Naomi’s Bitterness and God’s Hidden Hand. From Mara to Naomi — The Almighty’s Sovereign Mercy. The book of Ruth opens not with romance but with ruin. Naomi, whose name means “pleasant,” walks back into Bethlehem emptied by famine, bereavement, and disappointment. Her lament is raw and unfiltered — “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.” (Ruth 1:20)