Ruth · Chapter 1

[ edit] In þe days of oon iuge, whanne þe iugis weren before in power, þere is maad greet hungre in þe erþe; and o man of Beþlem Juda wente for to pilgrimage in þe regioun of Moabitide, wiþ his wijf and his two free children. And he was clepid Elemalech, and þe wijf of hym Noemye, and þe two ſones, þe toon Maalon, and þe toþer Chelion, Effratee of Beþlem Juda; and þei goon into þe regioun of Moabitide, dwelliden þere. And Elemalech, þe houſboond of Noemie, is deed, and ſhe lafte wiþ þe ſones; þe whiche token Moabyte wyues, of whom oon was clepid Orpha, and þe toþer Ruþ.

And þei dwelliden ten ȝeer þere, and boþ been deed, Maalon þat is, and Chelyon; and þe womman laft priued two free children and houſboond. And ſhe roos for to goo into þe cuntre wiþ hir eiþer douȝter in lawe fro Moabitis regioun; forſoþe ſhe hadde herd, þat þe Lord hadde biholden hir puple, and hadde ȝouun hem metis. And ſo ſhe wente out fro þe place of hir pylgrimage wiþ eiþer douȝter in lawe; and nowe in þe weie ſet of turnynge aȝen into þe loond of Juda, ſhe ſeide to hem, Goþ in to þe hows of ȝoure moder; þe Lord do wiþ ȝou mercy, as ȝe han do wiþ þe deed, and wiþ me; ȝif he to ȝow to fynde reſt in þe howſes of þe men, þe whiche ȝe ben to take. And ſhe kiſſide hem.

Þe whiche wiþ arerid vois bigunne to wepe, and ſeyn, Wiþ þee we ſhulen goo to þi puple. To whom ſhe anſwerde, Turneþ aȝen, my douȝtren, whi comen ȝe wiþ me? Y haue no mo ſonys in my wombe, þat men of me ȝe mowen hope; turneþ aȝen, my Moabitis douȝtren, and goþ; forſoþe nowe I am waaſtid bi eeld, ne able to þe boond of matrymonye; alſo if Y myȝt þis nyȝt conceyue, and bere ſones, þouȝ ȝe wolden abide to þe tyme þat þei wexen, and fulfillen þe ȝeeris of mannus age, before þat ȝe wedden ȝe ſhulen be oold wymmen; woliþ not, Y biſeche, my douȝtren, for ȝoure angwiſh greuiþ me more, and þe hoond of þe Lord is goon out aȝens me. Þanne arerid þe voice, eft þei bigunne to wepe.

Orpha kiſſide her moder in lawe, and turnede aȝen, Ruþ cleuede to hir moder in lawe. To whom ſeide Noemye, Loo! þi coſyn is turned aȝen to hir puple, and to hir goddis; go þou wiþ hir. Þe which anſwerde, Ne contrarye þou me, þat Y forſake þee, and goo a wey; whidir euere þou goſt, I ſhal goo, and where þow abidiſt, and I togidre ſhal abyde; þi puple my puple, and þi God my God; what erþe þee takiþ diynge, in it I ſhal die, and þere I ſhal take place of biriynge; þes þingis God do to me, and þes þingis adde, if not oonly deþ me and þee ſeuere. Seynge þanne Noemye, þat wiþ ſtedfaſt inwit Ruþ hadde demed to goo wiþ hir, wold not contrarye, ne more mouynge þe turnynge aȝen to hyrs.

And þei wenten forþ to gidre, and þei camen into Beþlem; þe whiche goon into þe cytee, ſwift loos anentis alle men wex opyn, and þe wymmen ſeiden, Þis is þe ilk Noemy. To whom ſhe ſeiþ, Ne clepe ȝe me Noemy, þat is to ſeye, fayr, but clepiþ me Mara, þat is, bittir; for wiþ bitternes mych þe Almyȝti haþ fulfillid me. Ful I wente out, and voyd þe Lord haþ brouȝt me aȝen; whi þanne clepe ȝe me Noemy, whom þe Lord haþ mekyd, and þe Almity haþ tourmentid? Þanne cam Noemy wiþ Ruþ Moabite, hir douȝter in lawe, fro þe loond of hir pilgrimage, and is turned aȝen into Beþleem, whanne firſt men repiden barly.