| 10 καὶ οὐκ ᾔδειν ὅτι στρουθία ἐν τῷ τοίχῳ ἐστίν καὶ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου ἀνεῳγότων ἀφώδευσαν τὰ στρουθία θερμὸν εἰς τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου καὶ ἐγενήθη λευκώματα εἰς τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου καὶ ἐπορεύθην πρὸς ἰατρούς καὶ οὐκ ὠφέλησάν με Αχιαχαρος δὲ ἔτρεφέν με ἕως οὗ ἐπορεύθη εἰς τὴν Ἐλυμαΐδα 11 καὶ ἡ γυνή μου Αννα ἠριθεύετο ἐν τοῖς γυναικείοις 12 καὶ ἀπέστελλε τοῖς κυρίοις καὶ ἀπέδωκαν αὐτῇ καὶ αὐτοὶ τὸν μισθὸν προσδόντες καὶ ἔριφον 13 ὅτε δὲ ἦλθεν πρός με ἤρξατο κράζειν καὶ εἶπα αὐτῇ πόθεν τὸ ἐρίφιον μὴ κλεψιμαῖόν ἐστιν ἀπόδος αὐτὸ τοῖς κυρίοις οὐ γὰρ θεμιτόν ἐστιν φαγεῖν κλεψιμαῖον 14 ἡ δὲ εἶπεν δῶρον δέδοταί μοι ἐπὶ τῷ μισθῷ καὶ οὐκ ἐπίστευον αὐτῇ καὶ ἔλεγον ἀποδιδόναι αὐτὸ τοῖς κυρίοις καὶ ἠρυθρίων πρὸς αὐτήν ἡ δὲ ἀποκριθεῖσα εἶπέν μοι ποῦ εἰσιν αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου καὶ αἱ δικαιοσύναι σου ἰδοὺ γνωστὰ πάντα μετὰ σοῦ 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 |
10 But toil brought weariness, and one morning, when he came home, he threw himself down in the shadow of the wall, and quickly fell asleep. 11 As he slept, warm droppings from a swallow’s nest fell into his eyes, and he became blind. 12 This was but a trial which the Lord allowed to befall him, so that he might leave to later ages, as God’s servant Job did, a document of patience. 13 Here was a man that had feared God and obeyed his commandments from infancy; he was smitten with blindness; did he thereupon complain, God was using him ill? 14 No, he remained as stout-hearted a worshipper of God as before, and never a day passed but he returned thanks for the gift of life. 15 Kinsman and clansman might taunt him, as Job was taunted by his fellow chieftains; might call him a fool for his pains, 16 and ask whether this was the reward he had hoped for when he gave alms, and went a-burying; 17 Tobias took them up short. Nay, said he, never talk thus; 18 we come of holy stock, you and I, and God has life waiting for us if we will but keep faith with him. 19 His wife Anna went every day to work at the loom, bringing home what earnings she could; 20 and one day it was a kid that was given her for her wages. When she brought this home, 21 and its bleating reached her husband’s ears, he made great ado for fear it had been stolen; Nay, he said, this must be restored to its owner; never shall it be said that we ate stolen food, or soiled our hands with theft! 22 Fine talk,[1] said she, but the like hopes have played thee false already; what hast thou to shew, now, for all thy almsgiving? 23 With such taunts as these even his wife assailed him.[2] |
10 Contigit autem ut quadam die fatigatus a sepultura, veniens in domum suam, jactasset se juxta parietem, et obdormisset, 11 et ex nido hirundinum dormienti illi calida stercora inciderent super oculos ejus, fieretque cæcus. 12 Hanc autem tentationem ideo permisit Dominus evenire illi, ut posteris daretur exemplum patientiæ ejus, sicut et sancti Job. 13 Nam cum ab infantia sua semper Deum timuerit, et mandata ejus custodierit, non est contristatus contra Deum quod plaga cæcitatis evenerit ei, 14 sed immobilis in Dei timore permansit, agens gratias Deo omnibus diebus vitæ suæ. 15 Nam sicut beato Job insultabant reges, ita isti parentes et cognati ejus irridebant vitam ejus, dicentes: 16 Ubi est spes tua, pro qua eleemosynas et sepulturas faciebas? 17 Tobias vero increpabat eos, dicens: Nolite ita loqui: 18 quoniam filii sanctorum sumus, et vitam illam expectamus, quam Deus daturus est his qui fidem suam numquam mutant ab eo. 19 Anna vero uxor ejus ibat ad opus textrinum quotidie, et de labore manuum suarum victum quem consequi poterat, deferebat. 20 Unde factum est ut hædum caprarum accipiens detulisset domi: 21 cujus cum vocem balantis vir ejus audisset, dixit: Videte, ne forte furtivus sit: reddite eum dominis suis, quia non licet nobis aut edere ex furto aliquid, aut contingere. 22 Ad hæc uxor ejus irata respondit: Manifeste vana facta est spes tua, et eleemosynæ tuæ modo apparuerunt. 23 Atque his et aliis hujuscemodi verbis exprobrabat ei. |