Tobit 2

NEW JERUSALEM	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 In the reign of Esarhaddon, therefore, I returned home, and my wife Anna was restored to me with myson Tobias. At our feast of Pentecost (the feast of Weeks) there was a good dinner. I took my place for the meal;	1 When I arrived home and my wife Anna and my son Tobias were restored to me, at the feast of Pentecost, which is the sacred festival of the seven weeks, a good dinner was prepared for me and I sat down to eat.
2 the table was brought to me and various dishes were brought. I then said to my son Tobias, 'Go, mychild, and seek out some poor, loyal-hearted man among our brothers exiled in Nineveh, and bring him to sharemy meal. I wil wait until you come back, my child.'	2 Upon seeing the abundance of food I said to my son, "Go and bring whatever poor man of our brethren you may find who is mindful of the Lord, and I will wait for you."
3 So Tobias went out to look for some poor man among our brothers, but he came back again and said,'Father!' I replied, 'What is it, my child?' He went on, 'Father, one of our nation has just been murdered; he hasbeen strangled and then thrown down in the market place; he is there still.'	3 But he came back and said, "Father, one of our people has been strangled and thrown into the market place."
4 I sprang up at once, left my meal untouched, took the man from the market place and laid him in one ofmy rooms, waiting until sunset to bury him.	4 So before I tasted anything I sprang up and removed the body to a place of shelter until sunset.
5 I came in again and washed myself and ate my bread in sorrow,	5 And when I returned I washed myself and ate my food in sorrow.
6 remembering the words of the prophet Amos concerning Bethel: I shal turn your festivals into mourningand all your singing into lamentation.	6 Then I remembered the prophecy of Amos, how he said, "Your feasts shall be turned into mourning, and all your festivities into lamentation." And I wept.
7 And I wept. When the sun was down, I went and dug a grave and buried him.	7 When the sun had set I went and dug a grave and buried the body.
8 My neighbours laughed and said, 'See! He is not afraid any more.' (You must remember that a pricehad been set on my head earlier for this very thing.) 'Once before he had to flee, yet here he is, beginning tobury the dead again.'	8 And my neighbors laughed at me and said, "He is no longer afraid that he will be put to death for doing this; he once ran away, and here he is burying the dead again!"
9 That night I took a bath; then I went into the courtyard and lay down by the courtyard wall. Since it washot I left my face uncovered.	9 On the same night I returned from burying him, and because I was defiled I slept by the wall of the courtyard, and my face was uncovered.
10 I did not know that there were sparrows in the wal above my head; their hot droppings fel into myeyes. This caused white spots to form, which I went to have treated by the doctors. But the more ointments theytried me with, the more the spots blinded me, and in the end, I became completely blind. I remained without sightfour years; al my brothers were distressed on my behalf; and Ahikar provided for my upkeep for two years, untilhe left for Elymais.	10 I did not know that there were sparrows on the wall and their fresh droppings fell into my open eyes and white films formed on my eyes. I went to physicians, but they did not help me. Ahikar, however, took care of me until he went to Elymais.
11 My wife Anna then undertook woman's work; she would spin wool and take cloth to weave;	11 Then my wife Anna earned money at women's work.
12 she used to deliver whatever had been ordered from her and then receive payment. Now on theseventh day of the month of Dystros, she finished a piece of work and delivered it to her customers. They paidher al that was due, and into the bargain presented her with a kid for a meal.	12 She used to send the product to the owners. Once when they paid her wages, they also gave her a kid;
13 When the kid came into my house, it began to bleat. I called to my wife and said, 'Where does thiscreature come from? Suppose it has been stolen! Let the owners have it back; we have no right to eat stolengoods'.	13 and when she returned to me it began to bleat. So I said to her, "Where did you get the kid? It is not stolen, is it? Return it to the owners; for it is not right to eat what is stolen."
14 She said, 'No, it was a present given me over and above my wages.' I did not believe her, and told herto give it back to the owners (I felt deeply ashamed of her). To which, she replied, 'What about your own alms?What about your own good works? Everyone knows what return you have had for them.'	14 And she said, "It was given to me as a gift in addition to my wages." But I did not believe her, and told her to return it to the owners; and I blushed for her. Then she replied to me, "Where are your charities and your righteous deeds? You seem to know everything!"