It was given to me as a gift in addition to my wages: Anna’s reply in Greek puts emphasis on the fact that the goat was given to her: “As a gift it was given….” She states this quite briefly, and we can understand it as being either shocked and defiant (Good News Translation), or as spoken with respect for her husband. In addition to my wages may be expressed as “in addition to what I got for the cloth” (Good News Translation) or “along with the usual payment for my work” (Contemporary English Version); or we may translate the whole sentence as “They gave it to me as a gift along with the money they normally pay me for my work.”
I became flushed with anger: At this point Tobit the narrator withdraws in shame; rather than directly quote his own cruel reply to his wife, which he now so regrets, he tells us in indirect discourse about what he said. He even adds that he blushed; whether this was with “shame” (Good News Translation) or anger the Greek does not inform us, and translators may choose between these emotions; for example, “My face became red with shame,” or “I was so angry that my face became red [or, flushed].”
Where are your acts of charity? Where are your righteous deeds?: Now, however, Anna speaks directly, and defiantly defends herself with accusations of her own (compare Job 2.9). These two questions by Anna are rhetorical, and in many languages will be translated as statements accusing Tobit; for example, “You are not really concerned about other people! You don’t do good deeds anymore!” For acts of charity see 1.3.
These things are known about you!: The final clause of the verse is obscure. The note in New Revised Standard Version calls attention to two ways of understanding the Greek clause used: either “People know these things about you” or “You know these things.” Good News Translation, moving the clause ahead of the two questions, takes it as “Now I see what you are really like!” Others take it to mean, sarcastically, “Everyone knows where all those good deeds of yours have gotten you—nowhere.” She may be saying, even more bitterly, “You seem to know all about these things!” Revised Standard Version, following the other Greek text, which is only slightly different here, translates effectively: “You seem to know everything!” This really seems more appropriate to the context.
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Tobit. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.