RUTH 3:1 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=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

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 ἐκάθισε μετὰ τῆς πενθερᾶς αὐτῆς· εἶπε δὲ αὐτῇ Νωεμὶν ἡ πενθερὰ αὐτῆς, θύγατερ, οὐ μὴ ζητήσω σοι ἀνάπαυσιν, ἵνα εὖ γένηταί σοι;
(Kai ekathise meta taʸs pentheras autaʸs; eipe de autaʸ Nōemin haʸ penthera autaʸs, thugater, ou maʸ zaʸtaʸsō soi anapausin, hina eu genaʸtai soi; )

BrTr And she lodged with her mother-in-law: and Noemin her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

ULT Then Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek a resting place for you, that will be good for you?

UST One day, Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, I want to arrange for you to have a secure home with a good husband.

OEB One day, Naomi said to Ruth, ‘My daughter, should I not seek to secure a home for you where you will be happy and prosperous?

WEBBE Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET At that time, Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you so you will be secure.

LSV And her mother-in-law Naomi says to her, “My daughter, do I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?

FBV A little later Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, don't you think I should find you a husband and a good home?[fn]

3:1 “A husband and a good home”: the word used here refers to the rest and security provided from being married.

T4T One day, Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, I think that I should [RHQ] try to arrange for you to have a husband [MTY] who will ◄take care of/provide for► you.

LEB Now Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek for you security that things may be good for you?

BBE And Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, My daughter, am I not to get you a resting-place where you may be in comfort?

Moff No Moff RUTH book available

JPS And Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her: 'My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

ASV And Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

DRA 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.

YLT And Naomi her mother-in-law saith to her, 'My daughter, do not I seek for thee rest, that it may be well with thee?

Drby And Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

RV And Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
(And Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee/you, that it may be well with thee/you? )

SLT And Naomi her mother-in-law will say to her My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it shall be well to thee?

Wbstr Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

KJB-1769 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
(Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee/you, that it may be well with thee/you? )

KJB-1611 ¶ Then Naomi her mother in law said vnto her, My daughter, shal I not seeke rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Then Naomi her mother in lawe sayde vnto her: My daughter, shal I not seke rest for thee, yt thou mayest prosper?
(Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her: My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee/you, it thou/you mayest/may prosper?)

Gnva Afterward Naomi her mother in lawe said vnto her, My daughter, shall not I seeke rest for thee, that thou mayest prosper?
(Afterward Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall not I seek rest for thee/you, that thou/you mayest/may prosper? )

Cvdl And Naemi hir mother in lawe sayde vnto her: My doughter, I wyll prouyde rest for the, that thou maiest prospere.
(And Naomi her mother in law said unto her: My daughter, I will provide rest for them, that thou/you mayest/may prosper.)

Wycl Forsothe aftir that Ruth turnede ayen to hir modir in lawe, Ruth herde of hir, My douytir, Y schal seke reste to thee, and Y schal purueye that it be wel to thee.
(For_certain/Truly after that Ruth turned again to her mother in law, Ruth herd/heard of her, My daughter, I shall seek rest to thee/you, and I shall purueye that it be well to thee/you.)

Luth Und Naemi, ihre Schwieger, sprach zu ihr: Meine Tochter, ich will dir Ruhe schaffen, daß dir‘s wohlgehe.
(And Naemi, their/her Schwieger, spoke to/for you(pl)/their/her: My daughter, I will you/to_you(sg) rest/silence create/make, that it's_yours(sg) well(aj).)

ClVg Postquam autem reversa est ad socrum suam, audivit ab ea: Filia mea, quæram tibi requiem, et providebo ut bene sit tibi.
(Postquam however returned it_is to mother-in-law his_own, he_heard away them: Daughter my, I_will_search to_you rest/repose, and providebo as well be to_you. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–18: Ruth asked Boaz to help her and Naomi

Life for widows in ancient Israel was difficult, especially for those who had no grown sons, because women depended on men to protect and provide for them. This fourth section tells how Naomi wanted to find a new husband for Ruth so that she could have a better living situation. So, she instructed Ruth to go and meet Boaz secretly at night. Ruth followed Naomi’s plan and asked him to take her into his care as his wife. She told him that this was his duty as a relative of her dead husband.

Boaz was happy to do this, but there was a problem. There was another relative who was more closely related to Naomi and Ruth than he was. If that man did not want to marry Ruth, Boaz promised that he would marry her. When Ruth returned home and told Naomi what had happened, Naomi assured her that Boaz would work hard to take care of the situation that very day.

Here are some other examples of a heading for this section:

Naomi’s Plan for Ruth’s Marriage (GW)

Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor (NIV)

Ruth asked Boaz to marry her

3:1a

One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her,

¶ Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, (ESV)
¶ Some time later Naomi said to Ruth, (GNT)

One day: In Hebrew, this chapter begins with a conjunction that introduces a new major event in the story. Some versions do not use a conjunction or time phrase here.

Here are some other ways to introduce this event:

Then (ESV)

Some time later (GNT)

After a while

Consider the natural way in your language to introduce a new major event in the story. If you use a word or phrase that refers to a period of time, be sure that it can refer to an indefinite amount of time, perhaps a few weeks. By this time, the barley harvest was finished.

Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “Naomi her mother-in-law.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

her mother-in-law Naomi (NASB)

Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law (REB)

Naomi (GNT)

Ruth is such an important character in this story that the author did not think it was necessary to mention her here by name. Instead, the Hebrew text only refers to her by the pronoun “her.” But Naomi is mentioned both by her name and by her relationship to Ruth, because Naomi is about to do something important in the story. These different ways of referring to the main characters in the story follow the pattern of Hebrew stories.

In some languages, it will not be necessary or natural to refer to Naomi here by both her name and her relationship to Ruth as mother-in-law. If this is true in your language, consider following the CEV and some others by simply referring to her as Naomi.

said to her: This clause introduces a direct quotation of Naomi to Ruth.

In some languages, it may be natural to mention Ruth by name. For example:

said to Ruth (GNT)

In other languages, it may already be obvious whom Naomi is talking to, so it would not be necessary to use any form of reference. For example:

Naomi then said (NJB)

3:1b

“My daughter, should I not seek a resting place for you, that it may be well with you?

“My daughter-in-law, should I not look for a suitable/permanent home for you, so you can have all you need?
“Dear Ruth, I think that I should arrange for you to have a better life in the future.

My daughter: Ruth was not Naomi’s daughter, but the word that the BSB translates as My daughter is a natural way for mothers-in-law to address daughters-in-law in Hebrew culture. It expresses Naomi’s affection for Ruth. You should translate these words the same way as in 2:2c.

Here are some other ways to translate these words:

Daughter (NJB)

My daughter-in-law

My dear daughter

My child

In some languages, it may be more natural for Naomi to not use any form of address to Ruth. The CEV and GNT do not include an explicit translation of these words.

Translate this form of address in a way that is natural and appropriate in your language.

should I not seek a resting place for you, that it may be well with you?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasized the responsibility she felt to find a better living situation for Ruth.

Here are two ways to translate this rhetorical question:

Use a rhetorical question. For example:
should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for? (NIV84)
Is it not my duty to see you happily settled? (NJB)
Use a statement. For example:
I must find a suitable home for you (NCV)
it’s time that I found a permanent home for you (NLT)
I must find a husband for you, so that you will have a home of your own. (GNT)
I think I should try to arrange for you to have a husband who will…provide for you. (T4T)

seek: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as seek means “search out.”

a resting place for you: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as resting place is literally “rest” or “place of rest.” But here it is a figure of speech that means “a secure future.” See how you translated the related word “rest” in 1:9.

Naomi wanted Ruth to have a quiet, settled, permanent situation in which to live the rest of her life. Such a situation could only come about through marriage. Naomi’s use of the phrase resting place here is an indirect reference to marriage.

Naomi seemed to deliberately avoid being explicit, so you should keep the reference to marriage indirect if possible. Translate this phrase in a natural and meaningful way in your language.

that it may be well with you: The Hebrew clause that the BSB translates as that it may be well with you is literally “which will be good for you.” In this context, it refers to being in a good, secure situation, with a husband who will provide the food, clothes, and home she needed.

Most versions translate this part of 3:1b as a purpose clause. For example:

so that it may be well with you (NRSV)

so that you will be taken care of (CSB)

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

that will be good for you (NCV)

so you will be secure (NET)

It may be more natural in some languages to combine the two phrases “a resting place for you” and that it may be well with you into one phrase. For example:

a good home for you

a better life for you in the future

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-newevent

וַ⁠תֹּ֥אמֶר לָ֖⁠הּ נָעֳמִ֣י חֲמוֹתָ֑⁠הּ

and=she/it_said to/for=her/it Nāˊₒmī mother-in-law_of,her

The writer is using the word translated Then to introduce the next part of the story, in which Ruth asks Boaz to perform the role of kinsman-redeemer for her and Naomi. Use a word, phrase, or other method in your language that is natural for introducing a new event. Alternate translation: [After some time, Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, said to her]

Note 2 topic: translate-kinship

חֲמוֹתָ֑⁠הּ

mother-in-law_of,her

Naomi is the mother of Ruth’s dead husband, and thus, is Ruth’s mother-in-law. Alternate translation: [the mother of Ruth’s dead husband]

Note 3 topic: translate-kinship

נָעֳמִ֣י חֲמוֹתָ֑⁠הּ

Nāˊₒmī mother-in-law_of,her

Naomi is Ruth’s mother-in-law. If it is not natural to include both the name and the relationship term in your language, choose the one that refers to Naomi most naturally. Alternate translation: [Ruth’s mother-in-law]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / pronouns

חֲמוֹתָ֑⁠הּ

mother-in-law_of,her

In this verse, her refers to Ruth. Alternate translation: [Ruth’s mother-in-law]

Note 5 topic: translate-kinship

בִּתִּ֞⁠י

my_daughter_of,O

Ruth became Naomi’s daughter-in-law by marrying Naomi’s son. But here Naomi calls her My daughter to show that she loves her as much as she would love her own daughter. Use a form of address in your language that shows that Naomi loves Ruth as she would love a daughter. Alternate translation: [My dear one]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

הֲ⁠לֹ֧א אֲבַקֶּשׁ־לָ֛⁠ךְ מָנ֖וֹחַ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽיטַב־לָֽ⁠ךְ

?,not seek to/for=you(fs) security which/who well to/for=you(fs)

Naomi is using the question form to cause Ruth to think of her future. Here, Naomi uses this question to tell Ruth what she plans to do. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [I must look for a place for you to rest, in a place that will be good for you.] or [I must find a husband to care for you, who will be good to you.]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מָנ֖וֹחַ

security

Here, Naomi is speaking of a permanent home as a resting place. This does not mean a place to rest temporarily from being tired. It means a place of permanent comfort and security in a good home with a husband. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [a permanent home] or [a husband]

Parallel RUTH 3:1

Section 3:1–18: Ruth asked Boaz to help her and Naomi

3:1a

3:1b

The Setting of Ruth