Tobit · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Tobit 2 Revised Version with Apocrypha
1 Now when I was come home again, and my wife Anna was restored unto 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 me, and I sat down to eat.
1 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.
2 And I saw abundance of meat, and I said to my son, Go and bring what poor man soever thou shalt find of our brethren, who is mindful of the Lord; and lo, I tarry for thee.
2 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.”
3 And he came, and said, Father, one of our race is strangled, and is cast out in the marketplace.
3 Then he came, and said, “Father, one of our race is strangled, and has been cast out in the marketplace.”
4 And before I had tasted aught, I sprang up, and took him up into a chamber until the sun was set.
4 Before I had tasted anything, I sprang up, and took him up into a chamber until the sun had set.
5 And I returned, and washed myself, and ate my bread in heaviness,
5 Then I returned, washed myself, ate my bread in heaviness,
6 and remembered the prophecy of Amos, as he said, Your feasts shall be turned into mourning, And all your mirth into lamentation.
6 and remembered the prophecy of Amos, as he said, “Your feasts will be turned into mourning, and all your mirth into lamentation.
7 And I wept: and when the sun was set, I went and made a grave, and buried him.
7 So I wept: and when the sun had set, I went and dug a grave, and buried him.
8 And my neighbours mocked me, and said, He is no longer afraid to be put to death for this matter: and yet he fled away: and, lo, he burieth the dead again.
8 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.”
9 And the same night I returned from burying him, and slept by the wall of my courtyard, being polluted; and my face was uncovered:
9 The same night I returned from burying him, and slept by the wall of my courtyard, being polluted; and my face was uncovered.
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 white films came in mine eyes; and I went to the physicians, and they helped me not: but Achiacharus did nourish me, until I went into Elymais.
10 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 into Elymais.
11 And my wife Anna did spin in the women’s chambers,
11 My wife Anna wove cloth in the women’s chambers,
12 and did send the work back to the owners. And they on their part paid her wages, and gave her also besides a kid.
12 and sent the work back to the owners. They on their part paid her wages, and also gave her a kid.
13 But when it came to my house, it began to cry, and I said unto her, From whence is this kid? is it stolen? render it to the owners; for it is not lawful to eat anything that is stolen.
13 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.”
14 But she said, It hath been given me for a gift more than the wages. And I did not believe her, and I bade her render it to the owners; and I was abashed at her. But she answered and said unto me, Where are thine alms and thy righteous deeds? behold, thou and all thy works are known.
14 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.”
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… of theft; he did not like to hear the sound of any stolen thing in his house; and she, maintaining what she had done, reproached her husband; and when he said, "Restore it if it be stolen;" she answered insultingly, "Where are thy righteous deeds?" How great was her blindness who maintained the theft; and how clear a light he …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)