11. Boaz answered, “I've heard how you've helped your mother-in-law ever since your husband died. You even left your own father and mother to come and live in a foreign land among people you don't know.
12. I pray that the Lord God of Israel will reward you for what you have done. And now that you have come to him for protection, I pray that he will bless you.”
13. Ruth replied, “Sir, it's good of you to speak kindly to me and make me feel so welcome. I'm not even one of your servants.”
14. At mealtime Boaz said to Ruth, “Come, eat with us. Have some bread and dip it in the sauce.” Straight away she sat down with the workers, and Boaz handed her some roasted grain. Ruth ate all she wanted and had some left over.
15. When Ruth got up to start picking up grain, Boaz told his men, “Don't stop her, even if she picks up grain from where it is stacked.
16. Be sure to pull out some stalks of grain from the bundles and leave them on the ground for her. And don't speak harshly to her!”
17. Ruth worked in the field until evening. Then after she had pounded the grain off the stalks, she had a large basket full of grain.
18. She took the grain to town and showed Naomi how much she had picked up. Ruth also gave her the food left over from her lunch.