Tobit 2
Tobit, while preparing for a feast, discovers a dead Israelite in the street and buries him in secret, despite the danger of being executed for doing so. His neighbors criticize him for this action, and Tobit becomes blind after warm droppings from a swallow's nest fall on his eyes. Despite his affliction, Tobit remains faithful to God and continues to give thanks, even when his relatives and acquaintances ridicule him. Tobit's wife Anna, who supports the family through her weaving work, brings home a young goat, but Tobit insists that it be returned to its owners, as it may be stolen, leading to an argument between them.
In truth, after this, when there was a feast day of the Lord, and a good dinner had been prepared in the house of Tobithe said to his son: "Go, and bring some others who fear God from our tribe to feast with us.And after he had gone, returning, he reported to him that one of the sons of Israel, with his throat cut, was lying in the street. And immediately, he leapt from his place reclining at table, left behind his dinner, and went forth with fasting to the bodyAnd taking it up, he carried it in secret to his house, so that, after the sun had set, he might bury him cautiouslyAnd after he had hidden the body, he chewed his bread with mourning and fearremembering the word that the Lord spoke through the prophet Amos: "Your feast days shall be turned into lamentation and mourning.Truly, when the sun had set, he went out, and he buried himYet all his neighbors argued with him, saying: "Now, an order was given to execute you because of this matter, and you barely escaped a death sentence, and again you are burying the dead?But Tobit, fearing God more than the king, stole away the bodies of the slain and concealed them in his house, and in the middle of the night, he buried themBut it happened one day, being tired from burying the dead, he came into his house, and he threw himself down next to the wall, and he sleptAnd, as he was sleeping, warm droppings from a swallow’s nest fell upon his eyes, and he was made blindAnd so the Lord permitted this trial to befall him, in order that an example might be given to posterity of his patience, which is even like that of holy JobFor, even from his infancy, he had always feared God and kept his commandments, so he was not discouraged before God because of the scourge of blindness that had befallen himBut he remained immoveable in the fear of God, giving thanks to God all the days of his lifeFor just as kings have mocked blessed Job, so also his relatives and acquaintances ridiculed his life, saying"Where is your hope, on behalf of which you gave alms and buried the dead?In truth, Tobit corrected them, saying: "Do not speak in this wayfor we are the sons of the holy ones, and we look forward to that life which God will give to those who never change in their faith before him.In truth, his wife Anna went out to weaving work daily, and she brought back the provisions that she was able to obtain by the labor of her handsWhereupon it happened that, having received a young goat, she brought it homeWhen her husband heard the sound of its bleating, he said, "Look, so that it might not be stolen, return it to its owners, for it is not lawful for us either to eat, or to touch, anything stolen.At this, his wife, being angry, answered, "Clearly, your hope has become vanity, and the manner of your almsgiving has become apparent.And with these and other similar such words, she reproached him
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