路得記 3

¹路得的婆婆拿俄米對她說：「女兒啊，我不當為你找個安身之處，使你享福嗎？One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek a resting place for you, that it may be well with you?

²你與波阿斯的使女常在一處，波阿斯不是我們的親族嗎？他今夜在場上簸大麥；Now is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been working, a relative of ours? In fact, tonight he is winnowing barley on the threshing floor.

³你要沐浴抹膏，換上衣服，下到場上，卻不要使那人認出你來。你等他吃喝完了，Therefore wash yourself, put on perfume, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but do not let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.

⁴到他睡的時候，你看準他睡的地方，就進去掀開他腳上的被，躺臥在那裡，他必告訴你所當做的事。」When he lies down, note the place where he lies. Then go in and uncover his feet, and lie down, and he will explain to you what you should do.”

⁵路得說：「凡你所吩咐的，我必遵行。」“I will do everything you say,” Ruth answered.

⁶路得就下到場上，照她婆婆所吩咐她的而行。So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her to do.

⁷波阿斯吃喝完了，心裡歡暢，就去睡在麥堆旁邊。路得便悄悄地來掀開他腳上的被，躺臥在那裡。After Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth went in secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

⁸到了夜半，那人忽然驚醒，翻過身來，不料有女子躺在他的腳下。At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman!

⁹他就說：「你是誰？」回答說：「我是你的婢女路得。求你用你的衣襟遮蓋我，因為你是我一個至近的親屬。」“Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.”

¹⁰波阿斯說：「女兒啊，願你蒙耶和華賜福。你末後的恩比先前更大；因為少年人無論貧富，你都沒有跟從。Then Boaz said, “May the LORD bless you, my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before, because you have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.

¹¹女兒啊，現在不要懼怕，凡你所說的，我必照著行；我本城的人都知道你是個賢德的女子。And now do not be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you whatever you request, since all my fellow townspeople know that you are a woman of noble character.

¹²我實在是你一個至近的親屬，只是還有一個人比我更近。Yes, it is true that I am a kinsman-redeemer, but there is a redeemer nearer than I.

¹³你今夜在這裡住宿，明早他若肯為你盡親屬的本分，就由他吧！倘若不肯，我指著永生的耶和華起誓，我必為你盡了本分，你只管躺到天亮。」Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, good. Let him redeem you. But if he does not want to redeem you, as surely as the LORD lives, I will. Now lie here until morning.”

¹⁴路得便在他腳下躺到天快亮，人彼此不能辨認的時候就起來了。波阿斯說：「不可使人知道有女子到場上來」；So she lay down at his feet until morning, but she got up before anyone else could recognize her. Then Boaz said, “Do not let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.”

¹⁵又對路得說：「打開你所披的外衣。」她打開了，波阿斯就撮了六簸箕大麥，幫她扛在肩上，她便進城去了。And he told her, “Bring the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured in six measures of barley and placed it on her. Then he went into the city.

¹⁶路得回到婆婆那裡，婆婆說：「女兒啊，怎麼樣了？」路得就將那人向她所行的述說了一遍，When Ruth returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked her, “How did it go, my daughter?” Then Ruth told her all that Boaz had done for her.

¹⁷又說：「那人給了我六簸箕大麥，對我說：『你不可空手回去見你的婆婆。』」And she said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

¹⁸婆婆說：「女兒啊，你只管安坐等候，看這事怎樣成就，因為那人今日不辦成這事必不休息。」“Wait, my daughter,” said Naomi, “until you find out how things go, for he will not rest unless he has resolved the matter today.”