Tobit 1

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 This book tells the story of Tobit, son of Tobiel, son of Hananiel, son of Aduel, son of Gabael of the family of Asiel, of the tribe of Naphtali,	1 Tobit was from the tribe and city of Naphtali (which is in the upper parts of Galilee above Asher, after the way, which leads to the west, that has on its left the city of Sephet).
2 who during the reign of Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, was taken captive from Thisbe, which is south of Kedesh Naphtali in upper Galilee, above and to the west of Asser, north of Phogor.	2 Although he had been taken captive in the days of Shalmaneser, the king of the Assyrians, even in such a situation as captivity, he did not desert the way of truth.
3 I, Tobit, have walked all the days of my life on the paths of truth and righteousness. I performed many charitable works for my kinsmen and my people who had been deported with me to Nineveh, in Assyria.	3 So then, every day, all that he was able to obtain, he bestowed on his fellow captive brothers, who were from his kindred.
4 When I lived as a young man in my own country, Israel, the entire tribe of my forefather Naphtali had broken away from the house of David and from Jerusalem. This city had been singled out of all Israel's tribes, so that they all might offer sacrifice in the place where the temple, God's dwelling, had been built and consecrated for all generations to come.	4 And, when he was among the youngest of any in the tribe of Naphtali, he showed not so much as any childish behavior in his work.
5 All my kinsmen, like the rest of the tribe of my forefather Naphtali, used to offer sacrifice on all the mountains of Galilee as well as to the young bull which Jeroboam, king of Israel, had made in Dan.	5 And then, when all went to the golden calves which Jeroboam, king of Israel, had made, he alone fled from the company of them all.
6 I, for my part, would often make the pilgrimage alone to Jerusalem for the festivals, as is prescribed for all Israel by perpetual decree. Bringing with me the first fruits of the field and the firstlings of the flock, together with a tenth of my income and the first shearings of the sheep, I would hasten to Jerusalem	6 Yet he continued on to Jerusalem, to the temple of the Lord, and there he adored the Lord God of Israel, offering faithfully all his first-fruits and his tithes.
7 and present them to the priests, Aaron's sons, at the altar. To the Levites who were doing service in Jeusalem I would give the tithe of grain, wine, olive oil, pomegranates, figs, and other fruits. And except for sabbatical years, I used to give a second tithe in money, which each year I would go and disburse in Jerusalem.	7 So then, in the third year, he administered all his tithes to new converts and to new arrivals.
8 The third tithe I gave to orphans and widows, and to converts who were living with the Israelites. Every third year I would bring them this offering, and we ate it in keeping with the decree of the Mosaic law and the commands of Deborah, the mother of my father Tobiel; for when my father died, he left me an orphan.	8 These and similar such things, even as a boy, he observed according to the law of God.
9 When I reached manhood, I married Anna, a woman of our own lineage. By her I had a son whom I named Tobiah.	9 Truly, when he had become a man, he received as wife Anna of his own tribe, and he conceived a son by her, to whom he assigned his own name.
10 Now, after I had been deported to Nineveh, all my brothers and relatives ate the food of heathens,	10 From his infancy, he taught him to fear God and to abstain from all sin.
11 but I refrained from eating that kind of food.	11 Therefore, when, during the captivity, he had arrived with his wife and son at the city of Nineveh, with all his tribe,
12 Because of this wholehearted service of God,	12 (even though they all ate from the foods of the Gentiles,) he guarded his soul and never was contaminated with their foods.
13 the Most High granted me favor and status with Shalmaneser, so that I became purchasing agent for all his needs.	13 And because he was mindful of the Lord with his whole heart, God gave him favor in the sight of Shalmaneser the king.
14 Every now and then until his death I would go to Media to buy goods for him. I also deposited several pouches containing a great sum of money with my kinsman Gabael, son of Gabri, who lived at Rages, in Media.	14 And he gave him the power to go wherever he would want, having the freedom to do whatever he wished.
15 But when Shalmaneser died and his son Sennacherib succeeded him as king, the roads to Media became unsafe, so I could no longer go there.	15 Therefore, he continued on to all who were in captivity, and he gave them helpful advice.
16 During Shalmaneser's reign I performed many charitable works for my kinsmen and my people.	16 But when he had arrived at Rages, a city of the Medes, he had ten talents of silver, from that which he had been given in honor by the king.
17 I would give my bread to the hungry and my clothing to the naked. If I saw one of my people who had died and been thrown outside the walls of Nineveh, I would bury him.	17 And when, in the midst of the great tumult of his kindred, he saw the destitution of Gabael, who was from his tribe, he loaned him, under a written agreement, the aforementioned weight of silver.
18 I also buried anyone whom Sennacherib slew when he returned as a fugitive from Judea during the days of judgment decreed against him by the heavenly King because of the blasphemies he had uttered. In his rage he killed many Israelites, but I used to take their bodies by stealth and bury them; so when Sennacherib looked for them, he could not find them.	18 In truth, after a long time, Shalmaneser the king died, while Sennacherib his son reigned in his place, and he held a hatred for the sons of Israel.
19 But a certain citizen of Nineveh informed the king that it was I who buried the dead. When I found out that the king knew all about me and wanted to put me to death, I went into hiding; then in my fear I took to flight.	19 Every day, Tobit traveled though all his own people, and he consoled them, and he distributed to each one as much as he could from his resources.
20 Afterward, all my property was confiscated; I was left with nothing. All that I had was taken to the king's palace, except for my wife Anna and my son Tobiah.	20 He nourished the hungry, and he supplied clothes to the naked, and he showed concern for the burial of the dead and of the slain.
21 But less than forty days later the king was assassinated by two of his sons, who then escaped into the mountains of Ararat. His son Esarhaddon, who succeeded him as king, placed Ahiqar, my brother Anael's son, in charge of all the accounts of his kingdom, so that he took control over the entire administration.	21 And then, when king Sennacherib had returned from Judea, fleeing the scourge which God had caused all around him because of his blasphemy, and, being angry, he was slaughtering many from the sons of Israel, Tobit buried their bodies.
22 Then Ahiqar interceded on my behalf, and I was able to return to Nineveh. For under Sennacherib, king of Assyria, Ahiqar had been chief cupbearer, keeper of the seal, administrator, and treasurer; and Esarhaddon reappointed him. He was a close relative-in fact, my nephew.	22 And when it was reported to the king, he ordered him to be slain, and he took away all his belongings.
	23 In truth, Tobit, fleeing with nothing but his son and his wife, was able to remain hidden because many loved him.
	24 In truth, after forty-five days, the king was slain by his own sons,
	25 and Tobit was able to return to his house, and all his resources were restored to him.