The pain and anxiety, however, have indeed blurred her perception. Like many of Job’s speeches, Naomi’s anguished, reactive speech to the women of Bethlehem demonstrates one of the unfortunate truths of suffering: In the midst of pain, there is often self-absorption. It is “my” pain. Her entire complaint is singular in its orientation: “Bitter has the Almighty [Shaddai] made my life; empty has Yahweh brought me back; the Almighty [Shaddai] has pronounced disaster upon me!” (Ruth 1:20–21, author’s translation). Such self-absorption in the midst of pain and affliction is understandable. Yet it
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