TOBIT CH 10A Light of My Eyes

Hymn, homecoming hymn with oud, qanun, ney, and frame drum in a steady 4/4 pulse at 78 bpm; androgynous alto, intimate close-mic delivery with restrained verse phrasing and lifted verse-chorus refrains; warm tape saturation, clear centered vocal, gently rounded acoustic mix, ‑noise, ‑reverberation, ‑talking, ‑yelling, ‑spoken word

[Instrumental] [Verse] Meanwhile, day by day, Tobit was keeping track of the time Tobiah would need to go and to return. When the number of days was reached and his son did not appear, he said, Could it be that he has been detained there? Or perhaps Gabael has died, and there is no one to give him the money? And he began to grieve. His wife Anna said, My son has perished and is no longer among the living! And she began to weep aloud and to wail over her son: [Chorus] Alas, child, light of my eyes, that I have let you make this journey! [Instrumental] [Verse] But Tobit kept telling her: Be still, do not worry, my sister; he is safe! Probably they have to take care of some unexpected business there. The man who is traveling with him is trustworthy and one of our kindred. So do not grieve over him, my sister. He will be here soon. [Chorus] Alas, child, light of my eyes, that I have let you make this journey! [Instrumental] But she retorted, You be still, and do not try to deceive me! My son has perished! She would rush out and keep watch every day at the road her son had taken. She ate nothing. After the sun had set, she would go back home to wail and cry the whole night through, getting no sleep at all. [Chorus] Alas, child, light of my eyes, that I have let you make this journey! [Instrumental] [End]

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