with thee to thy people.
et dicere : Tecum pergemus ad populum tuum.

 11 But 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?
Quibus illa respondit : Revertimini, filiae meae, cur venitis mecum? num ultra habeo filios in utero meo, ut viros ex me sperare possitis?

 12 Return again, my daughters, and go your ways: for I am now spent with age, and not fit for wedlock. Although I might conceive this night, and bear children,
Revertimini, filiae meae, et abite : jam enim senectute confecta sum, nec apta vinculo conjugali : etiamsi possem hac nocte concipere, et parere filios,

 13 If you would wait till they were grown up, and come to man's estate, you would be old women before you marry. Do not so, my daughters, I beseech you: for I am grieved the more for your distress, and the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
si eos expectare velitis donec crescant, et annos pubertatis impleant, ante eritis vetulae quam nubatis. Nolite, quaeso, filiae meae : quia vestra angustia magis me premit, et egressa est manus Domini contra me.

 14 And they lifted up their voice, and began to weep again: Orpha kissed her mother in law and returned: Ruth stuck close to her mother in law.
Elevata igitur voce, rursum flere coeperunt : Orpha osculata est socrum, ac reversa est : Ruth adhaesit socrui suae :

 15 And Noemi said to her: Behold thy kinswoman is returned to her people, and to her gods, go thou with her.
cui dixit Noemi : En reversa est cognata tua ad populum suum, et ad deos suos, vade cum ea.

 16 She answered: Be not against me, to desire that I should leave thee and depart: for whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
Quae respondit : Ne adverseris mihi ut relinquam te et abeam : quocumque enim perrexeris, pergam, et ubi morata fueris, et ego pariter morabor. Populus tuus populus meus, et Deus tuus Deus meus.

 17 The land that shall receive thee dying, in the same will I die: and there will I be buried. The Lord do so and so to me, and add more also, if aught but death part me and thee.
Quae te terra morientem susceperit, in ea moriar : ibique locum accipiam sepulturae. Haec mihi faciat Dominus, et haec addat, si non sola mors me et te separaverit.

 18 Then Noemi, seeing that Ruth was steadfastly determined to go with her, would not be against it, nor persuade her any more to return to her friends:
Videns ergo Noemi quod obstinato animo Ruth decrevisset secum pergere, adversari noluit, nec ad suos ultra reditum persuadere :

 19 So they went together and came to Bethlehem. And when they were come into the city, the report was quickly spread among all: and the women said: This is that Noemi.
profectaeque sunt simul, et venerunt in Bethlehem. Quibus urbem ingressis, velox apud cunctos fama percrebruit : dicebantque mulieres : Haec est illa Noemi.

 20 But she said to them: Call me not Noemi, (that is, beautiful,) but call me Mara, (that is, bitter,) for the Almighty hath quite filled me with bitterness.
Quibus ait : Ne vocetis me Noemi ( id est, pulchram), sed vocate me Mara ( id est, amaram), quia amaritudine valde replevit me Omnipotens.

 21 I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me back empty. Why then do you call me Noemi, whom the Lord hath humbled and the Almighty hath afflicted?
Egressa sum plena, et vacuam reduxit me Dominus. Cur ergo vocatis me Noemi, quam Dominus humiliavit, et afflixit Omnipotens?

 22 So Noemi came with Ruth the Moabitess her daughter in law, from the land of her sojournment: and returned into Bethlehem, in the beginning of the barley harvest.
Venit ergo Noemi cum Ruth Moabitide nuru sua, de terra peregrinationis suae : ac reversa est in Bethlehem, quando primum hordea metebantur.