The Hebrew text has “Ruth her daughter-in-law,” but it is not necessary to reproduce “daughter-in-law” in this context, since the relationship is quite clear (cf. New English Bible and New American Bible).

In some languages a general verb for said is appropriate in introducing Naomi’s comment in this verse. In other languages the link between verse 22 and verse 21 needs to be made more evident, and therefore one may use a verb such as “rejoined” (New American Bible), “responded,” or “replied in turn.”

For the translation of daughter, see the comments on verses 8 and 9. The connotation of this term is one of affection and kinship. A modern English equivalent may be “my dear” (see New American Bible).

The Hebrew text of verse 22 presents the two statements of Naomi in the same order as that shown in Good News Translation. The comparative it will be better for you to work with the women in Boaz’ field precedes the statement concerning Ruth’s possibly being molested if she goes to another man’s field. It may seem more natural in many languages, however, to state the reason first, You might be molested…, and then the result or conclusion, namely, that Ruth had better stay with the servants of Boaz.

The clause it will be better for you to work with the women in Boaz’ field is in Hebrew a comparative construction, but the second part of the comparison is left out, namely, “better than….” See Joüon, par 141. This makes the Hebrew clause correspond more or less to the English construction “you had better accompany his girls” (Moffatt). However, in some receptor languages it may not be possible to leave out the second member of a comparison. One may have to say, for example, “it is better for you to stay with his servants than to go with the servants of some other man.” Perhaps a more natural expression for this comparison would employ a statement containing an expression of necessity; for example, “you should only accompany his women servants” or “you must stay with his servants.”

You might be molested translates a Hebrew verb which often means merely “to meet.” In this context, however, it means “to meet with hostility.” There seems no reason for following New English Bible “let no one catch you,” since the meaning seems clearly to be “molest” or “harm.” One may even have the active verbal construction: “so that no one may attack you in the fields” or “so that the reapers in the field of someone else may not attack you there.”

Quoted with permission from de Waard, Jan and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Ruth. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1978, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .