Ruth 2

1Naomi had a relative on her husband's side. He was a man of great wealth and influence from the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz.

2One day Ruth, the Moabite, said to Naomi: May I go to the fields? Maybe I can find someone who will be kind to me. That person may let me gather the grain left in the field. Naomi said: Yes, my daughter, you may go.

3So Ruth went to the fields. She followed the workers who were cutting the grain. Ruth gathered the grain that was left. It happened that part of the field belonged to Boaz, the man from Elimelech's family.

4Boaz came from the town of Bethlehem. He said to his workers: The LORD be with you. The workers said to Boaz: The LORD bless you.

5Boaz looked at Ruth and asked the leader of the people who were cutting the barley: Who does that young woman belong to ?

6The leader said: Ruth is the young woman from the land of Moab who came back with Naomi.

7Ruth asked us if she could walk behind the people who cut the barley to pick up the barley that falls onto the ground. She has worked on the field from this morning until now. Ruth has not gone home to rest.

8Then Boaz said to Ruth: Listen to me my daughter. Do not go and pick up barley on the field of another man. Do not go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me.

9Watch the field where the workers cut the barley. Follow the women who work for me. I have told the young men not to bother you. When you are thirsty, go and drink from the water jars that my workers filled.

10Ruth bowed down in front of Boaz and asked Boaz: Why are you so good to me? I am not from your people. I am a stranger from another land.

11Boaz said: People have told me all about the good things you have done. When your husband died, you helped Naomi in many ways. You left your father, your mother and your land. You came to live with people you did not know.

12Boaz said: The LORD will reward you for all the good things you have done. The LORD, the God of Israel, will pay you in full. You have come to Him for safety, under His wings.

13Ruth said: Sir, May I continue to find goodness from you, you have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me. I am not one of the women who work for you, but you help me, and you are good and friendly to me.

14When it was time to eat, Boaz said to Ruth: Come here. Take some of the bread and dip it in our vinegar. Ruth sat down with the workers and Boaz gave her some roasted grain. Ruth ate until she was full and had some food leftover.

15Then Ruth went back to work to pick up barley. Boaz told his servants: Let Ruth gather even around the piles of grain. Do not stop Ruth or insult her.

16Boaz also told his servants to make it easier for Ruth by pulling some full heads of barley out of the bundles and leaving them for her to gather. Let Ruth gather that also. Do not tell her to stop or insult her.

17Ruth worked in the fields until evening. Then she separated the grain from the chaff. There was about 6 gallons of barley .

18Ruth carried the barley into town to show her mother-in-law what she had gathered. She also gave her the food that was left from lunch.

19Naomi asked Ruth: Where did you gather all this grain? Where did you work? Bless the man who noticed you. Then Ruth told her who she had worked with. Ruth said: The man I worked with today is named Boaz.

20Naomi said to Ruth: May the LORD bless him. The LORD has continued showing His kindness to the living and the dead. Then Naomi told her daughter-in-law: Boaz is one of our relatives. He is one of our protectors.

21Then Ruth, the woman from Moab, said to Naomi: Boaz also said to me: You must stay with my workers until they have finished cutting all the barley.

22Naomi said to Ruth: Yes, my daughter in law, it will be good for you to go with the women who work for Boaz. The workers on another field could give you problems and tell you to go away.

23So Ruth worked near the women who worked for Boaz until they finished cutting all the barley and she stayed with Naomi in her house.