Tobit 2

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Thus under King Esarhaddon I returned to my home, and my wife Anna and my son Tobiah were restored to me. Then on our festival of Pentecost, the feast of Weeks, a fine dinner was prepared for me, and I reclined to eat.	1 But after this, when there was a festival of the Lord, and a good dinner was prepared in Tobias's house,
2 The table was set for me, and when many different dishes were placed before me, I said to my son Tobiah: "My son, go out and try to find a poor man from among our kinsmen exiled here in Nineveh. If he is a sincere worshiper of God, bring him back with you, so that he can share this meal with me. Indeed, son, I shall wait for you to come back."	2 He said to his son: Go, and bring some of our tribe that fear God, to feast with us.
3 Tobiah went out to look for some poor kinsman of ours. When he returned he exclaimed, "Father!" I said to him, "What is it, son?" He answered, "Father, one of our people has been murdered! His body lies in the market place where he was just strangled!"	3 And when he had gone, returning he told him, that one of the children of Israel lay slain in the street. And he forthwith leaped up from his place at the table, and left his dinner, and came fasting to the body:
4 I sprang to my feet, leaving the dinner untouched; and I carried the dead man from the street and put him in one of the rooms, so that I might bury him after sunset.	4 And taking it up carried it privately to his house, that after the sun was down, he might bury him cautiously.
5 Returning to my own quarters, I washed myself and ate my food in sorrow.	5 And when he had hid the body, he ate bread with mourning and fear,
6 I was reminded of the oracle pronounced by the prophet Amos against Bethel: "Your festivals shall be turned into mourning, And all your songs into lamentation."	6 Remembering the word which the Lord spoke by Amos the prophet: Your festival days shall be turned into lamentation and mourning.
7 And I wept. Then at sunset I went out, dug a grave, and buried him.	7 So when the sun was down, he went and buried him.
8 The neighbors mocked me, saying to one another: "Will this man never learn! Once before he was hunted down for execution because of this very thing; yet now that he has escaped, here he is again burying the dead!"	8 Now all his neighbours blamed him, saying: Once already commandment was given for thee to be slain because of this matter, and thou didst scarce escape the sentence of death, and dost thou again bury the dead?
9 That same night I bathed, and went to sleep next to the wall of my courtyard. Because of the heat I left my face uncovered.	9 But Tobias fearing God more than the king, carried off the bodies of them that were slain, and hid them in his house, and at midnight buried them.
10 I did not know there were birds perched on the wall above me, till their warm droppings settled in my eyes, causing cataracts. I went to see some doctors for a cure, but the more they anointed my eyes with various salves, the worse the cataracts became, until I could see no more. For four years I was deprived of eyesight, and all my kinsmen were grieved at my condition. Ahiqar, however, took care of me for two years, until he left for Elymais.	10 Now it happened one day, that being wearied with burying, he came to his house, and cast himself down by the wall and slept,
11 At that time my wife Anna worked for hire at weaving cloth, the kind of work women do.	11 And as he was sleeping, hot dung out of a swallow's nest fell upon his eyes, and he was made blind.
12 When she sent back the goods to their owners, they would pay her. Late in winter she finished the cloth and sent it back to the owners. They paid her the full salary, and also gave her a young goat for the table.	12 Now this trial the Lord therefore permitted to happen to him, that an example might be given to posterity of his patience, as also of holy Job.
13 On entering my house the goat began to bleat. I called to my wife and said: "Where did this goat come from? Perhaps it was stolen! Give it back to its owners; we have no right to eat stolen food!"	13 For whereas he had always feared God from his infancy, and kept his commandments, he repined not against God because the evil of blindness had befallen him,
14 But she said to me, "It was given to me as a bonus over and above my wages." Yet I would not believe her, and told her to give it back to its owners. I became very angry with her over this. So she retorted: "Where are your charitable deeds now? Where are your virtuous acts? See! Your true character is finally showing itself!"	14 But continued immoveable in the fear of God, giving thanks to God all the days of his life.
	15 For as the kings insulted over holy Job: so his relations and kinsmen mocked at his life, saying:
	16 Where is thy hope, for which thou gavest alms, and buriedst the dead?
	17 But Tobias rebuked them, saying: Speak not so:
	18 For we are the children of the saints, and look for that life which God will give to those that never change their faith from him.
	19 Now Anna his wife went daily to weaving work, and she brought home what she could get for their living by the labour of her hands.
	20 Whereby it came to pass, that she received a young kid, and brought it home:
	21 And when her husband heard it bleating, he said: Take heed, lest perhaps it be stolen: restore ye it to its owners, for it is not lawful for us either to eat or to touch any thing that cometh by theft.
	22 At these words his wife being angry answered: It is evident thy hope is come to nothing, and thy alms now appear.
	23 And with these, and other such like words she upbraided him.