Ruth 1 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Ruth 1 (WEBP)

[1] In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons.
[2] The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab and lived there.
[3] Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons.
[4] They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.
[5] Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.
[6] Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab how Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread.
[7] She went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her. They went on the way to return to the land of Judah.
[8] Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May Yahweh deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
[9] May Yahweh grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices, and wept.
[10] They said to her, “No, but we will return with you to your people.”
[11] Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
[12] Go back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons,
[13] would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me seriously for your sakes, for Yahweh’s hand has gone out against me.”
[14] They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her.
[15] She said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law.”
[16] Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.
[17] Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”
[18] When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
[19] So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was excited about them, and they asked, “Is this Naomi?”
[20] She said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
[21] I went out full, and Yahweh has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since Yahweh has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
[22] So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

Ruth 1:6 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations.
Ruth 1:15 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
Ruth 1:16 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
Ruth 1:20a “Naomi” means “pleasant”.
Ruth 1:20b “Mara” means “bitter”.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Ruth 1 (KJVS)

[1] Now it came to pass in the days when the judges () ruled (), that there was a famine in the land . And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went () to sojourn () in the country of Moab , he, and his wife , and his two sons .
[2] And the name of the man [was] Elimelech , and the name of his wife Naomi , and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion , Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah . And they came () into the country of Moab , and continued there.
[3] And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died (); and she was left (), and her two sons .
[4] And they took () them wives of the women of Moab ; the name of the one [was] Orpah , and the name of the other Ruth : and they dwelled () there about ten years .
[5] And Mahlon and Chilion died () also both of them; and the woman was left () of her two sons and her husband .
[6] Then she arose () with her daughters in law , that she might return () from the country of Moab : for she had heard () in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited () his people in giving () them bread .
[7] Wherefore she went forth () out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went () on the way to return () unto the land of Judah .
[8] And Naomi said () unto her two daughters in law , Go (), return () each to her mother’s house : the LORD deal () kindly with you, as ye have dealt () with the dead (), and with me.
[9] The LORD grant () you that ye may find () rest , each [of you] in the house of her husband . Then she kissed () them; and they lifted up () their voice , and wept ().
[10] And they said () unto her, Surely we will return () with thee unto thy people .
[11] And Naomi said (), Turn again (), my daughters : why will ye go () with me? [are] there yet [any more] sons in my womb , that they may be your husbands ?
[12] Turn again (), my daughters , go () [your way]; for I am too old () to have an husband . If I should say (), I have hope , [if] I should have an husband also to night , and should also bear () sons ;
[13] Would ye tarry () for them till they were grown ()? would ye stay () for them from having husbands ? nay, my daughters ; for it grieveth () me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out () against me.
[14] And they lifted up () their voice , and wept again (): and Orpah kissed () her mother in law ; but Ruth clave () unto her.
[15] And she said (), Behold, thy sister in law is gone back () unto her people , and unto her gods : return () thou after thy sister in law .
[16] And Ruth said (), Intreat () 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 :
[17] 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.
[18] When she saw () that she was stedfastly minded () to go () with her, then she left () speaking () unto her.
[19] So they two went () until they came () to Bethlehem . And it came to pass, when they were come () to Bethlehem , that all the city was moved () about them, and they said (), [Is] this Naomi ?
[20] And she said () unto them, Call () me not Naomi , call () me Mara : for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly () with me.
[21] I went out () full , and the LORD hath brought me home again () empty : why [then] call () ye me Naomi , seeing the LORD hath testified () against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted () me?
[22] 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 .

Young’s Literal Translation

Ruth 1 (YLT)

[1] And it cometh to pass, in the days of the judging of the judges, that there is a famine in the land, and there goeth a man from Beth-Lehem-Judah to sojourn in the fields of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
[2] And the name of the man is Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites from Beth-Lehem-Judah; and they come into the fields of Moab, and are there.
[3] And Elimelech husband of Naomi dieth, and she is left, she and her two sons;
[4] and they take to them wives, Moabitesses: the name of the one is Orpah, and the name of the second Ruth; and they dwell there about ten years.
[5] And they die also, both of them-Mahlon and Chilion-and the woman is left of her two children and of her husband.
[6] And she riseth, she and her daughters-in-law, and turneth back from the fields of Moab, for she hath heard in the fields of Moab that God hath looked after His people,-to give to them bread.
[7] And she goeth out from the place where she hath been, and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they go in the way to turn back unto the land of Judah.
[8] And Naomi saith to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go, turn back, each to the house of her mother; Jehovah doth with you kindness as ye have done with the dead, and with me;
[9] Jehovah doth grant to you, and find ye rest each in the house of her husband;’ and she kisseth them, and they lift up their voice and weep.
[10] And they say to her, ‘Surely with thee we go back to thy people.’
[11] And Naomi saith, ‘Turn back, my daughters; why do ye go with me? are there yet to me sons in my bowels that they have been to you for husbands?
[12] Turn back, my daughters, go, for I am too aged to be to a husband; though I had said, There is for me hope, also, I have been to-night to a husband, and also I have borne sons:
[13] for them do ye wait till that they grow up? for them do ye shut yourselves up, not to be to a husband? nay, my daughters, for more bitter to me than to you, for the hand of Jehovah hath gone out against me.’
[14] And they lift up their voice, and weep again, and Orpah kisseth her mother-in-law, and Ruth hath cleaved to her.
[15] And she saith, ‘Lo, thy sister-in-law hath turned back unto her people, and unto her god, turn thou back after thy sister-in-law.’
[16] And Ruth saith, ‘Urge me not to leave thee-to turn back from after thee; for whither thou goest I go, and where thou lodgest I lodge; thy people is my people, and thy God my God.
[17] Where thou diest I die, and there I am buried; thus doth Jehovah to me, and thus doth He add-for death itself doth part between me and thee.’
[18] And she seeth that she is strengthening herself to go with her, and she ceaseth to speak unto her;
[19] and they go both of them till their coming in to Beth-Lehem; and it cometh to pass at their coming in to Beth-Lehem, that all the city is moved at them, and they say, ‘Is this Naomi?’
[20] And she saith unto them, ‘Call me not Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly to me,
[21] I went out full, and empty hath Jehovah brought me back, why do ye call me Naomi, and Jehovah hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath done evil to me?’
[22] And Naomi turneth back, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who hath turned back from the fields of Moab, and they have come in to Beth-Lehem at the commencement of barley-harvest.