Liber Thobis, 1

1. Liber sermonum Thobis filii Thobiel filii Ananiel filii Aduel filii Gabael filii Raphael filii Raguel ex semine Asiel, ex tribu Nephthali,

1. The book of the acts of Tobit the son of Tobiel, son of Ananiel, son of Aduel, son of Gabael, of the descendants of Asiel and the tribe of Naphtali,

2. qui captivus ductus est in diebus Salmanasar regis Assyriorum ex Thisbe, quae est a dextera parte Cades Nephthali in superiori Galilaea supra Asor post occidentem solem a sinistra parte Phogor.

2. who in the days of Shalmaneser, king of the Assyrians, was taken into captivity from Thisbe, which is to the south of Kedesh Naphtali in Galilee above Asher.

3. Ego Thobi in viis veritatis ambulabam et in iustitiis omnibus diebus vitae meae et eleemosynas multas feci fratribus meis et nationi meae, qui abierant mecum in captivitatem in regionem Assyriorum in Nineven.

3. I, Tobit, walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life, and I performed many acts of charity to my brethren and countrymen who went with me into the land of the Assyrians, to Nineveh.

4. Et cum essem in regione mea in terra Israel et cum essem iunior, omnis tribus Nephthali patris mei recessit de domo David patris mei et ab Ierusalem civitate, quae est electa ex omnibus tribubus Israel; et sanctificatum est templum habitationis Dei et aedificatum est in ipsa, ut sacrificarent omnes tribus Israel in omnes generationes saeculi.

4. Now when I was in my own country, in the land of Israel, while I was still a young man, the whole tribe of Naphtali my forefather deserted the house of Jerusalem. This was the place which had been chosen from among all the tribes of Israel, where all the tribes should sacrifice and where the temple of the dwelling of the Most High was consecrated and established for all generations for ever.

5. Omnes fratres mei omnisque domus Nephthali patris mei sacrificabant vitulo, quem fecit Ieroboam rex Israel in Dan, in omnibus montibus Galilaeae.

5. All the tribes that joined in apostasy used to sacrifice to the calf Baal, and so did the house of Naphtali my forefather.

6. Ego autem solus ibam aliquotiens in Ierusalem diebus festis, sicut scriptum est in toto Israel in praecepto sempiterno; primitias et primogenita et decimas armentorum et pecorum et initia tonsurae ovium mecum portabam in Ierusalem

6. But I alone went often to Jerusalem for the feasts, as it is ordained for all Israel by an everlasting decree. Taking the first fruits and the tithes of my produce and the first shearings, I would give these to the priests, the sons of Aaron, at the altar.

7. et dabam ea sacerdotibus, filiis Aaron, ad aram; et decimam tritici et vini et olei et malorum granatorum et ceterorum pomorum filiis Levi servientibus in Ierusalem; et secundam decimationem computabam in pecunia sex annorum et ibam et consummabam illa in Ierusalem unoquoque anno.

7. Of all my produce I would give a tenth to the sons of Levi who ministered at Jerusalem; a second tenth I would sell, and I would go and spend the proceeds each year at Jerusalem;

8. Et dabam ea orphanis et viduis et proselytis appositis ad filios Israel; inferebam et dabam illis in tertio anno, et manducabamus illa secundum praeceptum, quod praeceptum est de eis in lege Moysis, et secundum mandata, quae mandaverat Debora mater patris mei Ananiel patris nostri, quia orphanum me reliquit pater et mortuus est.

8. the third tenth I would give to those to whom it was my duty, as Deborah my father's mother had commanded me, for I was left an orphan by my father.

9. Et, postquam vir factus sum, accepi uxorem Annam ex semine patriae nostrae et genui ex illa filium et vocavi nomen eius Thobiam.

9. When I became a man I married Anna, a member of our family, and by her I became the father of Tobias.

10. Et, postquam in captivitatem deveni ad Assyrios, cum captivus morarer, ibam in Nineven; et omnes fratres mei et, qui de genere meo erant, manducabant de panibus gentium,

10. Now when I was carried away captive to Nineveh, all my brethren and my relatives ate the food of the Gentiles;

11. ego autem custodivi animam meam, ne manducarem de panibus gentium.

11. but I kept myself from eating it,

12. Et quoniam memor eram Dei mei in tota anima mea,

12. because I remembered God with all my heart.

13. dedit mihi Excelsus gratiam et speciem penes Salmanasar, et comparabam illi omnia, quaecumque erant in usum;

13. Then the Most High gave me favor and good appearance in the sight of Shalmaneser, and I was his buyer of provisions.

14. et ibam in Mediam, usque dum moreretur, et commendavi Gabael fratri Gabriae in Rages, in regione Mediae, saccellos decem talenta argenti.

14. So I used to go into Media, and once at Rages in Media I left ten talents of silver in trust with Gabael, the brother of Gabrias.

15. Et postquam mortuus est Salmanasar, et regnavit Sennacherib filius eius pro eo, et viae Mediae secesserunt, et non potui iam ire in Mediam.

15. But when Shalmaneser died, Sennacherib his son reigned in his place; and under him the highways were unsafe, so that I could no longer go into Media.

16. Et in diebus Salmanasar multas eleemosynas feci fratribus meis, qui erant ex genere meo.

16. In the days of Shalmaneser I performed many acts of charity to my brethren.

17. Panes meos dabam esurientibus et vestimenta nudis et, si quem videbam mortuum et proiectum post murum Nineves ex natione mea, sepeliebam illum.

17. I would give my bread to the hungry and my clothing to the naked; and if I saw any one of my people dead and thrown out behind the wall of Nineveh, I would bury him.

18. Et, si quem occidebat Sennacherib rex, ubi venit de Iudaea fugiens in diebus iudicii, quod fecit Rex caeli ex illo de blasphemiis, quibus blasphemaverat — multos enim filiorum Israel occidit in ira sua — ego autem corpora illorum involabam et sepeliebam; et quaesivit illa Sennacherib et non invenit illa.

18. And if Sennacherib the king put to death any who came fleeing from Judea, I buried them secretly. For in his anger he put many to death. When the bodies were sought by the king, they were not found.

19. Et abiit quidam ex Ninevitis et indicavit regi de me quoniam ego sepelio illos, et abscondi me et, ubi cognovi quod rex sciebat de me et quod inquiror, ut occidar, timui et refugi.

19. Then one of the men of Nineveh went and informed the king about me, that I was burying them; so I hid myself. When I learned that I was being searched for, to be put to death, I left home in fear.

20. Et direpta est omnis substantia mea, et nihil mihi derelictum est, quod non assumptum esset in fiscum regis, nisi uxor mea Anna et Thobias filius meus.

20. Then all my property was confiscated and nothing was left to me except my wife Anna and my son Tobias.

21. Et non transierunt dies quadraginta, quousque occiderent illum duo filii ipsius et fugerunt in montes Ararat; et regnavit Asarhaddon filius eius pro illo et constituit Achicarum filium fratris mei Anael super omnem exactionem regni eius, et ipse habebat potestatem super omnem regionem.

21. But not fifty days passed before two of Sennacherib's sons killed him, and they fled to the mountains of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon, his son, reigned in his place; and he appointed Ahikar, the son of my brother Anael, over all the accounts of his kingdom and over the entire administration.

22. Tunc petiit Achicarus pro me, et descendi in Nineven. Achicarus enim erat praepositus pincernarum et super anulum et procurator et exactor sub Sennacherib rege Assyriorum; et constituit illum Asarhaddon. Erat enim ex fratribus meis et ex cognatione mea.

22. Ahikar interceded for me, and I returned to Nineveh. Now Ahikar was cupbearer, keeper of the signet, and in charge of administration of the accounts, for Esarhaddon had appointed him second to himself. He was my nephew.