Chapter 1 of 4

By occasion of famine Elimelech of Bethlehem going with his wife Noemi, and two sons, into the Land of Moab, there dieth. 4. His sons marry wives of that country, and die without issue. 6. Noemi returning homewards hardly persuadeth one of her daughters in law, to part from her. 15. The other, called Ruth, will needs go with her, professing the same God and Religion. 19. So these two arrive in Bethlehem.By occasion of famine Elimelech of Bethleem going with his wife Noemi, and two sonnes, into the Land of Moab, there dieth. 4. His sonnes marrie wiues of that countrie, and die without issue. 6. Noemi returning home wardes hardly perswadeth one of her daughters in law, to part from her. 15. The other, called Ruth, wil needes goe with her, professing the same God and Religion. 19. So these two arriue in Bethleem.

In the days of one Judge, when the Judges ruled, there came a famine in the Land. And there went a man of Bethlehem Juda, to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife, and two children.IN the dayes of one Iudge, when the Iudges ruled, there came a famine in the Land. And there went a man of Bethleem Iuda, to seiourne in the land of Moab with his wife, and two children.In diebus unius judicis, quando judices præerant, facta est fames in terra. Abiitque homo de Bethlehem Juda, ut peregrinaretur in regione Moabitide cum uxore sua ac duobus liberis.

²Himself was called Elimelech, and his wife, Noemi: and his two sons, the one Mahalon, and the other Chelion, Ephraites of Bethlehem Juda. And entering into the country of Moab, they abode there.Him self was called Elimelech, and his wife, Noemi: and his two sonnes, the one Mahalon, and the other Chelion, Ephraites of Bethleem Iuda. And entring into the countrie of Moab, they abode there.Ipse vocabatur Elimelech, et uxor ejus Noëmi : et duo filii, alter Mahalon, et alter Chelion, Ephrathæi de Bethlehem Juda. Ingressique regionem Moabitidem, morabantur ibi.

³And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died: and she remained with her sons.And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died: and she remained with her sonnes.Et mortuus est Elimelech maritus Noëmi : remansitque ipsa cum filiis.

⁴Who took wives of the Moabites, of the which one was called Orpha, and the other Ruth. And they abode there ten years,Who tooke wiues of the Moabites, of the which one was called Orpha, and the other Ruth. And they abode there ten yeares,Qui acceperunt uxores Moabitidas, quarum una vocabatur Orpha, altera vero Ruth. Manseruntque ibi decem annis,

⁵and both died, to wit, Mahalon and Chelion: and the woman remained destitute of her two children and her husband.and both died, to witte, Mahalon and Chelion: and the woman remayned destitute of her two children & her husband.et ambo mortui sunt, Mahalon videlicet et Chelion : remansitque mulier orbata duobus liberis ac marito.

⁶And she arose to go into her country with both her daughters in law from the country of Moab: for she had heard that our Lord had respected his people, and had given them victualsprovisions, food · Vulgate: escas: food.And she arose to goe into her countrie with both her daughters in law from the countrie of Moab: for she had heard that our Lord had respected his people, & had geuen them victuals.Et surrexit ut in patriam pergeret cum utraque nuru sua de regione Moabitide : audierat enim quod respexisset Dominus populum suum, et dedisset eis escas.

⁷She therefore went forth from the place of her peregrinationsojourning, dwelling abroad as a stranger · Vulgate: peregrinationis: a sojourning abroad, with both her daughters in law: and being now set in the way to return into the Land of Juda,She therfore went forth from the place of her peregrination, with both her daughters in law: and being now sette in the way to returne into the Land of Iuda,Egressa est itaque de loco peregrinationis suæ, cum utraque nuru : et jam in via revertendi posita in terram Juda,

⁸she said to them: Go into your mother's house, our Lord do mercy with you, as you have done with the dead and with me.she said to them: Goe into your mothers house, our Lord doe mercie with you, as you haue done with the dead and with me.dixit ad eas : Ite in domum matris vestræ : faciat vobiscum Dominus misericordiam, sicut fecistis cum mortuis, et mecum.

⁹Grant he unto you to find rest in the houses of your husbands, which you shall take. And she kissed them. Who lifting up their voice began to weep,Grant he vnto you to find rest in the houses of your husbandes, which you shal take. And she kissed them. Who lifting vp their voice beganne to weepe,Det vobis invenire requiem in domibus virorum quos sortituræ estis. Et osculata est eas. Quæ elevata voce flere cœperunt,

¹⁰and to say: We will go on with thee to thy people.& to say: We wil goe on with thee to thy people.et dicere : Tecum pergemus ad populum tuum.

¹¹To whom she answered: Return my daughters, why come you with me? shall I have sons any more in my womb, that you may hope for husbands of me?To whom she answered: Returne my daughters, why come you with me? shal I haue sonnes any more in my wombe, that you may hope for husbandes of me?Quibus illa respondit : Revertimini, filiæ meæ, cur venitis mecum ? num ultra habeo filios in utero meo, ut viros ex me sperare possitis ?

¹²Return my daughters, and go your ways: for I am now spent with old age, and not fit for wedlock. Although I might conceive this night, and bear children,Returne my daughters, and goe your wayes: for I am now spent with old age, and not fitte for wedlocke. Although I might conceiue this night, and beare children,Revertimini, filiæ meæ, et abite : jam enim senectute confecta sum, nec apta vinculo conjugali : etiamsi possem hac nocte concipere, et parere filios,

¹³if you would expect till they grow, and be of man's age, you shall be old women before you marry. Do not so my daughters, I beseech you: for your distress doth the more grieve me, and the hand of our Lord is come forth against me.if you would expect til they grow, and be of mans age, you shal be old women befor you marrie. Doe not so my daughters, I beseech you: for your distresse doth the more greue me, & the hand of our Lord is come forth against me.si eos expectare velitis donec crescant, et annos pubertatis impleant, ante eritis vetulæ quam nubatis. Nolite, quæso, filiæ meæ : quia vestra angustia magis me premit, et egressa est manus Domini contra me.

¹⁴Therefore lifting up their voice they began to weep again: Orpha kissed her mother in law, and returned: Ruth cleaved to her mother in law,Therfore lifting vp their voice they beganne to weepe agayne: Orpha kissed her mother in law, and returned: Ruth cleaued to her mother in law,Elevata igitur voce, rursum flere cœperunt : Orpha osculata est socrum, ac reversa est ; Ruth adhæsit socrui suæ :

¹⁶Who answered: Be not against me, to the end that I should leave thee and depart: for whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt abide, I also will abide. Thy people my people, and thy God my God.Who answered: Be not against me, to the end that I should leaue thee and depart: for whither soeuer thou shalt goe, I wil goe: and where thou shalt abide, I also wil abide. Thy people my people, and thy God my God.Quæ respondit : Ne adverseris mihi ut relinquam te et abeam : quocumque enim perrexeris, pergam, et ubi morata fueris, et ego pariter morabor. Populus tuus populus meus, et Deus tuus Deus meus.

¹⁷The land that shall receive thee dying, in the same will I die: and there will I take a place for my burial. These things do God to me, and these things add he, if death only shall not separate me and thee.The land that shal receiue thee dying, in the same wil I die: and there wil I take a place for my burial. These thinges doe God to me, & these thinges adde he, if death onlie shal not separate me and thee.Quæ te terra morientem susceperit, in ea moriar : ibique locum accipiam sepulturæ. Hæc mihi faciat Dominus, et hæc addat, si non sola mors me et te separaverit.

¹⁸Noemi therefore seeing that Ruth with a steadfast mind had determined to go forward with her, would not be against it, nor persuade her any more to return to her friends:Noemi therfore seeing that Ruth with a stiffast mind had determined to goe forward with her, would not be against it, nor perswade her any more to returne to her frendes:Videns ergo Noëmi quod obstinato animo Ruth decrevisset secum pergere, adversari noluit, nec ad suos ultra reditum persuadere :

¹⁹and they went forth together, and came into Bethlehem. Who being entered into the city, a brutea rumour, common report, not a brute beast nor a brutish person · Vulgate: fama: rumour, report was quickly spread among them: and the women said: This is that Noemi.and they went forth together, and came into Bethlehem. Who being entred into the citie, a brute was quickly spred among them: and the wemen said: This is that Noemi.profectæque sunt simul, et venerunt in Bethlehem. Quibus urbem ingressis, velox apud cunctos fama percrebruit : dicebantque mulieres : Hæc est illa Noëmi.

²⁰To whom she said: Call me not Noemi (that is to say, beautiful) but call me Mara (that is to say, bitter) because with bitterness hath the Almighty very much replenishedfilled full (sense: filled, not re-supplied) · Vulgate: replevit: hath filled me.To whom she said: Cal me not Noemi (that is to say, beautiful) but cal me Mara (that is to say, bitter) because with bitternes hath the Almightie very much replenished me.Quibus ait : Ne vocetis me Noëmi (id est, pulchram), sed vocate me Mara (id est, amaram), quia amaritudine valde replevit me Omnipotens.

²²Noemi therefore came with Ruth the Moabite her daughter in law, from the Land of her peregrination: and returned into Bethlehem, when barley was first reaped.Noemi therfore came with Ruth the Moabite her daughter in law, from the Land of her peregrination: and returned into Bethlehem, when barley was first reaped.Venit ergo Noëmi cum Ruth Moabitide nuru sua, de terra peregrinationis suæ : ac reversa est in Bethlehem, quando primum hordea metebantur.