SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 691 Title : The Buik o Ruth: 04 - The Buik o Ruth Author(s): A S Borrowman Copyright holder(s): Mrs Lorna F Borrowman Text Chaptir Ane Langsyne in the days o the Judges thair was a famine in the kintra and a man frae Bethlehem o Juda gaed awa tae bide in Moab, wi his guidwife and twa sons. The man was hecht Elimelech, his guidwife Naomi, and his twa sons Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites frae Bethlehem o Juda. They set awa intae Moabite kintra and thair they bidit. Elimelech, Naomi's guidman deed, and she was leeft wi her twa sons. Thae sons merrit on Moabite weemen, ane hecht Orpah, tither Ruth. They had bidit thair maist ten year whan baith Mahlon and Chilion deed, sae Naomi tint her twa sons alsweel her guidman. Sae she yede awa wi her twa guid-dochters tae gang hame, sin it was the clash o the Maobite kintra that the Lord had been mindfu o his fowk and had gied them their needfu fendin. Sae wi her twa guid-dochters she leeft the airt whaur she had dwalt, and tuik the gait hame tae Juda. Than Naomi spak tae her twa guid-dochters, "Gang back, baith o ye tae yer mithers' hames. The Lord keep troth wi ye as ye hae keepit troth wi the deed and wi me: Ah howp He gies ye, ilk ane, a guid doonsettin in the hame o anither guid man". She kissit them and they grat sair. Than said they tae her, "We sall gang wi ye tae yer ain fowk". But Naomi said, "Gang hame, lasses, gang hame. Fou suld ye gang wi me? Amna Ah owre auld tae hae onie mair sons? Gang hame, lasses, gang hame. Ah'm owre auld tae merry a saicond time. Gif Ah were tae ligg in jizzen and hae sons wald ye bide till they were men-bodies? It waldna be wyce gif ye were tae nay-say anither merridge. Na, na, lasses, Ah hae a wersher weird than ye tae dree, for the Lord has been agin me". Than Orpah kissit her guidmither and airtit awa hame tae her ain fowk, but Ruth bidit wi Naomi. "Atweel" quo Naomi, "yer guidsister has gaen awa hame tae her ain fowk and her gods, gang ye wi her" "Dinna yoke on me tae gang and lat ye bide yer leelane" Ruth said. "Whaur ye gang Ah sall gang and whaur ye bide Ah sall bide. Yer kin sall be ma kin, and yer God sall be ma God. Whaur ye dee Ah sall dee and thair sall Ah be yirdit. Ah tak ma aith afore the Lord yer God naething but daith sall gar us twine". Whan Naomi jalousit that Ruth ettlt tae gang wi her, she spak nae mair, and the twa o them airtit on tae Bethlehem. Whan they cam tae Bethlehem the haill brugh was in a tirravee anent them, and the weemen said, "Isna yon Naomi?" "Dinna caa me Naomi" quo she, "caa me Mara, for a wersh weird the Lord has gien me. Ah gaed awa teemin owre, and the Lord has brocht me hame toom. Fou dae ye caa me Naomi? The Lord has spak agin me; the Almichty has sair fruschit me". Yon's hoo Naomi's guid-dochter Ruth the Moabitess cam wi her frae the Moabite kintra. The bere hairst begoud whan they cam tae Bethlehem. Chaptir Twa Noo, Naomi had a kinsman on her man's side, a weel-aff man o the faimly o Elimelech, hecht Boaz. Ruth the Moabitess said tae Naomi, "Can Ah gang tae the cornrigs and gaither ahint onie wha'll lat me?" "Aye gang ma dochter" quo she; sae Ruth gaithert in the rigs ahint the shurers. Hap weel, rap weel, she was in yon bittock o the rigs Boaz aucht, and thair was Boaz airtin frae Bethlehem. Quo he tae the shurers, "The Lord be wi ye". Said they, "The Lord sain ye". Than he speirt at his stibble-rig, "Whas lass ist?" "She's a Moabite lass" said he, "wha's jist back wi Naomi frae the Moabite kintra. She speirt gin she micht gaither amang the stooks ahint the shurers. She cam and hasna taen the wecht aff her fit frae skreigh o day till noo". Than Boaz said tae Ruth, "Lippen tae me, ma dochter; dinna gang and gaither at onie ither rig, and dinna luik onie farder, but bide nar ma lasses. Tak tent whaur the men shure and gang efter the ingers. I'se telt them nae tae mell wi ye. Gif ye are drouthie, gang and sup frae the bickers the men hae fout. She streekit hersel afore him, and quo she, "Fou are ye sae genty as tae tak tent o me, whan Ah'm anerlie a fremmit body?" Quo Boaz, "They hae telt me aa ye hae dune for yer guidmither sin yer man deed, hoo ye hae twinit yer mither and faither and yer ain kintra, and cam tae a fowk ye didna ken afore. The Lord sain ye for yer guid wark: The Lord God o Israel, aneath whas fedders ye hae come for a bield, gie ye aa ye richtlie suld hae". "Certes, sir," quo she, "ye hae smoorit ma ill-thochts and ye hae spak doucelie tae me: Ah sall be in yer reverence gin ye dinna tak me as ane o yer hoose vaishles". When denner time cam, Boaz said tae her, "Here, lass, come and hae a bite and dook yer breid in the tippenny". Sae she set amang the shurers and he raxit her a loofin o beuk bere. She ett as she wantit, forbye a posel she keepit. Whan she raise tae gaither, Boaz telt his men, steevelie, "She" quo he, "can gaither een amang the stooks; dinna yoke on her. Forbye, ye can een pu a pickle corn frae the stooks and lea it for her tae gaither; and nae flytin at her!" Sae Ruth gaithert in the rigs till nicht, and whan she had dichtit her gaitherins it cam tae maist a fou o bere. She heizit it and gaed intae the brugh, and her guidmither saw hoo muckle she had gaithert. Than Ruth brocht out the posel frae her denner, and gied it tae her. Her guidmither speirt, "Whaur did ye gaither the day? Whilk gait did ye gang? Blissins on the man wha luikit doucelie on ye". Sae she telt her guidmither wha she had been warkin tae. "The man Ah had a yokin wi", quo she, "is caad Boaz". "Blissins tae him frae the Lord" quo Naomi; "the Lord has keepit troth wi the leevin and the deed. For this man is sib tae us and is our neist o kin". "Alsweel" quo Ruth the Moabitess, "he telt me tae bide nar by his men till they are by wi aa his hairst". "Ye'd be wyce, ma dochter," quo Naomi, "tae gang wi his lasses; tak tent naebody glisks ye in anither rig". Sae she bidit nar his lasses gaitherin wi them till baith the bere and corn hairsts were in, but she dwalt wi her guidmither. Chaptir Thrie Ae day, Ruth's guidmither Naomi said tae her, "Ma dochter, Ah suld be blythe gin ye had a guid doonsettin. Noo, thair is our kinsman, Boaz: ye were wi his lasses. The nicht he dichts bere at his threshie-flair. Whan ye hae wushen and buskit yersel, pit on yer mantua, gang doon tae the threshie-flair, but dinna mak yersel kent tae the man till he is by etten and drinkin. But whan he liggs doon, tak tent o the bit whaur he liggs. Than, gang in, heize the cloak at his fit, and ligg doon. He sall tell ye what tae dae". "Ah sall dae strauchtlie what ye tell me", quo Ruth. Sae she gaed doon tae the threshie-flair, and did strauchtlie what her guidmither telt her. When Boaz had etten and drunkan he was gie contentit wi the warld, and gaed awa tae ligg at the faur end o the bere bing. She cam in stownlins, heizit the cloak at his fit and liggit doon. About midnicht some orra thing awaukent the sleepin man; he rowt owre, and, ma certes, wasna thair a wumman liggin at his fit! "Wha are ye?" he speirt. "Ah'm yer servin-lass Ruth" quo she. "Noo, hap yer cloak owre yer frien, for ye are ma neist o kin". Quo he, "The Lord has sainit ye, ma dochter. This last prief o yer lealty is faur mair nor the firsten; ye hinna socht efter onie callant, weel-aff or puir. Dinna fash yersel, ma dochter. Ah sall dae what is askit; for aa the neeborhood kens ye are an eident wumman. Are ye shair Ah'm the neist o kin? Thair's ane mair sib tae ye than Ah am. Bide here the nicht, and the morn, gin he is willin tae be yer neist o kin, weel and guid; gif he willna Ah sall dae it. Ah tak ma aith by the Lord. Noo, ligg doon till daydaw". Sae she liggit at his fit till daydaw, but awaukent air, afore onie docht ken wha she was; and he said, "It winna dae for fowk tae ken a wumman has been tae the threshie-flair". Than, quo he, "rax me the mantua ye hae on, and haud it out". Sae she raxit her mantua, and he gied her sax gowpens o bere, and heizit it on her shoulder, and she gaed awa tae the brugh. When she cam tae her guidmither, Naomi speirt, "Hoo did it faa out wi ye ma dochter?" Ruth telt her aa the man had dune for her. "He gied me sax gowpens o bere", quo she, "he waldna lat me come hame tae ma guidmither toom". Quo Naomi, "Bide a wee, ma dochter, till ye see what wull befaa. He sallna bide eith, till he has redd up the maitter the day". Chaptir Fower Noo, Boaz had gaen up tae the brugh yett, and was set thair and in a wee while him that was sib tae him, wha he had spak o cam by. "Here" he cryit, caain him by name, "come and set yersel doon". He cam and set himsel doon. Than Boaz walit ten aylers o the brugh and askit them tae set thair, and sae did they. Than he spak tae the neist o kin; "Ye mind o the mailin whilk our brither Elimelech aucht. Naomi is hame frae the Moabite kintra and ettles tae sell it. Ah bode tae tak up the maitter wi ye tae speir at ye tae buy it, afore they wha are conveent here, afore the aylers o ma fowk. Gif ye are gaun tae dae yer devoir as neist o kin, than dae sae, but gifna some ither chiel maun dae it". Quo he, "Ah sall act as neist o kin". Than quo Boaz, "The day ye tak the mailin frae Naomi, ye tak alsweel Ruth the Moabitess, the relict o the deed man, sae that ye bigg up the name o the deed man and his haudin". "Algates" the neist o kin said, "Ah canna dae it masel, for Ah wald tine ma ain haudin. Ye maun dae ma devoir as ma neist o kin. Ah canna dae it" Noo, in yon auld days when mailins were haint or niffert the wont-tae-be was for a man tae pu aff ane o his shoon, and gie it tae tither pairty. Yon's hoo they wald mak things siccar in Israel. Sae the neist o kin said tae Boaz, "Tak it for yersel" puin aff his shae. Than Boaz declarit tae the aylers and aa the fowk, "Ye are deponents the day that Ah hae gotten frae Naomi aa that Elimelech aucht, and aa that Mahlon and Chilion aucht, and mair, Ah hae gotten Ruth the Moabitess, guidwife o Mahlon tae be ma guidwife, tae bigg up the name o the deed man wi his haudin, sae that his name wiIlna be tint amang his kin, and at the yett o his native. Ye are deponents the day". Than the aylers and aa wha were at the yett said, "We are deponents. The Lord mak this wumman wha has come tae yer hame anither Rachel or Leah, the twa wha biggit up the hoose o Israel. We howp ye dae muckle guid in Ephratah and keep a name leevin in Bethlehem. Lat yer hoose be as the hoose o Perez wham Tamar had tae Judah, throwe the bairns the Lord sall gie ye by this lass". Sae Boaz and Ruth were weddit; whan they were beddit, the Lord gart her conceive and she had a son tae Boaz. Than the wee men said tae Naomi, "Blissins tae the Lord the day, for He hasna lat ye bide wantin a neist o kin. Lat the name o the deed man be keepit leevin in Israel. The bairn sall gie ye life in the new, and sall bield ye in eild, for yer guid-dochter, wha loes ye, wha has prievit better nor seevin sons has bure him". Naomi tuik the bairn and cuddlt him, and was his nourice. The neebors gied him a name. "Naomi has a son" quo they, "we sall caa him Obed". He was the faither o Jesse, the faither o Dauvit. This is the genealogy o Perez: Perez was the faither o Hezron, Hezron o Ram, Ram o Amminadab, Amminadab o Salmon, Salmon o Boaz, Boaz o Obed, Obed o Jesse, and Jesse o Dauvit. This work is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document. Information about document and author: Text Text audience Adults (18+): General public: Informed lay people: Males: Females: Audience size: 100+ Text details Method of composition: Typed Year of composition: 1974 Title of original (if translation): The Book of Ruth Language of original (if translation): English of the King James Version Word count: 2272 Text medium Book: Text publication details Published: Publisher: Gordon Wright Publication year: 1979 Place of publication: Edinburgh ISBN/ISSN: SBN 903065 30 4 Edition: 1st Part of larger text: Contained in: The Buik o Ruth and ither wark in Lallans Editor: Author: Alex S. Borrowman Page numbers: 13-17 Text setting Religious/ceremonial: Text type Other: Book of the Bible Author Author details Author id: 755 Forenames: A Initials: S Surname: Borrowman Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1910 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Parish Minister Place of birth: Stirling Region of birth: Stirling Birthplace CSD dialect area: Stlg Country of birth: Scotland Father's occupation: Shop assistant Father's place of birth: Stirling Father's region of birth: Stirling Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Stlg Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Dress maker Mother's place of birth: Dunblane Mother's region of birth: E & SE Perthshire Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Per Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: all circumstances Language: French Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Language: German Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: for literary purposes