Bible in a Year.

On day 196, Isaiah 9-10 announces the coming of the Messiah and warns of divine judgments on rebellious nations. Tobit 10-12 recounts Tobiah's adventures, his obedience to God, and the divine help he received. Proverbs 10:9-12 offers lessons on righteousness, honesty, and good relationships, reminding us that a life guided by wisdom brings peace and protection.

Chapter 9

1. At the first time the land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephtali was lightly touched: and at the last the way of the sea beyond the Jordan of the Galilee of the Gentiles was heavily loaded.

2. The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen.

3. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and hast not increased the joy. They shall rejoice before thee, as they that rejoice in the harvest, as conquerors rejoice after taking a prey, when they divide the spoils.

4. For the yoke of their burden, and the rod of their shoulder, and the sceptre of their oppressor thou best overcome, as in the day of Median.

5. For every violent taking of spoils, with tumult, and garment mingled with blood, shall be burnt, and be fuel for the fire.

6. For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.

7. His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth and for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

8. The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

9. And all the people of Ephraim shall know, and the inhabitants of Samaria that say in the pride and haughtiness of their heart:

10. The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with square stones: they have cut down the sycamores, but we will change them for cedars.

11. And the Lord shall set up the enemies of Rasin over him, and shall bring on his enemies in a crowd:

12. The Syrians from the east, and the Philistines from the west: and they shall devour Israel with open mouth, For all this his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

13. And the people are not returned to him who hath struck them, and have not sought after the Lord of hosts.

14. And the Lord shall destroy out of Israel the head and the tail, him that bendeth down, and him that holdeth back, in one day.

15. The aged and honourable, he is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

16. And they that call this people blessed, shall cause them to err: and they that are called blessed, shall be thrown down headlong.

17. Therefore the Lord shell have no joy in their young men: neither shall he have mercy on their fatherless, and widows: for every one is a hypocrite and wicked, and every mouth hath spoken folly. For all this his indignation is not turned away, but his bend is stretched out still.

18. For wickedness is kindled as a fire, it shall devour the brier and the thorn: and shall kindle in the thicket of the forest, and it shall be wrapped up in smoke ascending on high.

19. By the wrath of the Lord of hosts the land is troubled, and the people shall be as fuel for the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

20. And he shall turn to the right hand, and shall be hungry: and shall eat on the left hand, and shall not be filled: every one shell eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasses Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasses, and they together shall be against Juda.

21. After all these things his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Chapter 10

1. Woe to them that make wicked laws: and when they write, write injustice:

2. To oppress the poor in judgment, and do violence to the cause of the humble of my people: that widows might be their prey, and that they might rob the fatherless.

3. What will you do in the day of visitation, and of the calamity which cometh from afar? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?

4. That you be not bowed down under the bond, and fall with the slain? In all these things his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

5. Woe to the Assyrian, he is the rod and the staff of my anger, and my indignation is in their hands.

6. I will send him to a deceitful nation, and I will give him a charge against the people of my wrath, to take away the spoils, and to lay hold on the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

7. But he shall not take it so, and his heart shall not think so: but his heart shall be set to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few.

8. For he shall say:

9. Are not my princes as so many kings ? is not Calano as Charcamis: and Emath as Arphad? is not Samaria as Damascus?

10. As my hand hath found the king- dome of the idol, so also their idols of Jerusalem, and of Samaria.

11. Shall I not, as I have done to Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?

12. And it shall come to pass, that when the Lord shall have performed all his works in mount Sion, and in Jerusalem, I will visit the fruit of the proud heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of the haughtiness of his eyes.

13. For he hath said: By the strength of my own hand I have done it, and by my own wisdom I have understood: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have taken the spoils of the princes, and as a mighty man hath pulled down them that sat on high.

14. And my hand hath found the strength of the people as a nest; and as eggs are gathered, that are left, so have I gathered all the earth: and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or made the least noise.

15. Shall the axe boast itself against him that cutteth with it? or shall the saw exalt itself against him by whom it is drawn? as if a rod should lift itself up against him that lifteth it up, and a staff exalt itself, which is but wood.

16. Therefore the sovereign Lord, the Lord of hosts, shall send leanness among his fat ones: and under his glory shall be kindled a burning, as it were the burning of a fire.

17. And the light of Israel shall be as a fire, and the Holy One thereof as a flame: and his thorns and his briers shall be set on fire, and shall be devoured in one day.

18. And the glory of his forest, and of his beautiful hill, shall be consumed from the soul even to the flesh, and he shall run away through fear.

19. And they that remain of the trees of his forest shall be so few, that they shall easily be numbered, and a child shall write them down.

20. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and they that shall escape of the house of Jacob, shall lean no more upon him that striketh them: but they shall lean upon the Lord the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

21. The remnant shall be converted, the remnant, I say, of Jacob, to the mighty God.

22. For if thy people, O Israel, shall be as the sand of the sea, a remnant of them shall be converted, the consumption abridged shall overflow with justice.

23. For the Lord God of hosts shall make a consumption, and an abridgment in the midst of all the land.

24. Therefore, thus saith the Lord the God of hosts: O my people that dwellest in Sion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall strike thee with his rod, and he shall lift up his staff over thee in the way of Egypt.

25. For yet a little and a very little while, and my indignation shall cease, and my wrath shall be upon their wickedness.

26. And the Lord of hosts shall raise up a scourge against him, according to the slaughter of Madian in the rock of Oreb, and his rod over the sea, and he shall lift it up in the way of Egypt.

27. And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall putrify at the presence of the oil.

28. He shall come into Aiath, he shall pass into Magron: at Machmas he shall lay up his carriages.

29. They have passed in haste, Gaba is our lodging: Rama was astonished, Gabaath of Saul fled away.

30. Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim, attend, O Laisa, poor Anathoth.

31. Medemena is removed: ye inhabitants of Gabim, take courage.

32. It is yet day enough, to remain in Nobe: he shall shake his hand against the mountain of the daughter of Sion, the hill of Jerusalem.

33. Behold the sovereign Lord of hosts shall break the earthen vessel with terror, and the tall of stature shall be cut down, and the lofty shall be humbled.

34. And the thickets of the forest shall be cut down with iron, and Libanus with its high ones shall fall.

Chapter 10

1. But as Tobias made longer stay upon occasion of the marriage, Tobias his father was solicitous, saying: Why thinkest thou doth my son tarry, or why is he detained there?

2. Is Gabelus dead, thinkest thou, and no man will pay him the money?

3. And he began to be exceeding sad, both he and Anna his wife with him: and they began both to weep together: because their son did not return to them on the day appointed.

4. But his mother wept and was quite disconsolate, and said: Woe, woe is me, my son; why did we send thee to go to a strange country, the light of our eyes, the staff of our old age, the comfort of our life, the hope of our posterity?

5. We having all things together in thee alone, ought not to have let thee go from us.

6. And Tobias said to her: Hold thy peace, and be not troubled, our son is safe: that man with whom we sent him is very trusty.

7. But she could by no means be comforted, but daily running out looked round about, and went into all the ways by which there seemed any hope he might return, that she might if possible see him coming afar off.

8. But Raguel said to his son in law: Stay here, and I will send a messenger to Tobias thy father, that thou art in health.

9. And Tobias said to him: I know that my father and mother now count the days, and their spirit is grievously afflicted within them.

10. And when Raguel had pressed Tobias with many words, and he by no means would hearken to him, he delivered Sara unto him, and half of all his substance in menservants, and womenservants, in cattle, in camels, and in kine, and in much money, and sent him away safe and joyful from him.

11. Saying: The holy angel of the Lord be with you in your journey, and bring you through safe, and that you may find all things well about your parents, and my eyes see your children before I die.

12. And the parents taking their daughter kissed her, and let her go:

13. Admonishing her to honour her father and mother in law, to love her husband, to take care of the family, to govern the house, and to behave herself irreprehensibly.

Chapter 11

1. And as they were returning they came to Charan, which is in the midway to Ninive, the eleventh day.

2. And the angel said: Brother Tobias, thou knowest how thou didst leave thy father.

3. If it please thee therefore, let us go before, and let the family follow softly after us, together with thy wife, and with the beasts.

4. And as this their going pleased him, Raphael said to Tobias: Take with thee of the gall of the fish, for it will be necessary. So Tobias took some of that gall and departed.

5. But Anna sat beside the way daily, on the top of a hill, from whence she might see afar off.

6. And while she watched his coming from that place, she saw him afar off, and presently perceived it was her son coming: and returning she told her husband, saying: Behold thy son cometh.

7. And Raphael said to Tobias: As soon as thou shalt come into thy house, forthwith adore the Lord thy God: and giving thanks to him, go to thy father, and kiss him.

8. And immediately anoint his eyes with this gall of the fish, which thou carriest with thee. For be assured that his eyes shall be presently opened, and thy father shall see the light of heaven, and shall rejoice in the sight of thee.

9. Then the dog, which had been with them in the way, ran before, and coming as if he had brought the news, shewed his joy by his fawning and wagging his tail.

10. And his father that was blind, rising up, began to run stumbling with his feet: and giving a servant his hand, went to meet his son.

11. And receiving him kissed him, as did also his wife, and they began to weep for joy.

12. And when they had adored God, and given him thanks, they sat down together.

13. Then Tobias taking of the gall of the fish, anointed his father's eyes.

14. And he stayed about half an hour: and a white skin began to come out of his eyes, like the skin of an egg.

15. And Tobias took hold of it, and drew it from his eyes, and immediately he recovered his sight.

16. And they glorified God, both he and his wife and all that knew them.

17. And Tobias said: I bless thee, O Lord God of Israel, because thou hast chastised me, and thou hast saved me: and behold I see Tobias my son.

18. And after seven days Sara his son's wife, and all the family arrived safe, and the cattle, and the camels, and an abundance of money of his wife's: and that money also which he had received of Gabelus:

19. And he told his parents all the benefits of God, which he had done to him by the man that conducted him.

20. And Achior and Nabath the kinsmen of Tobias came, rejoicing for Tobias, and congratulating with him for all the good things that God had done for him.

21. And for seven days they feasted and rejoiced all with great joy.

Chapter 12

1. Then Tobias called to him his son, and said to him: What can we give to this holy man, that is come with thee?

2. Tobias answering, said to his father: Father, what wages shall we give him? or what can be worthy of his benefits?

3. He conducted me and brought me safe again, he received the money of Gabelus, he caused me to have my wife, and he chased from her the evil spirit, he gave joy to her parents, myself he delivered from being devoured by the fish, thee also he hath made to see the light of heaven, and we are filled with all good things through him. What can we give him sufficient for these things?

4. But I beseech thee, my father, to desire him, that he would vouchsafe to accept one half of all things that have been brought.

5. So the father and the son, calling him, took him aside: and began to desire him that he would vouchsafe to accept of half of all things that they had brought.

6. Then he said to them secretly: Bless ye the God of heaven, give glory to him in the sight of all that live, because he hath shewn his mercy to you.

7. For it is good to hide the secret of a king: but honourable to reveal and confess the works of God.

8. Prayer is good with fasting and alms more than to lay up treasures of gold:

9. For alms delivereth from death, and the same is that which purgeth away sins, and maketh to find mercy and life everlasting.

10. But they that commit sin and iniquity, are enemies to their own soul.

11. I discover then the truth unto you, and I will not hide the secret from you.

12. When thou didst pray with tears, and didst bury the dead, and didst leave thy dinner, and hide the dead by day in thy house, and bury them by night, I offered thy prayer to the Lord.

13. And because thou wast acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove thee.

14. And now the Lord hath sent me to heal thee, and to deliver Sara thy son's wife from the devil.

15. For I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord.

16. And when they had heard these things, they were troubled, and being seized with fear they fell upon the ground on their face.

17. And the angel said to them: Peace be to you, fear not.

18. For when I was with you, I was there by the will of God: bless ye him, and sing praises to him.

19. I seemed indeed to eat and to drink with you: but I use an invisible meat and drink, which cannot be seen by men.

20. It is time therefore that I return to him that sent me: but bless ye God, and publish all his wonderful works.

21. And when he had said these things, he was taken from their sight, and they could see him no more.

22. Then they lying prostrate for three hours upon their face, blessed God: and rising up, they told all his wonderful works.

9. He that walketh sincerely, walketh confidently: but he that perverteth his ways, shall be manifest.

10. He that winketh with the eye shall cause sorrow: and the foolish in lips shall be beaten.

11. The mouth of the just is a vein of life: and the mouth of the wicked covereth iniquity.

12. Hatred stirreth up strifes: and charity covereth all sins.