 Scene 1 - Outside the walls of Bethlehem
On the right is the city wall of Bethlehem. Away from it and into the distance on the left stretches a long dusty road. The countryside is hilly, almost mountainous. It is dark, just before the dawn. The gates of the city are closed.  (Ruth and Naomi are struggling down the road. They eventually reach the city wall where they stop. They are both carrying bundles which they put down. They are dressed poorly; both are wearing ragged cloaks.) RUTH:
Is this Bethlehem? (She sits down against the wall. Naomi looks around her and then comes over and sits next to Ruth.) NAOMI:
Yes, Ruth. This is my homeland. I left here before misery and hunger drove me and my family away. RUTH:
And now misery and hunger bring you back, and with you your daughter-in-law. NAOMI:
How I wish it were different. I have journeyed from Bethlehem to Moab and from Moab back to Bethlehem. When I left I had a family: a husband and two strong sons. Now I do not have even that. RUTH:
I am so tired. To hear your misfortune, as it is my misfortune too, is unbearable. I wonder why you have come back here when it saddens you so. But, of course, you had no choice. (She touches Naomi gently and yawns.) I am so very tired and hungry too. Perhaps I can rest for a while and forget my hunger. (She closes her eyes.) NAOMI:
Rest, my daughter, rest. Dream of our future. Surely your dreams will be happier than the life you will now have to lead. (She looks at Ruth fondly.) For it is a hard life that we must share together. The place, the people will be strange to you. Will they be strange to me too? Many years have passed since I left Bethlehem,
My husband and my children by my side,
To flea the famine that surrounded us,
We sought a future on this, our longest ride.
And, passing from the cursed land of Judah,
Came, after many weeks, to Moab, and there found
Sanctuary with that race, enemy of all Hebrews.
And tried there to live upon that alien ground.
Oh how we struggled to survive!
My two sons grew,
Tall and proud, fearless and strong.
They took wives for themselves among the few
Moabites who befriended us.
Then did disaster strike!
My husband Ehimelech died.
What bitter tears I wept
But hardly had they dried
When my two sons, arguing with Moabites
Struck one, and were themselves struck down.
I buried both and thus, within one year
I lost the three men I held most dear.
Then I felt I my homeland calling me,
And so to Judah, with my sons’ wives, Ruth and Orpah,
Both cherished by me as much as any daughter,
We began our journey.
And then, our journey not yet half complete,
I begged them to return to Moab
Only Orpah did comply,
Fearful of the wrath of Chemosh, the Moabite god.
But Ruth stayed with me
And her love, has brought me here
To Bethlehem. (Towards the end of the aria Ruth wakes up.) RUTH:
Naomi, were you speaking of Orpah, my sister? I miss her so. NAOMI:
She realised all the difficulties we would meet. Do you understand what you have done? Do you understand your sacrifice? RUTH:
Naomi, you are my mother now. I will support you. And you will support me. We will nurture each other. NAOMI (smiling bitterly): You are young. You are beautiful. Maybe in Moab you could have found wealth and power with a good husband. But here no-one will marry a Moabite for it is a sin. RUTH:
Naomi, in Moab there was nothing for me. I lost the man I loved. What could I do except travel with the woman who brought to me the man I loved. NAOMI:
I have no man for you now. I know no-one here, I have no family. There is a kinsman, a relative of my husband, but I know not who he is or if he can help. You should return to Moab. You should return to your sister. RUTH:
I will not return to Moab. I will stay with you, Naomi. Forever.
Where you go, I shall go.
And where you stay, I shall stay
Your people shall be my people
And your God, shall be my God
Where you die, there I shall die
And there shall I be buried
I shall comfort you and when I do my own fears will be calmed. NAOMI:
Your voice reassures me but I pray that you will not come to regret your decision. RUTH:
I will not. NAOMI: (She stands and approaches the city gate.)
But still the gatekeeper has not come. How long must we wait? When can we go in? I long to rest. (She bangs on the gate.) Our journey has been so long. (The day starts to brighten as the sun rises.) RUTH:
Hush, my mother. Do not distress yourself so. He will be here shortly. See, the sun is rising. Soon your old bones will be warmed. (Slowly the gate opens outwards, no-one is visible.) The gate is open. We may go in. (Ruth hurries back to pick up her bundle, but Naomi stops her.) NAOMI:
No, Ruth, stay here and wait for me. I will go into the city and see if I can find my kinsman. (Naomi guides Ruth to sit within the gate. Then she moves into the city. Ruth watches after her. Naomi exits.) Scene 2 - Outside the walls of Bethlehem, a little later (Ruth walks around, deep in thought.) RUTH:
Life here will be difficult but I am content that my future lies in Israel. (She is thoughtful.) How do I know this? (She stands up and starts to pace.) When I rested here just a few minutes ago I dreamed a most wonderful dream. I tasted such joy how can I recapture it. A young man, a king, sat upon a throne. And I was there. I sat beside the throne. (Her face is full of joy.) Oh what a dream!
No greater image can I ever hope to see.
Oh what a dream!
To see my future, in such a glorious arena.
A young man, who I know will be my son,
(Or else the son of my grandson can I say?)
This man will be the King of Israel,
All thirteen tribes will revere him and obey.
Yes! I, or my descendant, will give birth
To the saviour of Israel,
Yet the world will know his worth,
He will be called David!
(Suddenly Ruth’s face clouds)
Yet how can this be?
What man, what worthy man, within this land
Will marry me?
What Hebrew man will make his life a sin
And open up his heart
And let me in.
Who is this God to whom I’ve pledged my life?
By whose command no man here
May touch me
Or ever take me for his lawful wife.
Can my destiny lie within these lands?
Chemosh! Do you hear me?
Grant me peace, and take these outstretched hands.
Or God of the Jews, will you lead me, where I am to go?
No answer! There is no answer.
If not now, when will I ever, when will I ever know? (As she finishes her aria she sees Boaz and Perez approach) Two men approach. If they see me they will question me. If they learn I am a Moabite they may attack me or summon the wardens to imprison me. I must hide. They must not see me.
(She shrinks back and tries to hide within some bushes beside the gate. Perez and Boaz enter. They are walking side by side but Perez is slightly behind Boaz.) BOAZ:
Perez, listen to me. PEREZ:
Yes, sir. BOAZ:
The fields to the north, are heavy with grain. In a few weeks the fields to the east will be ready, there is much work to do. I look to you to organise the men and the women for the harvest. I trust you, Perez. (He puts his hand on Perez’s shoulder.) You will help make a success of our business. I must go now to talk to the merchants. (He paces to and fro and starts to make his exit.) Let me talk to them privately for a few minutes, then follow me. (Boaz exits. He does not see Ruth hiding within the gate. Perez stares after Boaz. Gradually his face becomes bitter with anger and frustration.) PEREZ:
Fields to the north! Fields to the east! “You will help make a success of our business.” For how many years must I suffer his insults? He will speak to the merchants in private and does not wish me to be party to their discussions. He pretends to treat me like a son, yet I am his servant. He has all the wealth and all the authority! (Perez paces to and fro, his fury growing.) To the man of riches,
Will the women come with garlands.
To the man of power,
Will the women come with dreams.
To the poor servant,
Will the women come with laughter
And tease him and taunt him,
Yet keep their distance from him,
And tell him that, for Perez,
This is what love means.
Yet if I had riches,
Yes! Such riches as my master.
If I had his power,
If I occupied his lands,
I would find a woman.
Or better still she’d find me!
And love me and caress me,
Her body always near me
And tell me “Oh my darling
You are better far than Boaz”.
Boaz!
On that word my heart burns,
With unforgiving fire.
My tongue stings with acid,
When I hear that name.
I feel such hatred within me
That it blinds me and it drowns me.
And I can think of nothing
Except he must be to blame!
He pretends to offer friendship
Tells me everyday I matter,
So that now I long for better things
Than I know I can achieve.
He has given me desires,
That I know I cannot satisfy,
And shown to me a future
In which I cannot believe!
He has fed me with these lies,
(And I know his words are worthless)
For he has never promised
To give me wealth or land.
Yet he has no son to leave it to
He will die without successors
And I must live without success!
I do not understand
Why God does treat me so,
Or what sins I have committed
To make my life so sad?
(His anger changes to worry)
Can it be true that to wish for what I want
Can make me ill?
Am I jealous?
And does my jealousy destroy
All hopes of any happiness
I might enjoy?
No! This is nonsense! So from today
I declare the fault to be my master’s
And he must pay!
(Perez clenches his fists and then holds his head in his hands and staggers around in front of the gate. He starts to leave then Ruth, who has been half sleeping, suddenly moves and Perez sees her.) Who is there? (to himself) A young woman, and so pretty. Who is she? (Perez walks slowly towards her.) Her clothes say she is poor. She looks exhausted. (Ruth tries to shrink away from Perez but he is insistent.) I feel my heart breaking as I look at her. (Finally Ruth emereges from her hiding place.) My name is Perez. You look tired. May I help you? (Ruth stares at him and Perez becomes uncertain.) It - it is early for a w-woman to be outside the city gates. (Perez tries to think of something to say.) Are you going to the grain fields? RUTH: (looking puzzled and worried)
Why would I be going to the grain fields? I don’t even know where they are. I am waiting for someone. She will return soon. (She turns away from Perez and looks into the city.) PEREZ:
You are new here I can see. The grain fields surround the city. My master owns many of the grain fields. We are preparing to harvest the barley. It will bring much wealth to my master and to the city, as it does every year. RUTH:
Might there be work for me in the grain fields? PEREZ:
We have many workers. Perhaps I can find work for you. RUTH:
That is kind of you. (Again she looks away from Perez into the city. Then she turns back to Perez.) How will I find you? When should I come? PEREZ:
Do you see the high ground yonder on which stands the threshing floor. Tomorrow, when the sun rises, at about this time, meet me there. What is your name? RUTH:
Ruth. PEREZ:
I must leave now and go to my master in the city. (He starts to walk away.) Until tomorrow then. RUTH:
Yes, I will see you tomorrow. PEREZ: (to himself)
I think that she is attracted to me. I can barely wait until tomorrow. (Perez exits.) RUTH:
It is true! My destiny lies here! I cannot wait to tell Naomi that this man may find me work. Scene 3 - Outside the walls of Bethlehem (Naomi enters. She does not see Ruth as she is lost in thought) NAOMI:
What have I done?
RUTH:
Naomi, what is wrong? NAOMI:
I have torn you from your family and left you destitute, for I have nothing to give you. RUTH:
What do you mean? NAOMI:
I cannot find my kinsman! (Naomi looks at Ruth with fear and anguish.)
My name is Naomi, but better far
Should I have changed it to Mara -
That bitter herb, which yet I trow
Is not as bitter as my life is now.
My sin is that I let my sons,
My Mahlon and my Kilion,
Marry a Moabite, not once but twice!
Two sons, two sins,
And now my punishment begins.
Oh Lord, You are a vengeful God
To punish all Your people so.
To lead me to this barren place,
And find no kinsman
Who knows my face.
What have I done?
My sons, my husband lie already dead.
(Naomi falls to her knees and speaks to the sky.)
Why do You torment me still?
To what purpose do You try
To bend me to Your fearful will? RUTH: (moving towards Naomi)
Naomi, what is wrong? Why do you speak of God in such a manner? Won’t He protect us? (Ruth raises Naomi from her knees.) NAOMI:
Ruth! I gaze at you and my heart starts to fill with misery. RUTH:
Do not despair, Naomi. I too grieve for Mahlon. Yet I have hope in my heart. NAOMI:
Come, my daughter. (They stretch their hands to each other.) Let us enter this city together. Let us see what Bethlehem will give us. My heart feels lighter. I am glad to have you here. (Ruth and Naomi pass through the gates of the city. The curtain falls.) | 
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