The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 286

2:4. And taking it up carried it privately to his house, that after the sun was down, he might bury him cautiously.

2:5. And when he had hid the body, he ate bread with mourning and fear,

2:6. Remembering the word which the Lord spoke by Amos the prophet: Your festival days shall be turned into lamentation and mourning.

2:7. So when the sun was down, he went and buried him.

2:8. Now all his neighbours blamed him, saying: once already commandment was given for thee to be slain because of this matter, and thou didst scarce escape the sentence of death, and dost thou again bury the dead?

2:9. But Tobias fearing G.o.d more than the king, carried off the bodies of them that were slain, and hid them in his house, and at midnight buried them.

2:10. Now it happened one day that being wearied with burying, he came to his house, and cast himself down by the wall and slept,

2:11. And as he was sleeping, hot dung out of a swallow's nest fell upon his eyes, and he was made blind.

2:12. Now this trial the Lord therefore permitted to happen to him, that an example might be given to posterity of his patience, as also of holy Job.

2:13. For whereas he had always feared G.o.d from his infancy, and kept his commandments, he repined not against G.o.d because the evil of blindness had befallen him,

2:14. But continued immoveable in the fear of G.o.d, giving thanks to G.o.d all the days of his life.

2:15. For as the kings insulted over holy Job: so his relations and kinsmen mocked at his life, saying:

Kings... So Job's three friends are here called, because they were princes in their respective territories.

2:16. Where is thy hope, for which thou gavest alms, and buriedst the dead?

2:17. But Tobias rebuked them, saying: Speak not so:

2:18. For we are the children of saints, and look for that life which G.o.d will give to those that never change their faith from him.

2:19. Now Anna his wife went daily to weaving work, and she brought home what she could get for their living by the labour of her hands.

2:20. Whereby it came to pa.s.s, that she received a young kid, and brought it home:

2:21. And when her husband heard it bleating, he said: Take heed, lest perhaps it be stolen: restore ye it to its owners, for it is not lawful for us either to eat or to touch any thing that cometh by theft.

2:22. At these words his wife being angry answered: It is evident the hope is come to nothing, and thy alms now appear.

2:23. And with these and other, such like words she upbraided him.

Tobias Chapter 3

The prayer of Tobias, and of Sara, in their several afflictions, are heard by G.o.d, and the angel Raphael is sent to relieve them.

3:1. Then Tobias sighed, and began to pray with tears,

3:2. Saying, Thou art just, O Lord, and all thy judgments are just, and all thy ways mercy, and truth, and judgment:

3:3. And now, O Lord, think of me, and take not revenge of my sins, neither remember my offences, nor those of my parents.

3:4. For we have not obeyed thy commandments, therefore are we delivered to spoil and to captivity, and death, and are made a fable, and a reproach to all nations, amongst which thou hast scattered us.

3:5. And now, O Lord, great are thy judgments, because we have not done according to thy precepts, and have not walked sincerely before thee.

3:6. And now, O Lord, do with me according to thy will, and command my spirit to be received in peace: for it is better for me to die, than to live.

3:7. Now it happened on the same day, that Sara daughter of Raguel, in Rages a city of the Medes, received a reproach from one of her father's servant maids,

Rages... In the Greek it is Ecbatana, which was also called Rages. For there were two cities in Media of the name of Rages. Raguel dwelt in one of them, and Gabelus in the other.

3:8. Because she had been given to seven husbands and a devil named Asmodeus had killed them, at their first going in unto her.

3:9. So when she reproved the maid for her fault, she answered her, saying: May we never see son, or daughter of thee upon the earth, thou murderer of thy husbands.

3:10. Wilt thou kill me also, as thou hast already killed seven husbands? At these words, she went into an upper chamber of her house: and for three days and three nights did neither eat nor drink:

3:11. But continuing in prayer with tears besought G.o.d, that he would deliver her from this reproach.

3:12. And it came to pa.s.s on the third day when she was making an end of her prayer, blessing the Lord,

3:13. She said: Blessed is thy name, O G.o.d of our fathers, who when thou hast been angry, wilt shew mercy, and in the time of tribulation forgivest the sins of them that call upon thee.

3:14. To thee, O Lord, I turn my face, to thee I direct my eyes.

3:15. I beg, O Lord, that thou loose me from the bond of this reproach, or else take me away from the earth.

3:16. Thou knowest, O Lord, that I never coveted a husband, and have kept my soul clean from all l.u.s.t.

3:17. Never have I joined myself with them that play: neither have I made myself partaker with them that walk in lightness.

3:18. But a husband I consented to take, with thy fear, not with my l.u.s.t.

3:19. And either I was unworthy of them, or they perhaps were not worthy of me: because perhaps thou hast kept me for another man,

3:20. For thy counsel is not in man's power.

3:21. But this every one is sure of that wors.h.i.+ppeth thee, that his life, if it be under trial, shall be crowned and if it be under tribulation, it shall be delivered: and if it be under correction, it shall be allowed to come to thy mercy.

3:22. For thou art not delighted in our being lost, because after a storm thou makest a calm, and after tears and weeping thou pourest in joyfulness.

3:23. Be thy name, O G.o.d of Israel, blessed for ever,

3:24. At that time the prayers of them both were heard in the sight of the glory of the most high G.o.d:

3:25. And the holy angel of the Lord, Raphael was sent to heal them both, whose prayers at one time were rehea.r.s.ed in the sight of the Lord.

Tobias Chapter 4