{N}THE GOOD EXAMPLE OF TOBIT{/}
{1}1{/}

[\u0095]_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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.
[=]_{I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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. 
[=]_{R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}9_{/}When I reached manhood I married Anna of the race of our 
forefathers and she bore me a son, Tobias. {I}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. {I}11_{/}But I watched over myself 
so as not to eat it {R}_{I}12_{/}because I remembered God with all my 
heart. {R}_{I}13_{/}The Most High let me be esteemed by Shalmaneser and I 
became his purchaser. {I}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.
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}16_{/}In the 
days of Shalmaneser I gave many alms to my kinsmen. [=]_{R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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.

[=]_{R}_{I}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. {I}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.

{1}2{/}

{R}_{I}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. {I}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." {R}_{I}3_{/}When 
Tobias returned, he said: "Father, one of ours has been strangled 
and thrown into the public square." {R}_{I}4_{/}Before I ate anything I 
hurried out and carried this man into the house and waited till 
sunset to bury him. {I}5_{/}When I returned home I washed myself and 
ate my food in sorrow. [=]_{R}_{I}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," 
{R}_{I}7_{/}and I wept.
After sunset I went out and, after I had dug a trench, I buried 
the man. {R}_{I}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." {I}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. [=]_{I}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.
{I}11_{/}My wife Anna worked hard at a woman's task, weaving. {I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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."
[=]_{R}_{I}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."

{N}PRAYER OF TOBIT{/}

{1}3{/}

[\u0095]_{I}1_{/}Distressed, I wept and prayed and expressing my sorrow, I 
said, {I}2_{/}"You are just, O Lord; all your actions and all your 
ways are merciful and just; your judgments are always true and 
just. {I}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, 
{R}_{I}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. 
{I}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.
{R}_{I}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."

{N}SARA'S MISFORTUNE{/}

[\u0095]_{I}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. {I}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. {R}_{I}9_{/}Why do you punish us? 
Since they are dead, go and join them. May we never see a son or 
daughter of yours!"
{I}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."
[=]_{R}_{I}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. {I}12_{/}Lord I have turned my eyes 
and my face towards you. {I}13_{/}Command that I be set free from the 
earth and that I may hear no more insults. {R}_{I}14_{/}You know, O Lord, 
that I am pure of all contact with man; {R}_{I}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."
{I}16_{/}The Lord in his glory heard the prayer of Tobit and of Sara 
{R}_{I}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.

{N}TOBIT, NOW OLD, SENDS TOBIAS TO A DISTANT LAND{/}

{1}4{/}

[\u0095]_{I}1_{/}The same day Tobit remembered the money which he had 
deposited with Gabael at Rages in Media, and he said to himself: 
{R}_{I}2_{/}"I have asked for death, had I better not call Tobias and 
tell him about this money before I die?"
[=]_{R}_{I}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. 
{I}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. {R}_{I}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, 
{I}6_{/}for, if you act uprightly, you will be successful in all you 
do.
[=]_{R}_{I}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. {I}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.
[=]_{I}9_{/}In this way you are storing up treasure against the day of 
tribulation, because {R}_{I}10_{/}almsgiving frees us from death and 
keeps us from wandering in the darkness. {R}_{I}11_{/}For, in fact, 
almsgiving is, for the man who practices it, a precious treasure 
in the eyes of God.
{R}_{I}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. {I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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. 
[=]_{I}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. {I}16_{/}Give your bread to 
those who are hungry and your clothes to those who are naked; give 
alms of everything you have over. {I}17_{/}Scatter your bread on the 
tombs of the just; do not give it to those who are sinners. 
{I}18_{/}Take counsel of those who are wise and do not despise any 
useful advice.
{I}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.
{I}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. 
{R}_{I}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."

{1}5{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Tobias spoke to Tobit, "Father, I shall do everything you 
have asked. {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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."

{N}HE NEEDS A COMPANION AND IS GIVEN AN ANGEL{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}Tobias went to look for a man and he found Raphael. 
Raphael was an angel but Tobias did not know it. {R}_{I}5_{/}Tobias said 
to Raphael, "Can you go with me to Rages in Media? Do you know the 
place?" {R}_{I}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." 
{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}8_{/}Raphael said to Tobias, "Go, but do not delay." 
{R}_{I}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." 
{I}10_{/}Raphael entered the house and approached Tobit. {I}11_{/}Tobit 
said to him, "Friend, what is the name of your tribe and of your 
family? Tell me." {R}_{I}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." {I}13_{/}Raphael said, "I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the 
Great, one of your kinsmen." {R}_{I}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. {I}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? {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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!"
{R}_{I}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?"
{I}19_{/}Anna said, "What use is it to add money to money? Better we 
save our son's life. {R}_{I}20_{/}Is not what God has provided for us 
enough to live on?"
{R}_{I}21_{/}Tobit said to her, "Don't get upset, my sister. He will 
return in safety. You will see him again. {R}_{I}22_{/}Indeed a good 
angel will go with him; he will have a successful journey and he 
will return in safety."

{N}THE FISH IN THE TIGRIS{/}

{1}6{/}

{I}1_{/}Anna then stopped crying. {R}_{I}2_{/}Raphael and Tobias continued 
their journey and that evening they reached the River Tigris. They 
spent the night there.
{R}_{I}3_{/}As Tobias went to wash his feet, a big fish rose out of the 
river and tried to swallow Tobias' foot. {R}_{I}4_{/}Raphael said to 
Tobias, "Catch that fish!" Tobias seized the fish and drew it to 
land. {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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?" 
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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."
{I}10_{/}When they had entered Media and were already approaching 
Ecbatana, {R}_{I}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. {I}12_{/}I will speak 
to him and ask that he give her to you as your wife. {R}_{I}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.

{N}AN OBEDIENT SON{/}

{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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.
{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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."
[=]_{R}_{I}19_{/}When Tobias heard Raphael's words, he loved Sara and his 
heart became strongly attached to her. 

{1}7{/}

{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}2_{/}Ragouel said to his wife, Edna, "This young man is very like 
my cousin Tobit!" [=]_{I}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." {I}4_{/}She asked them, "Do 
you know my kinsman, Tobit?" {R}_{I}5_{/}They said, "Yes, we know him." 
She continued, "Is he in good health?" Then Tobias said, "Tobit is 
my father."
{R}_{I}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!" {R}_{I}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!" 
{R}_{I}8_{/}His wife Edna and his daughter Sara wept also and they 
received Tobias and Raphael with great kindness. [\u0095]_{R}_{I}9_{/}They 
killed a sheep and served them numerous dishes.

{N}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." 
{R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}13_{/}Ragouel then called Edna his wife; taking a sheet of 
parchment, he wrote down a matrimonial contract and they both 
affixed their seals. {I}14_{/}Then they all began to eat. {I}15_{/}Ragouel 
called his wife and said to her "My sister, prepare the other room 
and take Sara there." {I}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, {R}_{I}17_{/}"Have courage, my child, the God 
of heaven and earth will change your sorrow into joy. Have 
confidence, my daughter!"

{1}8{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}When they had finished eating and drinking they wished to go 
to bed, so they escorted Tobias to the bedroom where Sara was. 
{R}_{I}2_{/}Tobias remembered Raphael's words. He took the liver and the 
heart of the fish which he had in a basket and put them on the hot 
coals of incense. [=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}The smell of the fish made the devil 
flee to the upper regions of Egypt where Raphael chained him up.
{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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. [=]_{I}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.' {I}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." 
{I}8_{/}Together they said, "Amen," {I}9_{/}and returned to bed for the 
night.
Ragouel got up early and called his servants and told them to dig 
a grave. {R}_{I}10_{/}For he said to himself, "What if this man should 
also die and we become an object of scorn and reproach." {I}11_{/}Then 
Ragouel entered the house and said to his wife, {R}_{I}12_{/}Edna, "Send 
one of the maidservants to see if Tobias is alive. If he has died, 
we will bury him without anyone knowing."
{I}13_{/}The maidservant opened the door and saw them asleep. 
{R}_{I}14_{/}She then went to tell them that Tobias was alive. 
{I}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. {I}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 {I}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."
{R}_{I}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. [=]_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. {I}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!"

{1}9{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Tobias called Raphael and said to him, {I}2_{/}"Brother Azarias, 
please take with you a manservant  and  two  camels  and  go  to 
Rages in Media. {I}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. {I}4_{/}Yet you know that my 
father is counting the days and if I delay longer than necessary 
he will be worried.
{I}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. 
{R}_{I}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."

{1}10{/}

{R}_{I}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, 
{R}_{I}2_{/}he thought, "Maybe he has received a refusal, or perhaps 
Gabael is dead and there is no one to hand over the money." {I}3_{/}He 
became very sad. {R}_{I}4_{/}Anna his wife said, "My son is dead or he 
would not delay so long." She began to lament over him saying, 
{I}5{/}"why did I let you go, light of my eyes!" {I}6_{/}Tobit said to 
her, "Calm yourself, my sister. Do not worry. He is well." 
[=]_{R}_{I}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." 
{I}8_{/}Ragouel replied, "Stay with me and I will send messengers to 
your father to give him news of you." {R}_{I}9_{/}Tobias said, "No, let 
me go to them." {I}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. {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}13_{/}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."
{R}_{I}14_{/}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.

{N}TOBIAS RETURNS TO HIS FATHER'S HOUSE{/}

{1}11{/}

{I}1_{/}When they arrived near Kaserin which faces the city of 
Nineveh, {R}_{I}2_{/}Raphael said to Tobias, "You know in what state your 
father Tobit was when we left him; {I}3_{/}let us go ahead to prepare 
the house before your wife Sara arrives. {I}4_{/}Bring with you the 
gall of the fish." The dog also went with them, walking behind 
them.
{R}_{I}5_{/}Now Anna was sitting there, scanning the road along which her 
son should return. {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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. {I}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."
[=]_{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}10_{/}Tobit also got up and, 
stumbling, arrived at the door of the courtyard. Tobias ran to him 
{I}11_{/}with the fish gall in his hand. He breathed on his father's 
eyes, embraced him and said, "Father, have confidence!" {R}_{I}12_{/}Then 
he spread the fish gall on Tobit's eyes. Tobias waited. 
[=]_{R}_{I}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 {R}_{I}14_{/}and 
began to weep. He said, "Blessed be you, O God. Blessed be your 
Name forever. Blessed be your holy angels. {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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. 
{R}_{I}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. {I}18_{/}Ahikar, Tobit's nephew and Nabad arrived 
(from Elymiade) and the wedding celebrations lasted for a week.

{N}IT IS FITTING TO DISCOVER AND PRAISE THE WORKS OF GOD{/}

{1}12{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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 {I}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." {R}_{I}4_{/}The old man said, "That amount would be well 
justified in his case."
{R}_{I}5_{/}Then Tobias called the angel and said to him, "Please take 
half of all that you have brought." {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. {I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}9_{/}Almsgiving 
preserves from death; it purifies from all sin. Those people who 
give alms and act justly will have a long life, {I}10_{/}but sinners 
only harm themselves. 
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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, {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}14_{/}Well, God sent me to cure you and also to cure Sara, your 
daughter-in-law. [=]_{R}_{I}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."
{I}16_{/}They both trembled with fear. They threw themselves face 
downwards on the ground because they were seized with terror. 
{R}_{I}17_{/}But Raphael said to them, "Do not be afraid; be at peace! 
Bless God always, {R}_{I}18_{/}for I did not come on my own account but 
because God willed it. Bless him forever. {I}19_{/}All the time that I 
was visible to you I neither ate nor drank anything. I only 
appeared to do so. [=]_{R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}21_{/}Then he rose up and disappeared. Tobit and Tobias got up, 
but Raphael was no longer visible. {R}_{I}22_{/}They made known the great 
and wonderful works of God and how an angel of the Lord had 
appeared to them.

{N}THE SONG OF TOBIT{/}

{1}13{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Tobit, in an ecstasy of joy, composed a prayer: "Blessed be 
God, living and reigning for all ages.
{I}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.
{R}_{I}3_{/}Give him thanks, sons of Israel, before all the nations.
Though he has dispersed you among them {R}_{I}4_{/}he now shows you his 
greatness.
Exalt him before all the living,
because he is our God and Lord,
our Father forever.
{I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}9_{/}I will praise my God the King of heaven;
my soul, radiant with happiness, will proclaim his greatness.
{R}_{I}10_{/}May all in Jerusalem give thanks to him.
[=]_{R}_{I}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;
{R}_{I}12_{/}that, there, God will gladden your exiles and show love to 
the unfortunate.
{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}14_{/}Jerusalem, cursed be all who hate you.
Blessed forever be those who love you.
{I}15_{/}You will rejoice and be glad
because the children of the just will be gathered again to praise 
the Lord of all ages.
{R}_{I}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, [=]_{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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."

{N}LAST WORDS OF TOBIT{/}

{1}14{/}

{I}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. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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 {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}6_{/}People of all nations will be converted and know the true 
God. They will bury their idols which led them into error 
[=]_{R}_{I}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.
{I}8_{/}My son, leave Nineveh. Do not remain here.
{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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. 
{R}_{I}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. 
{R}_{I}14_{/}Tobias died at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven years 
at Echbatana in Media. [=]_{R}_{I}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.

