Postquam autem reversa est ad socrum suam, audivit ab ea: Filia mea, quæram tibi requiem, et providebo ut bene sit tibi.

After she was returned to her mother in law, Noemi said to her: My daughter, I will seek rest for thee, and will provide that it may be well with thee.

Now that she had come back home, her mother-in-law said to her, Daughter, I mean to win thee an easy life, and bring thee happiness.

Booz iste, cujus puellis in agro juncta es, propinquus noster est, et hac nocte aream hordei ventilat.

This Booz, with whose maids thou wast joined in the field, is our near kinsman, and behold this night he winnoweth barley in the threshingfloor.

This Booz, whose maidens were thy companions in harvest-time, Booz, our kinsman, will be at the threshing-floor to-night, winnowing his barley.

Lavare igitur, et ungere, et induere cultioribus vestimentis, et descende in aream: non te videat homo, donec esum potumque finierit.

Wash thyself therefore and anoint thee, and put on thy best garments, and go down to the barnfloor: but let not the man see thee, till he shall have done eating and drinking.

Wash thee, and anoint thee, and put on thy best array, and so go down to the threshing-floor. He will not have finished eating and drinking; do not let him see thee,

Quando autem ierit ad dormiendum, nota locum in quo dormiat: veniesque et discooperies pallium, quo operitur a parte pedum, et projicies te, et ibi jacebis: ipse autem dicet quid agere debeas.

And when he shall go to sleep, mark the place wherein he sleepeth: and thou shalt go in, and lift up the clothes wherewith he is covered towards his feet, and shalt lay thyself down there: and he will tell thee what thou must do.

but wait till he goes to bed, and mark where it is that he is sleeping. Then come close, and turn back the end of his mantle where it covers his feet, and lie down there. After that, it is for him to counsel thee.

Quæ respondit: Quidquid præceperis, faciam.

She answered: Whatsoever thou shalt command, I will do.

So Ruth promised to do all her bidding;

Descenditque in aream, et fecit omnia quæ sibi imperaverat socrus.

And she went down to the barnfloor, and did all that her mother in law had bid her.

down to the threshing-floor she went, and carried out all her mother-in-law’s plan.

Cumque comedisset Booz, et bibisset, et factus esset hilarior, issetque ad dormiendum juxta acervum manipulorum, venit abscondite, et discooperto pallio, a pedibus ejus se projecit.

And when Booz had eaten, and drunk, and was merry, he went to sleep by the heap of sheaves, and she came softly and uncovering his feet, laid herself down.

She waited till Booz came, his heart cheered with food and drink, to take his rest by a pile of sheaves that lay there; then she crept near, turned back the end of his mantle, and lay down.

Et ecce, nocte jam media expavit homo, et conturbatus est: viditque mulierem jacentem ad pedes suos,

And behold, when it was now midnight the man was afraid, and troubled: and he saw a woman lying at his feet,

At midnight, Booz was startled from his sleep, and looked about him in bewilderment to find a woman lying there at his feet.

et ait illi: Quæ es? Illaque respondit: Ego sum Ruth ancilla tua: expande pallium tuum super famulam tuam, quia propinquus es.

And he said to her: Who art thou? And she answered: I am Ruth thy handmaid: spread thy coverlet over thy servant, for thou art a near kinsman.

Who art thou? he asked. It is Ruth, she said, Ruth, thy handmaid, that bids thee cast thy mantle over her, as one that is near of kin.

Et ille: Benedicta, inquit, es a Domino, filia, et priorem misericordiam posteriore superasti: quia non est secuta juvenes, pauperes sive divites.

And he said: Blessed art thou of the Lord, my daughter, and thy latter kindness has surpassed the former: because thou hast not followed young men either poor or rich.

The Lord bless thee, daughter, he answered; now, more than ever, thou hast shewn the goodness of thy heart; to have no eyes for younger men, rich or poor!

Noli ergo metuere, sed quidquid dixeris mihi, faciam tibi. Scit enim omnis populus, qui habitat intra portas urbis meæ, mulierem te esse virtutis.

Fear not therefore, but whatsoever thou shalt say to me I will do to thee. For all the people that dwell within the gates of my city, know that thou art a virtuous woman.

Be comforted, thou shalt have all thou wilt of me; all the city knows thee for a bride worth the winning.

Nec abnuo me propinquum, sed est alius me propinquior.

Neither do I deny myself to be near of kin, but there is another nearer than I.

True enough, we are near of kin, but thou hast another kinsman nearer yet.

Quiesce hac nocte: et facto mane, si te voluerit propinquitatis jure retinere, bene res acta est: sin autem ille noluerit, ego te absque ulla dubitatione suscipiam, vivit Dominus. Dormi usque mane.

Rest thou this night: and when morning is come, if he will take thee by the right of kindred, all is well: but if he will not, I will undoubtedly take thee, as the Lord liveth: sleep till the morning.

Wait till night is past; at day-break, if he will claim thee by right of kinship, well and good; if not, as the Lord is a living God, thou shalt be mine without more ado. Sleep, then, till day comes.

Dormivit itaque ad pedes ejus, usque ad noctis abscessum. Surrexit itaque antequam homines se cognoscerent mutuo, et dixit Booz: Cave ne quis noverit quod huc veneris.

So she slept at his feet till the night was going off. And she arose before men could know one another, and Booz said: Beware lest any man know that thou camest hither.

So there, at his feet, she slept till the night passed; and he rose while it was still too early for men to recognize one another. He warned her not to let anyone know that she had been there;

Et rursum: Expande, inquit, pallium tuum, quo operiris, et tene utraque manu. Qua extendente, et tenente, mensus est sex modios hordei, et posuit super eam. Quæ portans ingressa est civitatem,

And again he said: Spread thy mantle, wherewith thou art covered, and hold it with both hands. And when she spread it and held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it upon her. And she carried it and went into the city,

then he said, Spread out the fold of that mantle thou wearest, and hold it with either hand. So she held it spread out, and he measured out two bushels of barley for her to carry. When she reached the city with her load,

et venit ad socrum suam. Quæ dixit ei: Quid egisti, filia? Narravitque ei omnia, quæ sibi fecisset homo.

And came to her mother in law; who said to her: What hast thou done, daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.

she found Noemi eager to know how she had fared; and she told the story of how Booz had treated her.

Et ait: Ecce sex modios hordei dedit mihi, et ait: Nolo vacuam te reverti ad socrum tuam.

And she said: Behold he hath given me six measures of barley: for he said: I will not have thee return empty to thy mother in law.

Look, she said, he has given me two bushels of barley; he protested that he must not send me home to my mother-in-law empty-handed.

Dixitque Noëmi: Expecta, filia, donec videamus quem res exitum habeat: neque enim cessabit homo, nisi compleverit quod locutus est.

And Noemi said: Wait my daughter, till we see what end the thing will have. For the man will not rest until he have accomplished what he hath said.

Wait, then, daughter, said Noemi, till we see what will come of it. Here is a man that will not rest till he has made good his promise.