Tobit

Tobit's Family and Exile

1 The book of the words of Tobit, the son of Tobiel, the son of Hananiel, the son of Aduel, the son of Gabael, the son of Raphael, the son of Raguel, of the seed of Asiel, of the tribe of Naphtali; 2 who in the days of Shalmaneser king of the Assyrians was carried away captive out of Thisbe, which is on the right hand of Kedesh Naphtali in upper Galilee above Asser, behind the road leading west, on the left of Phogor.

Tobit's Life and Acts of Mercy

3 I Tobit walked in the ways of truth and in acts of righteousness all the days of my life, and I did many almsdeeds to my kindred and my nation, who went with me in the captive band into the land of the Assyrians, to Nineveh. 4 And when I was in my own country, in the land of Israel, and when I was young, all the tribe of Naphtali my father fell away from the house of David my father and from Jerusalem, the city which was chosen out of all the tribes of Israel for all the tribes of Israel to sacrifice there, and in which the temple of the habitation of God was hallowed and built for all ages. 5 All my kindred and the house of Nephtalim my father, they sacrificed to the calf, which Jeroboam the king of Israel made, in Dan and on all the mountains of Galilee. 6 And I alone used often to journey to Jerusalem at the feasts, as it has been ordained in all Israel by an everlasting decree. I used to go to Jerusalem with the firstfruits and the firstlings and the tenths of the cattle and the first shearings of the sheep, 7 and give them to the priests, the sons of Aaron, for the altar, and the tenth of the grain and the wine and oil and pomegranates and the rest of the fruits to the sons of Levi, who ministered at Jerusalem.⁠a And the second tenth I tithed in money for the six years, and went and spent it each year at Jerusalem: 8 and gave it to the orphans and the widows and the proselytes who attached themselves to the children of Israel;⁠b I brought it and gave it to them in the third year, and we did eat it according to the decree which was decreed concerning it in the book of Moses and according to the commands which Deborah, the mother of Hananiel our father commanded, because my father left me an orphan when he died. 9 And when I became a man, I took a wife of the seed of our own family, and of her I fathered a son and called his name Tobias. 10 After the carrying away captive to Assyria when I was carried away captive, I came to Nineveh, and all my kindred and those that were of my kindred did eat of the bread of the Gentiles. 11 But I kept myself from eating of the bread of the Gentiles;⁠c 12 and, when I remembered my God with all my soul,⁠d the 13 Most High gave me grace and favour in the sight of Shalmaneser and used to buy for him all things for his use, 14 and go into Media and buy for him from there, until he died. And I left purses in trust with Gabael the brother of Gabri in the land of Media, ten talents of silver. 15 And when Shalmaneser was dead and Sennacherib his son reigned in his stead, the roads of Media were unsafe, and I could no more go into Media. 16 In the days of Shalmaneser I did many almsdeeds to my kindred who were of my kindred: 17 I used to give my bread to the hungry, and garments to the naked: and if I saw any of my nation dead, and cast forth behind the wall of Nineveh, I buried him. 18 And whomever Sennacherib killed, when he had come fleeing from Judaea in the days of the judgement which the King of heaven carried out upon him for the blasphemies with which he had blasphemed, I buried. For in his wrath he killed many of the children of Israel, and I stole away their bodies and buried them. And Sennacherib sought them and did not find them. 19 And a certain one of those of Nineveh went and informed the king concerning me, that it was I who buried them, and that I was hid. And when I perceived that the king knew concerning me and that I was sought for to be put to death, I was afraid and ran away. 20 And all that I possessed was seized, and there was nothing left to me which was not taken to the royal treasury save my wife Anna and my son Tobias. 21 And not forty days passed before two of his sons killed him. And they fled into the mountains of Ararat, and Esarhaddon his son reigned after him.⁠e And he appointed over all the accounts of his kingdom Ahikar, my brother Anael’s son, and he had authority over all his affairs. 22 Then Ahikar made request for me, and I came down to Nineveh. For Ahikar was chief cupbearer, and keeper of the signet, and steward, and overseer of the accounts in the days of Sennacherib king of Assyria, and Esarhaddon appointed him a second time. And he was my brother’s son and of my kindred.

Tobit's Blindness and Prayer

1 And when Esarhaddon was king I came home again, and my wife Anna was restored to me, and my son Tobias. And at our feast of the Pentecost,⁠a which is the holy Feast of the Weeks, there was a good dinner prepared me; and I laid me down to dine. 2 And the table was set for me, and abundant food was set for me, and I said to Tobias my son, Go, my boy, and whatever poor man you shall find of our kindred of the Ninevite captives, who is mindful of God with his whole heart,⁠b bring him and he shall eat together with me; and lo, I wait for you, my boy, until you come.⁠c 3 And Tobias went to seek some poor man of our kindred and returned and said, Father. And I said to him, Here am I, my child. And he answered and said, Father, behold, one of our nation has been murdered and cast out in the marketplace, and he has but now been strangled. 4 And I sprang up and left my dinner before I had tasted it, and took him up from the street and put him in one of the chambers until the sun was set, to bury him.⁠d 5 Therefore I returned and washed myself, and ate food with mourning, 6 and remembered the word of the prophet which Amos spoke against Bethel, saying, Your feasts shall be turned into mourning, And all your ways into lamentation. And I wept. 7 And when the sun was set, I went and dug a grave and buried him. 8 And my neighbours mocked, saying, Is he no longer afraid?—for already I had been sought after to be put to death for this matter—And yet he fled away and lost all his possessions and lo, again, he buries the dead! 9 And the same night I washed myself and came into my courtyard and lay down to sleep by the wall of the courtyard, and my face was uncovered because of the heat. 10 And I did not know that there were sparrows in the wall above me; and their dung settled warm into my eyes and brought up white films; and I used to go to the physicians to be healed; and the more they anointed me with their medicaments, the more my eyes were blinded by the films, until they were totally blinded. And I was impotent in my eyes four years. And all my kindred did grieve for me, and Ahikar nourished me two years until he went to Elymais. 11 And at that time my wife Anna used to work for hire in the tasks of women,⁠e 12 and would send the tasks back to their owners: and they would pay her the wages. And on the seventh of Dystrus, she cut off the web, and sent it home to the owners and they gave her all her wages, and gave her in addition to the wages a kid of the goats. 13 And when she came into my house, the kid began to cry, and I called her and said, Where is this kid from? is it stolen? Render it to its owners; for we have no right to eat anything that is stolen. 14 And she said to me, It has indeed been given me over and above the wages. And I did not believe her, and I told her to render it to the owners; and I was abashed at her because of this. Then she answered and said to me, And where are your alms-deeds? Where is your righteous course of life?⁠f Behold, this your case is known.

1 And I was much grieved in my soul and groaned and wept. And I began to pray with groanings: 2 O Lord, you are righteous, and all your works are righteous,⁠a and all your ways are mercy and truth: you judge the world. 3 And now, O Lord, remember me, and look upon me; and do not take vengeance on me for my sins, both for my ignorances and my fathers’.⁠b 4 They sinned against you and disobeyed your commandments, and you gave us for spoil and captivity, and death, and for a proverb and a by-word and a reproach among all the nations among whom you did disperse us. 5 And now your many judgments are true in exacting from me the penalty of my sins, because we did not keep your commandments and did not walk truly before you. 6 And now deal with me according to your pleasure, and command my spirit to be taken from me, that I may be released from off the earth and become earth:⁠c for it is more profitable for me to die than to live, because I have heard false reproaches, and there is much sorrow in me.⁠d Lord, command that I be released from this distress, let me go to the everlasting place, and do not turn your face, O Lord, away from me. For it is more profitable for me to die, than to see much distress in my life, and not to hear reproaches.

Sarah's Distress and Prayer

7 On this day it happened to Sarah the daughter of Raguel who was in Ecbatana of Media, that she also heard reproaches by one of her father’s maidservants; 8 because that she had been given to seven husbands, and Asmodaeus the evil demon had slain them, before they had been with her as it is appointed for women.⁠e And the maidservant said to her, It is you that slay your husbands; behold you have already been given to seven husbands, and you have not been named of one of them.⁠f 9 Why do you scourge us on account of your husbands because they have died? Go your -o ways with them and let us see neither son nor daughter of yours for ever. 10 In that day she was grieved in her soul and wept; and she went up into her father’s upper room,⁠g and desired to hang herself; and again she considered and said, No, lest they reproach my father; and shall say to him, You had one beloved daughter, and she has hanged herself because of her calamities! and I shall bring down my father's old age with sorrow to Hades. It is fitter for me not to hang myself, but to supplicate the Lord that I may die and no longer hear reproaches during my life. 11 At the very same time she stretched forth her hands towards the window and prayed, and said, Blessed are you, merciful God, and blessed is your name for ever: and let all your works bless you for ever. 12 And now to you my face and my eyes I lift up: 13 command that I be released from the earth, and that I no more hear reproaches. 14 You know, Master, that I am pure from all uncleanness with man, 15 and that I never polluted my name, nor the name of my father either, in the land of my captivity. I am the only daughter of my father, and he has no other child to be his heir, nor has he kinsman near him, nor has he relation, that I should keep myself for a wife to him. Seven husbands of my are dead already; and why should it be mine to live on? And if it pleases you not to slay me—O Lord, now hear my reproach.

Raphael Is Sent to Heal Tobit and Sarah

16 At the very same time the prayer of both was heard before the glory of God.⁠h 17 And Raphael was sent to heal them both: the case of Tobit to remove the white films from his eyes, that he might see the light of God with his eyes; and in the case of Sarah the daughter of Raguel, to give her for a wife to Tobias the son of Tobit, and to unbind Asmodaeus the evil demon from her; because it belonged to Tobias that he should inherit her rather than all those which wished to take her, At that time did Tobit return from the courtyard into his house, and Sarah the daughter of Raguel herself also came down from the upper chamber.

Tobit's Instructions Before the Journey

1 In that day Tobit remembered the money which he had left in trust with Gabael in Rages of Media, 2 and he said in his heart, Behold, I have asked for death. Why do I not call my son Tobias and show him concerning this money before I die? 3 And he called Tobias his son and he came to him and he said to him, Bury me well, and honour your mother; and do not forsake her all the days of her life, and do that which is pleasing before her, and do not grieve her spirit in any matter.⁠a 4 Remember her, child, that she has experienced many dangers for you in her womb;⁠b and when she is dead, bury her by me in one grave. 5 My child, be mindful of the Lord all your days,⁠c and do not let your will be set to sin and to transgress his commandments: do acts of righteousness all the days of your life, and do not walk in the ways of unrighteousness.⁠d 6 For if you do the truth, success shall be in your works, and so it shall be to all that do righteousness.⁠e 7 Give alms of your substance: do not turn away your face from any poor man, and the face of God shall not be turned away from you, 8 As your substance is, give alms of it according to your abundance:⁠f if you have much, according to the abundance of it, give alms; if you have little bestow it, and do not be afraid to give alms according to that little:⁠g 9 for you lay up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity:⁠h 10 because alms delivers from death, and does not allow one to come into darkness.⁠i 11 Alms is a good offering in the sight of the Most High for all that give it. 12 Beware, my child, of all whoredom, and take first a wife of the seed of your fathers, do not take a strange wife, which is not of your father’s tribe; for we are the sons of the prophets. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, our fathers of old time, remember, my child, that they all took wives of their kinsmen, and were blessed in their children, and their seed shall inherit the land. 13 And now, my child, love your kindred, and do not scorn in your heart your kindred and the sons and the daughters of your people so as not to take one of them; for in scornfulness is destruction and much trouble, and in idleness is decay and great want, for idleness is the mother of famine. 14 Do not let the wages of any man, which shall work for you, stay with you, but render it to him out of hand: and if you serve God, recompense shall be made to you. Take heed to yourself, my child, in all your works, and be discreet in all your behaviour.⁠j 15 And what you yourself hate, do to no man.⁠k Do not drink wine to drunkenness, and do not let drunkenness go with you on your way.⁠l 16 Give of your bread to the hungry, and of your garments to them that are naked: of all your abundance give alms; and do not let your eye be grudging when you give alms. 17 Pour out your bread and your wine on the tomb of the just,⁠m and do not give to sinners.⁠n 18 Ask counsel of every man that is wise, and do not despise any counsel that is profitable.⁠o 19 And bless the Lord your God at all times, and ask of him that your ways may be made straight, and that all your paths and counsels may prosper: for every nation has not good counsel; but the Lord will give to them all good things; and whom he will the Lord humbles to the nethermost Hades. And now, child, remember these commandments, and do not let them be blotted out of your heart.⁠p 20 And now, child, I show you that I left ten talents of silver in trust with Gabael the brother of Gabri at Rages of Media. 21 And do not fear, my child, because we have become poor: you have much wealth, if you fear God and avoid every kind of sin and do the things which are good in the sight of the Lord your God.

Raphael Becomes the Guide for Tobias

1 Then answered Tobias and said to Tobit his father, All things, whatever you have commanded me, I will do, father. 2 But how shall I be able to fetch it from him, seeing he does not know me nor do I know him? What token shall I give him that he may recognize me and trust me and give me the money? And the roads to Media I do not know, to journey there. 3 Then answered Tobit and said to Tobias his son, His note of hand he gave me and a note of hand I gave him and I parted it in two and we took to each of us a part, and I put it with the money, and now lo, it is twenty years since I left this money in trust. And now, child, seek you a trusty man which shall go with you, and we will give him wages, until you return: and fetch you this money from him. 4 And Tobias went out to seek a man who would go with him into Media and knew the way well; and he went out and found Raphael, the angel, standing before him. And he did not know that he was an angel of God, 5 and said to him, Where are you from, young man? And he said to him, Of the children of Israel your kindred; and I have come here to work. And he said to him, Know you the way to go to Media? 6 And he said to him, Yes, I have often been there, and I know it well and I know all the ways; many times did I go to Media and lodged with Gabael our kinsman, who dwells in Rages of Media; and it is two regular days’ journey from Ecbatana to Rages; for it lies in the hill country, but Ecbatana in the middle of the plain. 7 And he said to him, Wait for me, young man, until I go in and tell my father; for I need that you go with me and I will give you your hire. 8 And he said to him, Behold, I will wait, only do not delay. 9 And Tobias went in and told Tobit his father and said to him, Behold, I have found a man of our kindred the children of Israel. And he said to him, Call me the man, that I may know what is his family and of what tribe he is, and whether he be a trusty man to go with you, child. 10 And Tobias went forth, and called him and said to him, Young man, my father calls you. And he came in to him, and Tobit saluted him first. And he said to him, Much cheer to you! And Tobit answered and said to him, What cheer have I any more, who am a man impotent in the eyes, and I do not behold the light of heaven, but lie in darkness like the dead which no more see the light; while I live I am among the dead; the voice of men I hear, and themselves I do not behold. And he said to him, Be of good cheer! it is near with God to heal you; be of good cheer! And Tobit said to him, My son Tobias wishes to go to Media; can you go with him and direct him? And I will give you your hire, brother. And he said to him, I shall be able to go with him, and I know all the ways, and often have I gone to Media and passed through all its plains and mountains, and all its ways I know. 11 And he said to him, Brother, of what family are you, and out of what tribe? Show me, brother. 12 And he said, What need have you of a tribe? And he said to him, I would know truly of what you are, brother, and what your name. 13 And he said to him, I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the great, of your kinsmen. 14 And he said to him, Welcome and safety, brother; and do not be bitter towards me, brother, because I wished to know the truth and your family. And you happen to be a kinsman, and you are of a noble and good lineage: I knew Ananias and Nathan, the two sons of Semelias the great, and they used to go with me to Jerusalem and worship with me there and they did not go astray. Your kindred are good men; you are of a good stock, and I bid you welcome. 15 And he said to him, I give you a drachma a day as wages, and those things that be necessary for you, as to my son; 16 and go with my son, and I will add something to your wages. And he said to him, I will go with him, and fear you not; We shall go safe and return safe to you, because the way is secure. 17 And he said to him, Blessing befall you, brother! And he called his son, and said to him, Child, prepare what is needful for the journey and go forth with your kinsman. And God which is in heaven preserve you there and restore you to me in safety and his angel accompany you with deliverance, child. And he went forth to go upon his journey; and he kissed his father and mother, and Tobit said to him, Farewell. 18 And his mother wept, and said to Tobit, Why is it that you have sent away my child? Is he not the staff of our hand, and does he not go in and out before us? 19 Do not let money be added to money: but let it be a ransom for our child. 20 As the Lord has given us to live, so does it suffice us. 21 And he said to her, Do not be troubled; our child shall go in peace, and in peace come to us and your eyes shall see in the day when he shall come to you in peace. Do not be troubled: do not fear for them, sister; 22 for a good angel shall go with him,⁠a and his journey shall be prospered, and he shall return in peace.

1 And she was silent from her weeping. And the young man went forth, and the angel with him,

The Journey to Media

2 and the dog went forth with him and journeyed with them; and they journeyed both of them together. And once night came upon them, and they lodged by the river Tigris, 3 and the young man went down to wash his feet in the river Tigris. And a great fish leaped up out of the water, and would have swallowed the foot of the young man. And he cried out.⁠a 4 And the angel said to the young man, Grasp and take hold of the fish. And the young man caught hold of the fish, and hauled it up on to the land. 5 And the angel said to him, Open the fish, and take out its gall and the heart and liver and put them by you, and cast away the inwards; for its gall and heart and liver are for an useful medicament. 6 And the young man opened the fish and collected the gall and the heart and the liver, and he roasted part of the fish and did eat, and left part of it salted. And they journeyed both of them together until they: drew near to Media. 7 And then the young man asked the angel and said to him, Brother Azarias, what is the medicament in the heart and the liver of the fish and in the gall?⁠b 8 And he said to him, As regards the heart and the liver of the fish, make you a smoke before a man or a woman who has an attack of a demon or an evil spirit; and every attack will flee from him, and they shall nevermore find an abode with him. 9 And as for the gall—anoint a man’s eyes, upon which white films have come up, or blow into them on the white films, and they become well. 10 And when he had entered into Media and was already drawing near to Ecbatana, 11 Raphael says to the young man, Brother Tobias. And he said to him, Here am I. And he said to him, In the house of Raguel we must lodge this night, the man being your kinsman; and he has a daughter Whose name is Sarah. 12 And he has no son nor daughter but Sarah alone, and you are nearer kin to her than any man to inherit her, and what things are her father’s it is right for you to inherit; and the maid is wise and steadfast and exceeding honourable, and her father is an honourable man. 13 And he said, It is right for you to take her; and hear me, brother, and I will speak this night to her father concerning the maid, that we may take her to be your bride. And when we return from Rages we will celebrate her marriage. And I know that Raguel can in no wise keep her back from you or marry her to another —to incur liability to death according to the decree of the book of Moses—and because he knows that the inheritance belongs to you to take his daughter before any man.⁠c And now, hear me, brother, and let us speak concerning the maid this night and we will betroth her to you; and, when we return from Rages, we will take her and let us lead her q back with us to your home. 14 Then Tobias answered and said to Raphael, Brother Azarias, I have heard that already the maid has been given to seven men, and they have died in their bridal-chambers; even in the night when they went in to her they died. And I have heard them say that a demon slays them. 15 And now for my part I fear—for her he does not harm, but the man who would come in to her, him he slays, and I am my father’s only child—lest I should die and bring my father’s and my mother’s life to the grave with sorrow because of me: and they have no other son to bury them. 16 And he says to him, Do you not remember the commands of your father, that he commanded you to take a wife of your father's house? And now hear me, brother; and make you no reckoning of this demon, but take her. For I know that this night she shall be given to you to wife. 17 And when you come into the bride-chamber, take of the liver of the fish with the heart and place them upon the ashes of the incense and the smell shall go forth, 18 and the devil shall smell it, and flee away, and never appear any more to her. And when you are about to be with her, rise up both of you first and pray and supplicate the Lord of heaven that mercy and deliverance may be extended to you. And do not fear, for she was set apart for you before the world was; and you shall save her, and she shall go with you. And I suppose that you shall have children of her and they shall be as brothers to you. Take no reckoning. And when Tobias heard the words of Raphael, and that she was his sister of the seed of his father’s house, he loved her exceedingly, and his heart clung to her.

Tobias Arrives and Marries Sarah

1 And when he came into Ecbatana, he says to him, Brother Azarias, lead me straight to Raguel our brother. And he led him to the house of Raguel, and they found him sitting by the door of the court; and they saluted him first, and he said to them, Much cheer to you, brothers, and you are well come in safety. And he brought them into his house. 2 And he said to Edna his wife, How like is this young man to Tobias my kinsman! 3 And Edna asked them and said to them, Where are you from, brothers? And they said to her, We are of the sons of Naphtali, which are captives in Nineveh. 4 And she said to them, Know you Tobit our kinsman? And they said to her, We know him. And she said to them, Is he in good health? 5 And they said to her, He is in good health and alive. And Tobias said, He is my father. 6 And Raguel sprang up, and kissed him, and wept; 7 and he spoke and said to him, Blessing be to you lad, who art the son of a noble and good father. Oh, dire calamity, that a man, righteous and almsdoing, should have become blind! And he fell on the neck of Tobias his kinsman and wept, 8 and Edna his wife wept for him, and Sarah their daughter also wept. 9 And he killed a ram of the flock and received them gladly. And when they had bathed, and washed their hands and laid them down to dine, Tobias said to Raphael, Brother Azarias, speak to Raguel that he give me Sarah my sister. 10 And Raguel heard the word and said to the young man, Eat and drink, and make merry this night:⁠a for there is no man to whom it belongs to take Sarah my daughter except you, brother; and likewise, further, I have not power to give her to another man than you, because you are my nearest kin. Yes, truly, I will show you the truth, lad. 11 I have given her to seven men of our kindred and all died in the night when they came in to her.⁠b And now, child, eat and drink, and the Lord will deal mercifully with you. And Tobias said, I will taste nothing here nor will I drink until you settle my affairs. And Raguel said to him, I do so; she is given to you according to the decree of the - book of Moses, and from heaven it has been decreed that she is given to you; take your sister. From henceforth you are her brother, and she is your sister; she has been given to you, from to-day even for ever. And the Lord of heaven give success to you, child, this night, even to do mercy and peace towards you. 12 And Raguel called his daughter Sarah, and she came to him and he took her by the hand, and gave her to him, and said, Take her according to the law and according to the decree which is written in the book of Moses to give her to you to wife. Have her and lead her away to your father in peace; and the God of heaven prosper you with peace. 13 And he called her mother, and told her to bring a book, and he wrote an instrument of co-habitation, even that he gave her to him to wife according to the decree of the law of Moses. 14 Then they began to eat and to drink. 15 And Raguel called Edna, his wife, and said to her, Sister, prepare the other chamber, and bring her in there. 16 And she went and spread the bed in the chamber as he told her and brought her there; and she wept for her and wiped away her tears, and said to her, Be of good comfort, daughter: the Lord of heaven give you joy for your sorrow: be of good comfort, daughter. And she went forth.

Sarah Is Delivered from the Demon

1 And when they had finished eating and drinking, they desired to sleep, and they led the young man away and brought him into the chamber. 2 And Tobias remembered the words of Raphael, and took the liver of the fish and the heart - out of the bag which he had, and put them on the ashes of the incense. 3 And the smell of the fish baffled the demon, and he ran away into the upper parts of Egypt; and Raphael went and fettered him there and bound him at once.⁠a 4 And they went forth and shut the door of the chamber. And Tobias rose up from the bed, and said to her, Sister, arise; let us pray and make supplication to our Lord that he may work mercy and deliverance for us. 5 And she arose, and they began to pray and make supplication that deliverance might be brought about for them, and he began to say, Blessed are you, God of our fathers, and blessed is your name for ever and ever; let the heavens bless you, and all your creation to all the ages. 6 You made Adam, and made Eve his wife for a helper and a stay for him: of them both came the seed of men:⁠b and you did say, It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make him a helper like to him. 7 And now I do not take this my sister for lust, but in truth: command that I and she may find mercy and grow old together. 8 And they said together, Amen. 9 And they slept the night. And Raguel arose and called his servants with him and they went and dug a grave, 10 for he said, Lest he perish, and we become a derision and a reproach. 11 And when they had finished digging the grave Raguel came into the house, and called his wife, 12 and said, Send one of the maidservants and let her go in and see if he be alive: and if he is dead that we may bury him, that no man know it. 13 And they sent the maidservant and lighted the lamp and opened the door, and she went in and found them sleeping and slumbering together. 14 And the maidservant came forth, and told them that he was alive and that there was nothing amiss. 15 And he blessed the God of heaven and said, Blessed are you, O God, with all pure blessing; let them bless you for ever. 16 And blessed are you, because you have made me glad: and it has not befallen as I supposed, but you have dealt with us according to your great mercy. 17 And blessed are you, because you have had mercy on two that are the only begotten children of their parents: show them mercy and deliverance, O Lord; and fulfil you their life with gladness and mercy. 18 Then he told his servants to fill the grave before the morning came. 19 And he told his wife to make many loaves. And he went to the herd, and fetched two oxen and four rams, and ordered them prepared; and they began to make ready. 20 And he called Tobias and said to him, For fourteen days you shall not stir hence, but shall stay here eating and drinking at my house, and shall gladden my daughter's sorely afflicted soul. 21 And all that is mine take half of it, and go in safety to your father; and the other half, when I and my wife die, is yours. Be of good cheer, child! I am your father, and Edna is your mother; and yours now are we and your sister's; from henceforth we are for ever. Be of good cheer, child!

Raphael Retrieves Tobit's Money

1 Then Tobias called Raphael, and said to him, 2 Brother Azarias, take along with you four servants, and two camels, and go to Rages and get you to Gabael, and give him the bond; receive the money and bring him with you to the wedding feast. 3 And you see what Raguel has sworn, and I cannot break his oath. 4 For you know that my father will count the days, and if I delay one day, I shall sorely grieve him. 5 And Raphael went on his way with the four servants and the two camels to Rages of Media and they lodged with Gabael, and Raphael gave him his bond; and (he) made known to him concerning Tobias, Tobit’s son, that he had taken a wife and that he invited him to the wedding-feast. And he arose and counted out to him the bags with their seals and placed them together on the camels. 6 And they rose up early in the morning together and came to the wedding-feast. And they came into the house of Raguel, and found Tobias reclining at the meal. And he sprang up and greeted him. And he wept and blessed him and said to him, Honest and good lad, son of a man honest and good, just and merciful! The Lord give you the blessing of heaven, and to your wife and your father and your wife’s mother! Blessed be God that I have seen Tobias my cousin like him.

The Parents Wait and Tobias Prepares to Return

1 Now day by day Tobit kept counting how many days he would spend in going and how many in return in. And when the days were expired, and his son was not come, 2 he said, Is he perhaps detained there? or is Gabael perhaps dead, and there is no man to give him the money? 3 And he began to grieve. 4 And Anna his wife says, My child has perished, and is no longer among the living; and she began to weep and bewail her son, and said, 5 Woe is me, my child, that I let you go, the light of my eyes.⁠a 6 And Tobit kept saying to her, Hold your peace, do not be troubled, sister, he is in good health; doubtless some distracting business has befallen them there; and the man who went with him is trusty and one of our kindred; do not grieve for him, sister, soon he will be here. 7 And she said to him, Hold your peace at me and do not deceive me; my child has perished. And hastening forth early she spent every day watching the road, by which her son had gone, and would listen to no one; and when the sun went down she would enter in, and mourn and weep the whole night, and have no sleep. And when the fourteen days of the wedding feast were expired which Raguel had sworn to celebrate for his daughter, Tobias entered in to him and said, Send me away, for I know that my father and my mother do not believe that they will see me again; and now I pray you, father, that you send me away that I may go to my father; already I have told you how I left him. 8 And Raguel said to Tobias, Abide, lad, abide with me, while I send messengers to Tobit your father, and they shall tell him concerning you. 9 And he said to him, No, I pray you that you send me away to my father. 10 And Raguel arose, and handed over to Tobias Sarah his wife, and half of all his goods, men-servants and maid-servants, oxen and sheep, asses and camels, clothing and money and chattels; 11 and he sent them away in peace, and he embraced him and said to him, Farewell, child, depart in peace; may the Lord of heaven prosper you, and Sarah your wife, and may I see children of you before I die. 12 And he said to Sarah his daughter, Go to your father-in-law, because henceforth they are your parents as they who fathered you; farewell, daughter. May I hear a good report of you so long as I live. And he embraced them and let them go. And Edna says to Tobias, ' Child and brother beloved, may the Lord restore you, and may I see children of you while I live - and of Sarah my daughter before I die. Before the Lord I commit my daughter to you in trust; do not vex her all the days of your life. Child, farewell; henceforth I am your mother and Sarah your sister. May we all be prospered in the same all the days in our life. And she kissed them both and sent them away in peace. 13 And Tobias departed from Raguel in peace and rejoicing and blessing the Lord of heaven and earth, the King of all, because he had prospered his journey. And Raguel said to him, May you be prospered to honour them all the days of their life.

The Homecoming and the Healing of Tobit

1 And when they drew near to Caeserin which is over against Nineveh, 2 Raphael said, You know how we did leave your father: 3 let us run forward before your wife, and prepare the house while they are coming. 4 And they went both together; and he said to him, Take in your hands the gall. And the dog went with them, behind him and her son. 5 And Anna sat watching the road by which her son would come. 6 And she caught sight of him coming, and said to his father, Behold, your son comes, and the man that went with him. 7 And Raphael said to Tobias before he drew near to his father, I know that his eyes will be opened;⁠a 8 stuff the gall of the fish into his eyes and the medicament will draw up and scale off the white films from his eyes, and your father will see again and behold the light. 9 And she ran, and fell upon the neck of her son, and said to him, I have seen you, my child; hereafter I can die. And she wept. 10 And Tobit rose and stumbled with his feet and went forth toward the door of the porch. 11 And Tobias went towards him with the gall of the fish in his hand; and he blew into his eyes, and took hold of him and said, Courage, father! 12 And Tobias threw the medicament upon him, and gave it him; 13 and he peeled off the white films with both his hands from the corners of his eyes. 14 And he fell upon his neck, and wept, and said to him, I see you, child, the light of my eyes. And he said, Blessed is God, and blessed is his great name, and blessed are all his holy angels. May his great name be blessed to all ages; 15 for he did chastise me, and behold, I see my son Tobias. And Tobias went in rejoicing and blessing God in his whole body, and Tobias showed his father that his journey had prospered and that he had brought the money, and how he had taken Sarah the daughter of Raguel to wife; and, Behold, she is at hand and is near the gate of Nineveh. 16 And Tobit went out to the gate of Nineveh to meet his daughter-in-law, rejoicing and blessing God. And when the men of Nineveh saw him go and pass on with all his strength and not led by the hand by anyone, they marvelled. 17 And Tobit gave thanks before them, because God had showed mercy on him, and because he had opened his eyes. And Tobit came near to Sarah the wife of Tobias his son, and he blessed her, and said to her, Welcome, daughter; and blessed is your God which has brought you to us, daughter, and blessed is your father and blessed is Tobias my son and blessed are you, daughter; welcome, daughter, to your home, with blessing and joy, welcome, daughter. On this day there was joy to all the Jews which were at Nineveh. 18 And Ahikar and Nadab his cousin came rejoicing to Tobit.

Raphael Reveals His Identity

1 And when the wedding feast was ended Tobit called his son Tobias, and said to him, Child, see that you give the wages to the man which went with you, so that you give him more for his wages. 2 And he said to him, Father, How much shall I give him as his wages? It is no harm to me to give him the half of the possessions which he has brought with me. 3 He has led me in safety, and he cured my wife, and brought the money with me, and cured you; how much shall I give him further as wages? 4 And Tobit said to him, It is due to him, child, to take the half of all which you had when you came. 5 And he called him and said, Take the half of all that you had when you came for your wages, and go in peace. 6 Then he called them both privately, and said to them,⁠a Bless God, and give him thanks in the sight of all that live, for the good things which he has done to you, to bless and praise his name. The words of God show forth to all men with honour and do not be slack to give him thanks. 7 It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but to confess and reveal the works of God.⁠b And confess them with honour.⁠c Do the good, and evil shall not find you. 8 Better is prayer with truth, and alms with righteousness than riches with unrighteousness;⁠d it is better to give alms than to lay up gold:⁠e 9 almsgiving does deliver from death, and it purges away all sin.⁠f They that do alms shall be fed with life;⁠g 10 they that commit sin and unrighteousness are enemies to their own life. 11 I will show you all the truth and will keep close nothing from you. Already I have shown you and have said, It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but the works of God to reveal gloriously.⁠h 12 And now, when you did pray and Sarah, I did bring the memorial of your prayer before the glory of the Lord:⁠i and when you did bury the dead, likewise.⁠j 13 And when you did not delay to rise up, and leave your dinner, but did go and cover the dead, 14 then I was sent to you to try you; and at the same time God did send me also to heal Sarah your daughter-in-law. 15 I am Raphael, one of the seven angels, which stand and enter before the glory of the Lord.⁠k 16 And they were both troubled, and fell upon their faces; and they were afraid.⁠l 17 And he said to them, Do not be afraid, peace be to you; bless God to all eternity. 18 I when I was with you, was not with you of any favour of mine, but by the will of God; bless him day by day, praise him. 19 And you behold me that I have eaten nothing, but a vision has appeared to you.⁠m 20 And now bless the Lord on the earth and give God thanks: Behold I ascend to him that sent me: write down all these things which have happened to you.⁠n And he ascended. 21 And they rose up and could no longer see him. 22 And they blessed and praised God and they gave him thanks for these his great works, how the angel of God had appeared to them.

Tobit's Song of Praise

1 And he said Blessed is God that lives for ever, and his kingdom,⁠a For he chastises, and shows mercy.⁠b 2 He leads down to Hades below the earth,⁠c And he brings up from the great destruction; And there is nothing that shall escape his hand.⁠d 3 Give thanks to him before the Gentiles, you children of Israel, For he has scattered you among them, 4 And there he has shown you his greatness; And extol him before all the living. Because he is our Lord, and he our God, and he our Father, Yes, he is God to all the ages:⁠e 5 He will chastise you for your iniquities,⁠f And will show mercy to you all.⁠g 6 When you turn to him out of all the nations Wherever you shall be scattered, With your whole heart and with your whole soul, to do truth before him, Then he will turn to you, and will no longer hide his face from you.⁠h And now see what he has done with you, And give him thanks with your whole mouth,⁠i And bless the Lord of righteousness, And exalt the everlasting King. I, in the land of my captivity, give him thanks, And show his strength and majesty to nations of sinners.)⁠j Turn, you sinners, and do righteousness before him.⁠k Who can tell if he will accept you and have mercy on you? 7 I exalt my God, and my soul shall rejoice in the King of heaven; 8 Of his greatness let all men tell, And let them give him thanks in Jerusalem. 9 O Jerusalem, you holy city! he will chastise you for the works of your hands, And will again have mercy on the sons of the righteous. 10 Give thanks to the Lord with goodness, and bless the everlasting King, That your tabernacle may be built in you again with joy, And that he may make glad in you all that are captives, And love in you all that are miserable and all the generations of eternity. 11 A bright light shall shine to all the ends of the earth; Many nations shall come from afar, And the inhabitants of the utmost ends of the earth to your holy name; With their gifts also in their hands to the King of heaven,⁠l Generations of generations shall utter rejoicing in you, And your name that is elect to the generations of eternity. 12 Cursed shall be all they that shall speak a hard word; Cursed shall be all they that demolish you, And throw down your walls; And all they that overthrow your towers, And set on fire your habitations; But blessed shall be all they that fear you for ever.⁠m 13 Then go and be exceeding glad for the sons of the righteous: For they all shall be gathered together,⁠n And bless the everlasting Lord. 14 Blessed shall they be that love you;⁠o And blessed shall they be That shall rejoice for your peace: And blessed shall be all the men That shall sorrow for you For all your chastisements: Because they shall rejoice in you And shall see all your joy for ever. 15 My soul does bless the Lord the great King; 16 For Jerusalem shall be built again as his house to all the ages. Happy shall I be if the remnant of my seed come to see your glory And give thanks to the King of heaven. And the gates of Jerusalem shall be built with sapphire and emerald, And all your walls with precious stone. The towers of Jerusalem shall be built with gold, And their battlements with pure gold. The streets of Jerusalem shall be paved With carbuncle and stones of Ophir.⁠p 17 And the gates of Jerusalem shall utter hymns of gladness And all her houses shall say, Halleluiah. Blessed is the God of Israel. And the blessed shall bless the name That is holy for ever and ever.

1 And the words of Tobit’s thanksgiving were ended, 2 and he died in peace being a hundred and twelve years old, and was buried magnificently in Nineveh. And he was sixty-two years old when he became maimed in his eyes; and after he recovered his sight he lived in prosperity and gave alms, and he still continued to bless God, and to give thanks for the greatness of God.⁠a

Tobit's Farewell and the End of the Story

3 And when he was dying he called Tobias his son, and charged him, saying, Child take your children; 4 and go into Media, for I believe the word of God upon Nineveh, which Nahum spoke, that all those things will be, and will befall Assyria and Nineveh. And all the things which the prophets of Israel spoke, whom God sent, shall befall; and nothing shall be diminished of all the words; and all things shall come to pass in their seasons. And in Media shall be deliverance more than among the Assyrians and in Babylon; therefore I know and believe that all the things which God has spoken will be accomplished and will be, and there will not fall to the ground a word of the prophecies. And as for our kindred which dwell in the land of Israel, against all of them will God devise evils, and they will be carried captive from the good land, and all the land of Israel will be desolate, and Samaria and Jerusalem will be desolate, and the house of God will be in grief and be burned up for a time;⁠b 5 and God will again have mercy en them, and God will bring them back into the land of Israel, and they will again build the house, but not like the first, until the time when the time of the seasons be fulfilled; and afterward they will return, all of them, from their captivity, and build up Jerusalem with honour, and the house of God shall be built in her, even as the prophets of Israel spoke concerning her. 6 And all the nations which are in the whole earth, all shall turn and fear God truly, and all shall leave their idols,⁠c who err after their false error.⁠d 7 And they shall bless the everlasting God in righteousness. All the children of Israel that are delivered in those days, remembering God in truth, shall be gathered together and come to Jerusalem and shall dwell for ever in the land of Abraham with security, and it shall be given over to them; and they that love God in truth shall rejoice,⁠e and they that do sin and unrighteousness shall cease from all the earth. 8 And now, children, I charge you, serve God in truth and do what is pleasing in his sight; and upon your children it shall be enjoined to do alms, and that they be mindful of God and bless his name at every season in truth and with all their strength.⁠f 9 And now, child, depart from Nineveh, and do not abide here. 10 On whatever day you bury your mother with me, on that same day do not abide in its borders; for I see that there is much unrighteousness in it, and much guile is practised in it, and they are not ashamed. See, child, what things Nadab did to Ahikar that brought him up! Was he not brought down alive into the earth? and God you recompensed the shame upon his face, and Ahikar came forth into the light, and Nadab went into the eternal darkness,⁠g because he had sought to slay Ahikar.⁠h Because I did alms, he came forth from the snare of death which Nadab had set for him, and Nadab fell into the snare of death, and it destroyed him. 11 And now, children, consider what alms-giving does, and what unrighteousness does, that it slays. And behold my soul faints. And they laid him upon his bed and he died; and he was buried magnificently. 12 And when his mother died, Tobias buried her with his father, and he and his wife departed to Media and dwelt in Ecbatana with Raguel his father-in-law. 13 And he sustained their old age in honour and buried them in Ecbatana of Media, and he inherited the house of Raguel and of Tobit his father. 14 And he died, being a hundred and seventeen years old, full of renown. 15 And before he died he saw and heard of the destruction of Nineveh, and saw her captivity led into Media which Cyaxares the king of Media took captive. And he blessed God for all he did to the children of Nineveh and Assyria; and before his death he rejoiced over Nineveh, and blessed the Lord God for ever and ever. Amen.