Ruth 1 1 Boaz went and took a seat at the gate; and when he saw the closer relative of whom he had spoken come along, he called to him by name,"Come and sit beside me!" And he did so. 波阿次走上城门口,坐在那里。可巧,波阿次所说的那位至亲,正从那里经过,他就对他说:"某兄,请过来,坐一坐!"他就过去坐下了。 2 2 Then Boaz picked out ten of the elders of the city and asked them to sit nearby. When they had done this, 波阿次又由城内的长老中,邀请了十位,对他们说:"请你们在这里坐一坐!"他们就都坐下。 3 he said to the near relative:"Naomi, who has come back from the Moabite plateau, is putting up for sale the piece of land that belonged to our kinsman Elimelech. 波阿次便对那位至亲说:"从摩阿布乡间回来的纳敖米要卖我们兄弟厄里默肋客的一块田。 4 3 So I thought I would inform you, bidding you before those here present, including the elders of my people, to put in your claim for it if you wish to acquire it as next of kin. But if you do not wish to claim it, tell me so, that I may be guided accordingly, for no one has a prior claim to yours, and mine is next." He answered,"I will put in my claim." 我认为我应在你面前说明这事,并请你当着在坐的诸位及民众的长老前,购买这块地。若你愿意尽你至亲的义务,就尽;若你不愿意尽,请告诉我知道;因为除你应尽这义务之外,没有别人了;你以后就是我。”那人答说:“我尽。” 5 4 Boaz continued,"Once you acquire the field from Naomi, you must take also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the late heir, and raise up a family for the departed on his estate." 波阿次接着说:“你从纳敖米手中购得田地的那一天,也应娶亡者之妻,即摩阿布女子卢德,好给死者在嗣业上留名。” 6 The near relative replied,"I cannot exercise my claim lest I depreciate my own estate. Put in a claim yourself in my stead, for I cannot exercise my claim." 那位至亲答说:“那么我就不能尽这义务了,免得我的产业受害,你尽我应尽的义务罢!我不能尽了。” 7 5 Now it used to be the custom in 从前在以色列中间,无论对于买卖或交易,为确定一事,有这样的一个风俗:就是一方应脱下自己的鞋,交与另一方:这在以色列就算为证据。 8 So the near relative, in saying to Boaz,"Acquire it for yourself," drew off his sandal. 那位至亲对波阿次说:“你购买罢!”遂就脱下了自己的鞋。 9 Boaz then said to the elders and to all the people,"You are witnesses today that I have acquired from Naomi all the holdings of Elimelech, Chilion and Mahlon. 于是波阿次对长老及所有在坐的民众说:“今天你们作证,我从纳敖米手中购得了属于厄里默肋客及基肋雍与玛赫隆的一切产业; 10 I also take Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, as my wife, in order to raise up a family for her late husband on his estate, so that the name of the departed may not perish among his kinsmen and fellow citizens. Do you witness this today?" 同时我也取得了玛赫隆的妻,摩阿布的女子卢德为我的妻室,好给死者在嗣业上留名,不叫死者的名字,在自己的兄弟和故乡的门户中失传;今日你们为此作证!” 11 All those at the gate, including the elders, said,"We do so. May the LORD make this wife come into your house like Rachel and Leah, who between them built up the house of 在城门旁的民众和长老都回答说:“我们作证。愿上主使这走进你家中的妇女,像似那两位曾建立了以色列家的辣黑耳和肋阿!愿你在厄弗辣大昌盛,愿你在白冷得享盛名! 12 6 With the offspring the LORD will give you from this girl, may your house become like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah." 愿你的家借上主使这少妇给你所生的后裔,相似塔玛尔给犹大所生的培勒兹的家。” 13 Boaz took Ruth. When they came together as man and wife, the LORD enabled her to conceive and she bore a son. 波阿次遂娶了卢德,她就成了他的妻子。他走近了她,上主赐她怀孕,生了一个儿子。 14 Then the women said to Naomi,"Blessed is the LORD who has not failed to provide you today with an heir! May he become famous in 妇女们就对纳敖米说:"愿上主受颂扬!因为他没有使你今日缺乏承继者。愿他在以色列中得享盛名! 15 He will be your comfort and the support of your old age, for his mother is the daughter-in-law who loves you. She is worth more to you than seven sons!" 他是你心灵的安慰,是你老年的依靠,因为他是爱你的儿媳所生的;像这样的儿媳,对你实胜过七个儿子。" 16 7 Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and became his nurse. 纳敖米接过婴儿来,抱在怀中,做了他的保母。 17 8 And the neighbor women gave him his name, at the news that a grandson had been born to Naomi. They called him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. 邻近的妇女喊着说:"纳敖米得了个儿子!"他们就给他起名叫敖贝得;他就是达味的父亲叶瑟的父亲。 18 These are the descendants of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, 以下是培肋兹的族谱:培勒兹生赫兹龙, 19 Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, 赫兹龙生兰,兰生阿米纳达布, 20 Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, Nahshon was the father of Salmon, 阿米纳达布生纳赫雄,纳赫雄生撒耳孟, 21 Salmon was the father of Boaz, Boaz was the father of Obed, 撒耳孟生波阿次,波阿次生敖贝得, 22 Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David. 敖贝得生叶瑟,叶瑟生达味。 Footnotes(注解) 1 [1] Took a seat at the gate: i.e., of the city, where business affairs were settled. 2 [2] Ten of the elders: to serve as judges in legal matters as well as witnesses of the settlement of business affairs; cf Deut 25:7-9. 3 [4] Poverty had obliged Naomi to sell the land of her deceased husband. The law permitted the nearest kinsman to redeem the land and thus preserve the family patrimony; cf Lev 25:25. 4 [5-6] The heir of Elimelech's field had died without children (Ruth 1:5). The nearest of kin could now redeem the land but he must also take Ruth, the widow of the late heir, to wife to perpetuate the family of the deceased; cf Deut 25:5-6. The first male child of such a marriage would be the legal son of Mahlon and grandson of Elimelech. 5 [7] Take off his sandal . . .: by this act the near relative renounced his legal right, both to the field of Elimelech and to the marriage with Ruth. The custom mentioned in Deut 25:6 is somewhat different. 6 [12] Perez, whom Tamar bore to 7 [16] Placed him on her lap: took him as her own; cf Genesis 30:3; 48:12; Numbers 11:12. 8 [17] The father of Jesse, the father of David: indicating the place of Obed, Jesse and David in the line of |