RUTH 2:11 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=minor/spelling Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) “People have told me,” Boaz replied, “about everything you’ve done for your mother-in-law since your husband died—how you left your parents and your homeland behind and came here to live with people that you hadn’t even met before.

2:11 OSHB note: Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.

2:11 OSHB note: Marks an anomalous form.

2:11 OSHB note: We read punctuation in L differently from BHS.

Key: khaki:verbs, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Βοὸζ, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ, ἀπαγγελίᾳ ἀπηγγέλη μοι ὅσα πεποίηκας μετὰ τῆς πενθερᾶς σου μετὰ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν τὸν ἄνδρα σου· καὶ πῶς κατέλιπες τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου, καὶ τὴν γῆν γενέσεώς σου, καὶ ἐπορεύθης πρὸς λαὸν ὃν οὐκ ᾔδεις ἐχθὲς καὶ τρίτης.
(Kai apekrithaʸ Booz, kai eipen autaʸ, apangelia apaʸngelaʸ moi hosa pepoiaʸkas meta taʸs pentheras sou meta to apothanein ton andra sou; kai pōs katelipes ton patera sou kai taʸn maʸtera sou, kai taʸn gaʸn geneseōs sou, kai eporeuthaʸs pros laon hon ouk aʸdeis eⱪthes kai tritaʸs. )

BrTr And Booz answered and said to her, It has fully been told me how thou hast dealt with thy mother-in-law after the death of thy husband; and how thou didst leave thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy birth, and camest to a people whom thou knewest not before.

ULT Then Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me everything that you have done with your mother-in-law after the death of your husband. You left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and you came to a people whom you did not know the day before yesterday.

UST Boaz replied, “People have told me everything that you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband died. They told me that you left your parents and your homeland, and that you came here to live among people whom you did not know previously.

OEB Boaz replied, ‘I have heard what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you left your father and mother and your native land to come to a people that you did not know before.

WEBBE Boaz answered her, “I have been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father, your mother, and the land of your birth, and have come to a people that you didn’t know before.

WMBB (Same as above)

MSG ^(11-12)Boaz answered her, “I’ve heard all about you—heard about the way you treated your mother-in-law after the death of her husband, and how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth and have come to live among a bunch of total strangers. God reward you well for what you’ve done—and with a generous bonus besides from God, to whom you’ve come seeking protection under his wings.”

NET Boaz replied to her, “I have been given a full report of all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband – how you left your father and your mother, as well as your homeland, and came to live among people you did not know previously.

LSV And Boaz answers and says to her, “It has been thoroughly declared to me all that you have done with your mother-in-law, after the death of your husband, and you leave your father, and your mother, and the land of your birth, and come to a people which you have not known before.

FBV “I've heard about all you've done for your mother-in-law since your husband died,” Boaz replied. “And also how you left your father and mother, and the land of your birth, to come and live among people you didn't know.

T4T Boaz replied, “People have told me all about what you have done for your mother-in-law. They told me that you left your parents and your homeland, and you came here to live among people whom you did not know before.

LEB And Boaz answered and said to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband was fully told to me. How you left your father and mother and the land of your birth, and you went to a people that you did not know _⌊before_⌋.[fn]

2:11 Literally “yesterday three days ago”

BBE And Boaz answering said to her, I have had news of everything you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband; how you went away from your father and mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people who are strange to you.

Moff No Moff RUTH book available

JPS And Boaz answered and said unto her: 'It hath fully been told me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband; and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people that thou knewest not heretofore.

ASV And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband; and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people that thou knewest not heretofore.

DRA And he answered her: All hath been told me, that thou hast done to thy mother in law after the death of thy husband: and how thou hast left thy parents, and the land wherein thou wast born, and art come to a people which thou knewest not heretofore.

YLT And Boaz answereth and saith to her, 'It hath thoroughly been declared to me all that thou hast done with thy mother-in-law, after the death of thy husband, and thou dost leave thy father, and thy mother, and the land of thy birth, and dost come in unto a people which thou hast not known heretofore.

Drby And Boaz answered and said to her, It has fully been shewn me, all that thou hast done to thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband; and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come to a people that thou hast not known heretofore.

RV And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.
(And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath/has fully been showed me, all that thou/you hast done unto thy/your mother in law since the death of thine/your husband: and how thou/you hast left thy/your father and thy/your mother, and the land of thy/your nativity/birth, and art come unto a people which thou/you knew not heretofore. )

SLT And Boaz will answer and say to her, Announcing, it was announced to me all that thou didst with thy mother-in-law after the death of thy husband: and thou wilt leave thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy birth, and thou wilt come to a people thou knewest not yesterday the third day.

Wbstr And Boaz answered and said to her, It hath fully been shown to me, all that thou hast done to thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and hast come to a people which thou knewest not heretofore.

KJB-1769 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.
(And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath/has fully been showed me, all that thou/you hast done unto thy/your mother in law since the death of thine/your husband: and how thou/you hast left thy/your father and thy/your mother, and the land of thy/your nativity/birth, and art come unto a people which thou/you knew not heretofore. )

KJB-1611 And Boaz answered and said vnto her, It hath fully bene shewed me, all that thou hast done vnto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy natiuitie, and art come vnto a people, which thou knewest not heretofore.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps And Booz aunswered and sayde vnto her: Al is tolde & shewed me that thou hast done vnto thy mother in law sence the death of thyne husband: howe thou hast left thy father and thy mother and the land where thou wast borne, and art come vnto a people which thou knewest not in time passed.
(And Booz answered and said unto her: All is told and showed me that thou/you hast done unto thy/your mother in law since the death of thine/your husband: how thou/you hast left thy/your father and thy/your mother and the land where thou/you wast born, and art come unto a people which thou/you knew not in time passed.)

Gnva And Boaz answered, and said vnto her, All is told and shewed me that thou hast done vnto thy mother in lawe, since the death of thine husband, and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and ye land where thou wast borne, and art come vnto a people which thou knewest not in time past.
(And Boaz answered, and said unto her, All is told and showed me that thou/you hast done unto thy/your mother in law, since the death of thine/your husband, and how thou/you hast left thy/your father and thy/your mother, and ye/you_all land where thou/you wast born, and art come unto a people which thou/you knew not in time past. )

Cvdl Boos answered and sayde vnto her: It is tolde me alltogether, what thou hast done vnto thy mother in lawe after thy husbades death, how that thou hast left yi father and thy mother, and thy natiue countre, and art come to a people, whom thou hast not knowne afore.
(Boos answered and said unto her: It is told me altogether, what thou/you hast done unto thy/your mother in law after thy/your husbades death, how that thou/you hast left ye/you_all father and thy/your mother, and thy/your native country, and art come to a people, whom thou/you hast not known afore.)

Wycl To whom he answeride, Alle thingis ben teld to me, whiche thou didist to thi modir in lawe after the deeth of thin hosebonde, and that thou hast forsake thi fadir and modir, and the lond `in which thou were borun, and hast come to a puple, whom thou `knowist not bifore.
(To whom he answered, All things been told to me, which thou/you didst/did to thy/your mother in law after the death of thin husband, and that thou/you hast forsake thy/your father and mother, and the land in which thou/you were born, and hast come to a people, whom thou/you knowest/know not before.)

Luth Boas antwortete und sprach zu ihr: Es ist mir angesagt alles, was du getan hast an deiner Schwieger nach deines Mannes Tode: daß du verlassen hast deinen Vater und deine Mutter und dein Vaterland und bist zu einem Volk gezogen, das du zuvor nicht kanntest.
(Boas replied and spoke to/for you(pl)/their/her: It is to_me announced all/everything, what/which you(sg) did have at/to your(s) Schwieger after your(s) man's deaths: that you(sg) leave have your(s) father and your mother and your(s) fatherland/homeland and are to/for on people pulled, the you(sg) before not did_you_know.)

ClVg Cui ille respondit: Nuntiata sunt mihi omnia quæ feceris socrui tuæ post mortem viri tui: et quod reliqueris parentes tuos, et terram in qua nata es, et veneris ad populum, quem antea nesciebas.
(To_whom he/that_one answered: Nuntiata are to_me everything which you_did socrui yours after death men yours(sg): and that reliqueris parents yours, and the_earth/land in/into/on which born you_are, and veneris to the_people, which previously nesciebas. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–23: Ruth gathered grain in a field belonging to Boaz

This third section in the book of Ruth tells how Ruth met Boaz. Since Naomi and Ruth were poor at this time, Ruth asked Naomi for permission to glean in the grain fields in order to find them some food.

Ruth chose a field in which to glean. Although she did not know it, the man who owned that field, Boaz, was a relative of Elimelech. Boaz had heard about Ruth already, but he had not met her. He was sympathetic and kind to her that day, and told her to continue to work in his field during the rest of the harvest time.

That evening, Ruth returned home and told Naomi that the owner of the field where she had gleaned was called Boaz and that he had treated her well. Naomi was very pleased. She encouraged Ruth to continue to work there just as Boaz had invited her to do.

Here are some other examples of section headings:

Ruth Meets Boaz (ESV)

Ruth Works in the Field of Boaz (NET)

Paragraph 2:8–13

In this paragraph, Boaz told Ruth that she should stay and glean in his field along with his other women workers. He told her that he had instructed the young men not to bother her. He also said that she should feel free to drink from the water jars that the young men had filled. Ruth asked Boaz why he was being so kind to her. He replied that he had heard about everything she had done for her mother-in-law. He had also heard about her decision to leave her homeland and come to live with people she did not previously know.

2:11a

Boaz replied, “I have been made fully aware of all you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband,

Boaz answered, “I have heard about everything that you^(sing) have done for your mother-in-law since your husband died.
Boaz said to her, “People have told me all that you have done to help/support your mother-in-law after the death of her son, your husband.

Boaz replied: The Hebrew is more literally “and Boaz answered and said.” Introduce Boaz’s reply to Ruth in a way that is natural in your language.

I have been made fully aware of all you have done for your mother-in-law: The Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as made fully aware is more literally “have been told, have been told.” This repetition emphasizes the fact that Boaz had been told about Ruth’s actions toward her mother-in-law. Perhaps several people had talked to him about her. In addition, the word fully is used. This indicates that Ruth’s actions had been explained to him in detail. Boaz had heard a lot about Ruth and what she had done for Naomi.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

People have told me about everything you have done for your mother-in-law (GW)

I know about all the help you have given your mother-in-law (NCV)

I have been hearing all about your kind actions to your mother-in-law

I have been made fully aware: The verb phrase I have been made fully aware is passive in form. Boaz does not say who had told him about Ruth. There are at least two ways to translate this:

Use a passive verb. For example:
I have been given a full report (NET)
Use an active verb. For example:
People have told me
I have heard
I have had a complete account (NABRE)

all you have done for your mother-in-law: This refers to the various things that Ruth had done to help and support Naomi. In some languages, it may be natural to make it explicit that Ruth had behaved well toward her mother-in-law. For example:

how you’ve helped your mother-in-law (CEV)

all the help you have given your mother-in-law (NCV)

since the death of your husband: The phrase since the death of your husband refers in general to the period of time that had passed since the death of Ruth’s husband Mahlon. Here are some other ways to translate this:

following the death of your husband (NET)

ever since your husband died (CEV)

2:11a-c

(combined)

Boaz answered her, “People have told me about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband died. They told me how you left your father and mother in the country where you were born. They also told me how you came to people that you didn’t know before. (GW)

2:11b

how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth,

I have been told that you^(sing) left your father and your mother and the country where you were born
They told me that you said farewell/goodbye to your father and mother and your own/native land

how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as how does not refer to the way Ruth left, but rather to the fact that she left. This verse part begins an explanation of what exactly Ruth had done for her mother-in-law. She had left her own parents and her own land.

In some languages, it may be more natural to begin a new sentence here. For example:

You even left your own father and mother to come and live in a foreign land (NCV)

I have heard how you left your own father and mother and your own land (NLT)

the land of your birth: This refers to the land of Moab, where Ruth had been born and where her family still lived.

2:11c

and how you came to a people you did not know before.

to come and live with a group of people you did not know before.
and came here to live among people you never met before.

and how you came to a people you did not know before: This verse part continues to make explicit what Ruth had done for Naomi. She had come to live in Israel among strangers. The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as a people is a general word. It is contrasted with Ruth’s “land of…birth” of Moab in 2:11b, so here it refers to the people of Israel.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

and came to live among people you did not know previously (NET)

to come to a nation where you did not know anyone (NCV)

a people you did not know before: This clause indicates that Ruth had not known the Israelites well or personally before this time. Ruth had never lived in Israel before. She knew about the Israelites but perhaps only knew the family of Elimelech personally.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

among complete strangers (NLT)

us^(excl) foreigners

General Comment on 2:11a–c

This verse consists of a very long sentence. In the Book of Ruth, Boaz often speaks in long sentences. This seems to be part of the way that the author shows his character as a serious and dignified man. However, in some languages it may be better to translate this verse as two or three sentences. For example:

^11aBoaz answered her, “People have told me about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband died. ^11bThey told me how you left your father and mother and the country where you were born. ^11cThey also told me how you came to people that you didn’t know before….” (GW)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / hendiadys

וַ⁠יַּ֤עַן בֹּ֨עַז֙ וַ⁠יֹּ֣אמֶר

and,he_answered Boˊaz and=he/it_said

Both answered and said describe the same action. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use only one verb for this, as in the UST. Alternate translation: [Then Boaz responded]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / reduplication

הֻגֵּ֨ד הֻגַּ֜ד

to_be_told he_was_told

The words It has been fully reported translate a verb that is repeated twice to emphasize the fullness of the report. If your language can repeat words for emphasis, it would be appropriate to use that construction here in your translation.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

הֻגֵּ֨ד הֻגַּ֜ד לִ֗⁠י

to_be_told he_was_told to=me

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [People have fully reported to me]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וַ⁠תֵּ֣לְכִ֔י אֶל־עַ֕ם

and,you_came to/towards people

With the words you came to a people, Boaz is referring to Ruth coming to dwell with Naomi in a village and community, a country and religion that she did not know.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

תְּמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם

yesterday before

Here, the day before yesterday is an idiom that means “recently.” If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use an idiom from your language that does have this meaning or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [before] or [a little while ago]

Parallel RUTH 2:11