12. Turn back, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought that there was still hope for me, that I could have a husband tonight and give birth to sons,
13. would you wait until they were grown? Would you refrain from getting married? No, my daughters. It is much more bitter for me than for you, for the hand of the Lord has turned against me.”
14. Then they raised their voices and wept aloud once more. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
15. Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and her gods. Return with her!”
16. But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people shall be my people and your God my God.
17. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord do thus to me, and worse, if anything but death separates you and me!”
18. When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.
19. So they both went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women asked, “Is this Naomi?”
20. But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi. Call me Mara, because the Almighty has brought great bitterness to me.
21. I was full when I left, but the Lord has caused me to return empty. Why should you call me Naomi when the Lord has opposed me? The Almighty has brought misfortune upon me!”
22. So Naomi returned from the land of Moab with Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law. They came to Bethlehem at the start of the spring barley harvest.