Tobit 1

¹ Sotheli whanne he was maad a man, he took a wijf, Anne, of his lynage; and he gendride of hir a sone, and puttide his owne name to hym; ² whom he tauyte fro yong childhed for to drede God, and for to absteyne fro al synne. ³ Therfor whanne bi caitifte he was comun, with his wijf and sone, in to the citee Nynyue, ⁴ with al his lynage, and alle men eeten of the meetis of hethene men, this Tobie kepte his soule, and was neuere defoulid in the metis of hem. ⁵ And for he was myndeful of the Lord in al his herte, God yaf grace to hym in the siyt of Salamanazar, the kyng; ⁶ and he yaf to Tobie power to go whidur euer he wolde, and he hadde fredom to do what euer thingis he wolde. ⁷ Therfor he yede bi alle men that weren in caitifte, and yaf to hem the heestis of helthe. ⁸ Sotheli whanne he was comyn in to Rages, a citee of Medeis, and hadde ten talentis of siluer, of these thingis bi whiche he was onourid of the kyng; ⁹ and siy Gabelus nedi, that was of his lynage, with myche cumpeny of his kyn, Tobie yaf to hym, vndur an obligacioun, the forseid weiyte of siluer. ¹⁰ Forsothe after myche tyme, aftir that Salamanazar, the kyng, was deed, whanne Senacherib, his sone, regnyde for hym, and hadde the sones of Israel hateful in his siyt, ¹¹ Tobie yede ech dai bi al his kynrede, and coumfortide hem, and departide of hise catels to ech man, as he myyte; ¹² he fedde hungri men, and yaf clothis to nakid men, and he yaf bisili sepulture to deed men and slayn. 13 Sotheli whanne the kyng Senacherib turnede ayen, fleynge fro Judee the veniaunce that God hadde do aboute hym for his blasfemye, and he was wrooth, and killide many of the sones of Israel, Tobie biriede the bodies of hem. 14 And aftir that it was teld to the kyng, he comaundide Tobie to be slayn, and he took awei al his catel. 15 Sotheli Tobie fledde with his sone and with his wijf, and was hid nakid, for many men loueden hym. 16 Forsothe after fyue and fourti daies, the sones of the kyng kyilliden the kyng; and Tobie turnede ayen to his hows, 17 and al his catel was restorid to hym. 19 Forsothe aftir these thingis, whanne a feeste dai of the Lord was, and a good meete was maad in the hows of Tobie, he seide to his sone, 20 Go thou, and brynge sum men of oure lynage, that dreden God, that thei ete with vs. ²¹ And whanne he was goon, he turnede ayen, and telde to hym, that oon of the sones of Israel lai stranglid in the street; and anoon `he skippide fro his sittyng place, and lefte the mete, and cam fastynge to the bodi; and he took it, ²² and bar to his hows pryuely, for to birie hym warli, whanne the sunne was go doun.