Book of Tobit

[obvious_ron]

Last Thursday, I attended the weekly bible study facilitated by the Catholic campus ministry. They’re studying the book of Tobit this month and I have a question concerning different versions.

The bible I was using was the RSV-CE, the rest of the students were using the NAB and nun who leads the bible study had the NJB. The striking difference between the RSV-CE and the rest was that the other two translations had much more text. It was almost as if the RSV-CE was the Reader’s Digest condensed version or something.

Is there anyone out there who might know why this is? Do the NAB and NJB use differens sources for Tobit thatn the RSV-CE?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

[Fidelis]

Interesting questions. It seems that translators have a variety of manuscripts to work from:

The book which we have derives from a lost Semitic original. Jerome used a Chaldean (Aramaic) text, which also is no longer extant, to produce the Latin translation included in the Vulgate. The Qumran discoveries include a few Hebrew and Aramaic fragments of this book, but our main source for the text is the Greek Septuagint of which we have four separate recensions, which are divided into two groups–the Vatican and Alexandrian manuscripts on the one hand, and the Sinaitic Codex and the Vetus latina on the other.
catholic.com/thisrock/1994/9410otg.asp

So it seems to have something to do with the fact that different translators use different manuscripts, or a variety of manuscripts. The notes in the RSVE (found on page 993) indicate that the translation derived from the Vulgate (which as was pointed out above came from a lost Aramaic version that Jerome used) adds some text that aren’t found in the Septuagint. Thus the RSV translation of Tobit may be based on that text, while the NAB and NJB may be based on the Vulgate, which would account for them seeming to have more text, as you described.

 

[anawim]

Although we don’t have the original manuscript that Jerome used, we do have the D-R, which was translated from Jerome’s Latin Vulgate.

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

Is there a harmony of this book that places the translations of those texts side by side? or maybe a comemtary that is good at bringing out the similiarities and differences of texts for this book that could be used in that study?

google.com/search?hl=en&q=Tobit+parallel++texts+translations+commentary

 

[Fidelis]

Daniel Marsh:

Is there a harmony of this book that places the translations of those texts side by side? or maybe a comemtary that is good at bringing out the similiarities and differences of texts for this book that could be used in that study?

google.com/search?hl=en&q=Tobit+parallel++texts+translations+commentary

Sorry, not that I know of. The DC books in general have been less studied, as a whole than the PC books, so there is a paucity of available resources on them. For example, I’m thinking of leading a Bible study on the Book of Sirach, but I’ll probably have to construct it from scratch. Hopefully that will change, as I believe we are in the beginnings of a renewal of Catholic Scripture study.

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

Collegeville Bible Commentary
litpress.org/Series.aspx?ID=31

google.com/search?hl=en&q=Tobit+site%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholic-library.org.uk%2Fcatalogue%2F

dovebook.com/new/product.asp

New Interpreter’s Bible

Tobit and Judith by Benedikt Otzen / Continuum / 2001

Anchor Bible Commentary

christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find/261064901?Ntk=keywords&Ntt=tobit&action=Search&N=0&Ne=0&event=ESRCN&nav_search=1&cms=1

centuryone.com/anchor2.html

google.com/search?hl=en&q=Collegeville+Bible+Commentary+&btnG=Google+Search

Have you looked into any of the above?

 

[anawim]

Fidelis:

Sorry, not that I know of. The DC books in general have been less studied, as a whole than the PC books, so there is a paucity of available resources on them. For example, I’m thinking of leading a Bible study on the Book of Sirach, but I’ll probably have to construct it from scratch. Hopefully that will change, as I believe we are in the beginnings of a renewal of Catholic Scripture study.

I’ve got a thematic arrangement of Sirach. Right now it’s a 75 page Word document. If I have any time, I’ll shorten it to just an outline.

 

[anawim]

Daniel Marsh:

Is there a harmony of this book that places the translations of those texts side by side? or maybe a comemtary that is good at bringing out the similiarities and differences of texts for this book that could be used in that study?

google.com/search?hl=en&q=Tobit+parallel++texts+translations+commentary

I once did a comparison of the D-R and the NAB. Unfortunately, I currently only have a hard copy.

 

[Fidelis]

anawim:

I’ve got a thematic arrangement of Sirach. Right now it’s a 75 page Word document. If I have any time, I’ll shorten it to just an outline.

If you’d like to share that when you’re done, that would be great–thanks ahead of time!

 

[anawim]

Fidelis:

If you’d like to share that when you’re done, that would be great–thanks ahead of time!

I can’t get to much on one post, so I’ll have to do this piece meal:

Day 250

Thematic arrangement of Sirach:

Prologue & Intro

Sir. 0:1 - 36

Sir. 1:6 - 8

Sir. 33:16 - 18

Sir. 39:12 - 16

Sir. 50:27 - 29

Heavenly Virtues

Moral or Cardinal Virtues (Fruits of the Holy Spirit)

Prudence

Sir. 5:11

Sir. 18:21, 25 - 26

Sir. 21:23 - 24

Sir. 32:20 - 23

Sir. 33:3

---

Justice

Sir. 4:9

Sir. 7:3

Sir. 8:14

Sir. 10:7

Sir. 19:21

Sir. 21:5

Sir. 27:8

Courage

Sir. 2:12 - 13

        Sir. 22:18 - 19

Temperance

Sir. 31:22, 25 - 31

Sir. 32:4

Sorrow & Joy

Sir. 13:25

Sir. 30: 21 - 22

Sir. 30:25

Multiple

---

Sir. 21:12 (Justice & Understanding)

Sir. 30:23 (Courage & Peace)

        Self-Control & Lust

Sir. 6:2 - 4

Sir. 18:30 - 31

Sir. 37:26, 30

Sir. 24:18 (Words of Christ: Mt. 11:28)

Theological Virtues/Heavenly Virtues Faith/Hope/Love (Charity)

Sir. 2:14

Sir. 12:1 - 2

Sir. 14:2

Misc. (Charity & Speech)

Sir. 18:14

 

[anawim]

Day 251

Capital Virtues vs. Deadly Sin

Generosity vs. Greed

Sir. 3:30

Sir. 4:31

Sir. 7:33

Sir. 14:3 - 10

Sir. 31:12 - 18

Sir. 31:23 - 24

Sir. 40:24

Humility vs. Pride

Sir. 1:27 - 29

Sir. 3:17 - 23

Sir. 4:7, 26

Sir. 5:3 - 7

Sir. 7:4 -6, 11a, 16 - 17

Sir. 10:12 - 18, 24 - 28

Sir. 18:20

Sir. 21:4, 7

Sir. 27:28

Sir. 32:14

---

Sloth vs. Industry

Sir. 7:15

Sir. 20:27a

Sir. 22:1 - 2

Sir. 29:24

Sir. 40:28 - 30

Gluttony vs. Abstinence

Sir. 18:33 - 9:1

Sir. 31:20 - 21

Sir. 37:27 - 29

---

Envy vs. Kindness

Sir. 9:11 - 12

Sir. 11:21 - 22

---

Anger vs. Patience

Sir. 1:19 - 21

Sir. 8:1 - 3, 16

Sir. 10:6

Sir. 13:13

Sir. 20:2

Sir. 27:30

Sir. 28:1 - 11

Sir. 40:15 - 16

Chastity vs. Lust

Sir. 9:1 - 9

Sir. 19:2 - 3

Generosity

        Sir. 18:17

Multiple: Wealth and Wisdom

Sir. 10:29-30

Multiple: Anger & Joy vs. Sorrow

Sir. 30:24

Day 252

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Wisdom

Sir. 1:1 - 5, 26

Sir. 4:11 - 19

Sir. 6:18 - 37

Sir. 11:1

Sir. 14:20 - 15:8

Sir. 18:27 - 28

Sir. 20:29 - 30

Sir. 24:1 - 7, 13 - 17, 19 - 34

Sir. 40:18

 

[Fidelis]

Thanks anawim.

As Providence would have it, at the Adult Confirmation class I help teach, last week we were talking about Sirach and how the early Church used it as a type of Catechism for teaching moral behavior, especially to converts.

Next week, when it’s my turn to speak, the topic is about “The Life of Grace and The Virtues!” Talk about great timing.

Thanks again!

 

[anawim]

Fidelis:

Thanks anawim.

As Providence would have it, at the Adult Confirmation class I help teach, last week we were talking about Sirach and how the early Church used it as a type of Catechism for teaching moral behavior, especially to converts.

Next week, when it’s my turn to speak, the topic is about “The Life of Grace and The Virtues!” Talk about great timing.

Thanks again!

Here’s the next installment (since I can’t post them one after another):

Day 253

Fear of the Lord

Sir. 1:9 - 18, 25

Sir. 2:7 - 11. 15 - 18

Sir. 10:19 - 23

Sir. 21:6

Sir. 27:3

Sir. 32:16

Sir. 33:1

Sir. 34:13 - 15

Sir. 40:26 - 27

---

Understanding

Sir. 21:15

---

Counsel

Sir. 21:13

Sir. 32:17 - 19

Sir. 37:7 - 16

Sir. 40:25

---

Knowledge

Sir. 34:9 - 12

Miscellaneous/ Multiple

Sir. 1:22 (Prudence & Fear of the Lord)

Sir. 1:23 (Wisdom & Commandments)

Sir. 1:24 (Fear of the Lord, Wisdom & Humility)

Sir. 3:24, 28

Sir. 4:29 (Speech & Sloth vs. Diligence)

Sir. 19:17

Sir. 19:20 (Wisdom & Understanding)

Sir. 19:18 (Wisdom, Prudence, & Counsel)

Sir. 21:11 (Keeping the Commandments; Wisdom; Fear of the Lord)

Sir. 21:17 (Counsel & Speech)

Sir. 22:16 - 17 (Prudence & Understanding)

Sir. 37:19 - 22

 

[anawim]

The next section is on Speech, but is too long for one post.