Brenton Translation
1851 by Lancelot Brenton

Ruth Chapter 1

Rth 1:1 And it came to pass when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land: and a man went from Bethleem Juda to sojourn in the land of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
Rth 1:2 And the man’s name [was] Elimelech, and his wife’s name Noemin, and the names of his two sons Maalon and Chelaion, Ephrathites of Bethleem of Juda: and they came to the land of Moab, and remained there.
Rth 1:3 And Elimelech the husband of Noemin died; and she was left, and her two sons.
Rth 1:4 And they took to themselves wives, women of Moab; the name of the one [was] Orpha, and the name of the second Ruth; and they dwelt there about ten years.
Rth 1:5 And both Maalon and Chelaion died also; and the woman was left of her husband and her two sons.
Rth 1:6 And she rose up and her two daughters-in-law, and they returned out of the country of Moab, for she heard in the country of Moab that the Lord [had] visited his people to give them bread.
Rth 1:7 And she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her: and they went by the way to return to the land of Juda.
Rth 1:8 And Noemin said to her daughter-in-law, Go now, return each to the house of her mother: the Lord deal mercifully with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
Rth 1:9 The Lord grant you that ye may find rest each of you in the house of her husband: and she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
Rth 1:10 And they said to her, We will return with thee to thy people.
Rth 1:11 And Noemin said, Return now, my daughters; and why do ye go with me? have I yet sons in my womb to be your husbands?
Rth 1:12 Turn now, my daughters, for I am too old to be married: for I said, Suppose I were married, and should bear sons;
Rth 1:13 would ye wait for them till they should be grown? or would ye refrain from being married for their sakes? Not so, my daughters; for I am grieved for you, that the hand of the Lord has gone forth against me.
Rth 1:14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; and Orpha kissed her mother-in-law and returned to her people; but Ruth followed her.
Rth 1:15 And Noemin said to Ruth, Behold, thy sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods; turn now thou also after thy sister-in-law.
Rth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following thee; for whithersoever thou goest, I will go, and wheresoever thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people [shall be] my people, and thy God my God.
Rth 1:17 And wherever thou diest, I will die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, [if I leave thee], for death [only] shall divide between me and thee.
Rth 1:18 And Noemin seeing that she was determined to go with her, ceased to speak to her any more.
Rth 1:19 And they went both of them until they came to Bethleem: and it came to pass, when they arrived at Bethleem, that all the city rang with them, and they said, Is this Noemin?
Rth 1:20 And she said to them, Nay, do not call me Noemin; call me ‘Bitter,’ for the Mighty One has dealt very bitterly with me.
Rth 1:21 I went out full, and the Lord has brought me back empty: and why call ye me Noemin, whereas the Lord has humbled me and the Mighty One has afflicted me?
Rth 1:22 So Noemin and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, returned from the country of Moab; and they came to Bethleem in the beginning of barley harvest.