Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. 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=clearImportance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV)“I can’t buy it back myself, then,” the closer relative answered. “If I did that, I would ruin my own son’s inheritance. You can have the land and the woman instead of me, because I simply can’t take it.”
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).
BrTrAnd the kinsman said, I shall not be able to redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance; do thou redeem my right for thyself, for I shall not be able to redeem it.
ULTThen the kinsman-redeemer said, “I am not able to redeem it for myself lest I damage my own inheritance. You redeem for yourself my right of redemption, for I am not able to redeem it.”
USTThen the nearer relative said, “Then I cannot buy it back myself. If I did that, I would ruin my own son’s inheritance. You may be responsible for the land and the woman instead of me. I cannot do it.”
BSB § The kinsman-redeemer replied, “I cannot redeem it myself, or I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I cannot redeem it.”
OEB‘I cannot buy it for myself without spoiling my own inheritance,’ the near relative said. ‘You take my right of buying it as a relative, because I cannot do so.’
WEBBEThe near kinsman said, “I can’t redeem it for myself, lest I endanger my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption for yourself; for I can’t redeem it.”
NETThe guardian said, “Then I am unable to redeem it, for I would ruin my own inheritance in that case. You may exercise my redemption option, for I am unable to redeem it.”
LSVAnd the redeemer says, “I am not able to redeem [it] for myself, lest I destroy my inheritance; redeem for yourself—you—my right of redemption, for I am not able to redeem.”
FBV“Well, I can't do it then,” the family redeemer replied. “If I were to redeem it, that could jeopardize what I already own.[fn] You redeem it for yourself, because I can't.”
4:6The man was concerned that any property he already had would also be included in the legacy to any son Ruth would have, and it would be credited to her dead husband's line.
T4TThen the close relative of Ruth’s dead husband said, “If that is so, I do not want to buy the field, because then my own children would not inherit the property; Ruth’s children would inherit it. You buy the property!”
LEBAnd the redeemer said, “I am not able to redeem for myself, lest I ruin my inheritance. You redeem for yourself my kinsman-redemption, for I am not able to redeem it.”
BBEAnd the near relation said, I am not able to do the relation's part, for fear of damaging the heritage I have: you may do it in my place, for I am not able to do it myself.
JPSAnd the near kinsman said: 'I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance; take thou my right of redemption on thee; for I cannot redeem it.' —
ASVAnd the near kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: take thou my right of redemption on thee; for I cannot redeem it.
DRAHe answered: I yield up my right of next akin: for I must not cut off the posterity of my own family. Do thou make use of my privilege, which I profess I do willingly forego.
YLTAnd the redeemer saith, 'I am not able to redeem [it] for myself, lest I destroy mine inheritance; redeem for thyself — thou — my right of redemption, for I am not able to redeem.'
DrbyAnd he that had the right of redemption said, I cannot redeem [it] for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance. Redeem thou for thyself what I should redeem, for I cannot redeem [it].
RVAnd the near kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: take thou my right of redemption on thee; for I cannot redeem it.
WbstrAnd the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it .
KJB-1769¶ And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. (¶ And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou/you my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. )
KJB-1611¶ And the kinseman said, I cannot redeeme it for my selfe, lest I marre mine owne inheritance: redeeme thou my right to thy selfe, for I cannot redeeme it. (¶ And the kinseman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I marre mine own inheritance: redeem thou/you my right to thyself/yourself, for I cannot redeem it.)
BshpsThe kinsman aunswered: I can not redeeme it, for marring of myne owne inheritaunce: redeeme thou my right to thee, for I cannot redeeme it. (The kinsman answered: I cannot redeem it, for marring of mine own inheritance: redeem thou/you my right to thee/you, for I cannot redeem it.)
GnvaAnd the kinsman answered, I can not redeeme it, lest I destroy mine owne inheritance: redeeme my right to thee, for I can not redeeme it. (And the kinsman answered, I cannot redeem it, lest I destroy mine own inheritance: redeem my right to thee/you, for I cannot redeem it. )
CvdlThe sayde he: I can not redeme it, lest I happlye destroye myne awne enheritaunce. Redeme thou yt I shulde redeme, for I can not redeme it. (The said he: I cannot redeme it, lest I happilye destroy mine own inheritance. Redeme thou/you it I should redeme, for I cannot redeme it.)
WycWhich answeride, Y forsake the ryyt of nyy kyn; for Y owe not to do awei the eritage of my meynee; vse thou my priuelegie, which priuelegie Y knowleche me to wante gladli. (Which answered, I forsake the ryyt of nigh/near kyn; for I owe not to do away the heritage of my meynee; use thou/you my priuelegie, which priuelegie I knowleche me to wante gladly.)
LuthDa sprach er: Ich mag es nicht beerben, daß ich nicht vielleicht mein Erbteil verderbe. Beerbe du, was ich beerben soll; denn ich mag es nicht beerben. (So spoke er: I like it not beerben, that I not vielleicht my inheritance verderbe. Beerbe you, what/which I beerben soll; because I like it not beerben.)
ClVgQui respondit: Cedo juri propinquitatis: neque enim posteritatem familiæ meæ delere debeo: tu meo utere privilegio, quo me libenter carere profiteor. (Who answered: Cedo yuri propinquitatis: nor because posteritatem familiæ my delere debeo: you mine utere privilegio, quo me libenter carere profiteor. )
4:6Then I can’t redeem it: The addition of Ruth to the transaction completely changed the equation for the other kinsman. • this might endanger my own estate: If he bought the land, married Ruth, and raised an heir for Elimelech, he might invest many resources only to lose control of the new land, and he might not have enough to maintain his own land. If he then failed to have a second son with Ruth as his own heir, his land would be inherited by Elimelech’s heir, and his own name would die out. Even if this kinsman had acquired the land and not Ruth (see study notes on 3:11; 4:5), he still might lose his investment in the land to the heir born to Ruth. By acting to preserve his own name, this man became the no-name who refused to help his close relative.
Here, I damage my own inheritance means that if the man marries Ruth, the property that he buys would belong to her son, not to his own children. In that way, he would be taking away from the wealth that his own children would inherit from him and giving it instead to the children that Ruth might bear. Alternate translation: “lest I take away from my own children’s inheritance.”
redeem to/for=yourself(m) you(ms) DOM right_of_redemption,my
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the ideas of right or redemption, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: “I will allow you to redeem the property for yourself”
The story of Ruth is set in the time of the Judges, a few generations before the birth of King David. While much animosity often existed between Israel and Moab (Judges 3:12-30; 10:6-12:7; 2 Samuel 8:2; 10; 2 Kings 3:4-27; 2 Chronicles 20; see also Nations across the Jordan River map), other times the two nations appear to have enjoyed a somewhat congenial relationship, as is demonstrated by Naomi’s willingness to relocate to Moab to seek relief from a famine. Later Naomi’s sons also marry Moabite women, and Ruth’s devotion to Naomi and her God no doubt speaks highly of the character of many Moabites. Many years later Ruth’s great-grandson David placed his parents in the care of the king of Moab while he was on the run from King Saul (1 Samuel 22:3-4).
