Thobis 2

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Post hæc vero, cum esset dies festus Domini, et factum esset prandium bonum in domo Tobiæ,	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.
2 dixit filio suo : Vade, et adduc aliquos de tribu nostra, timentes Deum, ut epulentur nobiscum.	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."
3 Cumque abiisset, reversus nuntiavit ei unum ex filiis Israël jugulatum jacere in platea. Statimque exiliens de accubitu suo, relinquens prandium, jejunus pervenit ad corpus :	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!"
4 tollensque illud portavit ad domum suam occulte, ut dum sol occubuisset, caute sepeliret eum.	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.
5 Cumque occultasset corpus, manducavit panem cum luctu et tremore,	5 Returning to my own quarters, I washed myself and ate my food in sorrow.
6 memorans illum sermonem, quem dixit Dominus per Amos prophetam : Dies festi vestri convertentur in lamentationem et luctum.	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."
7 Cum vero sol occubuisset, abiit, et sepelivit eum.	7 And I wept. Then at sunset I went out, dug a grave, and buried him.
8 Arguebant autem eum omnes proximi ejus, dicentes : Jam hujus rei causa interfici jussus es, et vix effugisti mortis imperium, et iterum sepelis mortuos ?	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!"
9 Sed Tobias plus timens Deum quam regem, rapiebat corpora occisorum, et occultabat in domo sua, et mediis noctibus sepeliebat ea.	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.
10 Contigit autem ut quadam die fatigatus a sepultura, veniens in domum suam, jactasset se juxta parietem, et obdormisset,	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.
11 et ex nido hirundinum dormienti illi calida stercora inciderent super oculos ejus, fieretque cæcus.	11 At that time my wife Anna worked for hire at weaving cloth, the kind of work women do.
12 Hanc autem tentationem ideo permisit Dominus evenire illi, ut posteris daretur exemplum patientiæ ejus, sicut et sancti Job.	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.
13 Nam cum ab infantia sua semper Deum timuerit, et mandata ejus custodierit, non est contristatus contra Deum quod plaga cæcitatis evenerit ei,	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!"
14 sed immobilis in Dei timore permansit, agens gratias Deo omnibus diebus vitæ suæ.	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!"
15 Nam sicut beato Job insultabant reges, ita isti parentes et cognati ejus irridebant vitam ejus, dicentes :
16 Ubi est spes tua, pro qua eleemosynas et sepulturas faciebas ?
17 Tobias vero increpabat eos, dicens : Nolite ita loqui :
18 quoniam filii sanctorum sumus, et vitam illam expectamus, quam Deus daturus est his qui fidem suam numquam mutant ab eo.
19 Anna vero uxor ejus ibat ad opus textrinum quotidie, et de labore manuum suarum victum quem consequi poterat, deferebat.
20 Unde factum est ut hædum caprarum accipiens detulisset domi :
21 cujus cum vocem balantis vir ejus audisset, dixit : Videte, ne forte furtivus sit : reddite eum dominis suis, quia non licet nobis aut edere ex furto aliquid, aut contingere.
22 Ad hæc uxor ejus irata respondit : Manifeste vana facta est spes tua, et eleemosynæ tuæ modo apparuerunt.
23 Atque his et aliis hujuscemodi verbis exprobrabat ei.