Tobit, 2

1. Now when I was come home again, and my wife Anna was restored unto me, with my son Tobias, in the feast of Pentecost, which is the holy feast of the seven weeks, there was a good dinner prepared me, in the which I sat down to eat.

1. When I returned to my house, my wife Anna and my son Tobias were given back to me. At the feast of Pentecost, the sacred feast of the Seven Weeks, they prepared a good meal for me and I sat down to eat.

2. And when I saw abundance of meat, I said to my son, Go and bring what poor man soever thou shalt find out of our brethren, who is mindful of the Lord; and, lo, I tarry for thee.

2. I saw the many dishes and said to my son: "Go and bring as many as you can find of our relatives who are in need and who remember the Lord. I will wait here for them."

3. But he came again, and said, Father, one of our nation is strangled, and is cast out in the marketplace.

3. When Tobias returned, he said: "Father, one of ours has been strangled and thrown into the public square."

4. Then before I had tasted of any meat, I started up, and took him up into a room until the going down of the sun.

4. Before I ate anything I hurried out and carried this man into the house and waited till sunset to bury him.

5. Then I returned, and washed myself, and ate my meat in heaviness,

5. When I returned home I washed myself and ate my food in sorrow.

6. Remembering that prophecy of Amos, as he said, Your feasts shall be turned into mourning, and all your mirth into lamentation.

6. I remembered the prophecy which Amos uttered against Bethel: "Your feasts will be turned into mourning. All your songs will be turned into lamentations,"

7. Therefore I wept: and after the going down of the sun I went and made a grave, and buried him.

7. and I wept. After sunset I went out and, after I had dug a trench, I buried the man.

8. But my neighbours mocked me, and said, This man is not yet afraid to be put to death for this matter: who fled away; and yet, lo, he burieth the dead again.

8. My neighbors mocked me, saying: "He no longer fears to be put to death for doing that; he had to flee but look he is again burying the dead."

9. The same night also I returned from the burial, and slept by the wall of my courtyard, being polluted and my face was uncovered:

9. That same night, after I had buried the body, I returned home. I washed myself and went out into the courtyard to sleep against the wall; my face was uncovered because of the heat.

10. And I knew not that there were sparrows in the wall, and mine eyes being open, the sparrows muted warm dung into mine eyes, and a whiteness came in mine eyes: and I went to the physicians, but they helped me not: moreover Achiacharus did nourish me, until I went into Elymais.

10. I did not see that there were sparrows on the wall of the courtyard and, as my eyes were open, the hot droppings from the sparrows fell into my eyes and formed a white film on my eyes. I went to find doctors to attend to me for medical treatment but the more ointments they smeared on my eyes, the more blind I became because of the film. Finally I became totally blind. I suffered from blindness for four years. All my brothers were burdened because of me. Ahikar kept me for two years before he departed for Elymiade.

11. And my wife Anna did take women's works to do.

11. My wife Anna worked hard at a woman's task, weaving.

12. And when she had sent them home to the owners, they paid her wages, and gave her also besides a kid.

12. On the seventh day of the month of March she cut the cloth and delivered it to her employers. They paid her wages and gave her, over and above, a young goat for food.

13. And when it was in my house, and began to cry, I said unto her, From whence is this kid? is it not stolen? render it to the owners; for it is not lawful to eat any thing that is stolen.

13. When she returned home the kid began to cry. I said to her, "Where does the little kid come from? Did you steal it? Return it to its owners for we are not allowed to eat anything that is stolen."

14. But she replied upon me, It was given for a gift more than the wages. Howbeit I did not believe her, but bade her render it to the owners: and I was abashed at her. But she replied upon me, Where are thine alms and thy righteous deeds? behold, thou and all thy works are known.

14. But she said, "It is a gift which has been given to me in addition to my wages." "I don't believe it. I tell you to return it to its owners." I was ashamed of her. She replied, "What about your own almsgiving and your good deeds? I have to put up with all this from you."