er
sons.

1:4. And they took wives of the women of Moab, of which one was called
Orpha, and the other Ruth. And they dwelt their ten years,

1:5. And they both died, to wit, Mahalon and Chelion: and the woman was
left alone, having lost both her sons and her husband.

1:6. 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.

1:7. 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,

1:8. 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.

1:9. May he grant you to find rest in the houses of the husbands whom
you shall take. And she kissed them. And they lifted up their voice, and
began to weep,

1:10. And to say: We will go on with thee to thy people.

1:11. 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?

1:12. 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,

1:13. 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.

1:14. 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.

1:15. And Noemi said to her: Behold thy kinswoman is returned to her
people, and to her gods, go thou with her.

To her gods, etc... Noemi did not mean to persuade Ruth to return to the
false gods she had formerly worshipped: but by this manner of speech,
insinuated to her, that if she would go with her, she must renounce her
false gods and return to the Lord the God of Israel.

1:16. 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.

1:17. 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 dea