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| [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]After those thinges, vppon a solempne day of the Lorde, Tobias made a good feast in his house, |
| [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]And sayde vnto his sonne: Go thy way, & bring hyther some of our tribe, suche as feare God, that they may make mery with vs. |
| [3]But he came again, and said, Father, one of our nation is strangled, and is cast out in the marketplace. |
[3]And when he was gone, he came againe, and told his father that one of the children of Israel lay slayne vpon the streete. |
| [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]And immediatly he leapt from his table, left the feast, came fasting to the dead coarse, toke him and bare him priuyly into his house, that when the sunne was downe he might safely burie him. |
| [5]Then I returned, and washed myself, and ate my meat in heaviness, |
[5]And when he had hyd the coarse, he did eate his meate with mourning and feare, |
| [6]Remembering that prophecy of Amos, as he said, Your feasts shall be turned into mourning, and all your mirth into lamentation. |
[6]Remembring the wordes that the Lord sayde by the prophete Amos: Your hye feastes shalbe turned to sorowe and heauinesse. |
| [7]Therefore I wept: and after the going down of the sun I went and made a grave, and buried him. |
[7]But when the sunne was downe, he went his way and buried him. |
| [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]Then al his neyghbours reproued him, saying: It is not long sence it was commaunded to slay thee because of this matter, and hast scarce escaped the daunger of death: and buriest thou the dead againe? |
| [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]Neuerthelesse, Tobias fearing God more then the king, toke the bodies of the slayne, and hyd them in his house, and buried them at midnights. |
| [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]It happened vpon a day that he had buried the dead and was weery, came home and layed him downe by the wal, and slept. |
| [11]And my wife Anna did take women's works to do. |
[11]And whyle he was asleepe, there fell downe vpon his eyes warme doung out of the swalloes nest, so that he was blinde. |
| [12]And when she had sent them home to the owners, they paid her wages, and gave her also besides a kid. |
[12]This temptation dyd God suffer to happen vnto him, that they which came after, might haue an example of his pacience, like as of holy Iob. |
| [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]For in so much as he euer feared God from his youth vp, and kept his commaundementes, he grudged not against God that the plague of blindnesse chaunced vnto hym: |
| [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 remayned stedfast in the feare of God, and thanked God all the dayes of his lyfe. |
| [15]For like as blessed Iob was had in derision of kinges: euen so was he laughed to scorne of his elders and kinsfolkes, which sayde vnto him: |
| [16]Where is thy hope, for the whiche thou hast done almes and buried the dead? |
| [17]But Tobias rebuked them, and spake: Say not so, |
| [18]For we are the children of holy men, and loke for the lyfe whiche God shall geue vnto them that neuer turne their beliefe from him. |
| [19]And Anna his wyfe went dayly to the weauing worke: |
| [20]And loke what liuing she coulde get with the labour of her handes, she brought it. And it happened that she toke a byd, and brought it home: |
| [21]And when her husband hearde it crye, he sayde, Loke that it be not stollen: restore it againe to the owners, for it is not lawfull for vs to eate or to touch any thing of theft. |
| [22]Then was his wyfe angry, and sayde: Nowe is thy hope become vayne openly, and thy almes deedes are manifest. |
| [23]With these and such like wordes did she cast him in the teeth. |