Ruth — 2

Ruth Works in Buaz’s Field

1 Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bathlaham named Buaz, who was a relative of Naumi’s husband, Alimalach.

2 One day Ruth the Muabite said to Naumi, “Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it.” Naumi replied, “All right, my daughter, go ahead.” 

3 So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters, and as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Buaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Alimalach.

4 While she was there, Buaz arrived from Bathlaham and greeted the harvesters. “𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH be with you!” he said, and the harvest replied to Buaz; 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH barak you.

5 Then Buaz asked his foreman, “Who is that young woman over there? Who does she belong to?”

6 And the foreman replied, “She is the young woman from Muab who came back with Naumi. 

7 She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes’ rest in the shelter.”

8 Buaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; do not go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. 

9 See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly, and when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.”

10 Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”

11 “Yes, I know,” Buaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. 

12 May 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.”

13 “And Ruth said to Buaz; I hope, I continue to please you, sir, “you have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not one of your workers.”

14 At mealtime Buaz called to her, “Come over here, and help yourself to some food, you can dip your bread in the sour wine.” So she sat with his harvesters, and Buaz gave her some roasted grain to eat, she ate all she wanted and still had some left over.

15 When Ruth went back to work again, Buaz ordered his young men, “Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. 

16 And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and do not give her a hard time!”

17 So Ruth gathered barley there all day, and when she beat out the grain that evening, it filled an entire basket. 

18 She carried it back into town and showed it to her mother-in-law, Ruth also gave her the roasted grain that was left over from her meal.

19 “Where did you gather all this grain today?” Naumi asked. “Where did you work? May  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH barak the one who helped you!” So Ruth told her mother-in-law about the man in whose field she had worked, she said, “The man I worked with today is named Buaz.”

20 “May 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH barak him!” Naumi told her daughter-in-law. “He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband, that man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers.”

21 Then Ruth said, “What’s more, Buaz even told me to come back and stay with his harvesters until the entire harvest is completed.”

22 Naumi said to Ruth. “Do as he said, my daughter. Stay with his young women right through the whole harvest, you might be harassed in other fields, but you will be safe with him.”

23 So Ruth worked alongside the women in Buaz’s fields and gathered grain with them until the end of the barley harvest, then she continued working with them through the wheat harvest in early summer, and all the while she lived with her mother-in-law.