Rut 1

¹Hakimlerin hüküm sürdüğü dönemde ülkede bir kıtlık baş gösterdi; bunun üzerine Yahuda'nın Beytlehem kentinden bir adam, karısı ve iki oğluyla birlikte geçici bir süre yerleşmek amacıyla Moab kırsalına gitti.

²Adamın adı Elimelek, karısının adı Noemin, iki oğlunun adları ise Maalon ve Keleyon'du; Yahuda'nın Beytlehem kentinden olan bu kişiler Efratlıydılar. Moab kırsalına gelip oraya yerleştiler.

³Noemin'in kocası Elimelek öldü; böylece kendisi ve iki oğlu geride yapayalnız kaldılar.

⁴Oğulları kendilerine Moablı kadınlardan eşler aldılar; birinin adı Orfa, ikincisinin adı ise Rut'tu. Orada yaklaşık on yıl yaşadılar.

⁵Sonra Maalon ve Keleyon'un her ikisi de öldü; böylece kadın hem kocasından hem de iki oğlundan yoksun bir halde geride kaldı.

⁶Noemin, Moab kırsalındayken Rab'bin kendi halkını gözetip onlara ekmek sağladığını duyunca, gelinleriyle birlikte Moab kırsalından dönmek üzere harekete geçti.

⁷Bulunduğu yerden ayrıldı; iki gelini de onunla birlikteydi. Yahuda topraklarına dönmek amacıyla yolda ilerlemeye başladılar.

⁸Noemin iki gelinine, "Haydi gidin, her biriniz annesinin evine dönsün" dedi, "Ölmüş olanlara ve bana davrandığınız gibi, Rab de size merhamet eylesin.

⁹Rab her birinize bir kocanın evinde huzur ve sığınak bulmayı nasip etsin." Sonra onları öptü; onlar da hıçkırarak ağlamaya başladılar.

¹⁰Ona, "Hayır, seninle birlikte senin halkına döneceğiz" dediler.

¹¹Ama Noemin, "Dönün kızlarım" dedi, "Neden benimle geliyorsunuz? Size koca olacak oğullarım mı var daha rahmimde?

¹²Dönün kızlarım, yolunuza gidin; çünkü ben yeniden bir kocaya varamayacak kadar yaşlandım. 'Bir umudum var' desem, bu gece bir kocaya varsam ve oğullar doğursam bile,

¹³onlar büyüyene kadar bekler miydiniz? Onlar için koca bulmaktan vazgeçip kendinizi eve mi kapatacaktınız? Hayır kızlarım! Sizin adınıza çok acı çekiyorum, çünkü Rab'bin eli bana karşı kalktı."

¹⁴Onlar yine hıçkırarak ağladılar. Sonra Orfa kayınvalidesini öpüp kendi halkına döndü, ama Rut ona sadakatle bağlandı.

¹⁵Noemin, "Bak" dedi, "Eltin kendi halkına ve ilahlarına döndü. Sen de eltinin ardınca geri dön."

¹⁶Rut ise şöyle yanıt verdi: "Seni bırakıp geri dönmem için bana engel olma. Sen nereye gidersen ben de oraya gideceğim, sen nerede konaklarsan ben de orada konaklayacağım. Senin halkın benim halkım, senin Tanrın benim Tanrım olacak.

¹⁷Sen nerede ölürsen ben de orada öleceğim ve orada gömüleceğim. Eğer ölümden başka bir şey beni senden ayırırsa, Rab bana en ağır cezayı versin."

¹⁸Noemin, Rut'un kendisiyle gitmeye kesin kararlı olduğunu görünce, onu ikna etmeye çalışmaktan vazgeçti.

¹⁹Böylece ikisi birlikte Beytlehem'e kadar yürüdüler. Beytlehem'e vardıklarında bütün kent onlar yüzünden çalkalandı. Kadınlar, "Bu gerçekten Noemin mi?" dediler.

²⁰Noemin onlara, "Bana Noemin demeyin, bana Acı deyin" dedi, "Çünkü Kadir Olan bana çok büyük bir acı verdi.

²¹Ben buradan bolluk içinde gittim, ama Rab beni eli boş geri döndürdü. Rab beni alçalttığı, Kadir Olan bana sıkıntı verdiği halde neden bana Noemin diyesiniz?"

²²Böylece Noemin, gelini Moablı Rut ile birlikte Moab kırsalından döndü. Beytlehem'e geldiklerinde arpa hasadı henüz başlıyordu.

¹ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ κρίνειν τοὺς κριτὰς καὶ ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἐν τῇ γῇ, καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ Βηθλεὲμ τῆς ᾿Ιούδα τοῦ παροικῆσαι ἐν ἀγρῷ Μωάβ, αὐτὸς καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ δύο υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ.

²καὶ ὄνομα τῷ ἀνδρὶ ᾿Ελιμέλεχ, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ Νεωμίν, καὶ ὄνομα τοῖς δυσὶν υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ Μααλὼν καὶ Χελαιών, ᾿Εφραθαῖοι ἐκ Βηθλεὲμ τῆς ᾿Ιούδα· καὶ ἤλθοσαν εἰς ἀγρὸν Μωὰβ καὶ ἦσαν ἐκεῖ.

³και ἀπέθανεν ᾿Ελιμέλεχ ὁ ἀνὴρ τῆς Νεωμίν, καὶ κατελείφθη αὕτη καὶ οἱ δύο υἱοὶ αὐτῆς.

⁴καὶ ἐλάβοσαν ἑαυτοῖς γυναῖκας Μωαβίτιδας, ὄνομα τῇ μιᾷ ᾿Ορφά, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ δευτέρᾳ Ῥούθ· καὶ κατῴκησαν ἐκεῖ ὡς δέκα ἔτη.

⁵καὶ ἀπέθανον καί γε ἀμφότεροι, Μααλὼν καὶ Χελαιών, καὶ κατελείφθη ἡ γυνὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν δύο υἱῶν αὐτῆς.

⁶καὶ ἀνέστη αὕτη καὶ αἱ δύο νύμφαι αὐτῆς καὶ ἀπέστρεψαν ἐξ ἀγροῦ Μωάβ, ὅτι ἤκουσεν ἐν ἀγρῷ Μωὰβ ὅτι ἐπέσκεπται Κύριος τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ δοῦναι αὐτοῖς ἄρτους,

⁷καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ τόπου, οὗ ἦν ἐκεῖ, καὶ αἱ δύο νύμφαι αὐτῆς μετ᾿ αὐτῆς· καὶ ἐπορεύοντο ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι εἰς τὴν γῆν ᾿Ιούδα.

⁸καὶ εἶπε Νωεμὶν ταῖς δυσὶ νύμφαις αὐτῆς· πορεύεσθαι δή, ἀποστράφητε ἑκάστη εἰς οἶκον μητρὸς αὐτῆς· ποιήσαι Κύριος μετ᾿ ὑμῶν ἔλεος, καθὼς ἐποιήσατε μετὰ τῶν τεθνηκότων καὶ μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ·

⁹δῴη Κύριος ὑμῖν καὶ εὕροιτε ἀνάπαυσιν ἑκάστη ἐν οἴκῳ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς· καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτάς, καὶ ἐπῇραν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν καὶ ἔκλαυσαν.

¹⁰καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῇ· μετὰ σοῦ ἐπιστρέφομεν εἰς τὸν λαόν σου.

¹¹καὶ εἶπε Νωεμίν· ἐπιστράφητε δή, θυγατέρες μου· καὶ ἱνατί πορεύεσθε μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ; μὴ ἔτι μοι υἱοὶ ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ μου καὶ ἔσονται ὑμῖν εἰς ἄνδρας;

¹²ἐπιστράφητε δή, θυγατέρες μου, διότι γεγήρακα τοῦ μὴ εἶναι ἀνδρί· ὅτι εἶπα, ὅτι ἔστι μοι ὑπόστασις τοῦ γενηθῆναί με ἀνδρὶ καὶ τέξομαι υἱούς,

¹³μὴ αὐτοὺς προσδέξεσθαι ἕως οὗ ἁδρυνθῶσιν; ἢ αὐτοῖς κατασχεθήσεσθε τοῦ μὴ γενέσθαι ἀνδρί; μὴ δή, θυγατέρες μου, ὅτι ἐπικράνθη μοι ὑπὲρ ὑμᾶς, ὅτι ἐξῆλθεν ἐν ἐμοὶ χεὶρ Κυρίου.

¹⁴καὶ ἐπῇραν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν καὶ ἔκλαυσαν ἔτι· καὶ κατεφίλησεν ᾿Ορφὰ τὴν πενθερὰν αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν εἰς τὸν λαὸν αὐτῆς, Ῥοὺθ δὲ ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῇ.

¹⁵καὶ εἶπε Νωεμὶν πρὸς Ῥούθ· ἰδοὺ ἀνέστρεψεν ἡ σύννυμφός σου πρὸς λαὸν αὐτῆς καὶ πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτῆς· ἐπιστράφηθι δὴ καὶ σὺ ὀπίσω τῆς συννύμφου σου.

¹⁶εἶπε δὲ Ῥούθ· μὴ ἀπάντησαί μοι τοῦ καταλιπεῖν σε ἢ ἀποστρέψαι ὄπισθέν σου· ὅτι σὺ ὅπου ἐὰν πορευθῇς, πορεύσομαι, καὶ οὗ ἐὰν αὐλισθῇς, αὐλισθήσομαι· ὁ λαός σου λαός μου, καὶ ὁ Θεός σου Θεός μου·

¹⁷καὶ οὗ ἐὰν ἀποθάνῃς, ἀποθανοῦμαι, κἀκεῖ ταφήσομαι· τάδε ποιήσαι μοι Κύριος καὶ τάδε προσθείῃ, ὅτι θάνατος διαστελεῖ ἀναμέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ.

¹⁸ἰδοῦσα δὲ Νωεμὶν ὅτι κραταιοῦται αὐτὴ τοῦ πορεύεσθαι μετ᾿ αὐτῆς, ἐκόπασε τοῦ λαλῆσαι πρὸς αὐτὴν ἔτι.

¹⁹ἐπορεύθησαν δὲ ἀμφότεραι, ἕως τοῦ παραγενέσθαι αὐτὰς εἰς Βηθλεέμ. καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐλθεῖν αὐτάς εἰς Βηθλεέμ, καὶ ἤχησε πᾶσα ἡ πόλις ἐπ᾿ αὐταῖς καὶ εἶπον· εἰ αὕτη ἐστὶ Νωεμίν;

²⁰καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτάς· μὴ δὴ καλεῖτέ με Νωεμίν, καλέσατέ με Πικράν, ὅτι ἐπικράνθη ἐν ἐμοὶ ὁ ἱκανὸς σφόδρα·

²¹ἐγὼ πλήρης ἐπορεύθην, καὶ κενὴν ἀπέστρεψέ με ὁ Κύριος· καὶ ἱνατί καλεῖτέ με Νωεμίν; καὶ Κύριος ἐταπείνωσέ με, καὶ ὁ ἱκανὸς ἐκάκωσέ με.

²²καὶ ἐπέστρεψε Νωεμὶν καὶ Ῥοὺθ ἡ Μωαβῖτις ἡ νύμφη αὐτῆς ἐπιστρέφουσαι ἐξ ἀγροῦ Μωάβ· αὗται δὲ παρεγενήθησαν εἰς Βηθλεὲμ ἐν ἀρχῇ θερισμοῦ κριθῶν.

¹And it came to pass when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land: and a man went from Bethleem Juda to sojourn in the land of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

²And the man’s name [was] Elimelech, and his wife’s name Noemin, and the names of his two sons Maalon and Chelaion, Ephrathites of Bethleem of Juda: and they came to the land of Moab, and remained there.

³And Elimelech the husband of Noemin died; and she was left, and her two sons.

⁴And they took to themselves wives, women of Moab; the name of the one [was] Orpha, and the name of the second Ruth; and they dwelt there about ten years.

⁵And both Maalon and Chelaion died also; and the woman was left of her husband and her two sons.

⁶And she rose up and her two daughters-in-law, and they returned out of the country of Moab, for she heard in the country of Moab that the Lord [had] visited his people to give them bread.

⁷And she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her: and they went by the way to return to the land of Juda.

⁸And Noemin said to her daughter-in-law, Go now, return each to the house of her mother: the Lord deal mercifully with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

⁹The Lord grant you that ye may find rest each of you in the house of her husband: and she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

¹⁰And they said to her, We will return with thee to thy people.

¹¹And Noemin said, Return now, my daughters; and why do ye go with me? have I yet sons in my womb to be your husbands?

¹²Turn now, my daughters, for I am too old to be married: for I said, Suppose I were married, and should bear sons;

¹³would ye wait for them till they should be grown? or would ye refrain from being married for their sakes? Not so, my daughters; for I am grieved for you, that the hand of the Lord has gone forth against me.

¹⁴And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; and Orpha kissed her mother-in-law and returned to her people; but Ruth followed her.

¹⁵And Noemin said to Ruth, Behold, thy sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods; turn now thou also after thy sister-in-law.

¹⁶And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following thee; for whithersoever thou goest, I will go, and wheresoever thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people [shall be] my people, and thy God my God.

¹⁷And wherever thou diest, I will die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, [if I leave thee], for death [only] shall divide between me and thee.

¹⁸And Noemin seeing that she was determined to go with her, ceased to speak to her any more.

¹⁹And they went both of them until they came to Bethleem: and it came to pass, when they arrived at Bethleem, that all the city rang with them, and they said, Is this Noemin?

²⁰And she said to them, Nay, do not call me Noemin; call me ’Bitter,’ for the Mighty One has dealt very bitterly with me.

²¹I went out full, and the Lord has brought me back empty: and why call ye me Noemin, whereas the Lord has humbled me and the Mighty One has afflicted me?

²²So Noemin and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, returned from the country of Moab; and they came to Bethleem in the beginning of barley harvest.