Ruth · Chapter 3

[ edit] Aftyr forſoþe þat ſhe was turned aȝen to hir moder in lawe, ſhe herde of hir, Dowȝter myn, Y ſhal ſeche to þee reſt, and Y ſhal puruey þat it wel be to þee. Þis Booz, to whos wymmen children þou art ioyned in þe feeld, is oure nyȝ kyn, and in þis nyȝt he wynnewiþ þe flore of his barli. Be waſſhen þanne, and anoynt, and cloþid wiþ þe more worſhipful cloþis, and go doun into þe flore; ſe þee no man, to þe tyme þat etynge and drynkynge he haue eendid. Forſoþe whanne he goþ to ſleepe, mark þe place in þe which he ſleepiþ; and þou ſhalt com and diſcouere þe mantil, wiþ whych he is couerd, fro þe parti of þe feet, and þou ſhalt þrowe þee doun, and þere ligge.

Forſoþe he ſhal ſeye to þee, what þou owiſt to doo. Þe which anſwerde, What euere þing þou ſhalt comaunde, I ſhal doo. And ſhe wente doun into þe floor, and dide alle þingis þat þe moder in lawe comaundide to hir. And whanne Booz hadde eten and dronken, and was maad gladder cheryd, and was goon to ſleepe biſide þe heep of handfullis, ſhe cam, and hidde hir; and diſcouerd þe mantil fro his feet, ſhe þrewe hir ſelf doun. And loo! nowe at mydnyȝt dradde þe man, and is diſturblid; and he ſawȝ a womman liggynge at his feet, and ſeiþ to hir, What art þou? She anſwerde, I am Ruþ, þin hoond womman; ſpreed þi mantil vpon þi ſeruaunt, for þou art nyȝ.

And he, Bleſſid, he ſeiþ, þou art of þe Lord, douȝtre, and þe raþer mercy bi þe aftirmore þou haſt ouerpaſſid; for þou haſt not folwid ȝonge pore men oþer riche. Wol þou not þanne drede, but what euere þing þou ſeiſt to me, I ſhal doo to þee; forſoþe al þe puple woot, þat dwelliþ wiþ ynne þe ȝatis of my cytee, þee to be a womman of vertue. Ne I denye me to be nyȝ, but þere is anoþer nerre þan Y; reſt þis nyȝt, and morwetide doon, if he wole take þee bi riȝt of affynyte, þe þing is wel doo; forſoþe if he wol not, I wiþ out eny dowt ſhal take þee, þe Lord lyueþ; ſleep vnto þe morwetide.

And ſo ſhe ſlept at his feet vnto þe goynge a wey of þe niȝt, and ſo ſhe roos before þat men knewen hem ſelf to gidre. And Booz ſeide, Bewar, leſt eny man knowe, þat hidir þou art comen. And eft, Spreed, he ſeiþ, þi mantil, wiþ which þou art couerd, and hold wiþ eþir hoond. Þe which ſpredynge and holdynge he meſuride ſixe buſhels of barli, and put vpon hir; þe which berynge wente into þe cyte, and cam to hir moder in lawe. Þe which ſeide to hir, What haſt þow doon, douȝter? And ſhe toolde to hyr alle þingis, þat þe man dide to hir; and ſeiþ, Loo! ſexe buſhels of barly he haþ ȝeuen to me; and ſeiþ, Y wol not þee to turne aȝen void to þi moder in lawe.

And Noemy ſeide, Abide, douȝter, to þe tyme þat we ſeen what yſſu þe þing wol han; forſoþe ne þe man ſhal ceeſe, but he fulfille þat he haþ ſpoken.