2:2a

And: This verse continues the story from 1:22b after the background information in 2:1. In some languages, it may be helpful to use a phrase. For example:

One day, (Good News Translation)
-or-
Then,

Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi: Here, the Moabitess means “the woman from Moab.” (See Ruth 1:4, 22.) The identification that Ruth is a Moabite occurs seven times in the book to draw attention to her being a foreigner.

2:2b

Please let me go into the fields: Ruth was asking Naomi for permission to go to the fields to glean. Use the form that younger women use to ask older women for permission to do something.

the fields: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as fields is singular. It probably refers to the entire area where crops were planted near Bethlehem. Different people owned different parts of the area, with the boundaries probably marked by rows or piles of stones. You should use a term that refers to this general area where people plant their crops.

and glean heads of grain: In Hebrew, the expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as glean heads of grain includes the technical verb “to glean.” (See “Gleaning and Harvesting” under “Important Cultural Items To Understand” in the Introduction for an explanation.) This refers to gathering grain that had fallen to the ground or that the reapers had not cut (intentionally or accidently). If your language does not have a specific word for “glean,” you may need to use a brief description. If you do use a descriptive phrase like this, you may want to use a shortened form of it for some of the later occurrences of “glean.”

Here are some other ways to translate this:

gather the grain that the harvest workers leave (Good News Translation)
-or-
pick the grain left behind by the reapers (God’s Word)
-or-
pick up the remaining stalks of grain
-or-
gather grain after the harvesters

It may be helpful for you to insert a footnote here that explains that Old Testament law gave poor people the right to pick up grain that was left uncut or dropped. Here is a suggested footnote:

Old Testament law gave instructions to not harvest all the grain in a field at harvest time. Poor people, strangers, widows, and orphans had the right to harvest this grain that was left so they would have food. See Leviticus 19:9–10 and Deuteronomy 24:19–22.

heads of grain: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as heads of grain refers to stalks of grain including the grain itself (also referred to in English as the “ear” of the grain; New Revised Standard Version, for example, “the ears of grain”). If you have a specific term in your language for “stalks of grain” or “heads/ears of grain,” consider using it here. We know from Ruth 1:22 (and 2:22) that they were harvesting barley. If you don’t have a general word for grain, but have a word for barley (or similar grain like wheat), you could use it here.

after someone: The Hebrew preposition that the Berean Standard Bible translates as after refers to coming along behind the owner or his workers had completed cutting grain in an area to harvest it. This preposition can refer to either place or time. In this case, both are true. The gleaner worked in the field physically “behind” the other workers. In relation to time, he or she gleaned “after” the workers had finished harvesting grain and removed the bundles from that part of the field. But if your language does not have a preposition which can refer to both time or place in this way, choose one which refers to time, “after” the harvest workers.

in whose sight I may find favor: The Hebrew idiom often translated “to find favor in [someone’s] eyes” means to receive approval, favor, or goodwill from a person. Since the LORD had commanded his people to allow poor people to glean, it was not necessary to ask permission. However, Ruth wanted to glean in a field where the owner would treat her kindly. Because she was a foreigner, she realized that some owners might not be pleased to have her glean in their fields and might not allow it, in spite of the law.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

who shows me favor/goodwill
-or-
who treats me kindly/well
-or-
anyone who is kind enough to let me do it (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
who will permit me to do that

2:2c

“Go ahead, my daughter,” Naomi replied: The Hebrew command that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Go ahead simply means “Go.” Naomi was giving Ruth permission to do as she asked. Make sure your translation includes this idea of giving permission.

my daughter: In some languages, it may be necessary to say “dear daughter-in-law.” Use the expression mothers-in-law use in your language to express affection to their daughters-in-law. See how you translated 1:11a.

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