Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voices and wept, and said
unto her, "Surely we will return with thee unto thy people."

Naomi said, "Turn again, my daughters, why will you go with me? Have I
yet any more sons that may be your husbands? Nay, it grieveth me much
for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me. Turn
again my daughters; go your way."

Again they lifted up their voice and wept, and Orpah kissed her
mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto her.

Naomi said, "Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and
unto her gods; return thou after thy sister-in-law."

And Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from
following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou
lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my
God: where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord
do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me."

When Naomi saw that Ruth was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she
left speaking unto her. So they two went until they came to Bethlehem.

[Illustration: "WHITHER THOU GOEST, I WILL GO"]

There it came to pass that all the city was moved about them, and the
people said, "Is this Naomi?"

"Call me not Naomi," she said unto them. "Call me Mara: for the Almighty
hath dealt very bitterly with me.[146-1] I went out full and the Lord
hath brought me home again empty: why then call me Naomi, seeing the
Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?"

So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with
her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to
Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

II

Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth; and his
name was Boaz.

And Ruth said unto Naomi, "Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of
corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace." And Naomi answered,
"Go, my daughter."

And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and
her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz.

And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said unto the reapers, "The
Lord be with you."

And the reapers answered him, "The Lord bless thee." Then said Boaz unto
his servant that was set over the reapers, "Whose damsel is this?"

And the servant answered and said, "It is the Moabitish damsel that came
back with Naomi out of the co