Ruth

Chapter 1

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayehi֗y bּiymey֙ shshepo֣t hashshּopeti֔ym vayehi֥y ra'a֖b bּa'a֑retz vayּe֨leke 'i֜yshsh mibּe֧yt le֣chem yehuda֗h lagur֙ bּishsede֣y mo'a֔b h֥u ve'ishshetּ֖o ushshene֥y banaֽyv׃

Edified Edition (EDE)In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.

וַיְהִ֗י בִּימֵי֙ שְׁפֹ֣ט הַשֹּׁפְטִ֔ים וַיְהִ֥י רָעָ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ אִ֜ישׁ מִבֵּ֧ית לֶ֣חֶם יְהוּדָ֗ה לָגוּר֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב ה֥וּא וְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ וּשְׁנֵ֥י בָנָֽיו׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): veshshe֣m ha'i֣yshsh 'eֽliyme֡leke veshshem֩ 'ishshetּ֨o na'omi֜y veshshe֥m shsheneֽy-bana֣yv ׀ machel֤on vekileyon֙ 'eperati֔ym mibּe֥yt le֖chem yehuda֑h vayּabo֥'u shsedey-mo'a֖b vayּiֽheyu-shshaֽm׃

Edified Edition (EDE)The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.

וְשֵׁ֣ם הָאִ֣ישׁ אֱֽלִימֶ֡לֶךְ וְשֵׁם֩ אִשְׁתּ֨וֹ נָעֳמִ֜י וְשֵׁ֥ם שְׁנֵֽי־בָנָ֣יו ׀ מַחְל֤וֹן וְכִלְיוֹן֙ אֶפְרָתִ֔ים מִבֵּ֥ית לֶ֖חֶם יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ שְׂדֵי־מוֹאָ֖ב וַיִּֽהְיוּ־שָֽׁם׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּa֥mat 'eliyme֖leke 'i֣yshsh na'omi֑y vatּishshּa'e֥r hi֖y ushshene֥y baneֽyha׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.

וַיָּ֥מָת אֱלִימֶ֖לֶךְ אִ֣ישׁ נָעֳמִ֑י וַתִּשָּׁאֵ֥ר הִ֖יא וּשְׁנֵ֥י בָנֶֽיהָ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּishse'֣u lahe֗m nashshiym֙ moֽ'abiyּ֔ot shshe֤m haֽ'achat֙ 'arepּa֔h veshshe֥m hashshּeni֖yt r֑ut vayּe֥shshebu shsha֖m kּe'e֥shser shshaniֽym׃

Edified Edition (EDE)They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years,

וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ לָהֶ֗ם נָשִׁים֙ מֹֽאֲבִיּ֔וֹת שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ עָרְפָּ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית ר֑וּת וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָׁ֖ם כְּעֶ֥שֶׂר שָׁנִֽים׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּam֥utu gam-shsheneyhe֖m machel֣on vekiley֑on vatּishshּa'er֙ haֽ'ishshּa֔h mishshּene֥y yelade֖yha ume'iyshshaֽhּ׃

Edified Edition (EDE)both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

וַיָּמ֥וּתוּ גַם־שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם מַחְל֣וֹן וְכִלְי֑וֹן וַתִּשָּׁאֵר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה מִשְּׁנֵ֥י יְלָדֶ֖יהָ וּמֵאִישָֽׁהּ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּa֤qam hiy'֙ vekalּote֔yha vatּa֖shshab mishsּede֣y mo'a֑b kּi֤y shshaֽme'ah֙ bּishsede֣h mo'a֔b kּiֽy-paqa֤d yehvah֙ 'et-'amּ֔o late֥t lahe֖m laֽchem׃

Edified Edition (EDE)When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.

וַתָּ֤קָם הִיא֙ וְכַלֹּתֶ֔יהָ וַתָּ֖שָׁב מִשְּׂדֵ֣י מוֹאָ֑ב כִּ֤י שָֽׁמְעָה֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה מוֹאָ֔ב כִּֽי־פָקַ֤ד יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עַמּ֔וֹ לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶ֖ם לָֽחֶם׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּetze֗ min-hamּaqom֙ 'ashshe֣r hayetah-shsha֔mּah ushshetּe֥y kalּote֖yha 'imּa֑hּ vatּela֣kenah badּe֔reke lashsh֖ub 'el-'e֥retz yehudaֽh׃

Edified Edition (EDE)With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

וַתֵּצֵ֗א מִן־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיְתָה־שָׁ֔מָּה וּשְׁתֵּ֥י כַלֹּתֶ֖יהָ עִמָּ֑הּ וַתֵּלַ֣כְנָה בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ לָשׁ֖וּב אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ יְהוּדָֽה׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּo֤'mer na'omiy֙ lishshetּe֣y kalּote֔yha le֣kenah shshּo֔benah 'ishshּa֖h lebe֣yt 'imּa֑hּ y'shh ya֣'ashs yehva֤h 'imּakem֙ che֔sed kּa'ashshe֧r 'ashsiyte֛m 'im-hamּeti֖ym ve'imּadiֽy׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the LORD show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me.

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר נָעֳמִי֙ לִשְׁתֵּ֣י כַלֹּתֶ֔יהָ לֵ֣כְנָה שֹּׁ֔בְנָה אִשָּׁ֖ה לְבֵ֣ית אִמָּ֑הּ יעשה יַ֣עַשׂ יְהוָ֤ה עִמָּכֶם֙ חֶ֔סֶד כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר עֲשִׂיתֶ֛ם עִם־הַמֵּתִ֖ים וְעִמָּדִֽי׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): yitּe֤n yehvah֙ lake֔m umetze֣'na menucha֔h 'ishshּa֖h bּe֣yt 'iyshsha֑hּ vatּishshּa֣q lahe֔n vatּishsּe֥'nah qola֖n vatּibekּeֽynah׃

Edified Edition (EDE)May the LORD grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband." Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud

יִתֵּ֤ן יְהוָה֙ לָכֶ֔ם וּמְצֶ֣אןָ מְנוּחָ֔ה אִשָּׁ֖ה בֵּ֣ית אִישָׁ֑הּ וַתִּשַּׁ֣ק לָהֶ֔ן וַתִּשֶּׂ֥אנָה קוֹלָ֖ן וַתִּבְכֶּֽינָה׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּo'ma֖renah-lּa֑hּ kּiy-'itּa֥ke nashsh֖ub le'amּeֽke׃

Edified Edition (EDE)and said to her, "We will go back with you to your people."

וַתֹּאמַ֖רְנָה־לָּ֑הּ כִּי־אִתָּ֥ךְ נָשׁ֖וּב לְעַמֵּֽךְ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּo֤'mer na'omiy֙ shsho֣benah benota֔y la֥mּah tela֖kenah 'imּi֑y haֽ'ֽod-li֤y baniym֙ bּeֽme'a֔y vehay֥u lake֖m la'anashshiֽym׃

Edified Edition (EDE)But Naomi said, "Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר נָעֳמִי֙ שֹׁ֣בְנָה בְנֹתַ֔י לָ֥מָּה תֵלַ֖כְנָה עִמִּ֑י הַֽעֽוֹד־לִ֤י בָנִים֙ בְּֽמֵעַ֔י וְהָי֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם לַאֲנָשִֽׁים׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): shsho֤benah benotay֙ le֔kena kּi֥y zaqa֖netּiy mihey֣ot le'i֑yshsh kּi֤y 'ama֨retּiy֙ yeshsh-li֣y tiqeva֔h gּa֣m hayi֤ytiy halּa֨yelah֙ le'i֔yshsh vega֖m yala֥detּiy baniֽym׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me, even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons,

שֹׁ֤בְנָה בְנֹתַי֙ לֵ֔כְןָ כִּ֥י זָקַ֖נְתִּי מִהְי֣וֹת לְאִ֑ישׁ כִּ֤י אָמַ֨רְתִּי֙ יֶשׁ־לִ֣י תִקְוָ֔ה גַּ֣ם הָיִ֤יתִי הַלַּ֨יְלָה֙ לְאִ֔ישׁ וְגַ֖ם יָלַ֥דְתִּי בָנִֽים׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): halahe֣n ׀ tּeshsabּe֗renah 'a֚d 'ashshe֣r yigedּa֔lu halahen֙ tּeֽ'age֔nah lebiletּi֖y hey֣ot le'i֑yshsh 'a֣l bּenota֗y kּiֽy-mar-li֤y me'od֙ mikּe֔m kּiֽy-yatze'a֥h bi֖y yad-yehvaֽh׃

Edified Edition (EDE)would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD’s hand has turned against me!"

הֲלָהֵ֣ן ׀ תְּשַׂבֵּ֗רְנָה עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִגְדָּ֔לוּ הֲלָהֵן֙ תֵּֽעָגֵ֔נָה לְבִלְתִּ֖י הֱי֣וֹת לְאִ֑ישׁ אַ֣ל בְּנֹתַ֗י כִּֽי־מַר־לִ֤י מְאֹד֙ מִכֶּ֔ם כִּֽי־יָצְאָ֥ה בִ֖י יַד־יְהוָֽה׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּishsּe֣nah qola֔n vatּibekּe֖ynah '֑od vatּishshּa֤q 'arepּah֙ lachamota֔hּ ver֖ut dּa֥beqah bּaֽhּ׃

Edified Edition (EDE)At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

וַתִּשֶּׂ֣נָה קוֹלָ֔ן וַתִּבְכֶּ֖ינָה ע֑וֹד וַתִּשַּׁ֤ק עָרְפָּה֙ לַחֲמוֹתָ֔הּ וְר֖וּת דָּ֥בְקָה בָּֽהּ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּo֗'mer hinּeh֙ shsha֣bah yebimetּe֔ke 'el-'amּa֖hּ ve'el-'elohe֑yha shsh֖ubiy 'achare֥y yebimetּeֽke׃

Edified Edition (EDE)"Look," said Naomi, "your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her."

וַתֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּה֙ שָׁ֣בָה יְבִמְתֵּ֔ךְ אֶל־עַמָּ֖הּ וְאֶל־אֱלֹהֶ֑יהָ שׁ֖וּבִי אַחֲרֵ֥י יְבִמְתֵּֽךְ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּo֤'mer rut֙ 'al-tּipegּe'iy-bi֔y le'azebe֖ke lashsh֣ub me'achara֑yike kּi֠y 'el-'ashshe֨r tּeleki֜y 'ele֗ke uba'ashshe֤r tּali֨yniy֙ 'ali֔yn 'amּe֣ke 'amּi֔y ve'loha֖yike 'elohaֽy׃

Edified Edition (EDE)But Ruth replied, "Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רוּת֙ אַל־תִּפְגְּעִי־בִ֔י לְעָזְבֵ֖ךְ לָשׁ֣וּב מֵאַחֲרָ֑יִךְ כִּ֠י אֶל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֵּלְכִ֜י אֵלֵ֗ךְ וּבַאֲשֶׁ֤ר תָּלִ֨ינִי֙ אָלִ֔ין עַמֵּ֣ךְ עַמִּ֔י וֵאלֹהַ֖יִךְ אֱלֹהָֽי׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): bּa'ashshe֤r tּam֨utiy֙ 'am֔ut veshsha֖m 'eqּabe֑r kּoh֩ ya'ashse֨h yehva֥h liy֙ veko֣h yosi֔yp kּi֣y hamּa֔vet yaperi֖yd bּeyni֥y ubeyneֽke׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me."

בַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תָּמ֨וּתִי֙ אָמ֔וּת וְשָׁ֖ם אֶקָּבֵ֑ר כֹּה֩ יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה יְהוָ֥ה לִי֙ וְכֹ֣ה יֹסִ֔יף כִּ֣י הַמָּ֔וֶת יַפְרִ֖יד בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֵֽךְ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּe֕re kּiֽy-mite'amּe֥tzet hi֖y lale֣ket 'itּa֑hּ vatּechedּa֖l ledabּe֥r 'eleֽyha׃

Edified Edition (EDE)When Naomi realised that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

וַתֵּ֕רֶא כִּֽי־מִתְאַמֶּ֥צֶת הִ֖יא לָלֶ֣כֶת אִתָּ֑הּ וַתֶּחְדַּ֖ל לְדַבֵּ֥ר אֵלֶֽיהָ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּela֣kenah shshetּeyhe֔m 'ad-bּo'a֖nah bּe֣yt la֑chem vayehi֗y kּebo'a֨nah֙ bּe֣yt le֔chem vatּeho֤m kּal-ha'iyr֙ 'aleyhe֔n vatּo'ma֖renah hazo֥'t na'omiֽy׃

Edified Edition (EDE)So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?"

וַתֵּלַ֣כְנָה שְׁתֵּיהֶ֔ם עַד־בֹּאָ֖נָה בֵּ֣ית לָ֑חֶם וַיְהִ֗י כְּבֹאָ֨נָה֙ בֵּ֣ית לֶ֔חֶם וַתֵּהֹ֤ם כָּל־הָעִיר֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ן וַתֹּאמַ֖רְנָה הֲזֹ֥את נָעֳמִֽי׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּo֣'mer 'aleyhe֔n 'al-tּiqere֥'nah li֖y na'omi֑y qere֤'na liy֙ mara֔ kּiy-hema֥r shshadּa֛y li֖y me'oֽd׃

Edified Edition (EDE)"Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "Call me Mara [1], because the Almighty has made my life very bitter."

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ן אַל־תִּקְרֶ֥אנָה לִ֖י נָעֳמִ֑י קְרֶ֤אןָ לִי֙ מָרָ֔א כִּי־הֵמַ֥ר שַׁדַּ֛י לִ֖י מְאֹֽד׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): aniy֙ mele'a֣h hala֔ketּiy vereyqa֖m heshshiyba֣niy yehva֑h la֣mּah tiqere֤'nah liy֙ na'omi֔y vaֽyhvah֙ 'a֣nah bi֔y veshshadּa֖y he֥raֽ liֽy׃

Edified Edition (EDE)I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? the LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me."

אֲנִי֙ מְלֵאָ֣ה הָלַ֔כְתִּי וְרֵיקָ֖ם הֱשִׁיבַ֣נִי יְהוָ֑ה לָ֣מָּה תִקְרֶ֤אנָה לִי֙ נָעֳמִ֔י וַֽיהוָה֙ עָ֣נָה בִ֔י וְשַׁדַּ֖י הֵ֥רַֽע לִֽי׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּa֣shshab na'omi֗y ver֨ut hamּo'abiyּa֤h kalּatahּ֙ 'imּa֔hּ hashshּa֖bah mishsּede֣y mo'a֑b vehe֗mּah bּa֚'u bּe֣yt le֔chem bּitechilּa֖t qetzi֥yr shse'oriֽym׃

Edified Edition (EDE)So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.

וַתָּ֣שָׁב נָעֳמִ֗י וְר֨וּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּ֤ה כַלָּתָהּ֙ עִמָּ֔הּ הַשָּׁ֖בָה מִשְּׂדֵ֣י מוֹאָ֑ב וְהֵ֗מָּה בָּ֚אוּ בֵּ֣ית לֶ֔חֶם בִּתְחִלַּ֖ת קְצִ֥יר שְׂעֹרִֽים׃