TOBIT
§ The good example of Tobit¤1 °1 This is
the story of Tobit son of Tobiel, son of Ananiel, son of Adonel, son of
Gabael of the race of Asiel, of the tribe of Naphtali. °2 In the days of Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, Tobit
was deported from Thisbe, which is to the south of Kedesh of Naphtali in
Galilee, above Asher. °3 I, Tobit, have walked in the ways of truth and
justice all the days of my life; I have given many alms to my brethren and to those of my countrymen who were
deported with me to Nineveh, a city in the country of the Assyrians. °4 When I was a young man in my country, the land of
Israel, all the tribe of my father Naphtali broke away from the family of
David in Jerusalem. This was, however, the city chosen among all the tribes
of Israel to be the place of sacrifice for all the tribes, and where the
Temple, the house of God the Most High, had been built and consecrated for
all generations forever. °5 All the tribes which had separated, including the
tribe of Naphtali my father, sacrificed to the calf Baal which Jeroboam, king
of Israel, had set up at Dan, in the hills of Galilee. °6 I, alone, often went to Jerusalem for the feasts, as
is ordered for all the people of Israel by an everlasting decree. I went with
the first fruits and tithes of my crop, and with the first shearings of the
sheep. °7 I gave these for the altar, to the
priests, sons of Aaron; I gave a tithe of the corn, the wine, the olives, the
pomegranates, the figs and the other fruits to the Levites who officiated in
Jerusalem. I sold the second tithe every six years and went to distribute the
money in Jerusalem. °8 I gave the third tithe to the orphans and widows and
to the pagan converts who had joined the Israelites. I gave them every three
years and we ate according to the rules which had been laid down on this
matter in the Law of Moses, and according to the recommendations made by
Deborah, my father’s mother, for my father had left me an orphan. °9 When I reached manhood I married Anna of the race of
our forefathers and she bore me a son, Tobias. °10 When I
was taken to the city of Nineveh as a prisoner, all my relatives and those of
our family ate the pagans’ food. °11
But I watched over
myself so as not to eat it °12 because I remembered God with all my
heart. °13 The Most High let me be esteemed by
Shalmaneser and I became his purchaser. °14 I used
to go to Media to make purchases for him until he died; one day I left on
deposit with Gabael, brother of Gabria, at Rages in Media, a sack containing
ten talents of silver. °15 When Shalmaneser died, his son Sennacherib became
king in his place. In his time the highways of Media were in a state of
insurrection so that I could no longer go to Media. °16 In the days of Shalmaneser I gave many alms to my
kinsmen. °17 I gave my bread to those who were hungry,
my garments to those who were naked, and if I saw anyone of my tribe dead,
and his body thrown over the ramparts of Nineveh I would bury him. °18 I buried secretly those whom King Sennacherib killed
on returning from Judea in the days when he was punished by the king of
Heaven because of the blasphemies which he had uttered. In his anger he slew
a great number of Jews. The king looked for their bodies but could not find
them. °19 One of the inhabitants of Nineveh went
and told the king that I had buried them, so I went into hiding. Then I
learned that they were looking for me to put me to death. I was afraid and
fled to a distance. °20 All my goods were confiscated and nothing
was left to me that was not taken for the royal treasury, except Anna my wife
and Tobias my son. °21 But only forty days had passed when Sennacherib was
killed by his two sons. They fled to Mount Ararat and his son Esarhaddon
became king in Sennacherib’s place. Esarhaddon appointed Ahikar, the son of
my brother Anael, over all the administration. °22 Ahikar
intervened on my behalf and I returned to Nineveh. My nephew Ahikar was head
of the cup bearers, keeper of the seals, administrator and accountant.
Esarhaddon made him second only to himself. ¤2 °1 When I
returned to my house, my wife Anna and my son Tobias were given back to me.
At the feast of Pentecost, the sacred feast of the Seven Weeks, they prepared
a good meal for me and I sat down to eat. °2 I saw
the many dishes and said to my son: “Go and bring as many as you can find of
our relatives who are in need and who remember the Lord. I will wait here for
them.” °3 When Tobias returned, he said: “Father,
one of ours has been strangled and thrown into the public square.” °4 Before I ate anything I hurried out and carried this
man into the house and waited till sunset to bury him. °5 When I returned home I washed myself and ate my food
in sorrow. °6 I remembered the prophecy which Amos
uttered against Bethel: “Your feasts will be turned into mourning. All your
songs will be turned into lamentations,” °7 and I
wept. After
sunset I went out and, after I had dug a trench, I buried the man. °8 My neighbors mocked me, saying: “He no longer fears
to be put to death for doing that; he had to flee but look he is again
burying the dead.” °9 That same night, after I had buried the
body, I returned home. I washed myself and went out into the courtyard to
sleep against the wall; my face was uncovered because of the heat. °10 I did not see that there were sparrows on the wall
of the courtyard and, as my eyes were open, the hot droppings from the
sparrows fell into my eyes and formed a white film on my eyes. I went to find
doctors to attend to me for medical treatment but the more ointments they
smeared on my eyes, the more blind I became because of the film. Finally I
became totally blind. I suffered from blindness for four years. All my
brothers were burdened because of me. Ahikar kept me for two years before he
departed for Elymiade. °11 My wife Anna worked hard at a woman’s task, weaving.
°12 On the seventh day of the month of March
she cut the cloth and delivered it to her employers. They paid her wages and
gave her, over and above, a young goat for food. °13 When
she returned home the kid began to cry. I said to her, “Where does the little
kid come from? Did you steal it? Return it to its owners for we are not
allowed to eat anything that is stolen.” °14 But she said, “It is a gift which has been given to
me in addition to my wages.” “I don’t believe it. I tell you to return it to
its owners.” I was ashamed of her. She
replied, “What about your own almsgiving and your good deeds? I have to put
up with all this from you.” § Prayer of Tobit¤3 °1 Distressed,
I wept and prayed and expressing my sorrow, I said, °2 “You are just, O Lord; all your actions and all your
ways are merciful and just; your judgments are always true and just. °3 Remember me, Lord, and look on me. Do not punish me
for my sins nor for the wrongs I have committed through ignorance. Pardon the
sins which my fathers have committed in your sight, °4 for they disobeyed your commandments. You have
allowed us to suffer pillage, captivity and death. You have allowed us to be
mocked by all the pagan nations among whom we have been dispersed. °5 Ah well! All your judgments are just when you choose
to punish me for my sins and those of my fathers, because we have not
accomplished your will, nor have we sincerely obeyed your commands. We have
not walked before you in truth. °6 Do with me as you will. Order my life taken from me,
and turn me into dust, because I prefer death to life. In this way free me
and let me return to dust. It is better for me to die than to live, because
these unjust reproaches have caused me great distress. Command that I be now
released from trials, and let me enter my eternal dwelling place. Do not turn
your face away from me.” § Sara’s misfortune°7 That same day, at Ecbatana in Media, Sara, the
daughter of Ragouel, was insulted in a similar way by her father’s young
maidservants. °8 Sara had had seven husbands, but the
demon Asmodeus had killed each one of them before the marriage had been
consummated. The maidservants said, “It was you who killed your husbands. You
have had seven husbands and you have not enjoyed marital relationship with
any of them. °9 Why do you punish us? Since they are
dead, go and join them. May we never see a son or daughter of yours!” °10 That same day Sara was so distressed in mind that
she went to the upper room in her father’s house. She wished to hang herself.
But she thought better of it and said: “If people ever reproached my father
and said to him: ‘You had an only daughter whom you cherished and she hanged
herself because she was unhappy,’ I would cause my father in his old age to
die of grief. It is better for me not to hang myself but to ask the Lord that
I may die and not live to hear any more insults.” °11 At that moment she stretched forth her hands towards
the window and prayed, saying, “You are blessed, O Lord my God, and blessed
is your holy and glorious Name throughout the ages. May all your works praise
you forever. °12 Lord I have turned my eyes and my face
towards you. °13 Command that I be set free from the earth
and that I may hear no more insults. °14 You
know, O Lord, that I am pure of all contact with man; °15 that I have not defiled my name, nor my father’s
name in the country of my captivity. I am my father’s only daughter. He has
no other son or daughter who can inherit from him, neither has he a close
relative who can be given to me as a husband. So, after my seven husbands are
dead, I have no one to live for. If it does not seem good to you, O Lord,
that I should die, command that people will respect me and have pity on me
and that I may hear no more insults.” °16 The Lord in his glory heard the prayer of Tobit and
of Sara °17 and he sent Raphael to heal them both –
to give back his sight to Tobit and to give Sara, the daughter of Ragouel, to
Tobit’s son Tobias, as his wife. Also, Raphael would enchain the wicked demon
Asmodeus so that Sara would be the wife of Tobias. At the
same time Tobit, who had gone for a short walk, returned to the house; and
Sara, the daughter of Ragouel, came down from the upper room. § Tobit, now old, sends Tobias to a distant land¤4 °1 The
same day Tobit remembered the money which he had deposited with Gabael at
Rages in Media, and he said to himself: °2 “I have
asked for death, had I better not call Tobias and tell him about this money
before I die?” °3 He called Tobias and said to him: “My son, when I
die, see to my burial. Look after your mother. Honor her all the days of your
life. Do what pleases her and do not cause her any pain. °4 Remember, my son, that she suffered much pain on
your account when you were in her womb. When she dies, bury her next to me,
in the same tomb. °5 Always remember the Lord our God. Do not
consent to sin or go against his commandments. Act justly all the days of
your life, and do not walk in the paths of wrongdoing, °6 for, if you act uprightly, you will be successful in
all you do. °7 Give alms from what you have to those who act justly
and do good. Do not be grudging when you give alms. Do not turn away your
face from anyone who is poor so that God may not turn away his face from you.
°8 Give alms in proportion to the amount you have; if
you have little, do not be afraid to give alms according to the little you
have. °9 In this way you are storing up treasure against the
day of tribulation, because °10 almsgiving frees us from death and keeps
us from wandering in the darkness. °11 For,
in fact, almsgiving is, for the one who practices it, a precious treasure in
the eyes of God. °12 Keep yourself, my son, from all unlawful sexual
relations and, above all, take a wife from the tribe of your fathers. Do not
take a foreign woman, one who does not belong to the tribe of our fathers,
because we are children of the prophets. Remember, my son, that in former
times our fathers, Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob took wives from among their
relatives so that they might be blessed in their children and that their race
might possess the land. °13 Love your relatives and do not despise
the sons and daughters of your people to the point where you would take a
foreign woman as your wife. Pride brings about ruin and your complete
downfall; in laziness are found extreme humiliation and indigence; laziness
is the mother of want, hunger, famine. °14 Do not keep back overnight the wages of any man who
has worked for you but give them as soon as possible. If you serve God, you
will be rewarded. Take care
in all your actions and behave correctly in all you do. °15 Do not do to another what you would hate done to
yourself. Do not drink wine to the point of drunkenness; do not let
drunkenness be a life-long companion. °16 Give
your bread to those who are hungry and your clothes to those who are naked;
give alms of everything you have over. °17 Scatter
your bread on the tombs of the just; do not give it to those who are sinners.
°18 Take counsel of those who are wise and do
not despise any useful advice. °19 In all circumstances bless the Lord and ask him to
make your ways upright; and to make your plans and projects succeed because
not every nation has true wisdom. It is the Lord who gives everything and he
humbles those whom he wishes. My son, remember my advice and do not let it be
erased from your heart. °20 I also wish to mention the ten talents of silver
which I placed on deposit with Gabael, son of Gabria, at Rages in Media. °21 Do not fear, my son, because we have become poor. If
you fear God, if you abstain from all sin and if you do what is pleasing in
God’s sight – in this way you will have great wealth.” ¤5 °1 Tobias
spoke to Tobit, “Father, I shall do everything you have asked. °2 But how can I get the money from this man. He does
not know me and I do not know him. What proof of identity shall I give him to
make him trust me and give me the money? Also, I do not know the way to
Media.” °3 Tobit gave Tobias a receipt and said to him, “My
son, find a trustworthy man to go with you, and on your return I shall give
him a salary until he dies. When you reach Rages, collect the money from the
man Gabael.” § He needs a companion and is given an angel°4 Tobias went to look for a man and he found Raphael.
Raphael was an angel but Tobias did not know it. °5 Tobias
said to Raphael, “Can you go with me to Rages in Media? Do you know the
place?” °6 The angel said to Tobias, “I will go with
you. I know the way and I have even spent a night with your kinsman, Gabael.” °7 Tobias said to Raphael, “Wait for me. I am going to
speak to my father. I want you to come with me to Media and I will pay you.” °8 Raphael said to Tobias, “Go, but do not delay.” °9 Tobias went in and said to his father, “I have found
the man who will go with me.” His father said, “Bring this man to me. I want
to know the name of his tribe. I want to know if I can trust him to go with
you.” Tobias went out and called Raphael. Tobias said to Raphael, “Young man,
my father wants to see you.” °10 Raphael entered the house and approached
Tobit. °11 Tobit said to him, “Friend, what is the
name of your tribe and of your family? Tell me.” °12 Raphael
said to him, “Are you looking for a tribe and a family or for a hired man to
go with your son?” Tobit said to him, “Friend, I want to know your tribe and
your name.” °13 Raphael said, “I am Azarias, the son of
Ananias the Great, one of your kinsmen.” °14 Tobit
said to him, “Welcome, my brother! Do not be angry with me because I have
tried to find out the name of your tribe and your family, for now I find that
you are my kinsman, that you come from a noble and good family. Indeed, I
knew Ananias and Nathan, sons of Semaiah the Great. We used to travel
together to worship in the city of Jerusalem and bring the firstborn of our
sheep, and a tithe of our produce. They did not adopt pagan practices when
other countrymen went astray. My friend,
you come of good stock. °15
But tell me what
salary should I give you, a drachma a day, and whatever is necessary for you
as well as for my son? °16 I shall give you something over and above
if you return in safety.” They settled on that. Raphael
said to Tobit, “I will go with him. Do not be afraid. We shall set out in
safety and return to you in safety, because I am sure of the way.” °17 Then Tobit called his son Tobias and said to him,
“My child, prepare what is necessary for the journey and set out with your
friend. May the God of Heaven protect you on your way and may he bring you
back to me in safety. May his angel go with you on the way.” Then Tobias
prepared to leave. He kissed his father and mother and Tobit said to Tobias,
“Safe journey!” °18 The two companions were setting off and Tobias’ dog
followed him when Anna, the mother of Tobias, burst into tears and said to
Tobit, “Why have you sent away our child? Is he not our support as he comes
and goes?” °19 Anna said, “What use is it to add money to money?
Better we save our son’s life. °20
Is not what God has
provided for us enough to live on?” °21 Tobit said to her, “Don’t get upset, my sister. He
will return in safety. You will see him again. °22 Indeed
a good angel will go with him; he will have a successful journey and he will
return in safety.” § The fish in the Tigris¤6 °1 Anna
then stopped crying. °2 Raphael and Tobias continued their
journey and that evening they reached the River Tigris. They spent the night
there. °3 As Tobias went to wash his feet, a big fish rose out
of the river and tried to swallow Tobias’ foot. °4 Raphael
said to Tobias, “Catch that fish!” Tobias seized the fish and drew it to
land. °5 Raphael then said to Tobias, “Open the
fish. Take out its heart, liver and gall and put them away carefully. Throw
away the intestines. The gall, the heart and the liver of this fish are
useful remedies.” °6 Tobias did as the angel told him. He
opened up the fish, kept the gall, the heart and the liver; then they cooked
the fish and ate it. °7 Then the two of them continued their journey until
they reached Media. Tobias said to Raphael, “Friend Azarias, what remedy is
there in the heart, the liver and the gall of the fish?” °8 Raphael said to him, “If you burn the heart and the
liver in the presence of a man or a woman who is tormented by a devil or an
evil spirit, their torments will cease. °9 As for
the gall, if you smear it on a man whose eyes are covered with a white film,
his eyes will be cured.” °10 When they had entered Media and were already
approaching Ecbatana, °11 Raphael said to Tobias, “Friend, we shall
spend the night at the house of Ragouel. He is a relative of yours. He has no
son, just an only daughter called Sara. °12 I will
speak to him and ask that he give her to you as your wife. °13 You are the one who is nearest of kin and free to
marry her. You alone are of her tribe and you should inherit her father’s
goods. The girl is wise, good, courageous and very beautiful and her father
is a good man. So listen, friend, tonight we will marry you to her. When we
return from Rages, we shall take her with us and introduce her into your
home. She belongs to you rather than to any other man according to the Law of
Moses, and any trespasser would die. So I know that Ragouel will not give her
to any other man. § An obedient son°14 Then Tobias said to Raphael, “Friend Azarias, I have
heard that this girl has been given in marriage to seven husbands and they all
died in the bridal chamber. I am my father’s only son and I fear that once I
have entered the room I shall die, like all those before me, because a demon
loves her, and he harms those who approach her. °15 Well,
I fear death. I also fear causing my father and mother to die of grief on my
account, for they have no other son to bury them.” °16 The
angel said to Tobias, “Do you not remember your father’s advice to marry a
woman of your own tribe? Well, listen to me, my friend. She will be your
wife. Do not worry about the demon as this very night she will become your
wife. °17 “When you enter the wedding chamber you will take
some glowing embers of incense, and you will put on top of them part of the
heart and liver of the fish. °18 As soon as the fire begins to smoke, the
demon will smell it and flee never to return. And when you go to Sara, stand
up together and call on the all-merciful God. He will keep you safe because
he has compassion. Do not be afraid, because from all eternity Sara has been
destined to be your wife. You will save her, and she will go with us. And I
am sure that she will bear you children.” °19 When Tobias heard Raphael’s words, he loved Sara and
his heart became strongly attached to her. ¤7 °1 When
they arrived in Ecbatana Tobias said to Raphael, “Friend Azarias, take me
straightaway to our friend Ragouel.” So Raphael led Tobias to Ragouel’s house
and they found Ragouel sitting by the door of the courtyard. °2 Ragouel said to his wife, Edna, “This young man is
very like my cousin Tobit!” °3 Edna questioned them, “Where have you
come from, my friends?” They replied, “We are of the sons of Naphtali who
live as exiles in Nineveh.” °4 She asked them, “Do you know my kinsman,
Tobit?” °5 They said, “Yes, we know him.” She
continued, “Is he in good health?” Then Tobias said, “Tobit is my father.” °6 Ragouel ran towards him and covered him with kisses,
then in tears he blessed Tobias and said to him, “Blessings on you, you are
the son of a good and worthy man!” °7 When he
learned that Tobit had lost his sight he grieved and wept. “What a misfortune
that a man who is so just and generous should become blind!” °8 His wife Edna and his daughter Sara wept also and
they received Tobias and Raphael with great kindness. °9 They killed a sheep and served them numerous dishes. § How God’s children marry After they had bathed and washed, as they were
relaxing before the meal, Tobias said to Raphael, “Friend Azarias, tell
Ragouel to give me Sara my kinswoman. Talk about what you were saying during
our journey, that the matter may come about and be accomplished.” °10 Ragouel overheard the conversation and he said to
Tobias, “Eat, drink and be merry tonight. You are the man who has most right
to take Sara my daughter because you are my kinsman. Indeed it is impossible
for me to give her to any other man but you, because you are my closest
relative. But, my son, I must tell you the whole story. °11 I gave her to seven husbands from among our kinsmen.
They each died on the wedding night. But, for the moment, my son, eat and
drink and the Lord will arrange things for you.” Tobias
said, “I shall eat nothing if you do not stop now and bring this matter to a
conclusion.” Ragouel said to Tobias, “Take her from now on; I give her to you
according to the Law of Moses and you have to understand that God himself
gives her to you. Receive your kinswoman, from now on you are her brother and
she is your sister. She is yours from today and forever. Now God will bless
you this night and may he give you both his mercy and peace.” °12 He called his daughter Sara and taking her by the
hand, he gave her to Tobias as his wife. He said, “According to Moses’ Law,
take her now and bring her to your father’s house.” And he blessed them. °13 Ragouel then called Edna his wife; taking a sheet of
parchment, he wrote down a matrimonial contract and they both affixed their
seals. °14 Then they all began to eat. °15 Ragouel called his wife and said to her “My sister,
prepare the other room and take Sara there.” °16 Edna
did as Ragouel told her and she took Sara to this room and Sara began to cry.
Edna dried her daughter’s tears and said, °17 “Have
courage, my child, the God of heaven and earth will change your sorrow into
joy. Have confidence, my daughter!” ¤8 °1 When
they had finished eating and drinking they wished to go to bed, so they
escorted Tobias to the bedroom where Sara was. °2 Tobias
remembered Raphael’s words. He took the liver and the heart of the fish which
he had in a bas.ket and put them on the hot coals of incense. °3 The smell of the fish made the devil flee to the
upper regions of Egypt where Raphael chained him up. °4 When Sara’s parents had left the room and closed the
door, Tobias got up from the bed and said to Sara, “Get up, my sister, and
let us ask the Lord to have mercy on us and save us.” °5 She got up and they began to pray, asking that they
be given life. Tobias began like this, “May you
be blessed, O Lord God of our fathers, and may your holy and glorious Name be
blessed forever. May the heavens and all creatures bless you. °6 You created Adam and you gave him Eve, his wife, as
a helper and companion, so that from these two the human race might be born. You
said: ‘It is not good that man should be alone, let us give him a companion
who is like himself.’ °7 Now, Lord, I take my sister to myself in
sincerity and love, not merely seeking pleasure. Have mercy on us and grant
us a long life together.” °8 Together they said, “Amen,” °9 and returned to bed for the night. Ragouel
got up early and called his servants and told them to dig a grave. °10 For he said to himself, “What if this man should
also die and we become an object of scorn and reproach.” °11 Then Ragouel entered the house and said to his wife,
°12 Edna, “Send one of the maidservants to
see if Tobias is alive. If he has died, we will bury him without anyone
knowing.” °13 The maidservant opened the door and saw them asleep.
°14 She then went to tell them that Tobias
was alive. °15 Ragouel blessed the Lord saying, “May you
be blessed, O Lord, with all pure and holy blessings. May the saints and all
your creatures bless you. May all the angels and the elect bless you forever.
°16 May you be blessed for having filled me
with joy. What I feared has not happened, but you have treated us with great
kindness °17 and have had mercy on these two who are
only children. Have mercy on them, Lord, and give them your grace and
protection so that they may be blessed with good health and great joy all
their lives. May they always live in your grace.” °18 Then he sent his servants to fill in the grave
before daybreak. Ragouel
organized for Tobias and Sara a wedding feast which was to last fourteen
days. °19 He told his wife to bake a batch of
bread. He went to the stable, brought out two oxen and four sheep and ordered
that they be killed and prepared. °20 He then called Tobias and said to him,
“You will stay here for fourteen days, eating and drinking in my house, and
you will bring joy to my daughter, who has suffered so much.” Ragouel swore
an oath and told Tobias that he should not set out before the fourteen days
of the wedding festivities were over. And he said, “You will go home to your
father in safety. °21 You will take with you half of my
possessions; the other half will be yours when I and Edna die. Have
confidence, my son, I am now your father and Edna is your mother. From now on
we shall be close to you and your wife. Have confidence!” ¤9 °1 Tobias
called Raphael and said to him, °2
“Brother Azarias,
please take with you a manservant and two camels and go to Rages in Media. °3 Call on Gabael, give him the receipt and recover the
money. Then invite Gabael to the wedding feast. You saw that Ragouel made me
swear an oath, so I may not depart from this house without breaking the oath.
°4 Yet you know that my father is counting the days and
if I delay longer than necessary he will be worried. °5 Raphael set out for Rages in Media and stayed the
night in Gabael’s house. Raphael presented him with the receipt, and Gabael
brought out the sealed bags of money and gave them to him. °6 The next morning they arose early and set off to the
wedding. When they entered Ragouel’s house, they found Tobias at the table.
Gabael went to him and embraced him. He wept and blessed Tobias saying, “Good
and worthy man, son of a good and honest father, a man who is just and
compassionate, may the Lord of Heaven bless you and your wife. May he also
bless the father and mother of your wife. Blessed be God because I have seen
Tobias, my cousin, who is so like his father.” ¤10 °1 Each
morning Tobit counted how many days it would be before Tobias would return
from his journey. When the time was up and his son, Tobias, and his
companion, Raphael, had not yet returned, °2 he
thought, “Maybe he has received a refusal, or perhaps Gabael is dead and
there is no one to hand over the money.” °3 He
became very sad. °4 Anna his wife said, “My son is dead or he
would not delay so long.” She began to lament over him saying, °5“why
did I let you go, light of my eyes!” °6 Tobit
said to her, “Calm yourself, my sister. Do not worry. He is well.” °7 She replied, “Keep quiet, do not try to deceive me,
my child is dead.” Every day she went out along the road which her son had
taken. By day, she took no food; by night, she never ceased crying, unable to
sleep. When the
fourteen days of festivities were over during which Ragouel had sworn that
Tobias should stay with him, Tobias went to Ragouel and said, “Let me return
home because my parents will certainly be despairing that they will never see
me again.” °8 Ragouel replied, “Stay with me and I will
send messengers to your father to give him news of you.” °9 Tobias said, “No, let me go to them.” °10 Then Ragouel handed over to him his wife Sara and
half of all his goods: servants, oxen, sheep, donkeys, camels, clothes,
silver and various other things. Ragouel blessed them and allowed them to set
out. °11 Bidding farewell to Tobias he said to
him, “Goodbye, my son, safe journey! May the Lord of Heaven bless you and
make you fruitful and may I see your children before I die.” °12 To his daughter, Sara, he said, “Honor your
parents-in-law, since from now on they are your parents just as we are who
gave you life. Go in peace, my daughter, and may we always hear good things
of you.” He embraced her and let them depart. Edna, in her turn, said to
Tobias, “My dear son, may the Lord bring you back one day so that I may see
your children and be happy before the Lord. I entrust my daughter to your
care. Do not cause her any sadness.” °13 After that Tobias left Ragouel’s house. He praised
God who had brought his journey to such a happy conclusion, and he blessed
Ragouel and his wife, Edna. § Tobias returns to his father’s house
¤11 °1 When
they arrived near Kaserin which faces the city of Nineveh, °2 Raphael said to Tobias, “You know in what state your
father Tobit was when we left him; °3 let us
go ahead to prepare the house before your wife Sara arrives. °4 Bring with you the gall of the fish.” The dog also
went with them, walking behind them. °5 Now Anna was sitting there, scanning the road along
which her son should return. °6 She saw Tobias and Raphael coming in the
distance and said to the father of Tobias, “Your son is coming with the man
who accompanied him.” °7 While Tobias and Raphael were still going along the
road, Raphael said to Tobias, “I am sure that your father will regain his
sight. °8 Rub his eyes with the fish gall and when
he feels his eyes itching, he will rub them and the film will come away like
scales from his eyes. He will regain his sight and see the light.” °9 Anna ran to meet Tobias and threw her arms around
his neck saying, “At last I have seen you again, my child. Now I can die!”
And both of them began to cry. °10
Tobit also got up
and, stumbling, arrived at the door of the courtyard. Tobias ran to him °11 with the fish gall in his hand. He breathed on his
father’s eyes, embraced him and said, “Father, have confidence!” °12 Then he spread the fish gall on Tobit’s eyes. Tobias
waited. °13 When his eyes began to itch, Tobit rubbed
them and with both hands scaled off the film from the corners of his eyes.
When Tobit saw his son he threw his arms around Tobias’ neck °14 and began to weep. He said, “Blessed be you, O God.
Blessed be your Name forever. Blessed be your holy angels. °15 You have punished me, but you have taken pity on me,
and now I can see my son, Tobias.” Tobias
was very happy. After entering the house he told his father about the
important things that had happened in Media. He told his father about the
successful outcome of his journey, how he got the money, and how he married
Sara, daughter of Ragouel, who just then was approaching the gates of
Nineveh. °16 Tobit, happy and praising God, went out to meet his
daughter-in-law at the gates of Nineveh. All those who saw him, walking alone
and unaided, were amazed that he could see. °17 Tobit
proclaimed to them that God had taken pity on him and cured him. Then he went
to Sara and blessed her saying, “Welcome, daughter! May God be blessed for
having brought you to us and may your father and mother also be blessed.” It was a
day of great rejoicing for all Tobit’s relatives who lived in Nineveh. °18 Ahikar, Tobit’s nephew and Nabad arrived (from
Elymiade) and the wedding celebrations lasted for a week. § It is fitting to discover and praise the works of God
¤12 °1 When the
wedding feast was over, Tobit called Tobias, his son, and said to him, “Be
sure you give the wages to the man who accompanied you, and we should add
something extra.” °2 Tobias said, “What shall I give him? It
would not be too much if I were to give him half of what I have brought back
since °3 he has brought me home again safe and
sound. He has taken care of my wife and he helped me to get back the money.
He has also cured your blindness.” °4 The old
man said, “That amount would be well justified in his case.” °5 Then Tobias called the angel and said to him,
“Please take half of all that you have brought.” °6 The
angel took Tobit and Tobias to one side and said to them, “Bless
God, return thanks to him, proclaim his glory and render him thanks before all
the living for all he has done for you. It is good to praise God and to exalt
his Name, by making known in a worthy manner the story of God’s deeds. Do not
be slow in giving him thanks. °7 It is good to hide the secrets of kings
but to make known publicly the works of God. Do the works of God. Do good,
and evil will not harm you. °8 It is a good thing to accompany prayer
with fasting, almsgiving and justice. It is better to do a little with honor
than much with injustice. It is better to give alms than to treasure up gold.
°9 Almsgiving preserves from death; it purifies from
all sin. Those people who give alms and act justly will have a long life, °10 but sinners only harm themselves. °11 I will hide nothing from you. Yes, I have said that
it is good to keep the secrets of kings but to make known publicly the
glorious works of God. °12 Tobit, when you and your daughter-in-law
Sara prayed, I kept the remembrance of your prayer before the Holy One; when
you, Tobit, buried the dead, °13 I was with you in the same way; and when
you did not hesitate to rise up and leave your meal in order to hide the dead
man, your good deed did not go unnoticed because I was with you. °14 Well, God sent me to cure you and also to cure Sara,
your daughter-in-law. °15 I am Raphael, one of the seven holy
angels who present the prayers of holy people and who stand before the glory
of God.” °16 They both trembled with fear. They threw themselves
face downwards on the ground because they were seized with terror. °17 But Raphael said to them, “Do not be afraid; be at
peace! Bless God always, °18 for I did not come on my own account but
because God willed it. Bless him forever. °19 All
the time that I was visible to you I neither ate nor drank anything. I only
appeared to do so. °20 Now bless and give thanks to God, because
I am returning to the One who sent me. Write down in a book all that has
happened.” °21 Then he rose up and disappeared. Tobit and Tobias
got up, but Raphael was no longer visible. °22 They
made known the great and wonderful works of God and how an angel of the Lord
had appeared to them. § The song of Tobit¤13 °1 Tobit,
in an ecstasy of joy, composed a prayer: “Blessed
be God, living and reigning for all ages. °2 It is he who punishes and he who has
mercy; who
makes people go down to hell and rise up again. No one
can escape his hand. °3 Give him thanks, people of Israel, before
all the nations. Though
he has dispersed you among them °4
he now shows you his
greatness. Exalt
him before all the living, because
he is our God and Lord, our
Father forever. °5 He punishes us for our wrongdoing but
again he will forgive us. He will
bring us together again from
amongst all the nations among whom we have been dispersed. °6 If you turn back to him with all your
heart and soul, and live
justly before him, then he
will turn back to you and will
no longer hide his face from you. °7 See what he has done for you and
return him thanks aloud. Bless
the Lord who alone is just and
praise the King of ages. °8 I, in the land of my captivity, will
return him thanks and show
his strength and greatness to my sinful people. Be
converted, you sinners, and live justly before him, certain
that he will be pleased with you and show you mercy. °9 I will praise my God the King of heaven; my soul,
radiant with happiness, will proclaim his greatness. °10 May all in Jerusalem give thanks to him. °11 Jerusalem, holy city, God will punish you
because of the sins of your children, but he
will have pity once more on the children of the just. Jerusalem,
return thanks to the Lord in a worthy manner and
bless the King of the ages, in order
that his Temple may be rebuilt in your midst with joy; °12 that, there, God will gladden your exiles
and show love to the unfortunate. °13 Many nations will come from afar to
celebrate the Name of the Lord God. They
will carry gifts in their hands, gifts for the King of heaven. Generation
after generation will manifest their joy, and your
name will be glorified forever. °14 Jerusalem, cursed be all who hate you. Blessed
forever be those who love you. °15 You will rejoice and be glad because
the children of the just will be gathered again to praise the Lord of all
ages. °16 Blessed those who love you, Jerusalem,
and rejoice in your peace. Blessed
also those who have sorrowed because of your calamities; they
will rejoice again on seeing your glory and they will share your happiness
forever. May my
soul bless God, the great King, °17
because Jerusalem
will be rebuilt. Her
gates will be built of sapphires and emeralds, her
walls of precious stones, her towers and ramparts of pure gold, her
squares will be paved with mosaics of beryl, ruby, and stone of Ophir. °18 All her streets will cry out with joy and
her inhabitants will shout, “Alleluia.” They
will praise God saying, “Blessed be God who has glorified you forever.” § Last words of Tobit¤14 °1 In this way Tobit ended his song of thanksgiving.
Tobit died peacefully at the age of one hundred and twelve years, and was
buried with honor in Nineveh. °2 He was sixty-two years old when he became
blind. Eight years later he regained his sight. He lived happily, practiced
almsgiving, and continued to praise God and to proclaim his great works. °3 When he was very old he called Tobias and said to
him, “My son, you see that I have become old and that I am near death. Take
your children °4 and go to Media because I believe in the
word of God which Nahum prophesied about Nineveh. Everything that the
prophets sent by God pronounced about Assyria and Nineveh will happen. No
word will be forgotten but it will all come to pass in due time. Nineveh will
be destroyed. You will be safer in Media, where there will be peace for some
time, because I am certain and I believe that all that God has said will be
fulfilled. Our
brothers and sisters who live in the land of Israel will be dispersed and led
away into captivity. As a result the whole of the land of Israel will be
deserted. Jerusalem and Samaria will be desolate. The House of God will be
burned down and left in ruins for some time. °5 But God
will again take pity on his people and they will return to their land. They
will rebuild the Temple, though it will not be like the first one until
better times come. When that time comes they will all return from captivity.
They will rebuild Jerusalem in all its magnificence. In it they will rebuild
the House of God in all its glory for all generations to come, just as the
prophets have foretold. °6 People of all nations will be converted and know the
true God. They will bury their idols which led them into error °7 and they will praise the God of Justice. All the
Israelites saved at that time will remember the Lord in all truth. They will
come together and go to Jerusalem. They will live securely forever in the
land of Abraham which will be given back to them. Those who sincerely love
God will rejoice. But sinners and the unjust will disappear from the earth. °8 My son, leave Nineveh. Do not remain here. °9 Now, my children, I give you this advice: serve God
and do what is pleasing in his sight. Teach your children how to exercise
justice and how to give alms. Teach them also to remember God and to bless
his name sincerely at all times, with all their strength. °10 The very day that you bury your mother here beside
me, do not stay overnight in this place. I know that the people here commit
many injustices and practice great treachery and no one is ashamed of doing
so. You see what Nadab did to Ahikar my nephew who had brought him up. He
buried him alive. But God punished Nadab by exposing his injustice. He
brought Ahikar into the light and sent Nadab down into eternal darkness,
because he had tried to kill him. Because he gave alms, Ahikar was delivered
from the death planned for him by Nadab. Instead, Nadab fell into the trap
and perished. °11 See how almsgiving and uprightness can
save you and how wrongdoing leads to death. But I feel I am breathing my
last.” They laid him on his bed and he died. He was given an honorable
burial. °12 When Anna his mother died, Tobias buried her next to his father. Then Tobias with his wife and family made their way to Media and settled in Ecbatana near Ragouel, his father-in-law. °13 He took great care of his parents-in-law in their old age and he buried them with honor in Ecbatana in Media. Tobias inherited Ragouel’s fortune as well as that of his father Tobit. °14 Tobias died at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven years at Echbatana in Media. °15 But before he died he saw the downfall of Nineveh which Nebuchadnezzar destroyed. He saw the Ninevites and the Assyrians reduced to slavery and taken to Media. Thus, before he died, he was able to rejoice over the fate of Nineveh. He blessed the Lord God forever. The End. |