1
And when I returned to my house, and Channah my ishah and Toviyah my son were restored to me, at the Feast of Shavuot—the holy Feast of Weeks—a good meal was prepared for me, and I sat down to eat.
2
And the table was set before me with many foods. And I said to Toviyah my son: “My son, go and bring whatever poor ish you may find among our brothers who were taken captive to Nineveh, who remembers Yahuah with his whole heart. See, I will wait for you until you return.”
3
And Toviyah went to seek a poor one from among our brothers. But he returned and said: “Father!” And I said to him: “See, here I am, my son.” And he answered: “Father, one of our people has been murdered and thrown into the marketplace. He was strangled, and his body is still lying there.”
4
And I sprang up and left the meal before tasting it. And I took him from the street and placed him in a chamber until the sun had gone down, so that I might bury him.
5
And I returned, washed myself, and ate my bread in mourning.
6
And I remembered the Word spoken through Amos concerning Beit-El: “Your feasts shall be turned into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation.” And I wept.
7
And when the sun had gone down, I went out and dug a grave and buried him.
8
And my neighbors mocked me and said: “This ish is still not afraid. He was already hunted for death because of this very thing, and he fled. And see, he is again burying the dead.”
9
And that night I washed myself after burying him and went into my courtyard. And I slept beside the wall of the courtyard, and my face was uncovered because of the heat.
10
And I did not know that sparrows were in the wall above me. And their warm droppings fell into my eyes and produced white films upon my eyes. And I went to the physicians for healing, but the more ointments they applied to me, the more my eyes were darkened by the white films, until I became completely blind. And I remained unable to see for four years. And all my brothers grieved over me. And Achiachar provided for me for two years, until he went to Elymais.
11
And during that time Channah my ishah worked with the labor of her hands, doing the work of women.
12
And she would send the work to those who had commissioned it, and they paid her wages. And on the seventh day of the month of Dystros she finished a piece of work and sent it to those who had commissioned it. And they paid her the full wage and also gave her a young goat for the household.
13
And when the young goat came to me, it began to bleat. And I called Channah and said: “Where did this young goat come from? Surely it was not stolen? Return it to its owners, for we have no authority to eat anything stolen.”
14
But she said to me: “It was given to me as a gift in addition to my wages.” And I did not believe her, but told her to return it to its owners, and I became ashamed before her because of this. Then she answered me: “Where are your acts of righteousness now? Where are your righteous deeds? See, what has come upon you makes them known.”