The Book of Tobit (Tobias)

⭑ World English Bible Catholic :: King James Version ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

Tobias leaves his dinner to bury the dead: he loses his sight by God’s permission, for manifestation of his patience.

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

I saw abundance of meat, and I said to my son, “Go and bring whatever poor man you find of our kindred, who is mindful of the Lord. Behold, I wait for you.”

Then he came, and said, “Father, one of our race is strangled, and has been cast out in the marketplace.”

Before I had tasted anything, I sprang up, and took him up into a chamber until the sun had set.

Then I returned, washed myself, ate my bread in heaviness,

and remembered the prophecy of Amos, as he said, (a)“Your feasts will be turned into mourning, and all your mirth into lamentation.

So I wept: and when the sun had set, I went and dug a grave, and buried him.

My neighbors mocked me, and said, “He is no longer afraid to be put to death for this matter; and yet he fled away. Behold, he buries the dead again.”

The same night I returned from burying him, and slept by the wall of my courtyard, being polluted; and my face was uncovered.

I didn’t know that there were sparrows in the wall. My eyes were open and the sparrows dropped warm dung into my eyes, and white films came over my eyes. I went to the physicians, and they didn’t help me; but Achiacharus nourished me, until I went(b) into Elymais.

My wife Anna wove cloth in the women’s chambers,

and sent the work back to the owners. They on their part paid her wages, and also gave her a kid.

But when it came to my house, it began to cry, and I said to her, “Where did this kid come from? Is it stolen? Give it back to the owners; for it is not lawful to eat anything that is stolen.”

But she said, “It has been given to me for a gift more than the wages.” I didn’t believe her, and I asked her to return it to the owners; and I was ashamed of her. But she answered and said to me, “Where are your alms and your righteous deeds? Behold, you and all your works are known.(c)”

Footnotes

(a)2:6 ℘ Amos 8:10

(b)2:10 Some authorities read until he went.

Tobias leaves his dinner to bury the dead: he loses his sight by God’s permission, for manifestation of his patience.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.