1:12a

Return home, my daughters: Naomi repeated almost the same words that she used in verse 11. In the Hebrew text, she added another command, “go.” This emphasized what she was saying.

for I am too old to have another husband: Naomi added another point to her argument. Not only was she too old to bear more children, but she was also too old to be married again.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

You must go back home, because I am too old to marry again. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Go, because I am too old to get married again. (God’s Word)

1:12b–c

Verse 12b–c consists of two parallel clauses. Both clauses are conditions that are not true.

1:12b

Even if I thought there was hope for me: This clause states a condition that is not true. The word hope refers to the hope that Naomi could get married again and bear more children. It may be helpful to include that implicit information here. For example:

Even if I thought that there was still hope for me ⌊to have more sons⌋

1:12c

to have a husband tonight and to bear sons: This clause states a second condition that is not true. It was not possible that Naomi could get married that night.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

Even if I got married tonight and later had more sons (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Suppose I married a man tonight. Suppose that later I gave birth to his sons (NIRV)
-or-
even if I got married today and became pregnant tonight and later gave birth to sons (Translation for Translators)

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