Ruth Meets Boaz
1-3 One day, Ruth said to Naomi, “Let me see if I can find someone who will let me pick up the grain left in the fields by the harvest workers.”
Naomi answered, “Go ahead, my daughter.” So immediately Ruth went out to pick up grain in a field. She didn't know it was owned by Boaz, a relative of Naomi's husband Elimelech, as well as a rich and important man.
4 When Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and went out to his field, he said to the harvest workers, “The Lord bless you!”
They replied, “And may the Lord bless you!”
5 Then Boaz asked the man in charge of the harvest workers, “Who is that young woman?”
6 The man answered, “She is the one who came back from Moab with Naomi. 7 She asked if she could pick up grain left by the harvest workers, and she has been working all morning without a moment's rest.”
8 Boaz went over to Ruth and said, “I think it would be best for you not to pick up grain in anyone else's field. Stay here with the women 9 and follow along behind them, as they gather up what the men have cut. I have warned the men not to bother you, and whenever you are thirsty, you can drink from their water jars.”
10 Ruth bowed down to the ground and said, “You know I come from another country. Why are you so good to me?”
11 Boaz answered, “I've heard how you've helped your mother-in-law ever since your husband died. You even left your own father and mother to come and live in a foreign land among people you don't know. 12 I pray that the Lord God of Israel will reward you for what you have done. And now that you have come to him for protection, I pray that he will bless you.”
13 Ruth replied, “Sir, it's good of you to speak kindly to me and make me feel so welcome. I'm not even one of your servants.”
14 At mealtime Boaz said to Ruth, “Come, eat with us. Have some bread and dip it in the sauce.” At once she sat down with the workers, and Boaz handed her some roasted grain. Ruth ate all she wanted and had some left over.
15 When Ruth left to start picking up grain, Boaz told his men, “Don't stop her, even if she picks up grain from where it is stacked. 16 Be sure to pull out some stalks of grain from the bundles and leave them on the ground for her. And don't speak harshly to her!”
17 Ruth worked in the field until evening. Then after she had pounded the grain off the stalks, she had a large basket full of grain. 18 She took the grain to town and showed Naomi how much she had picked up. Ruth also gave her the food left over from her lunch.
19 Naomi said, “Where did you work today? Whose field was it? God bless the man who treated you so well!” Then Ruth told her that she had worked in the field of a man named Boaz.
20 “The Lord bless Boaz!” Naomi replied. “He has shown that he is still loyal to the living and to the dead. Boaz is a close relative, one of those who is supposed to look after us.”
21 Ruth told her, “Boaz even said I could stay in the field with his workers until they had finished harvesting all his grain.”
22 Naomi replied, “My daughter, it's good that you can pick up grain alongside the women who work in his field. Who knows what might happen to you in someone else's field!” 23 And so, Ruth stayed close to the women, while picking up grain in his field.
Ruth worked in the fields until the barley and wheat were harvested. And all this time she lived with Naomi.
Rute sastop Boazu
1 Naomi bija radinieks, ļoti ietekmīgs vīrs no viņas vīra Elīmeleha dzimtas, vārdā Boazs. 2 Reiz moābiete Rute sacīja Naomi: “Ja nu es ietu uz tīrumu uzlasīt vārpas aiz tā, kura acīs es gūšu vēlību?” Un viņa tai teica: “Ej, mana meita!” 3 Tā viņa gāja un nonāca tīrumā, un lasīja aiz pļāvējiem. Sagadījās, ka tas bija Boaza tīruma gabals – tā, kurš no Elīmeleha dzimtas. 4 Un, redzi, Boazs nāca no Betlēmes un sacīja pļāvējiem: “Kungs ar jums!” Un tie viņam sacīja: “Kungs tevi svētī!” 5 Tad Boazs jautāja savam puisim, kas iecelts pār pļāvējiem: “Kas ir šī meitene?” 6 Un puisis, kas iecelts pār pļāvējiem, atbildēja: “Tā ir moābiešu meitene, kas kopā ar Naomi atgriezusies no Moāba laukiem. 7 Viņa lūdza: ļauj man savākt un uzlasīt vārpas starp statiem aiz pļāvējiem. Viņa atnākusi un palikusi – no agra rīta līdz šim brīdim viņa ir šeit, tā nav bijusi mājās.” 8 Tad Boazs sacīja Rutei: “Vai dzirdi, meit! Neej lasīt vārpas cita tīrumā, nedz arī dodies prom no šī, bet turies kopā ar manas saimes meitām. 9 Vērs savas acis uz šo tīrumu, kuru tie pļauj, un staigā tām pakaļ – nudien, es pavēlēju puišiem, lai tevi neaizskar. Kad esi izslāpusi, ej pie traukiem un dzer, ko puiši smēluši.” 10 Tad viņa krita uz sava vaiga, liecās līdz zemei un sacīja viņam: “Kā gan es esmu guvusi tavu vēlību, ka tu mani ievēro – es taču esmu svešiniece!” 11 Bet Boazs viņai atbildēja: “Man stāstīt ir stāstījuši par visu, ko tu esi darījusi savai vīramātei pēc vīra nāves – ka tu atstāji savu tēvu un māti un dzimto zemi un devies pie tautas, kuru tu vēl vakar nepazini. 12 Kungs atalgos tavu darbu, pilna būs tava alga no Kunga, kas Israēla Dievs, pie kura tu esi nākusi tverties zem viņa spārniem.” 13 Viņa sacīja: “Mans kungs, nu es gūstu tavu vēlību, jo tu mani mierināji un savas kalpones sirdi tu uzrunāji, bet es taču neesmu pat tava kalpone!” 14 Ap pusdienu Boazs viņai sacīja: “Nāc šurp, ēd no šīs maizes un mērc savu kumosu skābumā.” Viņa apsēdās līdzās pļāvējiem, un viņš sniedza tai grauzdumus. Viņa ēda un bija paēdusi, un vēl atlicināja. 15 Kad viņa cēlās lasīt, Boazs pavēlēja saviem puišiem: “Lai viņa lasa arī starp statiem, un nepazemojiet viņu! 16 Pat vēl izvelciet priekš viņas no kūļiem un atstājiet, lai viņa salasa, un nerājiet viņu!” 17 Tā viņa lasīja tīrumā līdz vakaram. Tad viņa izkūla, ko bija salasījusi, – tur bija apmēram ēfa miežu. 18 To viņa ņēma un pārnāca pilsētā. Viņas vīramāte redzēja, ko viņa bija salasījusi, un viņa ņēma un deva tai, ko ēdot bija atlicinājusi. 19 Vīramāte vaicāja: “Kur tu šodien lasīji un kur tu strādāji? Svētīts lai tas, kurš tevi ievērojis!” Un viņa stāstīja vīramātei, kurš ir tas, pie kā viņa strādājusi. Viņa teica: “Tā vīra vārds, pie kura es šodien strādāju, ir Boazs.” 20 Tad Naomi teica savai vedeklai: “Lai viņš ir Kunga svētīts, kas nav atmetis mīlestību uz dzīvajiem un mirušajiem!” Un Naomi tai sacīja: “Tas vīrs ir mūsu radinieks. Viņš ir no mūsu piederīgajiem .” 21 Bet moābiete Rute sacīja: “Turklāt viņš man teica: turies kopā ar maniem ļaudīm, līdz tie būs beiguši visu pļauju.” 22 Un Naomi sacīja savai vedeklai Rutei: “Tas labi, mana meita, ka tu iesi kopā ar viņa saimes meitām, ka tev cita tīrumā nenodara pāri.” 23 Tā viņa lasīdama turējās kopā ar Boaza saimes meitām, līdz tika pabeigta miežu pļauja un kviešu pļauja, un viņa dzīvoja pie savas vīramātes.
