Wash yourself should be understood in the sense of “to bathe” (New American Bible).

Put on some perfume represents a Hebrew expression normally translated as “to anoint.” An exception to this rule is BJ, which translates correctly: “parfume-toi.” One of the difficulties involved in using a word meaning “to anoint” is that this is a very generalized expression in Hebrew and would not necessarily be understood in this context to mean “anoint with good-smelling oils.” Therefore it seems better to be somewhat more specific than the Hebrew text and to translate “put on some perfume,” since this was certainly the meaning of Naomi’s instructions to Ruth.

The rendering get dressed in your best clothes is a very satisfactory idiomatic equivalent of the Hebrew expression. However, it is true that most Hebrew manuscripts simlotayik is the reading of Q and 7 MSS. have at this point a singular noun, and one may therefore appropriately translate “put on your best cloak.” This may very well refer to a large piece of cloth worn as an outer garment, but this is not the mantle or cloak mentioned in verse 15 which Ruth used to carry home the relatively large quantity of barley.

Rather than merely go where he is threshing, the Hebrew specifies “go down to the threshing floor.” This would imply that the threshing floor was situated at a point lower than the town of Bethlehem, but there is no specific information as to its location. Bethlehem was built on two hills. So for Haller (op. cit., ad loc.) the threshing floor was to be found on the lower hill. On the other hand, Hertzberg (op. cit., ad loc.), exploring local tradition about the “field of Boaz,” thinks that the threshing floors of Bethlehem were to be found on the same spot where in our time the threshing floors of the village Beit Sahur, a village east of Bethlehem, are located. Midrash on Ruth only concludes from the use of the verb that the threshing floors were to be found on low spots. Where languages do employ rather precise indications of movement, such as “going up” or “going down,” one should attempt to follow the Hebrew usage, but the indication of elevation in this context is by no means crucial or particularly significant.

What is rendered in Good News Translation as don’t let him know you are there represents a Hebrew expression which may be translated literally as “do not make yourself known to the man” (Revised Standard Version). The obvious meaning here is “do not let yourself be recognized by him.” See Joüon, par. 132, note 2. The Hebrew expression must be restructured in a number of languages; for example, “do not let your presence be known to the man,” “don’t let him recognize that you are there,” or “don’t let him know who you are.” Even some ancient translators recognized the need for restructuring and translated the Hebrew expression as “do not show yourself to him.” So Syriac version. Gerleman rightly sees that this variant reading does not presuppose a different Vorlage.

In this context drinking refers to the drinking of wine or some other alcoholic beverage. In some languages the process of eating and drinking is represented by a single verb.

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 .