David Kline, the celebrated nature writer and Amish bishop, asked if we’d be interested in working on the first book of his new imprint, Larksong Press. It was a project he’d wanted to do for a long time but had never found the time to sit down and make happen. The Book of Tobit is a work of biblical literature dating back to as early as the 3rd century BC, and fragments of the text are found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. English translations had been made in the past, but David imagined a combination English and German version, with a modern English translation on left-hand pages matching up with scans of an original German text on right-hand pages. He also wanted to include some historical notes and several plates of artwork by Rembrandt, who had ties with the Dutch Mennonite community, and painted several works based on the Tobit story.
In Amish communities today, the Book of Tobit is quoted during wedding ceremonies, typically using an old, tiny, German copy of the book. This new version aims to make the text more accessible while retaining its history and significance within the community.
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