1  In truth, when Tobias was delayed because of the marriage celebration, his father Tobit was worried, saying: “Why do you think my son is delayed, or why has he been detained there?

1  Now Tobit his father counted every day: and when the days of the journey were expired, and they came not,

2  Do you think that Gabael has died, and that no one will repay him the money?”

2  Then Tobit said, Are they detained? or is Gabael dead, and there is no man to give him the money?

3  And so he began to be exceedingly sad, both he and his wife Anna with him. And they both began to weep together, because their son did not at least return to them on the appointed day.

3  Therefore he was very sorry.

4  But his mother wept inconsolable tears, and also said: “Woe, woe to me, O my son. Why did we send you to journey far away, you: the light of our eyes, the staff of our old age, the solace of our life, the hope of our posterity?

4  Then his wife said unto him, My son is dead, seeing he stayeth long; and she began to wail him, and said,

5  Having all things together as one in you, we ought not to have dismissed you from us.”

5  Now I care for nothing, my son, since I have let thee go, the light of mine eyes.

6  And Tobit was saying to her: “Be calm, and do not be troubled. Our son is safe. That man, with whom we sent him, is faithful enough.”

6  To whom Tobit said, Hold thy peace, take no care, for he is safe.

7  Yet she was by no means able to be consoled. But, leaping up every day, she looked all round, and traveled around all the ways, by which there seemed any hope that he might return, so that she might possibly see him coming from afar.

7  But she said, Hold thy peace, and deceive me not; my son is dead. And she went out every day into the way which they went, and did eat no meat on the daytime, and ceased not whole nights to bewail her son Tobias, until the fourteen days of the wedding were expired, which Raguel had sworn that he should spend there. Then Tobias said to Raguel,

8  Let me go, for my father and my mother look no more to see me.

9  And Tobias said to him, “I know that my father and my mother have now counted the days, and their spirit must be tortured within them.”

9  But Tobias said, No; but let me go to my father.

10  And when Raguel had repeatedly petitioned Tobias, and he was by no means willing to listen to him, he delivered Sarah to him, and half of all his substance: with men and women servants, with sheep, camels, and cows, and with much money. And he dismissed him away, in safety and gladness, from him,

10  Then Raguel arose, and gave him Sara his wife, and half his goods, servants, and cattle, and money

11  saying: “May the holy Angel of the Lord be with your journey, and may he lead you through unharmed, and may you discover that all is right concerning your parents, and may my eyes see your sons before I die.”

11  And he blessed them, and sent them away, saying, The God of heaven give you a prosperous journey, my children.

12  saying: “May the holy Angel of the Lord be with your journey, and may he lead you through unharmed, and may you discover that all is right concerning your parents, and may my eyes see your sons before I die.”

13  admonishing her to honor her father-in-law, to love her husband, to guide the family, to govern the household, and to behave irreproachably herself.

12  And he said to his daughter, Honour thy father and thy mother in law, which are now thy parents, that I may hear good report of thee. And he kissed her. Edna also said to Tobias, The Lord of heaven restore thee, my dear brother, and grant that I may see thy children of my daughter Sara before I die, that I may rejoice before the Lord: behold, I commit my daughter unto thee of special trust; where are do not entreat her evil.

11:2  And the Angel said: “Brother Tobias, you know how you left behind your father.

2  Then Raphael said to Tobias, Thou knowest, brother, how thou didst leave thy father

11:3  And so, if it pleases you, let us go on ahead, and let the family follow after us with a slower step, together with your bride, and with the animals.”

3  Let us haste before thy wife, and prepare the house.

11:4  And since it pleased him to go on in this way, Raphael said to Tobias, “Take with you from the gall of the fish, for it will be necessary.” And so, Tobias took from its gall, and he went ahead.

4  And take in thine hand the gall of the fish. So they went their way, and the dog went after them.

11:5  But Anna sat beside the way every day, on the top of a hill, from where she would be able to see for a long distance.

5  Now Anna sat looking about toward the way for her son.

11:6  And while she was watching for his arrival from that place, she looked far off, and soon she realized that her son was approaching. And running, she reported it to her husband, saying: “Behold, your son arrives.”

6  And when she espied him coming, she said to his father, Behold, thy son cometh, and the man that went with him.

11:7  And Raphael said to Tobias: “As soon as you enter into your house, immediately adore the Lord your God. And, giving thanks to him, approach your father, and kiss him.

7  Then said Raphael, I know, Tobias, that thy father will open his eyes.

11:8  And immediately anoint his eyes from this gall of the fish, which you carry with you. For you should know that his eyes will soon be opened, and your father will see the light of heaven, and he will rejoice at the sight of you.”

8  Therefore anoint thou his eyes with the gall, and being pricked therewith, he shall rub, and the whiteness shall fall away, and he shall see thee.

11:9  Then the dog, which had been with them in the way, ran ahead, and, arriving like a messenger, he showed his joy by fawning and wagging his tail.

9  Then Anna ran forth, and fell upon the neck of her son, and said unto him, Seeing I have seen thee, my son, from henceforth I am content to die. And they wept both.

11:10  And rising up, his blind father began to run, stumbling with his feet. And giving his hand to a servant, he ran on to meet his son.

10  Tobit also went forth toward the door, and stumbled: but his son ran unto him,

11:11  And receiving him, he kissed him, as did his wife, and they both began to weep for joy.

11:12  And when they had adored God and had given thanks, they sat down together.

11:13  Then Tobias, taking from the gall of the fish, anointed his father’s eyes.

13  And took hold of his father: and he strake of the gall on his fathers’ eyes, saying, Be of good hope, my father.

11:14  And about half an hour passed, and then a white film began to come out of his eyes, like the membrane of an egg.

14  And when his eyes began to smart, he rubbed them;

11:15  So, taking hold of it, Tobias pulled it away from his eyes, and immediately he received his sight.

15  And the whiteness pilled away from the corners of his eyes: and when he saw his son, he fell upon his neck.

11:16  And they glorified God: Tobit especially, and his wife, and all those who knew him.

16  And he wept, and said, Blessed art thou, O God, and blessed is thy name for ever; and blessed are all thine holy angels

11:17  And Tobit said, “I bless you, O Lord God of Israel, because you have chastised me, and you have saved me, and behold, I see my son Tobias.”

17  For thou hast scourged, and hast taken pity on me: for, behold, I see my son Tobias. And his son went in rejoicing, and told his father the great things that had happened to him in Media.

11:18  And then, after seven days, Sarah, the wife of his son, and all the family arrived safely, along with the sheep, and the camels, and much money from his wife, but also with that money which he had received from Gabael.

18  Then Tobit went out to meet his daughter in law at the gate of Nineve, rejoicing and praising God: and they which saw him go marvelled, because he had received his sight.

11:19  And he explained to his parents all the benefits from God, which he had produced all around him, by means of the man who had led him.

19  But Tobias gave thanks before them, because God had mercy on him. And when he came near to Sara his daughter in law, he blessed her, saying, Thou art welcome, daughter: God be blessed, which hath brought thee unto us, and blessed be thy father and thy mother. And there was joy among all his brethren which were at Nineve.

11:20  And then Ahikar and Nadab arrived, the maternal first cousins of Tobias, rejoicing for Tobias, and congratulating with him for all the good things that God had revealed all around him.

20  And Achiacharus, and Nasbas his brother’s son, came

11:21  And for seven days they feasted, and all were rejoicing with great joy.

21  And Tobias’ wedding was kept seven days with great joy.

12:1  Then Tobit called his son to him, and he said to him, “What are we able to give to this holy man, who accompanied you?”

12:2  Tobias, answering, said to his father: “Father, what wages shall we give him? And what could be worthy of his benefits?

2  And Tobias said unto him, O father, it is no harm to me to give him half of those things which I have brought

12:3  He led me and he brought me back safely. He received the money from Gabael. He caused me to have my wife. And he confined the demon away from her. He caused joy to her parents. Myself, he rescued from being devoured by the fish. As for you, he also caused you to see the light of heaven. And so, we have been filled with all good things through him. What could we possibly give to him that would be worthy of these things?

3  For he hath brought me again to thee in safety, and made whole my wife, and brought me the money, and likewise healed thee.

12:4  But I implore you, my father, to ask him if he would perhaps deign to take for himself half of all the things that have been brought.”

4  Then the old man said, It is due unto him.

12:5  And calling him, the father especially, and the son, they took him aside. And they began to petition him, so that he would deign to accept ownership of one half part of all things that they had brought.

5  So he called the angel, and he said unto him, Take half of all that ye have brought and go away in safety.

12:6  Then he said to them privately: “Bless the God of heaven, and confess to him in the sight of all who live, for he has acted in his mercy toward you.

6  Then he took them both apart, and said unto them, Bless God, praise him, and magnify him, and praise him for the things which he hath done unto you in the sight of all that live. It is good to praise God, and exalt his name, and honourably to shew forth the works of God; therefore be not slack to praise him.

12:7  For it is good to conceal the secret of a king, just as it is also honorable to reveal and to confess the works of God.

7  It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but it is honourable to reveal the works of God. Do that which is good, and no evil shall touch you.

12:8  Prayer with fasting is good, and almsgiving is better than hiding away gold in storage.

8  Prayer is good with fasting and alms and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold

12:9  For almsgiving delivers from death, and the same is what purges sins and makes one able to find mercy and everlasting life.

12:10  But those who commit sin and iniquity are enemies to their own soul.

10  But they that sin are enemies to their own life.

12:11  Therefore, I reveal the truth to you, and I will not hide the explanation from you.

11  Surely I will keep close nothing from you. For I said, It was good to keep close the secret of a king, but that it was honourable to reveal the works of God.

12:12  When you prayed with tears, and buried the dead, and left behind your dinner, and hid the dead by day in your house, and buried them by night: I offered your prayer to the Lord.

12  Now therefore, when thou didst pray, and Sara thy daughter in law, I did bring the remembrance of your prayers before the Holy One: and when thou didst bury the dead, I was with thee likewise.

12:13  And because you were acceptable to God, it was necessary for you to be tested by trials.

13  And when thou didst not delay to rise up, and leave thy dinner, to go and cover the dead, thy good deed was not hid from me: but I was with thee.

12:14  And now, the Lord has sent me to cure you, and to free Sarah, your son’s wife, from the demon.

14  And now God hath sent me to heal thee and Sara thy daughter in law.

12:15  For I am the Angel Raphael, one of seven, who stand before the Lord.”

15  I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One.

12:16  And when they had heard these things, they were troubled, and being seized with fear, they fell upon the ground on their face.

16  Then they were both troubled, and fell upon their faces: for they feared.

12:17  And the Angel said to them: “Peace be to you. Fear not.

17  But he said unto them, Fear not, for it shall go well with you; praise God therefore.

12:18  For when I was with you, I was there by the will of God. Bless him, and sing to him.

18  For not of any favour of mine, but by the will of our God I came; wherefore praise him for ever.

12:19  Indeed, I seemed to eat and drink with you, but I make use of an invisible food and drink, which cannot be seen by men.

19  All these days I did appear unto you; but I did neither eat nor drink, but ye did see a vision.

12:20  Therefore, it is time that I return to him who sent me. But as for you, bless God, and describe all his wonders.”

20  Now therefore give God thanks: for I go up to him that sent me; but write all things which are done in a book.

12:21  And when he had said these things, he was taken from their sight, and they were not able to see him any longer.

21  And when they arose, they saw him no more.

12:22  Then, lying prostrate for three hours upon their face, they blessed God. And rising up, they described all his wonders.

22  Then they confessed the great and wonderful works of God, and how the angel of the Lord had appeared unto them.

13:1  And so, the elder Tobit, opening his mouth, blessed the Lord, and he said: “O Lord, you are great in eternity and your kingdom is with all ages.

1  Then Tobit wrote a prayer of rejoicing, and said, Blessed be God that liveth for ever, and blessed be his kingdom.

13:2  For you scourge, and you save. You lead down to the grave, and you bring up again. And there is no one who can escape from your hand.

2  For he doth scourge, and hath mercy: he leadeth down to hell, and bringeth up again: neither is there any that can avoid his hand.

13:3  Confess to the Lord, O sons of Israel, and praise him in the sight of the nations.

3  Confess him before the Gentiles, ye children of Israel: for he hath scattered us among them.

13:4  For, indeed, he has dispersed you among the Gentiles, who are ignorant of him, that you may proclaim his wonders, and that you may cause them to know that there is no other almighty God, except him.

4  There declare his greatness, and extol him before all the living: for he is our Lord, and he is the God our Father for ever.

13:5  He has chastised us because of our iniquities, and he will save us because of his mercy.

5  And he will scourge us for our iniquities, and will have mercy again, and will gather us out of all nations, among whom he hath scattered us.

13:6  Therefore, look upon what he has done for us, and, with fear and trembling, confess to him. And extol the King of all ages with your works.

6  If ye turn to him with your whole heart, and with your whole mind, and deal uprightly before him, then will he turn unto you, and will not hide his face from you. Therefore see what he will do with you, and confess him with your whole mouth, and praise the Lord of might, and extol the everlasting King. In the land of my captivity do I praise him, and declare his might and majesty to a sinful nation. O ye sinners, turn and do justice before him: who can tell if he will accept you, and have mercy on you?

13:7  But as for me, I will confess him in the land of my captivity. For he has revealed his majesty within a sinful nation.

7  I will extol my God, and my soul shall praise the King of heaven, and shall rejoice in his greatness.

13:8  And so, be converted, you sinners, and do justice in the presence of God, believing that he will act in his mercy toward you.

8  Let all men speak, and let all praise him for his righteousness.

13:9  But I and my soul will rejoice in him.

13:10  Bless the Lord, all you his elect. Keep days of rejoicing, and confess to him.

13:11  O Jerusalem, the city of God, the Lord has chastised you for the works of your hands.

11  O Jerusalem, the holy city, he will scourge thee for thy children’s works, and will have mercy again on the sons of the righteous.

13:12  Confess to the Lord with your good things, and bless the God of all ages, so that he may rebuild his tabernacle in you, and he may recall all the captives to you, and you may be glad in all ages and forever.

12  Give praise to the Lord, for he is good: and praise the everlasting King, that his tabernacle may be builded in thee again with joy, and let him make joyful there in thee those that are captives, and love in thee for ever those that are miserable.

13:13  You will shine with a splendid light, and all the ends of the earth will adore by you.

13:14  Nations from far away will come to you, bringing gifts. And in you, they shall adore the Lord, and they will hold your land in sanctification.

14  Many nations shall come from far to the name of the Lord God with gifts in their hands, even gifts to the King of heaven; all generations shall praise thee with great joy.

13:15  For they will invoke the Great Name in you.

13:16  Those who despise you will be cursed, and all those who blaspheme by you will be condemned, and those who build you up will be blessed.

16  Cursed are all they which hate thee, and blessed shall all be which love thee for ever.

13:17  But you will rejoice in your sons, because they will all be blessed, and they will be gathered together for the Lord.

17  Rejoice and be glad for the children of the just: for they shall be gathered together, and shall bless the Lord of the just.

13:18  Blessed are all those who love you and who rejoice in your peace.

18  O blessed are they which love thee, for they shall rejoice in thy peace: blessed are they which have been sorrowful for all thy scourges; for they shall rejoice for thee, when they have seen all thy glory, and shall be glad for ever.

13:19  Bless the Lord, O my soul, for the Lord our God has freed Jerusalem, his city, from every one of her tribulations.

19  Let my soul bless God the great King.

13:20  Happy will I be, if any of my offspring will be left to see the brightness of Jerusalem.

13:21  The gates of Jerusalem will be built from sapphire and emerald, and all its walls will be surrounded with precious stones.

21  For Jerusalem shall be built up with sapphires and emeralds, and precious stone: thy walls and towers and battlements with pure gold.

13:22  All its streets will be paved with stones, white and clean. And ‘Alleluia’ will be sung throughout its neighborhoods.

22  And the streets of Jerusalem shall be paved with beryl and carbuncle and stones of Ophir.

13:23  Blessed be the Lord, who has exalted it, and may he reign over it, forever and ever. Amen.”

23  And all her streets shall say, Alleluia; and they shall praise him, saying, Blessed be God, which hath extolled it for ever.

14:1  And the sermon of Tobit was completed. And after Tobit received his sight, he lived forty-two years, and he saw the sons of his grandchildren.

2  And so, having completed one hundred and two years, he was buried honorably at Nineveh.

1  So Tobit made an end of praising God.

14:2  For he was fifty-six years old, when he lost the light of his eyes, and he was sixty years old, when he truly received it again.

2  And he was eight and fifty years old when he lost his sight, which was restored to him after eight years: and he gave alms, and he increased in the fear of the Lord God, and praised him.

14:3  And, in truth, the remainder of his life was in gladness. And so, with the good accomplishment of the fear of God, he departed in peace.

3  And when he was very aged he called his son, and the sons of his son, and said to him, My son, take thy children; for, behold, I am aged, and am ready to depart out of this life.

14:4  But, in the hour of his death, he called to himself his son Tobias, along with his sons, the seven youths who were his grandsons, and he said to them

4  Go into Media my son, for I surely believe those things which Jonas the prophet spake of Nineve, that it shall be overthrown; and that for a time peace shall rather be in Media; and that our brethren shall lie scattered in the earth from that good land: and Jerusalem shall be desolate, and the house of God in it shall be burned, and shall be desolate for a time;

14:5  “Nineveh will pass away soon. For the word of the Lord goes forward, and our brothers, who have been dispersed away from the land of Israel, shall return to it.

5  And that again God will have mercy on them, and bring them again into the land, where they shall build a temple, but not like to the first, until the time of that age be fulfilled; and afterward they shall return from all places of their captivity, and build up Jerusalem gloriously, and the house of God shall be built in it for ever with a glorious building, as the prophets have spoken thereof.

14:6  Thus its deserted land will be entirely filled again. And the house of God, which was burned like incense within it, will be rebuilt again. And all those who fear God will return there.

14:7  And the Gentiles will relinquish their idols, and they will enter into Jerusalem, and they will dwell in it.

7  And all nations shall turn, and fear the Lord God truly, and shall bury their idols.

14:8  And all the kings of the earth will rejoice in it, adoring the King of Israel.

8  So shall all nations praise the Lord, and his people shall confess God, and the Lord shall exalt his people; and all those which love the Lord God in truth and justice shall rejoice, shewing mercy to our brethren.

14:9  Therefore, my sons, listen to your father. Serve the Lord in truth, and seek to do the things that please him.

9  And now, my son, depart out of Nineve, because that those things which the prophet Jonas spake shall surely come to pass.

14:10  And command your sons, so that they may accomplish justice and almsgiving, and so that they may be mindful of God and may bless him at all times, in truth and with all their strength.

10  But keep thou the law and the commandments, and shew thyself merciful and just, that it may go well with thee.

14:11  And now, sons, listen to me, and do not remain here. But, on whatever day you will bury your mother near me in one sepulcher, from that time, direct your steps to leave this place.

11  And bury me decently, and thy mother with me; but tarry no longer at Nineve. Remember, my son, how Aman handled Achiacharus that brought him up, how out of light he brought him into darkness, and how he rewarded him again: yet Achiacharus was saved, but the other had his reward: for he went down into darkness. Manasses gave alms, and escaped the snares of death which they had set for him: but Aman fell into the snare, and perished.

14:12  For I see that its iniquity will bring about its end.”

12  Wherefore now, my son, consider what alms doeth, and how righteousness doth deliver. When he had said these things, he gave up the ghost in the bed, being an hundred and eight and fifty years old; and he buried him honourably.

14:13  And it happened that, after the death of his mother, Tobias withdrew from Nineveh, with his wife, and sons, and sons of sons, and he was returned to his father-in-law.

13  And when Anna his mother was dead, he buried her with his father. But Tobias departed with his wife and children to Ecbatane to Raguel his father in law,

14:14  And he found them unharmed in a good old age. And he took care of them, and he closed their eyes. And all the inheritance of the house of Raguel passed to him. And he saw the sons of his sons to the fifth generation.

14  Where he became old with honour, and he buried his father and mother in law honourably, and he inherited their substance, and his father Tobit’s.

14:15  And, having completed ninety-nine years in the fear of the Lord, with joy, they buried him.

15  And he died at Ecbatane in Media, being an hundred and seven and twenty years old.

14:16  But all his family and all his lineage continued with a good life and in holy conversation, so that they were acceptable both to God and to men, as well as to everyone who dwelt in the land.

16  But before he died he heard of the destruction of Nineve, which was taken by Nabuchodonosor and Assuerus: and before his death he rejoiced over Nineve.